Eating Up Easter is another documentary exploring the tension a society faces when confronted with potentially being left behind in a rapidly changing world. Documentaries such as this, always paint progress as the antagonist, and rightfully so. The struggle to hold onto one’s past is an underdog fight and, at times, an unwinnable one.

1BR has a lot to say about what a person is willing to sacrifice to be happy and if said sacrifice is worth it. It does so effectively and intensely, with a smart script, a few plotholes aside, and excellent directing. The acting across the board is terrific, and the culmination of Sarah’s tumultuous journey during the berserk ending is well worth taking.

As you follow Ned into adulthood and bear witness to his many exploits—bare-knuckle brawling, throwing together a gang of brutes who wear pretty dresses, walking into a gunfight with a homemade suit of bulletproof armor, and more—you figure out quickly that the movie’s biggest strength is its desire to disgust and disorient.

Judy and Punch is at times gut-bustingly hilarious, brutally uncomfortable, and joyously irreverent.

It’s like a video game, but with Chris Hemsworth doing all the killing and maiming. Again, the stunts and special effects are fantastic, and as far as action movies go, there are far worse options out there.

If you want to know more about cult cinema, Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All Time is a great place to start.

It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will make you think. That doesn’t happen all that often in the same movie.

The level of craft in Poe’s feature debut exceeds that of directors with more experience and portends a long career with more wonderful art to come. In Selah and the Spades, she has created a new classic tale of power, love, hate, loyalty, and betrayal featuring a stunningly talented cast.

This film felt more like an “afterschool special.” What I mean by that is that this movie felt very “safe."

If you are a lover of art, especially abstract art, you must see Beyond The Visible – Hilma af Klint. You’ll be blown away by af Klint’s genius and how ahead of her time she really was.

A Good Woman Is Hard To Find is an extremely harrowing, tense movie that has such an unbelievably satisfying payoff.

Unfortunately, I have to admit that the tenor of the movie is almost unbearably cheesy and sometimes verges on infomercial territory.

About a Teacher is a lovely, impassioned, and undeniably human film that honors the teaching profession.

An insightful character study, and an absolute must-watch for Saint-Laurent fans – or anyone with a remote interest in the fashion industry.

The overall experience of The Grand Bizarre is, in a lot of ways, an extremely eye-opening one. It forces a viewer to consider how complicated and incredible every single stitch of a rug, or a scarf, or a dishtowel actually is, and how easily it is to overlook that fact.

Unlike its male protagonist, who seems to remain immune to the town’s charms, you will surely not want to leave International Falls.

Ultimately, Slay the Dragon emphatically proves that no matter how rigged the system is and how high the opposition is stacked against you, it is possible to make changes if you’re passionate and articulate enough to convince your neighbors that something has to be done.

Waldo On Weed does a fantastic job following Waldo’s adventure of healing and convincing audiences on the benefits of medical marijuana. What sets this film apart from other documentaries on the same subject is the personal battles the Dwyer’s would go through.

Were it not for a few missteps, coupled with an abrupt resolution that doesn’t do justice to the preceding depth, Doyle would have had a little gem on his hands. As it stands, I almost love Almost Love.

A languorous and poetic study of faith, grief, love, death and regret, set against the disheveled, but gorgeously framed, backdrop of Lisbon’s ghetto.

What makes Banana Split, so astonishing is its story—written by the film’s star Hannah Marks and co-writer Joey Power. The script is fearless, and the four members of this love triangle (I know) are brilliantly created and well-developed characters.

Ultimately Impossible Monsters is a perfectly adequate film with good production values and quite a few engaging twists and turns. If you are interested in the psychology of dreams and nightmares, or the thrill of a murder mystery, then this film is worth a watch.

Filled with non-sequiturs, abrupt cuts, and nightmarish interludes, The Carnivores is not without its moments of humor.

With Come As You Are, the laughs are good and abundant, the characters are well-defined, and the story takes us on a wild trip to its heartfelt destination.

Despite its obvious flaws, To Your Last Death, is one of the best action/horror films I’ve seen in a long time. It presents a nontraditional protagonist, has a fresh take on a tired formula, and leaves room for a sequel. It is a fresh, campy evening of brutal fun.

Watching The Ghost of Peter Sellers is like watching a 15-vehicle car crash in slow motion.

To be clear, it’s not for everybody. The sense of humor required for this film falls somewhere between Maron and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Be prepared to cringe a lot and laugh nervously. Leave your decency at the door.

Manifesting and examining every parent’s worst fear, and bound to spark debate, this M.O.M. packs some acid with your lunch.

You might see Lost Transmissions just for Simon Pegg, but you’ll come away with a deeper sense of what schizophrenia is. You just might become more compassionate about people whose mental illness keeps them on the streets. And you’ll get to see a great debut feature whose nuance will keep you thinking about it for days.

