The Reunited States is an essential documentary for anyone who’s frustrated with the state of politics today, not only in Washington but at home.

Hobbs & Shaw is an action film in every sense of the word. You’re meant to check your brain at the door, shove your face with popcorn, and have a good time. Why would you expect more? This isn’t Shakespeare!

Both Glass and Clark provide enough ambiguity throughout (are we witnessing supernatural influence or the active imagination of an unreliable narrator?) to keep us engaged and marking the debut of a powerful new cinematic voice.

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

Little Trouble Girls succeeds as a combination of poetic visual compositions and vibrant, dynamic performances from the female leads.

Big Gold Brick could’ve been trimmed down a bit with a runtime of two hours and twelve minutes, and some of the characters, like Lucy, are not fully fleshed out. But overall, I enjoyed Petsos’ strange vision.

Directors Jack Clark and Jim Weir deliver an unpredictable and eerie narrative that lingers long after. With its sharp character development and refusal to sanitize its dark themes, this Australian indie is an unsettling yet thrilling watch you won’t forget.

There is genuinely fantastic chemistry between the new lovers.

Ultimately, Sight brings audiences a good, wholesome tale of someone who wouldn’t let his past keep him from doing good in the world.

Slow pacing and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it details abound, placing the film in the tradition of foreign arthouse films.

Streetlight Harmonies manages to conjure up some compelling and highly evocative vignettes.

Yalda, a Night for Forgiveness, might start softly, leaving viewers unsure what it is, but very quickly, it becomes fascinating and engaging akin to watching a game where we have to discern the truth. It is actually strange, though quite disturbing in hindsight, to think of it this way, considering real events inspire the story.

My one complaint about the film is that it is probably about half an hour too long for my liking (it’s almost 2.5 hours long). Otherwise, I thought it was one of the more honest portrayals of growing up in less than idyllic circumstances with a less than perfect family I’ve seen in quite some time.

Although a standard story of teacher and students overcoming their environment, Critical Thinking has enough thrills, excitement, and, most of all, hope to recommend.

The fun of Sigourney Weaver in directors Wallace Wolodarsky and Maya Forbes’ feature, The Good House, is watching a master actor create an everyday character so believable that she could literally walk into a room and pass as one of us. By the way, everything I said about Weaver equally applies to her co-star Kevin Kline as well.

The Teachers’ Lounge flows very well, and the story is quite effective, leaving viewers intrigued, engaged, and as eager as its protagonist to find the truth and answers to what is happening at the school.

Peter Case: A Million Miles Away is an eye-opening portrait of an unsung songwriting powerhouse.

Jungle Cruise is just plain, good, not-to-be-taken-seriously fun.

The movie, like the play, is a series of delightful songs strung together by a thin, loose thread of a plot, which lends a little credence to all the criticism and mockery online. But once you know this and have been warned by the trailer, what you’re in for is a remarkably fun time at the movies.

There’s enough good and exciting to recommend Sexual Drive, but oh, the sweet-savory possibilities that were missed.

There’s much to like about The Electrical Life of Louis Wain — the Victorian setting, cats, Cumberbatch, and its visually stunning cinematography. But it may not be enough to spark enough life into a movie-going audience that wants something new.

The Room Next Door lacks the transgressive quality that initially endeared me to Almodóvar’s films, especially his early work. Perhaps it is a reflection of the director’s style and a renewed interest in the philosophy of death and dying as he gets older. While it’s still worth a watch, the movie leaves me wanting more, and not necessarily in a good way.

Thanks to Jacquelyn Mills’ direction, Geographies of Solitude is a visually remarkable documentary that explores the natural world through the eyes of someone who sees the connectivity of all living things. If only the rest of the world cared as much as Lucas and Mills to preserve the natural world.

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.”

The film takes a while to get into, but if you go in expecting a throwback to grindhouse adventure films or a Black Keys-esque western, this will be worth the watch.

Luckily, the attitude, the aggression, and the sex were let out in a burst of fire and they got it all on film.

A House Made of Splinters tells a story that needs to be told as loud as possible. While uncomfortable at times, the filmmaker is respectful and empathetic.

The story, centering around family, culture, and identity, comes from a unique perspective. Some sub-plots go unaddressed, yet Tedaishivili’s excellent performance always brings you back with the worn gaze of a battle-weary wrestler.