In Stay Human, Michael Franti examines the idea of staying human in these times when we’ve all embraced cynicism and fear over the optimism and potential of the human spirit.

Sanjuro doesn’t offer as much complexity and nuance as its predecessor, but it’s still a fun ride that shows Kurosawa’s consummate skills, even when he was simply satisfying Toho’s constant demands that he make more commercially-appealing films.

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

Gringa is an unusual hybrid of dysfunctional family drama and an escapist sports movie.

Stevenson’s story is engaging as the David versus the Goliath of the state’s district attorney. There are a lot of great actors on display and put together it feels like an A-List repertory company featuring Michael B. Jordan, Brie Larson, and Jamie Fox, to name a few. Then add some outstanding supporting veteran and up-and-coming actors, Just Mercy becomes a solid drama and film.

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.

Despite periodic bursts of action, The Last Duel has a long wick that burns slowly toward its violent conclusion. It’s a wisely protracted take from writers Affleck, Damon, and Nicole Holofcener that allows the audience to consume its narrative details as well as its performances and Scott’s stirring visuals.

Mustang Island was written by Elrod and Nathan Smith, who both must know the unpleasant and often comical pains of trying to move on, and the “why me?” shit luck that comes with trying to get over an ex. They create an organic and delightful atmosphere for us while we spend time with the three stooges.

One could say that I Love Us can’t decide what it wants to be. Is it a crime thriller or a family film? This split focus is a legitimate criticism, but somehow director and lead actor Danny Abeckaser manages to pull it off. It’s far from perfect, but it works well enough.

The movie may take time to develop and needs a little more punch for its payoff, but it is still worth your time as a genre-mixing indie.

American Hangman makes a mystery out of a few things that are too easy to guess, so it takes a while to get going. However, thanks to sharp direction, an original take on the dramatic police procedural, and a truly excellent, very game cast, the movie is a worthwhile 100-minute watch.

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

Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3 has way too much story crammed in its two-and-half-hour runtime, but the reason to see the movie is the Guardians themselves and how they’ve grown and evolved since they were first introduced.

No Address is very much an issues-based drama. Its purpose is to provide a soul behind the statistics.

The climax of this vampire romance delivers the expected level of carnage and lots of the red stuff.

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.

OBEX is an earnest, strange, and delightful adventure.

At its heart, The Senior is about forgiveness and second chances.

For a drama about family dysfunction, Dealing with Dad is surprisingly funny and optimistic.

Camp Hideout is another fun feature from Sean Olson, who is quickly becoming the go-to filmmaker for solidly made, independent, family-friendly fare. The action hijinks are both exciting and funny. The cast is good, and the direction keeps the momentum at a steady pace.

The film never takes itself too seriously, considering there are some serious actors in it. In the end, it’s all good fun and a great movie to turn on when you want to hand out with friends and see something truly insane.

Although, like its main character, Hive is more on the low-key and pensive side, it is nonetheless a gut-punching and measured film. It is about the consequences of warfare and the many wounds those who survive have to tend to in order to create a new normal after years of utter tragedy, such as the genocide and massacres that happened in many villages like Krusha during the Kosovo War.

Quiz Lady works because as wacky as Annie and Jennie’s adventure gets, it’s a grounded story of sisters and siblings, thanks to writer Jen D’Angelo. Director Jessica Yu brilliantly manages the overall tone of the film, shifting effortlessly between comedy and drama. Lastly, it has a cast that’s more than up for the challenge.

Ultimately, The Naked Gun reboot delivers enough laughs to make it worth the ride, even if it never quite escapes the shadow of its predecessors.

Even at 81-minutes long, Poppy Field drags a bit in the middle. But, the story is important, the lead actor is stunning, and the direction is excellent. Overall, this is a revealing and riveting look at how countries are dealing with the LGBTQIA+ in the worst possible ways.

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

The Secrets of Dumbledore is hands down the best of the series.

Schadt’s story is solid in choosing the three paths for his characters to go down. He then takes the consequences of their inaction to its logical conclusions and a decidedly thriller-esque conclusion.