National Anthem may at times feel a bit too simple, but the craftsmanship and the core performances are enough to make it worth a watch.

Predator: Badlands might not be the shock to the system that Prey was, but it is continued proof that putting Predator in Trachtenberg's was one of the smartest moves this franchise has ever made. The writer and director continues to find brilliant, fascinating ways to explore and expand the Predator movies to an exhilarating level, making this series better than it ever has been.

It is by no means a perfectly constructed work, but there is something more immense in its thematic aspiration that provides plenty for Pugh to play around with. All that makes it unwieldy also makes The Wonder mesmerizing so that, even when the spell is broken, you can’t shake it from your mind.

While Disco Boy is gorgeous to look at, a more coherent script would have done wonders to hold the movie together.

Watchmen: Chapter 1 is a compelling curiosity, but never matches the power of its source material, and, if anything, should make people turn to the graphic novel instead of checking out yet another adaptation.

It’s a shame that such a solid set of performances are brought down by an underlying thread of jingoism, one that’s hard to put too fine a point on until the film’s final scene. The final shot of the film is a punch to the throat, a distinct flourish on Friedkin’s part that I absolutely adored, but its origins leave me feeling more than slightly queasy.

Bombach’s documentary shows that there's much more to the Indigo Girls, presenting a remarkable duo who have not only meant the world to countless people, but have used their music and their platform to change the world as best they can.

The Survivor is too frequently going through the motions of tried-and-true biopic stories that we’ve seen countless times before, or making choices that seem daring, but ultimately hold back the power of Harry’s story.

You're a Big Boy Now fits in with the sort of rebellious, youthful films that were popular during the final years of the rebellious decade in which it was released, but probably isn't an essential watch for anyone other than the filmmaker's most devoted fans.

As a complete portrait of youth on the cusp of the rest of their lives, it never manages to be authentically sharp enough to transcend the more tiresome narrative trappings it falls into and a grating over reliance on musical cues as punchlines.

This wonderfully personal story is filled to the brim with a seemingly endless reservoir of laughs and tears. It's an experience that won't just have you liking Bob Trevino Likes It, it will have you loving it.

Riveting without ever feeling sensationalized and moving without being saccharine, Middletown is a captivating tale that combines elements of true crime and coming-of-age stories and proves, once again, that Moss and McBaine are two of the most talented documentarians working today.

Unicorns seems like a much older movie, torn from an era in which queer people were not allowed to tell their own stories, instead being reduced to secondary characters in straight plots.

With immersive action set pieces, heartfelt snippets of character-driven stories, and fantastic performances all around, Steve McQueen shows again his adept ability at bringing such enormous scope to deeply personal human stories.

With a limited budget and a lot of dedication to the craft, the project is able to build on its references to thrillers from the '70s and '80s while finding its own footing.

Given Almodóvar’s established penchant for melodrama and that the subject is euthanasia, the film is strangely aloof. It never reduces the proceedings to Lifetime territory or patronizes moviegoers in the process. It does, however, leave you to wonder a bit about the indifference you might ultimately come away with yourself.

At its core, Vesper feels like a dark fairytale, like something born from the haunted tales of Grimms' Fairy Tales.

Theater Camp isn’t without its weaknesses, but the hilarious cast—like their characters—are game for anything, and the jokes are flying fast and mostly landing.

It’s never as deep as it thinks it is (or has the potential to be), but as long as you go in simply wanting a nasty, gorgeous, unhinged ride, you’ll leave the rollercoaster satisfied — and probably a little nauseous, too.

Apart from the impeccable cast, what’s most impressive about Companion is its balance of so many differing moving parts. It’s a genuinely funny comedy, a suspenseful thriller, and has some pretty gnarly gore scenes to boot.

James Mangold's A Complete Unknown explores the music of Bob Dylan with fantastic care and a great performance by Timothée Chalamet.

While Comer makes a committed effort to carry the film, it falls flat in its excessive filler, undeveloped characters, and symphony of bonkers accents.

Some might criticize Tancred’s approach to this mystery, which meanders, goes on tangents, and follows several red herrings over the course of its two hours. Yet it’s precisely that free-flowing style that makes Last Stop Larrimah so unique.

