The Cuban does not develop everything in its screenplay to complete satisfaction. But what’s there is very good and believable. Combine that with the jaw-dropping directing and visual style, along with the pitch-perfect cast, and you are left with a compelling drama that is well worth it, flaws and all.

Well-executed interviews of key people and all band members, along with excellent animation and archival research, The Go-Go’s reveals a story of talent, will, friendship, addiction, and forgiveness. The backdrop of the male-dominated music business highlights that these ladies who have stayed brash and whipsmart have always been entirely punk.

There’s really only one reason to see Fisherman’s Friends, and it’s the singing.

Days of The Whale is a quiet, beautiful coming of age story.

Yes, God, Yes is a good movie overall. The narrative is strong and takes a more serious tone than Saved!.

Horror movies usually aim to scare, entertain, and teach us. Amulet mostly does all three. Very nicely done.

Go with the somewhat far-fetched concept, get past the overt sentimentality, and you’ll find a true crowd-pleaser.

The film takes a while to get into, but if you go in expecting a throwback to grindhouse adventure films or a Black Keys-esque western, this will be worth the watch.

With splendid assistance from cinematographer Mohammad Reza Jahanpanah, the filmmaker immerses his viewer into a milieu both relentlessly grim and breathtakingly gorgeous, endlessly vast and claustrophobic, evoking a vibrant halo in the midst of hell.

You don’t see people like this or interactions like this in the movies unless they’re hopelessly overdone, to the point of drying out all the truth. Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets is a special movie for this reason and too many others that shouldn’t be read about but seen with your own eyes.

It’s assuredly directed with a consistent visual tone, and the cast is absolutely dynamite, especially Samberg and Milioti, who have never been better.

The leisurely directing allows the strong characters and their quirks to remain the focus throughout Deany Bean Is Dead. Coupled with Volk’s excellent lead performance and fun flourishes, the movie is never out and out hilarious, but it is an endearing, droll watch that will put you in a good mood.

The film is buoyed by Charlize Theron’s fierceness and a few shining moments of true inspiration. Roll with the inherent silliness of it all, and you may just have a good time.

Money Plane will be remembered as Adam Copeland’s first feature lead role with some heavy-hitters to back him up. The film is good, tame fun, but in desperate need of memorable, action moments for water-cooler talk.

It does get a little sappy without a hint of darkness at all. By the end, every plotline is wrapped up nicely with a pretty bow.

Gavin Rothery understands that filmmaking is a visual medium. The story of Archive is told through pictures as much as dialogue. In some of the most effective and integral scenes, no one is talking. Archive is an old story told well.

Perhaps most compellingly, it’s a reminder to open our eyes, to notice the bigger world around us for what it is, to see who we really are. Toussi never preaches, gently luring you into an utterly tranquil state, wherein you may just find yourself booking a ticket to Colombia.

Despite minor misgivings, it is a thoroughly engaging horror film with more on its mind than simply building to a climax. This is a poignant observation on aging and death that is supported by a trio of knockout performances and a female-heavy production.

There were so many pointless monologues. I felt like I was watching reality-show confessionals.

Hamilton is a brilliantly shot and produced performance for posterity of one of America’s best contemporary musicals.

Shepard is smart enough to helm Unsettled as more than just an observational documentary. He wants the viewer to be stirred and inspire them to act for change. He does so by employing a fantastic score that perfectly matches the highs and lows these people experience. And instead of going for big and flashy, Shepard keeps the focus rather grounded, which makes it more intimate, thus more emotionally rewarding.

If you persevere, Stargirl will grow on you and ultimately pays off.

Ultimately, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga fails to transport us into this hyper-realistic world of Iceland as Ferrell is equally unable to endear us to his character of Lars in a film that didn’t need to be two-hours long.

It’s a smart comedy that points out the flaws of all aspects of the United State’s political landscape. It discusses how bad the division is in our country and how the media and politicians are complicit in this division. It’s a problem for both sides of the aisle that needs to be addressed before any real change can be made.

