It’s honestly one of the best dark comedies I’ve seen in years, and I can’t wait to watch it again.

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.

Bad Press is a resounding documentary because of its quietness. It considers all the topics of the day — misinformation, government overreach, election scandals, and the list goes on. The filmmakers do so by showing that even the smallest, quietest town matters and that moral decay is always allowed to fester in the little places first.

While simple, there is great depth to this uncomplicated story.

And to all you sane folk out there, be prepared when seeing this film: you'll ponder the old adage about being what you eat. For those new to the truth about food, this is a great starting point.

You really have to be in the right mood to sit through Tony Takitani. You have to be ready to take in a thoroughly depressing story that moves...very...slowly.

While it may not dig incredibly deep, Forbidden Planet was a cut above the schlocky fare that dominated the theatrical sci-fi circuit of the 1950s, and I dare say it provides more meat to chew on than many of today’s bloated, effects-heavy “event films.”

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and this film shows us that we could all use a look through the lens that both Hirayama and Wim Wenders use to appreciate the overlooked jewels in this life better.

I wasn't in the mood for this film, but it got to me anyway.

20,000 Species of Bees is a slow burn where most scenes are understated and intimate but culminate into a work that stands strong in the end.

Filled with affecting intimacy and some of the best (and essential) sex scenes in recent memory, Passages is one of Sachs’ absolute best films and further solidifies the exemplary status of the three lead performers—an essential 2023 film.

This is an excellent movie -- by all means, flock to it!

The filmmakers have crafted an urgent watch that demands to be seen.

Casino Royale is quite possibly the best action movie of the year.

For the performances and the atmosphere, it’s worth it.

The cast is excellent, and the story structure is so unique that it is refreshing. Bareisa has taken the family drama formula and reworked it entirely into something heartfelt, heartbreaking, and utterly absorbing.

One could literally milk a thesaurus in trying to find the right words to lavish on Saraband: brilliant, towering, majestic, challenging, remarkable.

The real problem with the film is tone and pace.

Garcia is a thoughtful filmmaker not only by the group of actors he has gathered, but in remembering that there has been and will be people watching his movie.

Nossa Chape has an urgency and poignancy that several narrative dramas only wish they could achieve.

Chess Story is a subtle, soft-spoken killer of a film. It’s absolutely worth your time if you like World War II-era dramas. Seek it out.

A promising debut from a new international voice.

On the surface, the plot is simple, but the nuances, keen observations, silences between words, the humanity of it all, and the ease with which the filmmaker effortlessly navigates turbulent currents subtly transform the feature into a complex drama. There are no heroes or villains, no good or bad people, just folks trying to figure themselves and each other out.

Malick’s masterpiece makes a great argument that it’s the little-known heroes, as opposed to the ones we trumpet as such, that truly form the ethical foundation upon which our society still creakily rests. Malick is a true cinematic maestro, conducting the orchestra of life. A Hidden Life is breathtaking in every aspect.

Bell's documentary is an absolute must see for anyone taking part in any kind of debate about steroids.

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 performances of young Sampi, Monaghan and Sansbury are amazing. They’re immersing and compelling.

It’s tempting to talk about Making Waves as being educational, but it is not dryly academic, though it does introduce the subject in some detail. This is a fun film to watch, with the interviews and graphics illustrating how the sound comes together, the doc is an exciting behind-the-scenes look at the effort and skill required to create movie sound artfully.

[A] mind-blowingly thorough and epic documentary.

To Kill A Wolf is a somber, moving, and deeply tragic film.

This well-crafted documentary shows us that getting old isn't all that terrible.

For those who don’t care as much about the moral of the story, there are many ways to enjoy this film. It’s a good time, and one can easily just vibe on the music and color palette, the goofy humor, and an amusing nostalgic catalog of Mattel toys and accessories without investing too much brain power into the social justice commentary.

Where Minority Report succeeds is by dishing up a little bit of everything – to see no one leaves the theater disgruntled. There are helpings of science fiction marvel, there’s some interminable tension and a real human story underneath it all. The specials effects are damn impressive to boot.

