For a movie like this, good is not good enough; it has to be well above average for a recommendation. Unfortunately, I found myself bored through most of Mortal Kombat II.

There are many flaws in Animal Farm, but its message is what I’m recommending the film for. Look, it will make great dinner conversation with your toddlers.

Unfortunately, Ballistic ultimately falls short in terms of direction.

If you’re going in hoping for something the whole family can genuinely connect with on a deeper level, you’ll be disappointed. It’s a kids’ movie, plain and simple, and there’d be no way I’d see this if I didn’t have kids.

It carries a smattering of scares and a helping of lore, rendering this underground romp an enjoyable one.

On paper, You’re Dating a Narcissist! may have looked like a breezy, relatable comedy. In execution, however, a film about narcissism turns out to be almost terminally self-absorbed.

The drawback here is that, although it doesn’t need a deep story, it feels like only two and a half acts, with an abrupt third act.

In the end, the film and its storytelling is meh.

The performances are understated and quiet, presented in dark cinematography, where most of the action happens in shadow. There are too many characters to keep track of, which dilutes the story, and it’s not always clear what is happening, but in the finale, it all comes down to one key idea about not breaking the rules.

Bonilla has directing chops, but she needs to refine them. She does show real potential and is a director to watch as her career proceeds.

Let’s be real: the only reason to see a Jason Statham movie is for all that juicy action. Fist fights, knife fights, gunplay, machine-gun mayhem, explosions… all in this game of cat-and-mouse.

It strives as hard for authenticity as its protagonist does to remain relevant; the strain shows.

Greenland 2: Migration is all mind-numbing action with nothing to say. If you’re a fan of Gerard Butler or Morena Baccarin, you will probably have fun with this one. Otherwise, it’s a skip.

Although Byrne always brings a great performance in whatever she’s cast in, I would almost say just go watch her in Platonic. There she, too, plays a mom who deals with the issues of being married and life’s trials and tribulations.

Europe’s New Faces is a worthy exercise to pull back the curtain on the experience, but it should perhaps be edited down to 90 minutes or so and include some framing context so we know who and what we are seeing and why the migrants chose to make this trip.

The film has good action set pieces, but without a story that has something to say or connects with audiences beyond the surface, it’s just another standard sci-fi action film.

There’s something missing in this concoction: self-aware humor, a courage of its convictions, a driving force that propels the plot forward . . . Perhaps it was all just too steep a hill to climb.

Waltzing with Brando never gives Zane the opportunity to go deeper, which makes for a forgettable film and a lost opportunity for what could have been the role of a lifetime.

Caught Stealing is a plodding meander that flagrantly overestimates its appeal.

This is pure cinematic meditation, requiring a surrender to its languid tempo and hallucinatory vibes.

Less discerning kids may enjoy Robin and the Hoods… when they’re not deep into their PlayStations and Switches.

The new Witchboard is ambitious and fun at times, an overcooked horror revival with a blending addiction allegory, foodie satire, and supernatural spectacle.

With this cast, the film should have been a knockout. Instead, it feels bogged down, heavy, and way too concerned with making statements instead of just being entertaining.

The biggest downfall of Relay is the ending.

Barron was the only light in my life,” a character yells at one point. “What am I now – just another dog in your army?” Barron’s Cove could have been a light in the current cinematic landscape, but instead, it’s just another dog in an army of duplicates.

Salvable fully embraces its bleakness, its title almost mocking; there’s no salvation here. If it had a bit more originality or verve, it could potentially have pulled it off.

Shabbily structured, with barely any tension, characterization, scares, or thematic depth, Consecration, due to its utter lack of inspiration, loses the audience’s concentration within minutes, and may even lead to constipation (okay, maybe not the last part, but you get my drift).

Ultimately, Hurry Up Tomorrow is an example of style over substance. Its visuals try to shock and awe while leaving its narrative a confusing mess.