It’s a throwback slow-burn thriller and an over-the-top scenery-chewing buffet — sometimes in the same scene. The back-and-forth tone prevents it from being the serious examination of human behavior (and misbehavior) it believes itself to be. It makes the experience of watching more strange than immersive.

Horror movies are notoriously tough to end well — how can the last act match the lead-up? But credit Chase with coming up with an ending that fits the mood of the rest of the film without selling out the audience emotionally.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is certainly funny. It’s just not the flash of inspiration the first movie was — it can’t be. Baron Cohen revealed more out of contemporary America (and a lot about Arizona) with the 2018 TV series “Who Is America?” The new movie will make you laugh, but too often it’s more of the same.

The hyperreal CGI animated Over the Moon is fun, visually stunning and poignant, even if there are spurts of aimless psychedelic chaos along the way.

There is an element of sadness to this story that’s necessary to make it effective. Take that away and you’re left with a cute kids’ tale that doesn’t trust younger audiences to process the elements that can be difficult — and that make it better.

The Richardsons’ thought-provoking journey leaves you pondering not just the pain and turmoil created by the criminal justice system, but the incredible life-giving strength of love.

It’s more creepy than scary. But at least, you reckon, this not happening to you.

On the Rocks is a funny film, warm for the most part except when it’s not — and needs not to be. Minor Murray, you might call it? And yes, you could say that he’s in effect just doing the kind of thing he always does, only more so. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Without any movie-specific spoilers, it’s hard not to be moved and inspired when you reach the end of the film and realize after everything Steinem and the other pioneering feminists of her day have done to advance the position of women in society, there is still much more work to do.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 is something unexpected, fun. Sorkin trusts his instincts. Maybe real life has made it so that nothing seems over the top anymore. Whatever the case, it makes the film something else, too: timely.

Kajillionaire is hyperbolic and surreal, but also, with July’s unique touch, sweet.

The Dark Divide will win over nature lovers with stunning visuals and an overarching message about the importance of conserving our unpredictable planet and relishing the beauty of exploring it.

Any film that reminds us that the work for equality is far from done is traveling a worthy path. This one just could have done it better.

Cobham-Hervey's breathtaking performance elevates the whole endeavor, capturing the heart of what made Reddy so deserving of the winning tribute Moon has given her with I Am Woman. It's in Cobham-Hervey's understatement that we truly hear this woman roar.

Is it going to save Hollywood? No, probably not. But it might save your Friday night, and that’s not nothing.

I can say without hesitation that if you’re looking for something ambitious and difficult and super weird — and satisfying, in the end, though think of that in loose terms — I recommend the rather amazing experience.

Bill & Ted Face the Music is sweet and hopeful and, of course, kind of stupid, but that’s a big part of the point.

Plummer’s genuine, heartfelt performance will likely go a long way in humanizing a diagnosis that is often unfairly stigmatized.

Of course with this kind of film, not every joke lands. You’re hoping for a good proportion — more hits than misses. The ratio isn’t quite as high as you’d like with The Binge, but it’s close enough.

If you’re up for an absurdist comedy-horror take on “The Most Dangerous Game” that involves murder, bad hip-hop and hallucinogenic rabbit poop, Get Duked! is the movie for you.

It’s a sobering reminder, during the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, how undervalued Black lives have been, and for so long, in this country.

Chemical Hearts is sad, dark and depending on how much heartbreak you can take, almost too depressing at times. But it definitely provides something different in the teenage romance genre — except that something different may make you miss the days of cheesy high school rom-coms by the end.

McBaine and Moss expertly build tension leading toward the election. Last-minute surprises and frustratingly cynical attacks only increase the edge-of-your-seat aspect of the film.

The balance between spunky kid film, buddy movie, comic book adventure and rugged violence is, as you might guess, difficult to find. But it’s kind of fun to watch “Project Power” try.

Crawford's documentary celebrates the legacy of CREEM in all its dysfunctional glory, not only addressing but owning all the things about it that would never fly in 2020.

An American Pickle is the kind of movie that never quite decides what it wants to be. Pick a lane, as they say. Otherwise, you’re all over the place.

Once you start this film, you might not want it to end.

James makes some confident decisions in the film’s last act, showing a welcome trust in the audience, particularly for a debut feature. She also gets fascinating performances out of her actors — each does a lot with a little. The performances aren’t as muted as they are quietly, intensely focused.

Like the elements of a good hit song, it all comes together and seems fresh. It may sound like something you’ve heard before, but it also sounds new.

It’s a scarily efficient little horror movie, directed by Dave Franco in his feature debut, who proves knowledgeable about his subject. Really knowledgeable, evidently, because he and co-writer Joe Swanberg dip into just about every trope of the genre by the end of the 88-minute running time.

Overall, Radioactive is a fitting tribute that is not entirely glowing (outside of the bottle of radium Curie takes to bed every night), but rather an honest and touching depiction of one of the finest scientists to ever live.

The beauty in Maines’ script, and in the performances, is how perfectly modulated everything is. Maines clearly gets some digs in at the Catholic Church, and Catholic education particularly. It’s really funny.

