Therese Lacson

There are no easy answers, and Nuisance Bear presents none of them.

Poulter's acting keeps it afloat ultimately, but there are moments when the desire to focus on the recovery journey overshadows the actual story at the heart of the film. Ultimately, Union County is a respectable debut for Meeks, but in trying to do too much, it fails to land on solid ground by the time the film is over.

With heartfelt and emotional performances by the cast, See You When I See You is a stirring tale about survivor's guilt, grief, and reconnecting in the wake of tragedy. Though the film hits on all emotional notes, there's one crucial setback that holds back an otherwise moving story.

It ends up in an odd space between psychological thriller and straight-up jump-scare horror that unfortunately drags down an otherwise compelling film.

The Choral offers a unique look at WWI, while struggling to maintain balance between its compelling lead and somewhat lackluster storytelling with its other subplots.

Although your mileage may vary when it comes to Honey Don't's tone, what's undeniable is that Qualley was made to play Honey. She's cool, slick, and wildly charismatic.

The Mastermind vascillates between wanting to lean into the thrills of a heist and falling back on Reichardt's tried-and-true formula. The result is a confusing mix of tones with a fairly basic concept that rarely dips below the surface.

Despite beautiful shots and strong performances in the film, what ultimately comes up lacking is the story.

Sugar Babies is an intimate look at poverty and the changing of the American dream, but it fails to look deep enough to make the impact it intends to.

Ultimately, the concept behind The Virgin of the Quarry Lake might have embodied Mariana Enriquez's short stories, but it feels too jumbled and fails to meet its full potential.

What saves this movie is Taylor-Joy and Teller. Though their in-person scenes aren't nearly as endearing as their scenes with each other across the gorge, the two do have great chemistry. They're interesting to watch together, especially during their action scenes.

Luz is an ambitious film but one that overreaches a little and becomes jumbled as a result, but it shows promise for filmmaker Flora Lau.

Struggling through an identity crisis, The Crow is doing too much and, as a result, doesn't do enough to serve its core narrative.

It is moody and creepy, though perhaps not brave enough to wander into true melodrama or bizarre fantasy. In the end, its performances and the way it incorporates Gothic elements, along with a strong visual aesthetic, make the film a worthwhile watch.

The ultimate ambiguity might be enough for some to praise Lin's work, but there's simply not enough to chew on by the end of the story for it to be a resounding success.

Ultimately, Dìdi's problem is that it is charming but aimless. Izaac Wang is perfectly cast as Chris, and he has amazing chemistry with this cast, but there just isn't enough to go off of. It feels like we're looking into a vignette of someone's life rather than taking in a fully realized story.

Love Me has its flaws. But the cast is endearing, the robots are cute, and if you enjoy a romance movie, you won't be disappointed in this.

Ultimately, Freaky Tales works if you don't look too hard at it. It's a fun time and some of the most extreme scenes will make you forget any plot holes or inconsistencies.

Narratives about identity are important, but Elemental lacks the delicate nuance needed to tell these stories.

While the group of actors who play the students offer strong performances, particularly Luke Barker, Ksenia Devriendt, and Florence Baker, Hausner's meandering feature eventually concludes without a real ending.

Where Thornton's narrative falters, his camerawork and directorial eye are stronger than ever.

While Haynes isn't at his best with May December, a talented cast and an intriguing story make the film an entertaining exercise all the same.

With a messy story and confusing characters, Aïnouz's Firebrand is a disappointment to behold no matter how exquisite the film looks.

Occupied City starts off strong, but after the intermission, you can feel how aimless the documentary is at times, with the final act feeling almost excruciatingly long.

Ultimately, there's much to enjoy in Sharper, with a premise that offers intrigue and a strong group of performances, but it falls flat at the end, unwilling to dig deeper into its characters or the meaning behind its story.

While Park injects his own joie de vivre to his on-screen performances as an actor, there is a distinct lackluster quality to Shortcomings in its biggest moments. It feels, at times, generic. The story, penned by Tomine, still holds the same feelings for me as the graphic novel, which is to say that at least they provoke thought, but Park’s own style feels far from refined.

Jamojaya is at its weakest when it pushes its music industry storyline to the forefront and the family drama into the background. But Imanuel and Unru's performances are enough to give this film praise, and it will be exciting to see where Imanuel goes next in his burgeoning acting career.

With more time and focus, Aum could have been the next hit series bought by a streamer, but as it is now, it doesn't dig deep enough and leaves an incomplete narrative about this deadly cult.