Wherever you may land on the ethical issues of gene manipulation, Human Nature, is a fascinating watch.

Aaron Fisher’s debut film is decidedly a comedy, but never draws its laughs by making light or fun of Fisher’s real struggles. He just lays his life out there, and its humorous moments bubble to the surface. Amidst the laughs come genuine and authentic moments from Fisher’s personal experiences.

A brutally candid and well-intentioned documentary that exposes the modern faces of those embroiled in antisemitism.

Despite its touching story of family, Collisions goes a little too far in pleading its case for immigration reform and the return of DACA. If you like to engage in political debate, the film does bring up a literal myriad of issues and questions to discuss, but most likely won’t persuade many right-leaning filmgoers.

Queen of Paradis is a fun art documentary from the beautiful collection of Reine Paradis. She, at times, imperils herself for her art and has a sharp sense of humor about it.

The thriller aspect of the film acts as the payoff to audiences for having to sit through extended discussions. While it’s not the most clever or brilliant thriller, it’s exciting nonetheless and will have you on the edge of your seat to the end.

I highly recommend this film to everyone but especially those who love biopics and prison thrillers. I think it’s important for people to learn this piece of history, and I’m glad that Francis Annan brought his interpretation of these events to an audience that might not be familiar with them.

If Pachman intended to reiterate the difficult plight of migrant workers, our disregard and abuse of them, then point made, I guess. Yet for a film titled Beneath Us, it certainly never digs deep under the surface.

Young Ahmed may be described as a coming-of-age story, a searing character study, a visceral tale of redemption, a critique of extremism and the society that seems oblivious to and/or helpless against such evil.

Mirabella-Davis somehow perfectly captures a woman’s perspective on the twisted series of events that leads Hunter to where she lands by the end of the film.

As genre hybrids go, After Midnight displays enough nuance and filmmaking savvy to qualify as a success.

The messaging in Greed does nothing but preach to the choir and keeps us firmly divided in a time where reaching across the aisle would do a helluva lotta good.

The script is solid, the cast is excellent, most of the special effects are impressive too.

I think that All The Bright Places is a beautiful film. You will probably cry, but it will be worth it.

An injection of self-aware humor here and there would’ve been welcome. Yet Blood on Her Name is a fine showcase for its star, and a sturdy debut from a director to watch.

It’s refreshing to see romance looked at in such an authentic, yet still entertaining manner. As such, it brings to mind films by the great Nicole Holofcener.

By examining the subtleties of friendship, the film is transfixing and charming.

I like this film because of its nuances and hilarious banter and dialogue, which speak to the soul, not just what’s happening on screen.

It has a television movie quality to it as if it’s a dramatization of a newspaper article, rather than something cinematic.

The direction is stylish, the soundtrack is excellent, and all the actors are phenomenal. Yet, the screenplay focuses on two of the most self-centered people I have seen in a long time. As such, it is difficult to truly enjoy the movie on the level it wants you to.

As far as thrillers go, The Night Clerk is a little light on thrills. That said, there are more interesting things going on, which makes the film worth watching.

Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik does what he does best. His portrayal is over-the-top funny and clearly, Carrey is in his element. It reminds me a lot of Fire Marshall Bill.

For being a period piece, Emma is not stodgy at all. The lightning-paced repartee is incredibly funny, and the tit for tat dialogue is full of fierce wit thanks to Elanor Catton’s script, and obviously Jane Austen.

In Standing Up, Falling Down, this new style of comedy is light on laughs, but big on heart, weaving together a story of hope, redemption, and second chances with a solid cast led by Ben Schwartz and Billy Crystal.

You expect excellence from Pixar, and excellence is what they deliver in Onward.

Lonergan announces himself as a talent to watch with Kill the Monsters. He’s just gaining momentum. If he tones down his embellishments and tightens his focus, he could very well reach the leagues of the greats that so clearly inspired him.

There may be a lot going on here, but none of it sticks; there’s no momentum or a sense of purpose. In other words, Swift fails to achieve lift-off, over and over.

None of it is remotely frightening or original, the admittedly good-looking film adding nothing new to this unfortunate horror subgenre.

Premature is teen love portrayed in an adult manner. Its grit and realism distinguish it from other teen love stories that force sappy, profound one-liners meant only for a good trailer moment.

The movie is a heart-on-the-sleeve, old-fashioned action-adventure thriller. This Balloon may not exactly soar, but it’ll give you a satisfyingly stirring ride.

The Garden Left Behind is a melancholy but strangely optimistic look at the struggles that some in the Trans community face every single day. It’s not a perfect film, but it is a movie with a message of tolerance and understanding. For that, it should be praised.

Changing the Game makes important arguments that need to be heard.

The Call of the Wild is actually a good story and ultimately works as a movie.