On all accounts, filmmaker John Swab’s gratuitous and grave Run with the Hunted fails to live up to the promise of its premise. Instead, it comes off as a lunkheaded exercise in self-aggrandizing mental masturbation.

The Fight is a fantastic documentary highlighting the real heroes out there: the overworked attornies of the ACLU.

While The Last Tree is not a happy story nor a political one, it is a real account of immigration with no easy answers. Watch it because it is an honest tale, and Amoo’s masterfully handling of it puts you directly into the shoes of Femi himself.

Director Peter Segal knows what strings to pull to elevate the cuteness factor, and he pulls them hard. It’s all good, actiony fun, when you need a moment to unplug your brain. Even though you’ve seen this all before in other cop buddy movies, it works.

With the endearing true story of Jack & Yaya and the power of documentary film, I am given hope that we will unite because of diversity.

A commendable subject matter does not a good movie make. Tape is inherently misguided, a queasily voyeuristic project, rendered nearly-unwatchable by its pseudo-artistic tendencies and patronizing tone.

In its attempts to mirror the abbreviated sentiments of the current social media culture, the doc becomes an abridged version of a statement.

The final product is riveting, enjoyable, and heart-wrenching from beginning to end. Guor Mading Maker is an inspirational, one-of-a-kind talent, and everything one might need to know about him is captured in Gallagher’s ​exhilarating documentary​.

Usually, films of plays are dull things. Limited access to camera angles, bad sound, lighting that doesn’t work for the movie camera. Theater and film are (appropriately) distinct media. Enter Spike Lee. He’s a master craftsman and his skills are as relevant as ever. Lee made use of all those potential disadvantages to inform his cinematic vision and encapsulate the stage performance into a striking moving picture.

Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen not only leaves us with the hope that things will improve, but it also shows us how much better the industry is when everyone is included, represented, and respected. Here’s to a brighter, more diverse future for all trans actors.

Seahorse’s presentation, while intimate and well-pieced-together, comes off a bit flat, considering how truly lyrical and groundbreaking it could have been.

Despite being slow at times and having moments where characters’ motivations can be unclear, The Dinner Party still delivers a solid horror film that had me watching parts through slightly covered eyes.

There is potential that elevates The Luring from traditional small-budget horror output on a visceral level, but sadly there are no amount of balloons that could elevate this to a recommendation.

Is Mope a “must see?” If you love movies that start off insane and ends even crazier, then yes, Mope is a must see in every way!

Hammer has the mechanics of a hard-edged noir thriller, which work startlingly well, but it’s clear that Sparkes’s heart, and therefore the film’s, is centered on the distressed familial relationships.

Return to Hardwick is a living, breathing moment from our past, reminding us what has been done, and what can be done.

While most of the plot of An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn feels like several different movies working at once, they all converge into a bizarre, madcap finale.

Miss Juneteenth’s brilliance is in its subtlety.

It’s hard to watch StarDog and TurboCat and not think that Disney and Pixar can do this better. The animation is pretty good with standard cartoon movement and character design. It only lacks the photorealistic details and textures associated with Pixar.

After We Leave is a shining example of indie filmmaking at its finest.

Visceral, visually assured, and thematically sound, Tainted functions as a great calling card for its skilled filmmaker. If you’re in the mood for yet another treatise on our penchant for savagery, delve right in.

The Departure is an entertaining film on the strength of the performances. If you enjoy “TMZ” style drama, you’ll need to watch until the end… despite the boys not behaving like men.

Marona’s Fantastic Tale gently and poetically deals with heavy themes like mortality, solitude, and loss, but manages to be suitable viewing for the entire family. It reiterates that the love our dogs have for us is unconditional and that we shouldn’t regard them as accessories or temporary means of respite. It’s also a phantasmagoric feast for the eyes. Seek it out.

This film could have been something great, but with an unsatisfying ending and a couple of subplots that felt like they didn’t fit, it gets knocked down to just being entertaining.

