The film is sympathetic to the underpaid players, but doesn’t shirk away from their crime. Cusack is particularly good as the player whose faith in his friends and baseball was destroyed while his life was torn asunder by circumstance.

Get ready for a heart-pumping experience with Arthur the King—a sports drama that will leave you cheering for more.

It’s funny, fast-paced, and just plain fun.

It pulls viewers to the edge of their seats and never relents, and never stops prodding at the emotions of everyone watching.

Hadaway indicts this country’s misguided preoccupation with being first, scrutinizing America’s twisted values via the prism of her uber-competitive protagonist. As a result, The Novice officially claims the title of The Best Film About Rowing Ever Made.

There are a handful of dull moments in Definition Please, but as frustrating as they can be, they don’t drown out the brilliance of Rajan and the compelling script. I was pulled in early due both to the emotional content and the relevance to the real world.

Aided enormously by Jeremy Renner, his astonishing lead actor, Jacobson has created something we haven’t seen since “The Silence of the Lambs”: a sensitive, non-exploitative serial killer movie.

Haymaker has a little something for everyone, and it’s totally worth the watch. I’m excited to see what Nick Sasso does next.

Worthy of attention. Susman has put together a well-crafted, witty commentary on corporate culture and the deals all of us make with ourselves to come to terms with modern existence.

A well-edited and rhythmically moving documentary, SPEAK. communicates with us and will continue to hold its own for many years to come.

Both Democrats and Republicans take it on the chin here, although the left-leaning bias is obvious.

The result, while flawed, is glorious: majestic, atmospheric, visually stunning, led by two charismatic leads. Scott, at 86, shows the young ‘uns how it’s done.

One thing remains certain: Satterlund and his crew know how to drop jaws. The plot may have been told before, but certainly never quite like this.

It doesn’t talk down to audiences, instead inviting them to experience something relatable, something that both challenges and provides answers. How refreshing.

Rodriguez slams down the sledgehammer with so much brutal, punishing force, there's no room to breathe.

Grade A propaganda of the first order.

Wrestle will completely suck you in from beginning to end.

Stripped away off all privileges, a shell of a human remains, a carcass, and that glimmer of hope that keeps one going is the driving nucleus of the lyrical and timely To a Land Unknown.

All you have to do is forget about watching the movie and let the movie watch you. Just listen to the thunder in the distance, overhear part of someone else’s life, and feast your eyes on vistas unseen until now.

I love a nice, quiet film. It’s so relaxing and such a nice break from the flashy multiplex fare. I love watching films that you can let just wash over you. The Hungarian film Hukkle provides that comfort, while at the same time coming up with an inventive way to tell a story.

Tropic is, at its core, a tale of brotherly love. It’s a wonderful experience, whether you speak French or need to read the subtitles. It’s masterfully crafted by a great cinematic team and reminds me of the glorious films of the French New Wave.

Subtle, funny and touching. It’s not like a blow-by-blow “Birth of a Hero” type of film. The script is near perfect and the acting is spot on.

Sudan, Remember Us tackles a political conflict that is underreported in the mainstream news cycle and treats it with dignity. Meddeb’s film is a valuable viewing experience as it teaches us to value our freedoms and individual voices.

Far and away the best of the Star Wars prequels (tough chore, that) and also holds its own with the hallowed films of the original trilogy.

Measure for Measure is a collection of great performances by both seasoned and up-and-coming actors.

Thornton's Jacob initially comes across as the love child of Elmer Fudd and Butthead, but ends up as the best role he's ever had.

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!

Throughout Gather, Rawal refrains from placing blame and portraying his subjects as victims but focuses instead on their resolve and resilience. He keeps the cameras on his subjects, allowing them to be the drivers of their own narrative, instead of relying on voiceovers or talking heads.

Any thinking person – no matter what political stripe or moral belief – needs to see this important film then try to apply its valuable lessons to today's, still, unstable planet.

Even with its amateurish presentation and off-kilter action, Dolemite is far more fun than a good many of the high-stakes, high-budget films that the big studios roll out every month or so. Personality goes a long way.

A surprisingly fresh take on familiar material.

Mondocane is the finest Italian post-apocalypse movie ever made.

Safer at Home starts on an off-putting note, and the epilogue muddies the timeline to the point of confusion. But, nestled between those two baffling sequences lies a gripping thriller brought to life by astute direction, an intelligent screenplay, and a great cast. While not perfect, this independent production is still worth an adventurous audiences’ time.

