More curiosity than movie, “Michael,” a biopic so reverential towards its subject, Michael Jackson, that it borders on worshipful, can’t seem to figure out what it is.

When it comes to dumb fun, generally speaking you want a pretty good balance between the two elements. “Normal” ignores this notion, gleefully so.

When you can sell a movie in which you spend a large chunk of time talking to a rock and still manage to be magnetic, you're doing something right. And in "Project Hail Mary," Gosling definitely is.

It’s creepy as all get out and features a great performance from Nina Kiri, on-screen alone for most of the film, as a podcast host who has moved back to her childhood home to take care of her dying mother (Michèle Duquet). Things get weird.

I admire what Gyllenhaal attempts in The Bride! I was less satisfied with the execution.

What’s most remarkable about the film, which was shot in Iraq, are the performances. The cast members are not actors. They’re non-professionals, at least, acting for the first time. Yet their performances feel so genuine, so lived-in.

In the end, How to Make a Killing is fine, fun, a nice diversion starring, if no longer the flavor of the month, then a good actor elevating the material around him.

The movie’s biggest strength is that it’s not too deep. It's visually stunning but is ultimately empty calories.

All I can say is, no matter who made it, no matter who paid for it, no matter who it's about, "Melania" is a singularly bad movie.

The Testament of Ann Lee is a biographical film about a real person, though one about whom a great number of details aren’t known. It runs up against some rough patches during the telling of the story, but overall it is immensely enjoyable, an unflinching (and nonjudgmental) look at faith, no matter how bizarrely we may think it’s practiced.

Skarsgård makes the character a little sad, a lot delusional but never a joke. And he makes “Dead Man’s Wire” an underrated gem not to sleep on.

Marty Supreme is breakneck, it’s nerve wracking and it is above all entertaining as all get out. It makes you eager to see what Chalamet’s going to do next.

Avatar: Fire and Ash will doubtless join its predecessors in the billion-dollar club. It can't miss. It follows the formula of the previous two films — stunning advancements in film technology coupled with mind-numbing plot, evidently a lucrative combo. Don't get me wrong, these movies look great, genuinely so. They're just so dumb.

It’s fun, it’s smart and yes, it actually does have something to say. Delivered in this way, I think people are more inclined to listen.

It is devastating and magnetic and most of all brilliant. Don’t miss it.

Grande and Erivo bring that relationship to life, making “Wicked: For Good” more emotional than you’d expect. These are two really good actors whose investments in what could have been let’s-put-on-a-show theater-kid performances go much deeper.

Lawrence takes up that challenge and then some, with a performance that could have been rendered in broad strokes, and sometimes is, but also relies on small moments, a look in her eyes, a quick movement, to draw us in and keep us there.

Sweeney stepping outside her popular roles as a rude, blonde teenager in "White Lotus" and "Euphoria" shows just how dynamic she is as an actress. Her range is the highlight of this film, which occasionally fell short when diving into more serious themes and dragged a bit in the middle. That said, "Christy" is worth watching, if only to see an almost unrecognizable Sweeney flex her acting muscles.

Every image feels intentional, with nothing left to chance. (This results in some amazing images, many of them involving Stone’s face.) Along with the precision of the performances, this makes Bugonia one of the more enjoyably weird times at the movies in recent memory.

Bigelow brilliantly builds tension, to the extent that the third version we see is every bit as nerve-wracking as the first if not more so. This is nail-biting stuff, agonizing to sit through.

Eleanor the Great ties all the loose ends up in a neat bow, with the forgiveness of Eleanor. It's one of the types of movies that you'll watch once and not think about again.

The whole movie is amazing.

It’s such a fine line between stupid and clever, a couple of not-so-wise men said a long time ago — and in a better movie.

Despite the gore and the tragedies witnessed on screen, I left the theater hopeful.

My interpretation is that it’s a scary, funny film with a lot beneath the surface. And it’s certainly preferable to watching the news.

