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's a winner, with a surprisingly breezy pace for such a long action spectacle. Interested audiences should catch it on the largest screen they can.

From its narrative that blends so many ideas exquisitely, to the gratifying characters and narrative arcs, to the absolutely stunning animation style, Arco is quite possibly the best animated film of the year.

Train Dreams is without a doubt one of the most extraordinary films of this year, the type that will stick with you, deep in your mind and heart, long after the credits roll.

It may not necessarily reinvent the wheel as far as modern-day technological thrillers go, and only time will tell how the movie will age. But Influencers is still a slick and stylish sequel that exemplifies everything that made the first movie such a fun watch and then some.

After all these years, Left-Handed Girl is a terrific return to directing for Shih-Ching Tsou, who crafts a wonderful, often moving, and splendidly told story of three characters coming into their own.

For a studio renowned for the time and attention it gives both the technical and storytelling sides of its production, the finished product is remarkably uneven. Yes, it’s great that there’s a new Studio Ghibli movie, but that doesn’t mean that the new Studio Ghibli movie is great.

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain is, without a doubt, one of the best and most touching animated films to come out this year, a remarkable example of what this style of storytelling can do.

As those familiar with Chomet's work would expect, A Magnificent Life is an exquisitely animated film to watch, even if the narrative is a bit rote. But it also makes one think that maybe the original concept for this as a documentary of Pagnol’s life could’ve been more effective and illuminating of what made him such a great artist.

Stitch Head has the vibe of a teenager trying to reach the minimum word count on an essay: as long as it gets done on time, then that's the main thing.

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.

Despite Lane and Chandler elevating Anniversary with their respective performances, the film doesn't reward its stacked cast with the memorable onscreen moments they each deserve.

There is a lot that the movie does so right, which is why its various faux pas feel that much more disappointing, but this is far from an overall failure. It's a sign of great things to come from Williams and from The Horror Section.

Although the cast does what they can with a script that never cuts deeper than the surface, their performances aren't enough to give Regretting You the emotional resonance expected from a story like this.

Pitfall doesn't reinvent the wheel or drastically change the game, but it deserves credit for being a crowd-pleasing slasher.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere can’t shake what we know about the biopic, but it does at least create some moments and provide some decent performances that make the audience forget about those clichés, at least temporarily.

With Bugonia, Lanthimos elevates an already fantastic concept, making an essential film about the world we live in and just how insane and hopeless it can feel at times.

Instead of glorifying men at the top of their game (well, at least Keane), it’s a fascinating, funny, and smart breakdown of how one argument served as a microcosm for centuries of conflict, cultural values, and men’s egos.

Like the title character himself, Jay Kelly is a film that has good intentions, but doesn’t have the follow-through to make good on those promises.

It's funny, it's zany, it looks good, and has some really great character work going for it, but it probably would have turned out better as a product of the 20th century.

The Secret Agent is a remarkable work from Mendonça Filho; a beautifully composed film that features some of the best directing, editing, and writing of the year, as well as an enthralling performance by Moura that deserves its accolades.

There is fun to be had here, but it's spread too thin in a movie where even 90 minutes is too long.

Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost isn’t just a loving tribute to the great comedy duo of Stiller & Meara; it’s also a beautiful look at how much our closest ones impact us both during their lives and after they're gone.

100 Nights of Hero is a profound and folkloric tale that evangelizes the beauty and importance of female solidarity, creative power, and defiance against oppression. It is political though playful, satirical yet thought-provoking, and radically challenges modern societal norms.

A first-hand retelling of how easily racism can become deadly, The Perfect Neighbor is one of the most compelling documents of how inherently dangerous it is for Black people to exist in America today.

Good Fortune is about love, redemption, and privilege, but it's also an indictment of exploitative labor and the forces that enable it, even if it takes many clumsy steps to get there. Its greatest strength is a reminder that being a good person doesn't get you a reward — being a good person is the reward.

In an environment where meta horror is all the rage, Big Baby doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does check all the basic requirements. It's got a strong hook and premise, a character and a villain who are easy to connect with, and some pretty gnarly kills and effects to boot.

Appofeniacs may not be packed to the brim with wacky action scenes and tense horror sequences, but when those moments do come along, they're executed with great finesse from behind the cameras.