The action and the chemistry is stronger than the story, because Gyllenhaal and Peña are good. In that respect End of Watch works better as a series of vignettes held together somewhat loosely by a larger story.

It's also a head-scratcher: How did a movie this stubbornly old-fashioned ever get made by such a trendy French director as Francois Ozon.

What Finn’s film lacks in originality it makes up for in technical prowess, and he has the courage of his convictions. The colors, even the ones that should be bright, are muted. Everything is just a touch off, until it’s a lot off. Smile isn’t a great horror film, but there’s plenty here to make you … well, you know.

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.

Busy, busy. That's The Adventures of Tintin boiled down to its essence.

A sense of dread permeates The Conjuring from the start, and it’s delightful.

The Meddler is one of those movies that surprises you by being something it’s not.

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.

Jones is patient — the film could have ended in two or three places before it does with no great loss — but the effort required by the audience pays off. We see the familiar in a new, if harsh light. We can hardly ask for more.

It's not easy to make such a downbeat movie compelling, but that's what Ramsay, with great help from her star, has done.

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.

Although the visuals are spectacular — a barren Colorado River looks like a landscape from a science-fiction epic — there's not much else here to grab on.

Early Man is smart, funny, clever — and a bit of a disappointment.

It is a smart, well-acted drama, and another chance for Marling to exercise her unique talents, creating intriguing characters on the page and the screen.

The payoffs are worth it — if you’ve got the stomach for them.

The acting in Black Mass is tremendous.

Tarantino seems to have no shortage of creativity or inspiration. What he needs to find is someone who isn’t afraid to occasionally say, “Cut.”

The film gets gory toward the end, and as with most horror films, the climax isn’t as satisfying as the build-up. But Perkins builds layer after layer of dread, so that when an explosion finally occurs, it’s almost a twisted relief.

Frank Serpico doesn't supersede "Serpico," and it isn't meant to. Instead it serves as an interesting companion piece, one well worth watching.

Mulloy’s only other directing credit is for the documentary short “This Morning.” She brings a documentarian’s objective eye to Una Noche, yet the actors — non-professionals — convey exactly the emotions she is looking for.

Boorman retains the sense of melancholy and, ultimately, optimism from the first film. That, coupled with excellent portrayals of what could have been stock war-movie characters, makes Queen and Country a worthy follow-up to a classic.

Robinson tells the story in a straightforward way, not quite breezy but definitely in mainstream fashion. You long for a little more grit; even the rough edges seem a little smooth.

Liev Schreiber is outstanding as the title character, a big lug who can’t stay out of his own way.

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.

The destination is a letdown, but the journey there is harrowing and rewarding. Hall’s powerful and affecting performance is the biggest reason why.

Thanks to Layton's filmmaking choices, American Animals ends up being not so much a crime movie as an examination of truth and memory, as well as blame and responsibility. And it's a lot better for it.

Yes, “Popstar” is dumb, dirty fun. So what’s not to like?

Williams is so good, so natural, so believable in the role that it's easy to forgive her character -- or at least wish her well. That's no small feat, because she can drive you crazy.