Proved that cheerless, existentially unflinching literature can provide the basis for exhilarating cinema.

The film also has some hilarious moments and some that tug at your heartstrings.

As a comedy, Mark, Mary & Some Other People keeps the laughs light and the story grounded.

The Shadow of Violence has interesting things to say about violence and, ultimately, how far you would go for your family.

A magical vision of the ring of the imagination.

It’s jolly, childlike in a good way, and unusual where it counts. It’s a pop-up book that should be prominently displayed and never read.

If you’ve ever had a friend or family struggle with an addiction, you know that nothing you say or do will change their ways. It seems to always happen at their rock bottom. Nora Fingscheidt’s feature, The Outrun, starts at the bottom.

For the most part, the film is brilliant.

Learning about the old points of view can help us build better ones. Hopper/Welles is important for that reason. It’s also hilarious to hear Welles, who is never onscreen, browbeat Hopper to answer questions he doesn’t want to answer. Seriously, this film is a treat.

Its politics will please no one, but for fans of story and characters, the movie succeeds in its primary goal: telling a good story about humanity, warts, and all.

The script balances personal stakes with some pretty great extra-terrestrial action. The sequences in space are handled beautifully. The craft and the moon look convincing, and the lunar adventures have the look of hard science and the pulpy energy of Die Hard.

This soothing, elegantly-crafted film is such a marvelous piece of work.

The Damned is an oppressive film filled with static images of ice fields, dark, almost chiaroscuro moments in cabins, and thoughtful, if not over-indulgent, dialogue.

If we’re going to save this planet, we need more love. Space Oddity shows us the blueprint for the mission.

Gran Turismo captures a truly remarkable young man and his journey to professional legitimacy. This is for anyone needing a jolt to the system and focusing on getting back on one’s true path in life.

Not only does Standard Operating Procedure look closely at visual evidence and it's true meaning, it also strives to question the validity of any given photo and, digging deeper still, the meta meaning of a photographic image.

Although the idea isn’t fresh, the performances and visuals make up for the been there, seen that story at play.

Rebel Without a Cause has such beautiful color photography that it seems almost impossible to conceive of the fact that they initially started filming it in black and white. Dean is every bit as tormented here as he was in East of Eden, but it’s more of an existential torment this time.

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.

I really liked this film more than I did “An Inconvenient Truth,” as Everything’s Cool made the subject matter into a palatable form that actually made it interesting instead of depressing.

Has more heart up on the screen than any film I’ve seen in recent years. I mean, we’re talking sappy, sweet, heart wrenching sentimentality.

Pain either destroys us or makes us stronger. The trick is knowing how to avoid the traps and use it for inspiration. While he could have stayed stuck in the black void of sorrow, White instead made something beautiful. Honestly, he could not have paid a better tribute to his friend.

Jimmy McDowell was intensely private during his short time on Earth, but the tale his brother unravels is that of a vital spark who lived what life he had to the fullest, and on his own terms.

One Missed Call plays like a good cover song. It's not just a repetition of the previous tune.

Superb acting by all the leads and supporting players populate the desolate landscape with human dramas large and small in a place where people scrape a living out of harsh conditions.

A gripping example of "You Are There," on the spot journalism, even if it is a little slim when it comes to motives and back stories.

Wolfgang examines the life and game-changing career of Wolfgang Puck in a visually engaging and charming way. While it repeats itself every so often, the food on display is delectable, and every interview is a trove of information.

We’ve seen coming-of-age dramas many times over, so Pools is not revolutionary in that sense, but the blending of genres and the top-of-the-line young cast are what make this film special.

The film is so gloriously absurd that we are mainly driven through the narrative by the continuous reveal of new elements in this bizarre and hilarious universe. Still, when everything does come together at the end, there are some emotional payoffs that sneak up on you like a wandering turkey.

The Farewell is wonderfully specific towards the culture depicted, but there’s a universality to its issues regarding family. Just about everyone will be able to take something away from The Farewell.

The Auschwitz Report is an intense, visually bold tale of a courageous pair of people who endured the tortures of a concentration camp to escape and become heroes.

Crafted with exquisite care with music and images the film is a narrative that is not just entertainment but a learning experience for some to choose to let yourself into the film world.

Denis Villeneuve delivers on the big epic space story we’ve been waiting for and comes through in unique and unexpected ways.

The Science of Sleep truly has to be seen to be believed.

