Even with Fiennes and Chastain giving it their all in a manner that makes the story far more engaging than you would expect, they can’t carry it all on their own. The most ambitious and audacious performances in the world can’t overcome storytelling that is otherwise safe to the point of being timid.

The fast-paced, vaudevillian-style humor keeps us laughing despite the fact that we never really have any clue what any of the Minions themselves are saying. This movie affords itself more surface-level moments with lesser-developed villains because of the relationships we're immediately invested in between Gru and his Minions.

There are very few classic hallmarks of horror films in The Black Phone. They arrive in the third act, but before that, it is a lot of… nothing. Talking. No cat-and-mouse chasing. No killing. Not even any suspense.

Fleischer-Camp and Slate are able to expand Marcel’s story in a way that doesn’t stretch out this concept, but rather, expands the possibilities of Marcel’s grandiose world and shows us our world from an entirely new perspective. Marcel the Shell With Shoes On is a film with massive ambitions and an even larger heart.

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.

It's a more conventional, less anachronistic cousin to the Bridgertons of the world, absent of any orchestral pop music covers or scandal that will steam up the screen, but there are still plenty of familiar genre motifs included to satisfy the most ardent of Regency romance lovers.

While Luhrmann can do his best to recreate the glitzy, nonstop nature of Presley’s life, in those final moments, it’s easy to see that Elvis lacked the weight that this real footage captures. It’s that little bit of substance that reminds how hollow the previous hours of style have been.

Father of the Bride has its heart in the right place, trying to adapt this beloved story for another generation and audience, but by shifting too much away from the traditions of the past, Father of the Bride doesn’t have the same magic that its previous versions have been able to generate.

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande demonstrates that sex can be exciting and humorous and pragmatic and transactional all wrapped up into one. Most importantly, it can also be a connection that doesn't require love to leave both people wholly transformed by the experience.

Lightyear is still an extremely fun action sci-fi film that is better than most animated films released in a given year, and will bring a smile to fans of this character.

Kosinski has already made one of the year's best movies with Maverick, and with an extremely intriguing concept and fantastic performances all around the board, Kosinski has for the second time this year made one of the best movies of this summer.

Lost Illusions may not break the mold in the way Goodfellas did, but it does provide a fun, provocative, hilarious, and at times even moving rags-to-riches tale with a protagonist and a setting we have not seen before.

Dominion isn’t just the worst film in this frequently disappointing franchise, it’s also one of the worst major blockbusters in recent memory.

Hustle isn't breaking the mold of what a sports film can be, but it is yet another reminder of Sandler's gifts as a dramatic actor through an extremely charming and compelling story about a mentor trying to help another reach their potential.

For all its faults, Mickey: The Story of a Mouse is at times a charming look at one of the biggest icons of our time, and while this story has been told many times before, it’s never been told with the sort of scope and frankness about how Disney has maybe failed with their mascot.

It isn't swayed by anything other than the truth as it crafts an uncompromising and steadfast deconstruction of whom the artist the world knew as XXXTentacion actually was. Moving beyond the headlines, it emerges as an absolutely essential piece of filmmaking.

Emergency is ambitious and daring in what it’s trying to say and do, but a mishandling of pacing, serious issues, and pseudo-parody hurt what is a truly intriguing concept.

Diwan’s reflective, quiet tone only highlights the sheer dread of this situation, and shows that restriction and taboos about such issues only makes this world a more cruel and terrifying place. With Happening, Diwan has crafted a horror story that is becoming a haunting and very real possibility.

Cronenberg certainly still knows how to create arresting imagery and craft stories that can make the audience squirm, but the story that isn’t being told with Crimes of the Future is far more interesting than the one he has decided to focus on, which often feels like regurgitating concepts he’s already handled before.

Fire Island is a strong update to Austen, full of charm, heart, and friendship, yet Booster's screenplay works best when it is not relying on the source material and having fun with this fun concept. With an excellent cast and a perfect blending of Ahn and Booster's talents, Fire Island is an extremely enjoyable trip.

Through We Feed People, Howard shows how impressive and powerful Andrés’ operation is, often covering large areas that need disaster relief. At certain points in We Feed People, even the Red Cross and Salvation Army are asking for help from Andrés in these truly awful times.

The Bob’s Burgers Movie isn’t exactly breaking new ground for this world and these characters, but instead, is showing how impeccably crafted and brilliant this world is when it's firing on all cylinders.

At the very least, Diamond Hands is an entertaining and informative look at a moment in time when the many overcome the few, but it doesn't land solidly enough to leave a lasting impact.

A New Era shows that Downton Abbey doesn’t have to sacrifice joy to also explore sorrow and pain. Amongst charming tales of Hollywood and French getaways, A New Era delves into loves lost, missed opportunities that leave its mark on our lives for years, and how one will be remembered long after they’re gone.

Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers is an ingenious parody of our IP-obsessed culture that also manages to show how joyous and brilliant this combination and celebration of old properties can be when done extremely well.

Ashford’s screenplay and Madden’s excellent direction all manage to take what could’ve easily been a fairly standard historical war drama and turn it into something more intricate, layered, and surprisingly powerful.

I think this would be best enjoyed by someone who had never seen the original 1984 film; that way, you won’t be constantly comparing the two in your head.

When talking about Top Gun: Maverick, it’s hard not to sound hyperbolic, but this is the rare case where it absolutely deserves all the massive praise. Top Gun: Maverick improves upon the original in every conceivable way (well, the soundtrack doesn’t have Berlin, so that’s one strike against it), and does so in a way that might make this one of the greatest sequels ever made. It’s also hard not to say this might have some of the most exciting action scenes to ever hit the skies, and gives Cruise one of his best performances by returning to the role that made him a star. Top Gun: Maverick is a marvel of a film, one that will truly take your breath away.