The conclusion might leave some throwing their hands up in frustration and others applauding its audacity, but it's an ending that will definitely leave you with something to talk about and ponder long after the credits finish rolling.

Eagles of the Republic's greatest strength lies in Fares Fares, who is all too convincing as a superstar actor in Egypt, striking a delicate balance between his comedic scenes and dramatic ones

As Ibsen’s play has shown, even a century after its writing, this is still a story with life in it, and DaCosta’s take modernizes it in deft ways. However, the questionable way DaCosta's film goes about it doesn’t do the story justice, making this a party that fizzles out long before the last guest has left.

Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson's romantic fantasy film is a delightful and silly tale that masquerades as a fable. Beneath the surface of its folklore-esque concept, Wicker is more an exploration of human connection, a criticism of the patriarchy, and a fun exploration of just how far one ridiculous concept can be taken.

The Friend's heart is in the right place, but it can't get out of its own way.

Emilia Pérez boasts a remarkable trifecta of performances, but Jacques Audiard's ambitious project tries to do a bit too much.

Man is a true mixed bag. The action is staggeringly impressive, both from a visual and storytelling standpoint, but the material in between runs the risk of deflating the experience via pacing problems and narrative confusion.

Even as it comes awfully close to overstaying its welcome just a bit, much like the spiders in the home of the characters, it very quickly grows on you.

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is a ridiculous adventure that is constantly surprising, unexpectedly touching, and truly hilarious.

There is a good film in The Harbinger that we catch glimpses of in moments of horror and the conversations we do get to see play out. It just is struggling to break through the uncertain confines of the story it is trapped in.

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a quiet delight, a perfect summer interlude that exudes beauty, optimism and charm in every scene. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris feels like capturing joy in a bottle.

Though the ending is somewhat disappointing and less dynamic than everything that preceded it, this can’t take away all that the film still has going for it.

Even though Sidney takes a fairly elementary look at Poitier’s career, it’s still extraordinary to see the contributions this man had on the world lined up in this way. Poitier left an indelible change on entertainment, the culture, and society at large, and Sidney makes us aware that this world wouldn’t be the same without Poitier.

It will make you cry, it will make you uncomfortable, but at the end of the film's runtime, it will leave you with a feeling of profound satisfaction that even the most heartfelt movies struggle to replicate.

If you were a fan of Beavis and Butt-Head, you will love them doing The Universe. They haven’t changed a bit, even though the world around them has changed. It is delightfully charming and ridiculous and completely expected, in the best way possible.

Weird might not be the best biopic parody (Walk Hard still holds that crown), but it is an absolutely charming and often hilarious look at the world’s greatest parody musician, packed with an excellent cast that wants to pay tribute to this weird man. Weird dares to be stupid and succeeds because of it.

After the Bite could initially be mistaken for just another part of a trajectory of movies that has become defined by this trend-chasing rather than something more. However, if you begin to look closer, you’ll discover a measured reflection on our relationship to both the predator of the deep and the habitat that has come under threat.

Emilie Blichfeldt combines the classic grotesque horror often associated with Grimm fairytales and injects new life into it with her feminist message and new perspective. Coupled with strong performances — with special praise for lead Lea Myren — this horror flick is well worth a watch. Just maybe don't watch it after a meal!

Jethica feels like the middle act of a much more compelling film and is a rare example of a film that could have done with a smidge more exposition. If this were a proof-of-concept I would love to see a much deeper, broader look at this story.

What Song has done is make an excellent version of those types of romance films from yesteryear, yet one where these characters have depth, layers, and are more considered than we might have received in those films.

Despite the harrowing predicament Jane and Adam find themselves in, If You Were the Last is a rom-com. Not only that, it's a good one -- a 90-minute charmer that eschews realistic FX work (the space shuttle itself and the planets outside its windows look to be made out of cardboard and papier-mâché) in favor of putting two actors with fantastic chemistry together in a tight space and letting the sparks fly.

Part caper, part spy movie, and part family drama, The Phoenician Scheme feels both like a return to form for Anderson while also feeling like an evolution for the auteur as his style changes bit by bit.