It is hard to imagine that a Scandinavian-set comedy starring Jenny Slate would lack charisma, but unfortunately, the most interesting characters in The Sunlit Night are a yellow barn and the sprawling scenery of rural Norway.

It’s dark, nihilistic, funny and ultimately sweet and hopeful, and thus so inadvertently perfect for people stuck at home practicing pandemic avoidance that you kind of have to love it a little.

Prince-Bythewood proves accomplished at directing set pieces that run toward the more balletic bone-crunching examples of the genre. Theron in particular, with films like “Atomic Blonde” on her resume, is good at this sort of thing. But she’s good at the moody stuff, too.

On the surface, this strange film could leave you thinking that not much actually happened during its 91-minute runtime, but it’s the idiosyncratic emotional journey, expertly portrayed by Nighy and the ensemble, rather than the destination that sticks with you.

For all the documentary's focus on Quatro's role as a trailblazing woman in rock, the film also serves as an intriguing and entertaining overview of her career.

Hamilton defies a cynical reading. It is a great show, and an important one. Right now the latter might be more a more crucial description that the former. Don’t miss it.

My Spy is best summed up as fun and expected, but also, at times, surprisingly violent for a story where the main character is a nine year old girl.

When he’s on, Stewart’s skewer is sharp indeed.

While the movie does have some of the twists and turns audience members want in a thriller, they're all sluggishly drawn out.

Da 5 Bloods may not be the masterpiece you’d wish for, but it is a welcome contribution to Lee’s work, and to the conversations we all need to be having.

It’s a messy but ultimately satisfying film, an opportunity to carry a movie that Davidson takes full advantage of.

Wasikowska is outstanding. She’s got the most-interesting character arc, and she plays Judy at all stages of the story with a genuineness that never wavers, whether it’s as the quiet, put-upon secret weapon of the puppet show or the woman she becomes, which is something far from where she begins.

The direction in the film is terrific, with an atmosphere and vibe so pervasively thick you can practically feel what it’s like in the town. And on this particular night — this vast night — it’s creepy indeed.

Looking for a movie to get you as far away from reality as possible? Watch The High Note.

Scoob! is a poorly written, nonsensical animated update of the Scooby gang.

There’s a great journalism movie hidden in Bad Education. Forgive the biased viewpoint. Luckily, there’s also a really compelling, breezy comic crime drama — with a terrific performance by Hugh Jackman — sitting there in plain sight.

The trip through their history is a trip through the 1980s and ’90s, and Diamond and Horowitz offer the unique perspective of people in the middle of it then who are on the outside looking back, knowledgeable observers who know more now than they knew then. And isn’t that the idea?

Obama is so smart and insightful, even in response to the canned and near-sycophantic questions during the question-and-answer sessions on stage, that it makes you yearn for a real interview, a tougher documentary, one that trusts both Obama and the audience more.

Spaceship Earth is an interesting look at the origins of one Arizona’s most interesting tourist attractions.

The film, wisely, is built around Hemsworth. He’s good at this kind of thing, and no matter how many throats he slits, you still root for him.

Just being new and different aren’t enough reasons to stream something, not even when we’re shut in at home. Selah and the Spades is both of those things, but it’s a genuinely compelling film as well.

Trolls World Tour isn’t a great movie, but it’s not an awful one, either — and maybe most importantly, it’s a new movie, one you can watch right now without leaving your house.

“Never Rarely” is not strident, it doesn’t preach, it doesn’t harangue. Instead it relies on confident direction, brilliant acting and a deceptively straightforward story to make its point. Really, you probably haven’t seen anything like it.

First Cow sneaks up on you a little bit. You become engrossed in these men and their relationship, then their business, then their survival. And that’s definitely not nothing. Far from it, in fact

What She Said is a good movie, an engaging look at probably the most influential film critic of all time. (If you want to make a case for Roger Ebert, know that he was one of her followers.) But it’s obviously not the best way to understand her work and her influence. There’s only one real way to do that: Read her.

In the final minutes, the characters make several choices that defy logic, leaving the audience to wonder what happened to the savvy operators presented in the early parts of the film.

Wendy is not glossy by any means but it feels like an escape from the soulless live-action Disney remakes audiences have become accustomed to.

You don't really know what the movie is truly about until the third act. For some, that might be a lengthy journey you don't want to take. But for many, it's an emotional adventure — full of touching moments and captivating visuals — that's well worth the wait.

It's clear that de Wilde adores Emma, for all her challenges, just as much as her fictional admirers. And audiences should fall in love with her again, too.

The Invisible Man is a thrilling movie. If nothing else, it will make you question if that feeling you get of being watched is just in your head, or if there really is somebody else in the room.

It all falls ultimately to Keough, who is outstanding at portraying the duality of a character, a duality the story demands.

The Call of the Wild is a fascinating movie, visually.

Ordinary Love is not a movie solely about cancer. It is a raw, on-screen adaptation of what hundreds of couples experience when their limits are tested — physically, mentally and romantically. This film, like the love these couples have for one another, will stand the test the time.

It all adds up to a decent movie — one that, for those in the know, stands in the shadow of a better one.

