It's clear right away that The Roost is no hack job. It's made by people who have a major love for the genre and generally anything that goes bump in the night.

This interesting and humorous ride brings a wild variety of Grace Lees, to Grace’s delight and our amusement, providing an informative and heartfelt look, more personal than academic, of a culture and the single bond they all share.

The artful cinematography and well-performed music make this a worthwhile watch.

The film has a lot of humor and joy in it.

Without a doubt, making the most substantial impact is Thurman. While she has proven her versatility over the years, her work as The Bride shows that her talent is matched by her fearlessness.

A little bit of screwball comedy and a lot of film noir, add a dash of suspense-drama, and half a dozen card tricks too, then you have the recipe for making The Brothers Bloom.

This is a severely flawed, but also a fascinating and engrossing science fiction film, a picture that offers far more than surface thrills.

Isn’t just a "gay movie." There are just gay people in it. Anyone can get into this lovable film.

This film is not going to be for everyone, but for those who love horror served with a mean little edge of snarky humor, it’s quite a ride.

In the end, Marry Me is funny and worth watching.

The mafia murder images are stomach turning, viewers take note. Letizia talks about her life at great length and some of it is redundant, but she is always charming and inspirational, living as a strong, independent woman in a crushing patriarchy.

Really Love subtly explores and juxtaposes the numerous obstacles Black people face when it comes to discovering their identity, transcending stereotypes, overcoming familial influence, being in charge – and it studies those issues through the colorful and forlorn and often lovely prism of Art.

The Omicron Killer does its best with a low budget and some flashy editing to keep the pace going.

Actually one of the better comedies I've seen this year speaks volumes for the quality of the performances and the caliber of the script.

It may not be great but you're guaranteed to feel great walking out the theater door.

Stewart commands the screen in a fierce performance, effortlessly elevating the material with a few poignant glances and teeth-clenched determination.

Draws an unspoken parallel with, of all things, beauty pageants, complete with unnaturally driven kids and nervously supportive parents desperately trying not to appear too pushy.

The brightest facet of the movie is that even as they face oppressive conditions they still persist with joy.

Jarhead does feature stunning visuals. Mendes and cinematographer Roger Deakins have created some fantastic imagery.

The movie wants to put all of the theories to rest, and it may have answered some of the questions, but I do not believe that it will change the mind of a conspiracy theorist.

There isn't really an overall arc present in Killer of Sheep, and that's the point. There's really nothing meant to be expressed in Killer of Sheep but the experience of poverty, and the inevitability of crime in the face of poverty.

One of the most interesting and two-sided films to be made about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Khalil and Sweitzer’s film is unique, but it remains unclear if it has the power and resonance behind it to take their points outside of the arthouse audience.

Screwball is an entertaining way to bring a very serious scandal to light.

Pig takes itself way too seriously, making some interesting storytelling choices.

The message is clear, and powerfully told.

Where earlier Moore films showcased a fair amount humor, even when covering weighty topics, Fahrenheit – especially the latter half – gives us Moore at his most serious.

While Actual People is not going to be for everyone, it does preserve a moment in time from Gen Z culture that informs and enlightens.

The film is beautifully executed with grace and lavish cinematography.

The Old Town Girls is about the consequences of decisions.

Yeo Siew Hua shows that surveillance isn’t only about control—it’s also about how we see ourselves through someone else’s eyes. In the end, the film leaves us unsettled with the idea that being watched doesn’t just change how we act, it changes who we become.

Charles Dance's début feature is an impressive achievement.

Levinson doesn’t seem to care about redemption, guilt, or any of that other nonsense. He wants to make “the great American baseball hero movie.” He wants to say something about old neighborhoods and fathers and sons playing catch in the late summer evening. The cinematography is lush, the Randy Newman score is epic. The period detail and baseball scenes are top notch.

This white trash "War of the Roses" is a surprisingly engaging film.

At once entertaining and depressing -- it exposes politics raw.

The 7 rating is for his movie. Vance himself, in his preachy, condescending book, gets it wrong.