It is enigmatic and eerie in a manner that crawls under your skin until you feel like you can't escape it. It is proof that films like this, even as they are enormously painful, can reveal the dark truths of being alive in ways other works shy away from. It reflects how life can often have no respite from tragedy, instead burrowing deeper and deeper into it. It succeeds in capturing this state of being, meticulously and ruthlessly ripping away the past until the future comes crashing down.

The Threesome is not without its flaws, it could absolutely use some fleshing out in some key parts, and its ending feels like a bit of a cop-out, considering everything that comes before it — yet it delivers when targeting the big emotional core that makes this story special.

Relay is a tense, edge-of-your-seat ride that reminds you that they do still make them like they used to, it’s just, unfortunately, not nearly as common anymore.

It's a deliberately-paced drama with some decent performances and a gorgeously dark aesthetic, but lacks the time or effort to give these stories what they need.

By the end of the film, the film that seems so much like Collateral on the surface is actually far more personal, reminding us of the unlikely bonds that we can share together as human beings and that it's never too late to find a home and family beyond the conventional boundaries of what is expected.

It’s pretty easy to fall in love with Ari and Dante, but the movie is only in love with the idea of them, neglecting quality time between the characters that would really make us feel like they've traveled through galaxies and beyond.

Evil Dead Rise's scares and gore are so effective, and its cast so committed to the story, that it's easy to be completely enthralled by Cronin's movie.

Louis-Dreyfus is subtly excruciating in her grief here, and it’s marvelous to watch her work in a story that allows her to play with such a range of feelings.

While The Animal Kingdom is far from perfect, it still delivers a crowd-pleasing story that can move and thrill in equal measure.

There will always be much to the film that is too distant, but the moments where Stolevski pulls us in closer make its portrait of passion resonate where it counts.

Through its exploration of Navajo culture and life on the reservation, as well as the troubles and beauty of that community, Rez Ball smartly explores dark topics in a way that doesn’t suffocate the underdog story within.

Malcolm Washington shows himself to be a capable director, expanding this story in the ways he can while staying true to the source material. This cast also knows how to elevate Wilson's words beautifully, whether it's sticking close to a more stagelike performance or bringing new life to this story, as Deadwyler does.

It sits in your chest like a cough you can’t get rid of, and there’s promise in its bones of what might come next for the Aussie directorial duo.

Ahn’s feature debut is ultimately a beautiful, sensitive love story showcasing the healing power of unexpected human connection.

It’s a weird film that eventually gets lost in itself, but there’s still much to be appreciated.

Given its troubled production history, Messiah of Evil is far from perfect. Mood can only get you so far when not much happens for a good hour of the film. But it flows with the blood of New Hollywood in its veins, defining the wave as more than just gritty dramas and excessive blockbusters.

Performances are the spectacle, and both actors do a tremendous job translating the worst feeling any parent can experience. It all depends on your patience for slow-burn horrors, and if there's enough nightmare fuel to stay along for the ride.

It’s entirely possible you won’t see a scarier movie this year than Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5.

It is a work that is so caught up in the noise that it drowns out the moments of the profound silence that could have spoken to something more.

Most importantly, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein doesn’t pretend to mask itself as something more than a cheap thrill, but it’s that tongue-in-cheek self-awareness that not only made it a box office smash, spawning several sequels, but the birth mother of an entirely new genre altogether.

When it all comes together, Wendell & Wild ends up feeling liberating, both artistically and thematically, with top work from all involved.

Are We Good? isn’t just an enthralling look at pain, loss, and how we handle unexpected grief; it’s also a reminder that life is always full of surprises — both good and bad — and that unexpected journey will certainly have you asking "WTF?" throughout.

As audience members, we experience the highs and lows of the Pelletier’s journey together, never divorced by what drove the desire to experience the world, and reminded throughout how in our own lives we must, whenever possible, make the same choices to seize the moment and make good memories as best as we can.

The main characters of Femme are more than one-dimensional representations of the part they play in society. They are complex human beings, filled with contradictions and trying to get by despite past traumas.

By the time the credits roll, Diciannove doesn't give the viewer enough food for thought.

The Greatest Night in Pop is a worthy story in its own right, but a bit more of the director's touch could've done justice to this gigantic achievement of pop music history.