The King of Staten Island is big on heart, but short on laughs (in comparison to Train Wreck and 40-Year-Old Virgin), but that’s not a negative. I like that there are only a few over-the-top moments. The laughs occur as a way to break up the seriousness of the story. It balances drama and comedy perfectly.

What sets Robert Fisk apart from the rest is he’s on the ground and in the middle of the action. He is amazingly able to travel (sometimes) to both sides of a conflict and personally eyewitness the event from both perspectives. This is the heart of This is Not a Movie.

Artemis Fowl is not a horrible film, but it had the potential to succeed, yet falls flat in the end.

Aviva is a palindrome, reflecting the film’s ouroboros-like narrative. It’s also a Hebrew name, which translates as “spring-like” or “fresh”–both adjectives applicable to the sensual and passionate Aviva. Love it or hate it, it’s… well, it’s art. I loved it, warts and all. Perhaps Yakin has finally discovered his style.

Daniel Karslake and writer/editor Nancy Kennedy are excellent storytellers, and I’m forever grateful to them and the families who participated for hopefully helping society take a step in the right direction, away from discrimination and towards equality.

The concept is original, and the film spends a lot of time misdirecting or not explaining things thoroughly, adding an intriguing layer of mystery. The questions the film asks about life, love, and morality are heavy but not so much as to weigh down everything.

The filmmaker’s sophomore feature fails to generate any semblance of momentum or suspense. It’s filled with laughable lines of dialogue and jarringly poor editing. Mario Van Peebles single-handedly imbues it with enough gravitas to make it somewhat watchable.

A twangy soundtrack, a dying protagonist, spelled-out themes of family reconciliation and facing death… Look, if that’s your thing, you may as well add a point or two to my review and enjoy the hell out of Here Awhile.

It’s unique and offers a fresh take on the kitchen environment.

Like a good thriller, Inheritance draws you in and takes you right into the middle of the action. Then when it’s all over, you’ll want to revisit it as soon as possible to pick up on all the little details and clues. It feels real, which adds to the intensity.

If you can handle a movie with a jam-packed ridiculous narrative that doesn’t entirely solve itself, then you should definitely watch Dreamland.

The renowned artist’s life is so compelling that her story, simply told though it may be, is still incredibly gripping and engaging.

2040 is a fantastic and informative documentary.

Erotic, sensual, and nostalgic, Tommaso showcases the sweetest side of Hollywood’s enfant terrible. As far his collaborations with Dafoe go, this marks the creative peak of their symbiosis.

The Deeper You Dig is one of the more fascinating explorations of psychic activity and hauntings that I’ve seen in quite some time.

Becky is a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse that leaves you unsure if the good guy is really that good at all. It’s funny at parts, shocking in parts, but mostly it’s just a great thriller that just so happens to have a 13-year-old girl as the heroine.

While it’s abundantly clear that Farr and his star Dreya Weber, who produced the movie and is an actual aerialist, know that physics-defying world inside-out, they could use a lesson or two in defying a predictable, sentimental story arc.

Buoyed by the palpable mutual respect between filmmaker and subject, this study of Powell’s life manages the feat of being as candid as Powell’s photography of gritty city streets and major pop culture icons like the Beastie Boys.

The biggest problem with I Will Make You Mine is that the stakes are so low, it is impossible to become entirely invested.

Despite my highly subjective take on Botero’s art, Botero, the film, is still an enjoyable experience that presents an appealing overview of the artist’s life and works and will no doubt please his many fans.

The film’s structural frenzy lends itself to lots of comic riffing from the leads that often results in hilarious one-liners.

There is a good amount of dialogue in Waterlily Jaguar, but the dialogue informs us about the character. Bob is not a chatty person, but Le Gros’ portrayal speaks volumes about Bob. Miro Sorvino continues to show she has range and can elevate any character she takes on.

You should absolutely see Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All-Time – Vol. 2: Horror and Sci-Fi. It’s about an hour and a half long, and I’ve seen it twice and could watch it again.

