Shirley is a relatively straightforward biopic, but it’s worth the watch to see Regina King’s beautiful performance that feels like an ode to the trailblazing woman.

Cuckoo will most certainly not be for everyone, but for those looking for a horror film that draws you in just as it defies any of your expectations for where it is supposed to go, it’s hard to think of a trip this year you’ll find that is as bold and bonkers as this one.

Frozen Empire attempts to evoke the past with constant callbacks, while trying to make the audience care about a more modern story with characters for a new generation, and ends up failing on both counts.

Belktibia's feature debut comes with compelling sequences as a mother fights against what seems like the entire world, but murky motivations hold one back from getting fully emotionally invested.

What Lowe accomplished in only her second full-length feature in roughly eight years shows such promise as a daring filmmaker with an original voice that deserves a megaphone, and I can only hope it doesn't take eight more to see what comes next.

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.

My Dead Friend Zoe opens wounds and douses them in peroxide — the immediate sensation stings, but eventually cleanses and soothes.

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.

Garland may have just delivered one of the most vicious and unrelenting watches of the year, one that I’ll keep debating and untangling both in my head and with others for a good long while.

Grand Theft Hamlet shows how incredible it is to see how a new medium of storytelling can shift what we know of a beloved work and put it into an entirely new context after centuries.

Desert Road almost immediately establishes itself as a potent thriller, but the real fun to be had is watching it evolve from one type of film to another, as mundane threats give way to more mystical hazards.

It’s a fun romantic romp, filled to the brim with gorgeous scenery, gorgeous clothing, and beautiful people.

Azrael is both familiar and unique, blending genre comforts with a risky idea. Luckily, it all works, paying off a relatively massive gamble that benefits from Samara Weaving's star power.

Sweeney takes plenty of risks in a lead role that’s rigorous and emotionally demanding, but the film ultimately feels a bit surface level considering how it approaches horror.

Arthur the King plays out like both your typical sports movie and your average dog flick. It's sometimes emotionally manipulative and full of melodrama, yet that doesn't stop it from being a perfectly fine way to spend 90 minutes at the movie theater, especially for dog lovers.

Yes, it’s a crowd-pleasing romantic comedy thriller, but first and foremost, it’s one big-hearted ode to the artists responsible for movie magic.

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.

Not only is director Benjamin Brewer’s Arcadian a good Nicolas Cage movie, but it’s one of the most fun cinematic experiences that he has been a part of in recent memory. It's a work of horror worth taking seriously even as things go gloriously off the rails.

Imaginary is a mess of a horror film, with poor narrative choices, obvious twists, and clichéd characters.

Despite its sometimes rocky editing and crowded ensemble, First Time Female Director does what it sets out to do: make you laugh and laugh hard.

A Road House movie shouldn’t be boring, especially this boring. A Road House movie shouldn’t have to enhance its fight choreography in post-production, nor should it be such a tonal mishmash. I guess Liman didn’t get the memo? His Road House remake is an uninspired chore that never properly unleashes Gyllenhaal or nails even the most basic functions of bar fight nostalgia porn.

While Copa 71 can feel a little surface-level at times, it’s still an enjoyable watch and a solid introduction to an event very few remember.

Rather than embracing the more nuanced themes, the film shies away from deeper introspection.

Tim Blake Nelson and Chloë Kerwin give life to Asleep in My Palm, helping to smooth over the narrative rough spots when it count.

Ricky Stanicky could have easily been a disaster, but thanks to the cast, some effective laughs, and a big heart, it ends up making for an entertaining two hours.

Kung Fu Panda 4 is a film all about deciding to not do the easy thing of remaining stagnant and comfortable, but rather, trying something new and hopefully finding the greatness in the new opportunity. Kung Fu Panda 4 similarly does this, attempting a new approach to this world and mostly finding success, while also potentially setting up the future of where this series could go.

Just as credit must be given to Baker for how she so completely captures a moment in time and place, it is Nicholson who inhabits this world so naturally that you feel like you’re just peeking in on Janet’s life.

While vast in scope, Fighters perfectly weaponizes the magnitude of its stars and utilizes their shared likability to build a real sense of camaraderie among the squadron. This emotional investment proves vital.