Olympic Dreams offers a little love in a fantastic location.

The Assistant, without a doubt, leaves a lasting impression for any woman who has experienced an oppressive work environment without recourse. I don’t think there’s a woman alive who can’t relate to The Assistant’s main character Jane played by Julia Garner.

It’s a laughably bad, generic, and bloodless PG-13 waste of two hours, and that’s everything I fantasized it wouldn’t end up being.

While Buffaloed is light on laughs, it’s Deutch as Peg that is the real joy to watch. She creates a character that is unique, energetic, and thoughtfully developed.

It’s well-structured, handsomely shot, and features some impressive acting. The thing is there’s just not that much to make it stand out from the crowd either.

If you want to discover (or get to know more about) a unique man who is as wildly talented as much as he tries to say otherwise, please watch The Times Of Bill Cunningham.

Where this film thrives, is the honesty in each characters flawed being. Not one of the love- searching souls in the film seem to know at all what they’re doing, and that’s the truest part. Love is messy, and it’s damned confusing. A lot of the time, we ourselves get in the way.

The best cure for a bland movie is quality ingredients, and in this case, it’s Manville and Neeson’s performances.

Camp Cold Brook accomplishes a seemingly Herculean task. It manages to make both slasher flicks and movies centered on paranormal investigations feel fresh without being a deconstructionist take.

You Go to My Head is a warped and lush tale of obsession, deception, and romance that’ll certainly go to your head. It’ll just take some time.

The Bromley Boys is a light comedic drama, and you’ll have a good time if anything British is your cup of tea.

Untouchable is a competently made film, there’s nothing mind-blowing about the presentation of it, but the timely subject matter makes the aesthetic weaknesses more forgivable.

Enter Horse Girl with an open mind and enjoy the ride.

I loved Downhill for precisely what it meant to be—a character-driven comedy working its way through a painful and real conflict.

Birds of Prey: and the Emancipation of one Harley Quinn is a fast-paced action movie with fantastic stunts and set pieces. We’re just not given any good reason to care about Harley Quinn, or her female compatriots needed to be emotionally invested in their ultimate victory or demise.

Babenco’s cinematic farewell isn’t perfect by a long shot. But it’s brave and poetic when it comes to facing mortality and rediscovering life. It is also most eloquent in referring to cinema as one’s lifeline with a wistful view of humanity, of those friends who stick around and those who don’t.

And Then We Danced works because of a tender and heartfelt performance by Levan Gelbakhiani.

It achieves that magic combination of nuance, depth, and having a big heart that makes it both a crowd-pleaser and a favorite of critics.

While the first act is slow but promising, the second and third acts don’t move any faster.

This masterful documentary from David France weaves high-stakes storytelling and investigative reporting to expose the ongoing situation, resulting in an unforgettable film.

The Nowhere Inn deeply explores the dynamic between performer and audience and performer with self. It does so in a way I’ve never seen before. It has so many layers that at some point, you get lost in the thick of it, but in a good way.

Cronenberg has created a mind-bending trip of a movie with more to say than your average actioner and is supported by spectacular performances and make-up and practical effects that seal the deal. Brace yourself. Possessor is brilliant.

While informative, I never leaned forward and engaged with the events documented.

There were many aspects from a filmmaking and storytelling process that I found admirable, but I just can’t see myself recommending it. I know all too well that my criticisms have everything to do with the very core of J.M. Barrie’s original story and Pan mythology itself.

The Last Thing He Wanted is trying to be too many things at once. It goes off on several tangents that don’t ever conclude.

On the Record has so many beautiful instances of artful storytelling.

In Created Equal, Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife Virginia tell his life story using over 30 hours of interview time, personal photos, and archival news footage and does not shy away from the big moments of his life.

Throughout clever turns and twists of the plot, Levine presents a meditation and deconstruction on life imitating art and vice versa with a dash of Robert Altman and a nod to David Mamet as players fill in the story.

It is leaps and bounds above the average boring status quo comedies, and it is exceptionally well-crafted.

Benedict Cumberbatch proves yet again he’s a star and Merab Ninidze is equally brilliant at his Russian counterpart.

Ultimately the success of Summertime comes from director Estrada and his crew, who put the film together with a small semblance of a story. They masterfully piece each poem and poet together like a jigsaw puzzle.

Beast Beast captures the high school experience like lightning in a bottle.

It’s Odessa Young that does much of the heavy lifting acting-wise, though overshadowed by Moss, as she is the one who ultimately transforms throughout the story. It wouldn’t be fair to leave out director Decker’s visual vision for the film or Sarah Gubbins’ screenplay as they continually keep you off balance from the start and second-guessing almost everyone and everything to the end.

There are some intense, heartbreaking moments in this film, but I am glad to say that the ending is not as sad as it could have been.