An amazingly powerful piece of cinema. Actually, it's more an amazingly powerful piece of news journalism; the kind of in-depth stories told in all their complexity that such fluff American network "news" magazines as "Dateline" could only dream about telling.

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.

Unfortunately, the accompanying story threads tend to bog down the action rather than provide contrast between the games.

If you’re not a fan of anime, give it try. Be open and patient.

It’s a heartwarming tale about finding life after loss and finding the good in others. Unfortunately, like a Hallmark film, it’s wrapped up in a lot of schmaltz.

What saves Spider-Man 3 from becoming well, "Superman III," is the fact that it's still a solid film that packs a punch when it comes to turn on the spectacle.

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.

Predictable? Yes. Corny? Sure. But Brother Bear is still good, family fun.

Judge and Hertzfeldt take us on an international trip through the world of animation. From the silly, to the beautiful, to the terminally lame and pretentious, there’s a little something for every taste here…yeah, even for those who love farts.

For better or worse, the film is more of an intellectual affair than a thriller.

New Life entertains with fast-moving shooting action, creepy screaming creatures, ample guts, and moments of profound humanity.

Works on so many levels that it must be reckoned with. It certainly feels unique, and sets itself apart from most American gangster films in its stark refusal to paint the lead gangster as likable or indeed anything other than the vicious socio-psychopath he is.

Brennan takes the viewer on an intimate journey into the lives of the members, their families, neighborhoods, and the identity of Cuban people.

It is a documentary that shows the passion one entertainer has for one of the most iconic singers of all time. Davi’s drive to see it happen is what keeps the audience engaged, and the discovery of his singing voice is worth the time to watch the movie all on its own.

Generally, I found Running on Empty to be a joyful contemplation of life. It’s also a pretty solid calling card for Daniel André.

This is an important historical documentary that needs to be seen.

There's a lot to enjoy, and plenty of potential, but none of it pays off. So we're left with what amounts to some very clever experimental cinema in the Lynch vein. Which, if you think about it, isn't all that bad.

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

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.

This film includes not one single word of dialogue.

An overly ambitious guilty pleasure with enough action and violence to keep you interested, it just doesn’t have much else.

While an enjoyable twist on the noir genre, a little more character development would have been nice.

Whether you’re a Godzilla fan or not, you’ll have fun, but you’re not going to walk away feeling like you saw something spectacular or memorable for that matter.

The final fight at the end is fantastic. It is by far the best X-Men fight in its franchise history (not counting Deadpool).

What keeps you rapt is that permeating, subtle feeling of sadness, of bitterness and regret. Whether it was an intentional choice in a “comeback” documentary remains debatable – but that’s what truly works about it, is its driving momentum.

If you approach Alita: Battle Angel like a standard action film, where you’re there just for the stunts, you will have a good time. The world created by James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez is visually stunning. Rosa Salazar is fantastic as Alita, and she shines in her mocap performance.

Kim Jee-woon’s film is smart and full of laughs but comes up against profound issues created by its gaming of reality.

All Joking Aside gives us but a glimpse of the pain behind the smiles, but like an evening at a comedy club, leaves us with a good-natured grin.

Secretary, like the type of relationship it explores, is not for everybody. But it does what good films do best; that is to provoke us, push our buttons, make us think and maybe even entertain us in the process.

A hilarious film for anyone who remembers lying as a kid-- and anyone who wants to see a movie that's just plain fun.

It may appear clichéd in the telling, but Chick has no use for the glib irony and rampant pop-culture sampling which has already dated "Reality Bites" and its ilk.

Visually speaking, Fletcher’s film is wonderful to watch. The fantastical choices he occasionally makes is grounded and never pull you out of the film.

For his rookie debut, Dev Patel ultimately produced a fun action film with pacing issues—in my humble opinion. Monkey Man’s Indian influence makes this story of class and caste fascinating to behold.

The Motive is a fun, light film with a sad sack lead we can love and good laughs sprinkled throughout.

Kung Fu Rookie is a heartfelt, high-energy tribute to Jackie Chan. It is packed with acrobatic action and playful stunt work that would make the legend proud. With thrilling fight sequences, goofy humor, and a love for old-school kung fu cinema, it is a fun ride that proves admiration is best expressed through action—literally.