John Candy: I Like Me is a beautiful love letter to the comedian.

It's an engrossing thriller that reels you in with its unconventionality and offers up something different in a largely uniform genre.

In just under two hours, Apatow and Berkeley truly do their best to cover every facet of Bamford, and it is an impressive document of her greatness.

McGann weaves together an emotional and tragic tale in the third act, one that hits hard after following the story of these two lovers throughout the film. Mixing this with the magnificent footage of an alien underwater world, one that few of us will ever see with our own eyes, and there is a lot to like.

Harris and Dormer are the best of frenemies in this sneakily stupendous character study, as relentless as it is mysterious.

The film has the power to bring its audience to tears because the story is powerful, and the thoughtful creative decisions do justice to it.

Jim Henson Idea Man is an adoring look at this remarkable man that never slips into hagiography, yet, it’s a documentary that will only make you appreciate the multitudes that made Henson who he was.

John Magaro, Steve Zahn, and Dylan Baker lead a cast of stellar character actors in a film that winds up being one of the better Fargo-adjacent movies we’ve gotten in some time.

With only two films, Raiff has proven himself to be one of the most exciting filmmakers today, telling stories that are emotionally honest and lived in, without any pretensions and with an unabashed tenderness.

Its relatable story is what really makes Sacramento a film that's worth revisiting again and again for its charming fable about the price of friendship and fatherhood.

What makes this latest documentary from director Peter Nicks different is how it takes time to sit with the failures and go just a bit deeper.

A thriller that starts solidly enough and picks up steam before blowing the doors off with an outstanding ending, Magpie is one of those rare films that feels both fresh and alive while building off classic genre works of the past.

Carry-On is pure escapist fare that you can turn on while sitting next to your Christmas tree, and it has enough energy that you won’t feel the need to check your phone every 10 minutes.

It has a lot on its mind that it wants to tackle, but that leaves much of the explorations it is undertaking feeling half-baked. This doesn’t drag things down too much, as it is mostly able to keep light on its feet, but it does make things a bit wobbly.

Through its powerhouse performances, effective bare-bones plots, and strong horror elements, Adam MacDonald's latest survival story gets the job done, and does it well.

The Luckiest Man in America is a strong story when it sticks to the facts, and Hauser is undeniably an excellent choice for this role, but the film really presses its luck by taking such huge liberties with the facts.

The texture that gives vibrancy to these types of understated stories just isn’t there, ensuring that what little there is to grasp onto soon slips away as well.

While fans might wish for a more traditional “follow me around” documentary that dives deep into all things Captain Kirk, this softer, more contemplative side is just as profound as the legacy he will leave behind.

Smile holds no surprises. No big twists. You know what you are getting going into this movie. It is predictable from the first minute. But it is an enjoyable, scary ride that is well-plotted and acted. You will know how it ends within the first five minutes of the film. But the ride getting there is well worth it.

This bold feature debut refuses to shy away from gore, social commentary, or a heartwarming ending for its characters.

Despite its flaws, Something Wicked is the great standout from Disney’s experimental phase under Miller.

Sometimes, in film and in life, the greatest gifts are the ones you don’t expect yet were there all along. Omni Loop is this in beautiful, bittersweet action. As it loops back one more time, you’ll wish you could run it all back again.

Even though the film does at times feel like it's setting up for future projects, it never feels burdened by this, but rather, like we're seeing the natural progression of where these characters' stories should lead. Thunderbolts* is a pleasant surprise in the MCU; it only took a team-up of Marvel’s unlikeliest superheroes to bring it out in them.

It is grimly funny at times, though no less terrifying because of it. Everything compliments itself as we observe the beautiful forest being made into a hunting ground where there is nowhere you are safe for long.

The passion that was brought to creating the perilous and dark world is just so spectacular to take in. If modern superhero films had even one iota of the creativity of this one, they wouldn’t grow so tiresome.

Despite using genre conventions both for its thriller and the mysterious horror story layers, New Life feels fresh and innovative, presenting a mix that works so well that it’s a wonder no one ever tried to do something similar before.

The film captures the reality of an abundantly free, but unguarded childhood well, and the resultant dreamlike quality of certain scenes is thoroughly engaging. It's absolutely a journey to watch.