Green shows us nothing lurid, nothing explicit. Instead she lets the toxicity build, bit by bit, until it’s seeped in everywhere. That’s powerful, and that’s worse, too.

It’s a film that gets brilliantly to the truth of how and why we fall in love, and replicates that sensation — and the heartache that follows.

Indeed, the best parts of Birds of Prey are the action sequences of the all-women team fighting together, but many of these scenes don't take place until the movie's second half.

When it reaches its boiling point, Les Misérables absolutely roils.

Procedural and uninspired, the Vietnam War-focused melodrama The Last Full Measure isn't as strong as its real-life hero.

Take away the confusing plot and throwaway punchlines and the cast is by far the best part of the film — and the reason many will go see it. If only they were part of a different movie. The Gentlemen doesn't live up to the hype.

Clemency isn’t exactly a good time at the movies, but it’s definitely an enlightening one.

If you enjoyed the first two “Bad Boys” movies, you’ll want to see how the characters have developed. If you aren’t a fan of the series, there is a strong enough story to make the film worthwhile.

Dolittle’s animals are easier to relate to, with their humanlike self-esteem and family issues, than the film’s central characters.

War is much on the minds of people right now, and 1917 is a good reminder, flaws and all, of what that really entails. The contradiction, of course, is that it is not one long slog through gorgeous sunsets, but a million little moments that make up the effort. That’s kind of the movie Mendes made, and yet it’s not. You want to feel a movie like this, but too often you simply appreciate it.

The script to this flop doesn't even have enough laughs to amuse someone in the most boring of orthodontist waiting rooms.

It’s an unnecessarily complicated puzzle-box construction that only serves to cheapen the story and diminish its impact

Make no mistake, “Hold On” proves De Ette a talented singer, one destined for success. We didn’t need a movie to see that. A music video would have sufficed.

The writing and editing aren’t up to the task of retrofitting Alcott’s straightforward narrative with a sophisticated chronology and rob it of dramatic tension in the process.

Cinematographer Darius Khondji gives the film a gritty, twitchy feel. The Safdies give it a story and a pace that never lets up. But Sandler gives it life, and makes Uncut Gems a must-see movie. Just remember: breathe.

Though the stories explored in Bombshell are explosive, the film's uneven pace makes them merely sizzle like reading a news brief instead of an illustrative Vanity Fair profile.

A Hidden Life is less a story than an experience, a spiritual journey made accessible through light and sound. Malick doesn’t transcend cinema. He sanctifies it.

I guess I was charmed in spite of myself. I’m reminded of a quote from Alexander Pope I had to memorize as a kid, which gave me fair warning about the likes of Andrew Lloyd Webber and “Cats”: “Vice is a monster of so frightful mien / as to be hated needs but to be seen; / Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, / We first endure, then pity, then embrace.” Did I tear up a little? Maybe. Do I ever need to see “Cats” again? Nah, I’m good.

How do you end the most iconic franchise of all time? (Don’t panic, there will be more movies, just not a part of this particular universe.) You end it by trying to please everyone. Which can make it hard to please anyone. But Abrams is a crowd-pleaser and a good one. He’s made a film that is unquestionably entertaining and wraps things up in a way that will make fans happy.

While the actors certainly have charm, the farcical plot is so formulaic that the comic fizz often feels forced.

It’s a good movie. It’s also a flawed one. And in this case more than most, it’s hard to separate those two things.

Outdoing all of the headliners, at least when it comes to capturing voices and body language, is a new character inside the game played by Awkwafina of “Crazy Rich Asians.” It’s subtle, but there’s something more authentic about her version of the shtick. She’s just more in the moment — or maybe less desperate for a laugh.

Waves is definitely not a film for everyone, but it has hidden depths that will reward the patient.

It’s a weird film all the way around.

Queen & Slim is strongest when it lets the images and the acting do the lion’s share of the talking.

Haynes plays up the melodrama, and the film moves along without a lot of surprises. But that gives it a certain momentum — a momentum personified by Bilott in the storage room, sorting through boxes. It’s not flashy, but it’s how you get the job done.

Of course blackmail, shady business dealings and overdoses abound in Johnson's crafty tale. He masterfully maneuvers today's political maelstrom with ease and makes these would-be caricatures into people who could very well be sitting next to you for a Thanksgiving feast.

For me, it doesn’t really matter if LaBeouf is letting himself off the hook, or if Honey Boy is the ultimate vanity project of a pampered narcissist. What matters is that he has plunged into the maelstrom of his own memories and emerged with a real work of art — something that feels real, feels true, even though we all know it isn’t.

Banks' enthusiasm and respect for the history of this franchise takes it from retrograde to fresh within minutes.

The report is important. Its findings and the attempts to undermine them and the investigators, shouldn’t be forgotten. That The Report tries to keep these lessons in a fickle public’s consciousness is a good thing. If only anything committed to screen here were memorable.

It adds up to a marginally more interesting experience than the first “Frozen,” but this sequel would have benefited from venturing a touch further into the unknown.

One is left wanting to know more about Mr. Rogers, but the film reduces him to little more than a kind of superhero family therapist.