Into the Darkness serves as a keen portrait of a deeply divided country, unsure of where its allegiance lies. Heavy-handed and slow-moving at times, further bogged down by extended speeches about the future of Denmark’s economy/industry, this behemoth nevertheless impresses, simply due to the sophistication of it all.

Kudos to Max for conjuring genuinely unsettling, Boschian images with a limited budget.

Boasting a formidable cast and a keen eye for detail, Killing Eleanor makes it easy to forgive its flaws. Marks deserves major props for making an old story seem fresh again. Here's hoping her next tale won't be so old.

Say what you want about Mel Gibson, but that sadomasochistic anti-Semite knows how to shoot a movie.

It’s an exciting movie filled with plenty of action, adventure, beautiful cinematography and best of all, terrific performances.

Strays hits my sweet spot in comedy. It is goofy, silly, and filthy. Your mileage may vary, but I can’t wait to see this again.

While his previous drama, The Road to Mandalay, showcased his keen eye for social realism, Nina Wu is suffused with visual poetry – all stark-reds and grainy yellows – and a dream-like (or nightmarish, depending on how you view it) atmosphere. It’s a portrait of a country experiencing significant sociopolitical changes. By focusing on its filmmaking industry, Z takes advantage of the opportunity to experiment visually, thematically, and narratively – at times, to the film’s detriment.

Even if Horton's world can't shine like Whoville, this movie's visuals keeps things vivid, while digital animation is so often crisp, precise, and cold.

Mortal Kombat is a pretty good representation of the video game. It’s all action and not much else, and normally, I do want more from my movies. But here, that is precisely the point, and I’m okay with that!

You want uncomfortable tales of love and woe, then Race You to the Bottom has what you're looking for. And if you believe love is a disease that is meant to send people to screaming, burning hell, then you'll have a laugh riot, a real knee slapper, like 1,000 fart jokes heard all at once.

A Glitch in the Matrix is timely and full of mystery and wonder, but lingering on descriptions of surreal subjective experience misses the point. This would be a much more interesting movie if it had more focus on the science of simulation theory.

The characters are compelling, but I would like to have known more about how Peter came to this place in his life.

The story is enhanced by solid performances all around by Bonnie Hunt, Aidan Quinn and Kevin Pollack.

Skills Like This is not a movie that asks to be taken seriously.

While the presentation is somewhat basic, Mosely: It’s Complicated is still interesting, if just because its subject was so much larger than life. So, if you don’t mind a talking heads-style doc, then this will be right up your alley.

What makes I Am Woman worth watching (and recommending) is the importance of Helen Reddy’s story, predictable as it is.

Is the fare for The Last Bus worth it? Spall’s performance ensures that the answer is a resounding yes! But, there is a caveat: viewers certainly shouldn’t expect a ride filled with joy and laughter.

This is a truly disturbing work that makes the mind race with worry, and the heart pump with fear, though thankfully not in a way that tests a viewer's unease every minute. Gradually. Ever so gradually.

Yes, it was made during the pandemic, and the storyline serves as a metaphor for our current feelings and experiences, but it doesn’t use the pandemic as a tool to directly prey on our anxieties. It’s a bit more thoughtful and reflective than that. This drama gives us the green light to sit back and say, no matter when the end might be, perhaps we did just fine with our time here.

Ms. Purple was an honest love note to the flawed amalgamation of dreams and nightmares that Angelenos call home. It is also another promising piece from Chon that has us on notice.

Farha, writer/director Darin Sallam’s debut, is so effective because it views the conflict through the eyes of a child, one with hopes and dreams and has no role to play in the ensuing battle. It asks viewers to remove their preconceived opinions of the struggle and approach it solely on the human toll that results from living through such tumult.

There is some very un-Mormon gender bending going on here.

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.

It’s not a perfect film, but it’s definitely the Soder-side I prefer.

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.

Handling the Undead is more of a philosophical journey than a survival journey.

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.