Butler keeps you hooked and keeps you hoping. It’s a really good performance in a good movie, and proof of Aronofsky’s versatility. There’s some virtuosity in there somewhere, too.

It isn’t the kind of movie where you nitpick the details. It’s the kind of movie where you float along from one scene to the next, buoyed by catchy hits like “Golden” and “Soda Pop.” They don’t just serve the story, but drive it.

At just under two hours, "Relay" keeps you on the edge of your seat, guessing at what's coming next.

East of Wall looks great on paper, but when Beecroft decided to toe the line between fact and fiction, it ended up falling short of either. Neither a true documentary nor a drama, "East of Wall" lacks clear direction and the dialogue reflects that.

This is a crazy movie, in the best possible way. Body horror films have to be willing to get nuts to really work ― “The Substance” knew this, for instance. And Franco and Brie, along with Shanks, fully commit to this.

It’s a jumbled, intriguing, inconsistent mess — and yes, it is uncomfortable by design.

Rarely do you find a Gen Z movie that doesn’t make the group seem so insufferable. This film shows the struggle of modern dating during this time, at this age.

Truth, justice and the American way” mean far different things than they did when Donner made his “Superman” film. Except they don’t. Some people have just tried to hijack them for their own political purposes. “Superman” is Gunn’s attempt to take them back. Let’s hope it works.

A fun and thrilling film which at times plays like a car race somebody stuck a movie into the middle of.

Elio is a good summer movie of intergalactic fun. It just plays it safe.

It’s a horror-movie coming-of-age story, absolutely bonkers and gory and at its heart an art film about finding your own way in a world that has never made any sense since you’ve been in it, which is probably what the world feels like to any kid growing up, only most kids don’t have to protect themselves from zombies who want to devour them.

It’s tempting to say that Song went a more traditional route, but her second film is in fact a bold reshaping of the romcom. I can’t wait for her third.

No, it’s not “The Shining.” It’s not trying to be. But it is a salve when we need one most, and that’s a lot.

Part of the fun of watching Mountainhead, the entertaining first feature film from “Succession” creator Jesse Armstrong, is marveling at the antics of the tech bros who already run a good chunk of the world, and want to run more. Part of the horror is how realistic it all seems. Part of the disappointment is how far it falls into “Three Stooges”-level farce.

With attacks on diversity and inclusion more abundant and dangerous than ever, “Deaf President Now!” is more relevant than ever.

I like movies like “Rosario” — creepy little horror films with enough scares to keep you on edge and enough of a story to keep you invested.

Too often in this long, long slog of Marvel movies, we are expected to have an advanced degree in Marvel-ology to understand even the trailer for a twice-removed TV offshoot. Until the very end, Thunderbolts* is free of this intellectual-property tyranny, content to carve its own funky little way.

Director Lorcan Finnegan is relentless in his pursuit of disquiet. But “The Surfer” is not just an exercise in making a hard-to-watch movie. It’s also a commentary on toxic masculinity and the absurdity of bro culture that poisons X and podcasts and other forms of media.

It doesn’t all add up; it doesn’t even all make sense. Which befits a story involving a man lost in loss, desperate to regain what he cannot. Reality isn’t as important here as feeling something. If you give “The Shrouds” a chance, you will.

Despite its slow pace at times, the film builds on multiple themes such as flying too close to the sun, self-discovery and a tinge of romance.

Sinners is a fascinating movie, overflowing with creativity and bold ideas.

Don’t think about the details too much. Just enjoy the exquisite agony of watching people squirm, and you’ll like “Drop” just fine.

Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, “The Friend” is exactly what you’d expect from beginning to end — there are no surprises. The film, based on the 2018 novel of the same name, is about healing from grief, navigating a years-long friendship and finding new companionship.

A Minecraft Movie is a fun romp that kids, whether they're fans of the game or not, will likely enjoy. The missed opportunity is the older generations of players. There's not enough storytelling or humor to get us invested in Hess' Minecraft world.

