Ballerina gets off to a shaky start that almost feels like it misunderstands what has made the John Wick series so much fun for so long. Yet once the absurdity of the action takes hold, and Ana de Armas gets to prove herself as a fitting potential heir to this franchise, Ballerina captures the blunt, chaotic action that this series thrives on.

The Little Mermaid might not match the greatness of the original, but it’s the rare remake that feels worthy of being part of our world.

Mali Elfman’s directorial debut Next Exit, sets out on a journey towards death, but along the way, it is filled to the brim with life and questioning about what it is to really live. What’s fascinating is that Elfman penned the script over a ten-year period, yet it so perfectly encapsulates the here-and-now.

While there are many promising pieces being assembled, with arresting visuals bolstered by the performances of Mescal and Barrera, any awe to be had in Carmen becomes dashed by its own emptiness.

The film's central thesis, that everyone needs somewhere to belong, seems simple on paper. However, it winds up being much more nuanced in practice.

You will not walk away from What Happens Later as a changed individual, but if you have a soft spot for light-hearted comedies (specifically romantic comedies, which I usually don't), you'll be sure to find a movie that does its job way better than it needed to. Let's be honest, you'd have to have a cold heart to hate this movie.

V/H/S/99 still echoes some of the issues most anthologies face, as the rhythm of the movie depends on the pacing of each story. And at a 108 minutes runtime, V/H/S/99 might test the patience of some viewers. Still, this is the best the franchise ever gave us.

There's a clear command of how to set up a cool/scary/funny scene, execute, and move on before it's stale, and that's a testament to Roberts' skill as director and co-writer alongside scribe Ernest Riera.

As it stands, The Roses has its charms, but it could’ve used a few more thorns.

Ready or Not seemed to close the book on Grace's story, but Here I Come effectively shows that there are still potentially chapters to explore in this tale. Did we need a sequel to Ready or Not? Probably not. But hell yeah, it's great that we have one.

It’s a gory, bonkers action-comedy premise anchored by a set of strong performances and a surprisingly poignant meet-cute, making for a wildly memorable action outing.

It is a thriller that frequently flirts with becoming an out-and-out horror film only to never quite arrive there. The result is a middling work that is occasionally interesting, as we see how it attempts to strike a balance between these two distinct ideas. Regrettably, it ultimately can’t hold itself together when it counts.

On paper, Late Bloomers may not be a revolutionary tale, but its execution makes it a clear standout within this specific sub-genre of nihilistic millennial dread.

While the Hollywood legends don’t disappoint, it’s their children who steal the spotlight. Being able to hold your own in—let alone carry—a movie alongside those heavyweights is no easy feat, but it’s especially impressive considering Schuyler and Jake are not household names.

There is never a moment when you're swept away by the romance of Walt and Sophie and that should be the point of all of this.

After proving herself as a director on TV shows like Stranger Things and Severance, Briesewitz has delivered a promising directorial debut, with fascinating characters and takes us on a journey to a world that we don't often see in American films.

Get Away is a deceptive blast that properly exploits vacationer stereotypes to conceal vastly more wicked intentions.

The performances are all giving the necessary punch even when the writing is not. It may frequently get lost in its own narrative woods, but Bana manages once again to bring it all back to humanity.

The strange thing about The Accountant 2 is it's not the same gritty action movie that the original was. O'Connor still delivers some top-notch fight scenes, but this sequel, at its very core, is a hang-out movie, complete with a scene of Affleck awkwardly line-dancing at a bar. Yes, you read that right, and yes, it's as great as it sounds.

While the free-flowing structure of Spin Me Round works in bits and pieces, there’s very little overall purpose to the narrative Baena and Brie have crafted here.

Even without the questions about the veracity of the story, its rah-rah style makes it feel superficial rather than sweeping. In the end, Flamin’ Hot comes across as a selling of a story and a brand rather than a genuine retelling of one.

The film is lovingly put together and expertly crafted, making for a gorgeous tribute to Lee.

It’s clear that Boston Strangler so desperately wanted to copy the recipe for Zodiac and bought all the same ingredients.

Ultimately, Freaky Tales works if you don't look too hard at it. It's a fun time and some of the most extreme scenes will make you forget any plot holes or inconsistencies.

Though Apex's story largely just updates survivor-thriller tropes we've seen many times before, it's effective enough in its repackaging that it's certainly worth firing up on Netflix during a lazy night in. The physicality of Theron's performance, along with the film's vertigo-inducing cinematography, ultimately make Apex an adventure vacation from hell worth taking.

Eternity is a cute rom-com with a great cast, but it could've used more exploration of its afterlife.

The thoroughly entertaining villains should have played more of a role, as should the store, and the material should have been more comedy-focused and delivered by actors with more of a knack for it. Once this heist was over, they could have spun it out into sequels, where each year a new operation got underway. It's a shame that this one falls so flat.

River is a poetic argument made potent.