Let's discuss those extra four minutes for a second, shall we? I found them incredibly distracting. [Special Edition]

Structurally, Science Fair is sound. Its a cross-section of human-interest stories is inspiring. The subjects are engaging and worth rooting for. It looks in depth at the processes of competing in a science fair. And the revelation of winners is exciting and nail-biting.

Wander Darkly is a hard watch that is worth it, as the movie will pull a few tears from your eyes at the end.

It is a charming affair featuring a stellar cast with believable chemistry. Plus, there is enjoyment in getting to decide Cami’s fate and seeing where it takes you. I am going to rewatch this and choose another path.

The score is appropriately ethereal. From the Paris skyline to the Great Wall of China, the film's locales on every continent are rarely less than breathtaking. Calling the camerawork stunning, of course, is an understatement.

Yardie is a ripping classic gangster tale done right, but that’s only part of the appeal. It goes beyond the narrative into full cultural immersion with music as the window into a time and place.

The thematic equilibrium within Smoke Sauna Sisterhood does not negate the male gaze. Rather, it asserts the feminine. Through confession and testimony, women become embodied. Witnesses, irrespective of gender, fortify their truth.

This is a hard film to watch. If you can stomach it and its terrors, this film rewards you with a cracking good fireside story

The filmmaker educates and entertains with a profoundly human story about the life of a young woman. Viewers will become invested in what happens to Di and learn about the Hmong tradition along the way.

Spiro has produced a beautiful film on loss, and the cycles of violence that all too many are understandably pulled into, yet she still manages to give us a glimmer of hope in a world of desperation.

A wild, rapid-fire collage that's as fiercely funny, original and provocative as anything I've seen on a screen in a good long while.

A mesmerizing documentary that shows the vulnerability -– and brutality -– that emerge when one is showered in recognition, only to have such fame pulled out from under him.

A Haunting in Venice marks the best, most succinct, and humorous adaptation of an Agatha Christie story by Kenneth Branagh yet.

Manages to put a new spin on things while being touching, honest, and thought-provoking at the same time.

This is a thoughtful film with several intimate moments, but it might leave you feeling gloomy. On the other hand, if you are like me and enjoy movies that leave you with something to chew on and don’t necessarily have happy endings, The Fragile King is for you.

So much of Art for Everybody follows a traditional rise-to-power and fall-from-grace structure. The story gives equal time to Kinkade’s adoring friends and his harshest critics while allowing his family to serve as both. Yousef never tries to immortalize or romanticize the painter but instead focuses on the person and his path to the limelight.

The endless loop, the anomalies, the reset — all of it connects back to who the man is and what his fundamental flaw as a person is. When the ending hits, it doesn’t explain itself. You just sit there and work backward, and then it clicks.

This is the kind of film you can watch over and over again on several levels, especially as you mine the script for knowing jokes about the theatre (it's packed with them).

The pace is tight, and the film’s last scene is a fantastic conclusion to the story: a little bit Telenovela, a little bit grindhouse, and 100% quality.

Champs tells a rags-to-riches story set in the brutal landscape of boxing and sports entertainment. You’ll find inspiration from the stories of its three subjects and make you think again about the gladiatorial game and business, we know as boxing.

Despite budgetary limitations, Dawn Breaks Behind the Eyes perpetually surprises with its ability to keep all its plates spinning throughout its kaleidoscopic journey.

At first glance, the feature, which Johnson co-wrote and co-produced, may seem like yet another granola indie about a middle-aged man reassessing his life. And it is. But there’s magic to it.

Apart from the two leads, there’s little warmth or humanity to be found here, the film purposefully cold and distancing, much easier to admire than to love. That said, there’s plenty to admire in this sad, contemplative journey into the heart of darkness.

It’s impressive that Bombshell is able to discuss all the issues at hand all at once.

Excellent directing coupled with a smart script and solid acting make Choose Connor a movie worth your time.

This doc rocks as much as the old rock rocks. Do yourself a favor and make some time for it.

Spoilers prevent me from saying anything about it, but the finale is a satisfying good vs. evil ending while reinforcing the true nature and values that Blanc holds as an investigator. Even then, when it’s all said and done, this is a light comedy. The story, mystery, and conclusion are fun, but it’s not Agatha Christie, nor should it be.

ZigZag rests heavily on Jones III's sensational turn as the lead character. Capable of drawing empathy without pity from an audience, his ZigZag is the unlikely constant in a world swirling with change and intrigue.

Ultimately a story about the American mindset post-9/11, Right at Your Door is also a much more personal tale, as it forces all of us to consider what we would do if the chips were down.

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

American Doctor is a horrifying film to watch, but that’s the point.