Delving into Argentinian politics, grief and growth, while the film had room to explore these themes, it remains somewhat lighthearted — which is where it falls short.

The ideas are there. Or at least mostly there. The performances are first-rate, particularly those of Vikander and Olsen, waging a war of wills — the tension is palpable. Maybe the payoff just can’t match the build-up.

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl is not the first film about family secrets coming to light through grief, but it may be the most original.

The Alto Knights is a good movie, but one that feels like it could have been great. And for what it’s worth, although I’m still not sure why it’s here, De Niro’s Pesci imitation is killer.

Black Bag, Steven Soderbergh’s outstanding new film, is sleek, cool, polished, smart, smooth — if Soderbergh were a thief, he’d leave no fingerprints.

Mostly “Novocaine” is just fun. And mostly, that’s enough.

Maybe the Manson murders are not meant for easy explanation, which in part seems to be what Morris is getting at. Maybe we’ll never really know the answers. But we don’t seem to be able to stop looking for them.

The movie has its moments (some of the songs are fun, as always), but like Plankton’s efforts at taking over the world, it’s ultimately a disappointment.

Balanced with the over-the-top but spot-on performances by Ruffalo and Collette as the clear “rich guy turned politician that has a really really loyal fanbase” stand-in, "Mickey 17" is one of Bong’s best English-language films.

Between Parkinson's excellent visual storytelling and the entire cast, especially Cole, putting their all into performances that feel realistic, Last Breath is proof that keeping things real and simple produces some incredible work.

Hausmann-Stokes won’t let the film get sappy; Martin-Green and Harris ensure it. Instead, it’s an unflinching look at a health crisis, a film that arrives at what it’s trying to say through unconventional means, and is all the more effective for it.

There is a hazy, gauzy quality to all of this, which keeps things just out of reach. Certainly, it looks like a lot of fun to be young, beautiful and rich in Naples. But Parthenope is also out of reach, almost an idea as much as a character. What that idea is I’m not quite certain.

You just have to hope for some fun along the way. The movie delivers that every now and then, but not nearly enough. Bigger! Dumber! Something! I’d settle for just better.

It’s surprising how much you miss the star power of the original Avengers bunch. Or maybe it’s not surprising. Whatever the case, watching this movie too often feels like you suspect there’s a better party going on next door, but you can’t get in.

One of the things that really makes “Companion” more entertaining than it might otherwise have been is the strength of the supporting cast. Gage and Guillén are particularly good as a mismatched couple who discover more about each other during the admittedly eventful stay at the cabin.

One of Them Days is proof that a good, old-school style comedy is still achievable with perfect casting, even when it's a story we've seen time and time again.

It’s good, it’s intriguing, but in the end it’s nothing to howl about.

Ultimately “The Last Showgirl” is worth watching for its final scene alone, but a lack of character and relationship-building leads to the film being as deep as a kiddie pool.

It’s 3 hours and 35 minutes long (including a 15-minute intermission), and while it’s full and complete, it never drags or feels padded. It is, simply put, a great movie.

It stands on its own as another in a long line of attempted explanations of what made Dylan Dylan. The more the merrier.

There is an edginess to Babygirl, an uncomfortableness that is part and parcel of the subject matter. But it’s somehow accessible. Maybe that’s a plus, maybe that’s a minus; perhaps it depends on your taste for this sort of thing. But there’s undeniable power in Kidman’s performance, one of the most interesting and, along the way, best of the year.

Even at its most disgusting, and it does get disgusting, the film is engrossing. It’s not that you can’t look away. It’s that you want to look and look again. That’s the lure of the vampire. And it’s the lure of “Nosferatu,” Eggers’ best film (at least so far).

As a retelling of Shakespeare's "Hamlet," "The Lion King" has it all: drama, an interesting love story, personal growth, dynamic characters and a satisfying ending — all things "Mufasa" ultimately lacks.