We the Animals, a stirring portrait of youth, is a requiem for innocence lost.

Wild Rose is one of those films that you have to hunt for, and it’s well worth the effort.

It’s funny, it’s smart, and it pokes fun at exactly the things it should (organized religion, big business, and audience itself).

While the film is admittedly imperfect, it nonetheless deserves to be seen by all Americans to provide a clear understanding of what kind of a country we are currently at war within.

One of the best surfing documentaries ever filmed.

The Beast is a bold, creative, and heady dystopian film that clocks in way too long at 145 minutes.

Aside from Hank’s brilliant performance as Fred Rogers, I also liked the style of storytelling. The movie from start to finish feels like an actual Mr. Rogers episode with its simple three-man jazz piano score and its slow, deliberate pace. The overall story is good, sweet, but predictable.

In every scene, Blank’s work shines as a writer, a director and as an actor. Her relentless charisma and authenticity tinged with wit carry every scene of the film, making it a joy to witness. This is the arrival of a talented voice in indie film.

Director Juho Kuosmanen excels in telling a story that seems entirely believable and realistic, never forced or predictable. The actors are equally talented.

On one hand, it is a good but seemingly typical genre film that has moments of uncanny intelligence. On the other, it is an uncannily intelligent work that eventually settles for simply being a good genre film.

There is no shortage of remarkable moments.

In the Court of King Crimson: King Crimson at 50 is not an exploration of what was or who the band used to be, but rather a voyage into their present and future.

Offers a remarkable tribute to one of the few people who genuinely deserves to be known as a pioneer of filmmaking. In the genre of films about films, In the Mirror of Maya Deren is among the best.

With Tokyo Sonata, Kurosawa shows that he has quite the flair for dry humor and peppers this film with just the perfect amount.

Utilizing never-before-seen archival footage, expertly-rendered animated interludes, and unprecedented access to those involved in the crisis, Kopple strings it all together into a gripping and emotional whole, like a true master craftsman. I will not be surprised if the living legend brings another golden statuette home this year.

Tippett himself said he did not intend Mad God to adhere to any strict narrative structure, so it’s best to merely soak in the sumptuous, detailed visuals and extract your own meaning from the journey. It’s a ferociously engaging, if slightly flawed, viewing experience.

Clooney has littered his film with such a high quantity of mistakes that it is hard to know where exactly to begin finding fault.

Foul-mouthed, unapologetic, visceral, and authentic, Firecrackers also happens to be sharply edited, its narrative complemented by Casey MQ’s gorgeous electronic ambient/drone score.

The reason that Once Upon A Time In Venezuela is so effective is that it explores a microcosm of the events.

Both Wu Ke-xi and Kai Ko were phenomenal in their performances and Midi Z has probably in Mandalay his best work so far.

Nyoni’s handling of tone is astoundingly careful, and because of it, I Am Not a Witch is a truly unique and stirring experience.

At the finale of this visual delight, every hired hand and technician also deserve acclaim.

Exhuma is a masterpiece of art-horror and South Korean filmmaking, ensured to enthrall viewers into repeated viewings and deep dives into each chapter.

Perrier is an undeniable talent and as a first outing, Jezebel is a powerful statement.

Although sincere and well-crafted, the repetitive lethargy of A Still Small Voice would perform much better in a short art film, not a full-length feature.

Light From Light does not totally stick the landing, as it stays small when it should have finally gone big. But the characters are well thought out and relatable, the cinematography is excellent, and the conversations between Shelia and Richard have resonance. This is all brought to life by an amazing cast, who absolutely deserve awards for their heartrendingly honest and raw performances.

Most importantly, Introducing, Selma Blair is the story of a mother desperately trying to keep it together and be the best parents she can be to her son while dealing with a disease.

It's the journey that offers the most enjoyment. Well, that and the beauty pageant climax, which I won't spoil here, but is one of the funniest scenes from film in recent memory.