Levin has proven a great director with Union Bridge, sadly, the story he is telling needs work.

The heart of the film and the source of this thriller’s tension is the interplay between the two brothers, played beautifully by Derek Phillips and Josh Crotty.

If you’re a fan of comedy, Asian cinema or both, you will almost definitely love this movie. It’s a unique fast-paced film that’ll be sure to entertain even the most persnickety of audiences.

Sometimes we need to bask in each other’s demons, to exorcise them and achieve a semblance of redemption. Ree traces such a relationship; like an evocative painting, The Painter and the Thief will remain engraved in your memory.

The experience seems filtered. What’s lacking is any trace of spontaneity. We never see anything significant transpire, only people talking about it after the fact. Nor do we hear any dispassionate commentary evaluating Nash’s career from an outsider’s point of view.

A very, very good film that examines male ego in a way that’s almost more Sam Peckinpah than Sam Peckinpah himself.

While Castle in the Ground may not quite hold together from a narrative perspective, it’s so atmospheric, so acute in the small, tender moments it captures and is propelled by performances of such power, that it hardly matters.

As it stands, Lorelei is perfectly imperfect. It demonstrates a filmmaker willing to go for broke, examine the dark recesses of our minds that others are too timid to touch.

Diaz wears his heart on his sleeve and elicits affecting performances from his cast, but his portrait of a country in turmoil feels incomplete.

It may not quite reach the heights of Fargo, but if you enjoyed Cold Pursuit or the inferior-but-similar Daughter of the Wolf, then Blood and Money will be right up your dirt road.

In any biography/drama, the key is to make audiences believe this is the real person from history. Capone just never gets there. That could be Al Capone, but nothing in the film makes me believe it’s him, nor emotionally connect with him. Capone wastes a lot of good talent, and it’s a shame.

If you want to hear the story of dreamers fulfilling their outlandish dreams, this is the film.

The important part about Becoming is not necessarily the facts you learn about Michelle Obama, but seeing her in action.

Driveways is short but effective. It’s more about mood than the overall plot.

How to Build a Girl is an incredibly fun movie.

If you love musicals, teen romance, and the 80s, you’re going to have a blast watching Valley Girl.

He and Côté write an ode to human resilience; they compose a soliloquy about lost identities; they paint a portrait of people seeking meaning, guidance, warmth. The result is a soulful cinematic treatise on the gradual, painful loss of a city’s soul.

This film is very much of our current era, but you can even be *gasp* over 30 and enjoy CRSHD, even if it is a little reminiscent of a lot of the college movies that came before it.

The female-centric, lo-fi South Mountain is an excellent example of how little a budget matters when all the other puzzle pieces are in place. We need more cinema like this.

While far from a straightforward documentary about a widely marginalized film, You Don’t Nomi reminds us that it’s okay to like things with rough edges, that streamlined perfection is overrated and, more than anything, it’s okay to deeply love something that most other people loathe.

Once attuned, you’ll be rewarded with a sharply funny and oddly heartbreaking, albeit clumsily structured, indictment of our government... Armstrong’s razor-sharp trademark one-liners go a long way in saving this Day.

If you have a strong distaste for ICE as I do, you will love the way these kids get one over on them in The Infiltrators.

Tammy’s Always Dying is a movie that does everything right but still somehow fails to be enjoyable. It is in every respect a good movie, but I can’t say that it was at all a pleasure to watch. It is well written, acted, and directed, and it skirts the line of overwrought melodrama and poverty porn.

The Flood nearly sinks under the weight of its contrivances, but is barely kept afloat by its two central performances.

What is most frustrating about 15 Years is just how much it gets right while so narrowly missing the mark.

This is a long-overdue must-see that sets the record straight for a woman whose whole life was glossed over in favor of a more camera-ready tabloid romance.

A by-the-numbers underdog story, bolstered by an infectiously joyous spirit and admirable energy. Those with fond memories of 1990’s bands like Soundgarden and Pixies will especially respond to the nostalgic vibes.