With a brilliant twist at the end, “Nickel Boys” is a masterpiece of an adaptation that showcases the harsh realities of racism within American society.

At 2 hours and 17 minutes, the film is a little bloated, though the expansiveness and inventiveness of the filmmaking make that sound like complaining about too much dessert.

There’s a danger in critiquing the movie you wish a director had made instead of the one they did, but in this case, Heller did make a horror film and then backed off from the horror aspects.

If the path seems familiar — hard work and a good attitude triumph over all — it’s because it’s a successful one. Robles is a real-life hero worth rooting for; Jerome makes him relatable and human.

I liked Moana 2 better than the original. Its story is darker and more challenging, its stakes are high and its message is surprisingly contemporary and relevant.

Maria rounds out the trilogy of important women in the 20th century in consummate fashion. Lorraín sticks to his melodic style while highlighting an undeniable actress of our time, this time with Angelina Jolie.

We’ve seen it all before — maybe not quite as spectacular, maybe not quite as dumb. It’s Washington who ultimately makes “Gladiator II” stand apart from the first film and makes it a lot more fun than it has any right to be.

Wicked isn’t the best movie you’ll see this year, but it’s almost certainly the most movie. … There’s not a frame wasted, not a second of down time. It’s a little like having dessert for dinner, as well as for the appetizer and dessert again, too. And it’s fun, a good time at the movies.

With “A Real Pain,” Jesse Eisenberg — who wrote, directed and stars in the film — pulls off a kind of magic trick. He’s made a movie with backdrops of pain and despair, both personal and existential, that is also funny, charming and something approaching uplifting. Ta-da!

There was a lot of hype surrounding it, but after one too many awkward musical numbers combined with slow pacing, I was left checking my phone for when the 2-hour and 10-minute movie would be over.

Juror #2 isn’t quite forgettable, but it’s also not the movie we’ll remember Eastwood for.

It’s lush, it’s electrifying, it’s wild. But more than that, the movie has real heart.

Smile 2 is a bigger movie in every way. Bigger isn’t necessarily better, but in this case, it’s not bad.

It’s a withering satire and a horror movie. Maddin, working with co-directors Galen and Evan Johnson, makes a good point, and he makes it over and over. But he makes it with his trademark absurdist humor, and the cast is so talented that it takes what are intentional stereotypes and runs with them.

The Apprentice — its title a play on Trump’s original identity in relation to Cohn, as well as the reality show that helped get him elected president — is well-made, entertaining in its way (particularly for fans of good acting) and not at all surprising.

There is an honesty in this performance, a genuineness that really elevates the film. It’s not always easy to watch, and it’s certainly not a lot of fun. But it is impressive, and that’s what carries it.

This is one film I think you should remain seated for as the dark comedy and psychological thriller will leave you feeling better about yourself in the end.

By the time the main vampire shows up, Salem’s Lot has already been rendered toothless.

This is grasping at something, or really at everything, everywhere, all the time. It feels like a bunch of unfinished ideas, despite the lengthy gestation period.

It’s a serviceable movie, nothing more but — also important — nothing less. And did we mention it has George Clooney and Brad Pitt?

I love movies like this — sweet little surprises that stick with you.

It’s only Fargeat’s second feature after 2017’s “Revenge.” That was a good movie. “The Substance” is a substantial leap forward and a film people will rightfully be talking about for a while.

It is a sweet, gentle, at times beautiful movie that does not gloss over the ugliness Steele, a transgender woman, references.

It is McAvoy you will remember, because you won’t be able to forget his full-throttle performance.

In the hands of three gifted actors — Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen and Carrie Coon — it is a beautiful film, one of the best of the year.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice relies on your familiarity with and memory of those performances. It’s a fun journey down memory lane. It won’t take you anywhere new, particularly, but let’s face it, that’s not why most people will take the trip.