Though Liyana often feels more like an exercise in storytelling than a complete narrative, it is heartwarming to see the kids light up as they work together to create art out of their hardship.

The movie feels like a Sunday drive with your own thoughts, where you get some good thinking done, even if you don’t come to any lasting conclusions.

Tarzan is a blast for both kids and grownups like myself and gets my recommendation.

There is this marvelous hard-boiled narrative style Vigas employs, with long periods without dialogue and little exposition. The way the intrigue is built as the picture progresses almost takes us into thriller territory. This is the cinematic storm the filmmaker creates here when a child’s yearning meets the brutality of an outlaw land.

Where the first two acts tell an offbeat and strange story, the final act comes out of the blue and ties everything up in a hope-filled and tear-inducing way.

It’s a parody, a biopic, a comedy, a tragedy, an experimental film, and God knows what else. It may sound crazy to say, but The Other Side of The Wind is quite possibly Orson Welles’ most ambitious picture and that might explain why it remained unfinished for so long.

Mothersbaugh himself acknowledges that the band’s curse has always been being ahead of its time, but it is fitting that we have finally arrived at a time when that is obvious. If you have not seen this legendary band play live yet, do so while you still have the chance, if you can. Whether you have or have not, see Devo as soon as possible.

An extraordinary achievement on all possible levels.

Fails to add anything of substance to the history that it portrays.

We’ve seen stories like Wildlife done many times before but rarely are they done with such grace and humanity.

The strength of the film comes from the symbolic devices that decorate the strikingly illustrated social ladder.

It’s mostly light-hearted, and sadly the tone can sometimes conflict with the deeper themes the film is trying to get across. But still, this animated movie makes up for any shortcomings with its overall style and atmosphere.

There is still life behind the eyes of each weary face and still deep-felt reasons to strive for a better tomorrow, even in the wake of such destruction and desolation.

The Falling Sky doesn’t spoon-feed you any information; rather, it blows it up your nose. This production, without explanation, works brilliantly in immersing the audience in the electricity of the Reahu ritual. Not knowing what is going on or what is heading towards you instills a discombobulation that allows you to surrender to the void and go with it.

The Lost Leonardo tells the tale of the most scrutinized painting of all time in fascinating, exhaustive detail.

Mickey And The Bear is remarkable, maximizing its heartbreakingly honest script and emotional directing. Bolstered by a phenomenal cast and an ending that will leave the audience breathless, there is not a single misstep in the entire production.

Confirms that despite all the technical tools at their disposal, one thing counts head and shoulders above razzle-dazzle eye candy (or anything else, for that matter): the story and characters, and Monsters, Inc. introduces worthy additions to the Pixar pantheon.

Time Bandits has a wonderful, Zelig-like quality to be whatever you want it to be. Do the diminutive bandits represent the Pythons? Sure, probably, to some extent. Is the film a fairy tale disguised as a revisionist history lesson? Yes, you can see it that way. Does it offer a commentary on the ills of modern society? I think so. Is it a combination of all those things and more? Very likely.

Kurosawa has not attempted to make a thriller but a vivid deconstruction of one.

Does it lose focus from time to time? Sure, and its cumulative effect suffers because of it, but Drljača nails the little moments that matter.

To its credit, Working Woman is laser-focused on its theme. There are no superfluous characters or side-plots. There’s no best friend to confide in, no hilarious sidekick. There’s just a woman who feels all alone like there’s no one she can trust, no one who will understand her.

What does come as a surprise, somewhat, is Fincher’s departure from his clinical precision; he adopts a looser approach here, no less precise, but much warmer than, say, the steel-blue, fierce indictment that is The Social Network. “Photographed in Hi-Dynamic Range” to approximate the look and feel of a late-1930’s feature, Mank is incredibly dense, lush, and extravagant.

The film goes beyond a nature movie with excellent photography and the determination of the animals it documents.

Provides lethal evidence of what becomes of those who deposit their sincerity into the command of a religious lunatic.

Meticulous in its descriptions of well-intended individuals caught up in these ferocious waves of street crime.