The laughs in Anora come in so fast and frequently that they almost eclipse the underlying tension; things are constantly on the edge of exploding, amusement on the verge of anxiety.

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

Sirocco’s world resembles a phantasmagoric dream by Antoni Gaudí.

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.

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.

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.

It is well worth sticking your face into Hell Hole, as there is a prize inside the box of wood chips.

Blitz disappoints on nearly every level.

The film gets points for style, boldness, and an innovative science fiction setup.

The Man in the White Van is the perfect primer for someone thinking about getting into horror films but is a bit skittish. The killing is implied, and the gore is off-camera. Yet, the film is all about that uneasy tension that we feel, wondering what’s around the corner or what goes bump in the night.

A dark, thrilling drama unfolds with these two spinning their own world on top of the grim reality of Gotham and Arkham.

The filmmaker, doing a lot with an extremely limited cast and location, has a concrete vision and sticks with it, and whether you get it or not is up to you. A character in the film, when confronted, states: “Big question. Too long to answer.” That pretty much summarizes this cinematic endeavor.

There’s nothing spectacular about any of this, but it’s heartfelt and well done.

Watch The Deliverance for Close if you haven’t already done so. However, a performance of this caliber in a movie like this is like seeing a BMW 5-series being used to do donuts in a field of manure.

It feels like a timeless classic. It takes us into the forbidden spaces we can’t otherwise know, not just cloistered rooms but deep into the human soul.

Succubus is a parable for the tech-savvy. Its warnings on the perils of casual encounters create tension as, this time, the Devil is looking to destroy you. As the clever tagline says, “Swipe right, and she will take your soul.”

This is a film that shouldn’t work. It should collapse under its own weight, but somehow, in the end, it all comes together after a fashion, and that’s the magic of Coppola.

Empire Waist delivers a heartfelt and empowering message about adolescence, body image, and self-acceptance. Its sincerity and positivity make it a refreshing and modern tale for teens.

The Substance is flawed but only because it is so ambitious. Fargaet takes the entertainment industry down a peg while still being very entertaining.

As effortless as Clooney and Pitt’s screen charisma is, one can’t help but wish for a more polished scenario to complement it.

For a low-budget, contained flick, Day’s film does a remarkable job of keeping audiences riveted with a minimum of pyrotechnics. It doesn’t aspire to greatness, knowing perfectly well what it is: a lean, mean, bloody little machine with a few subliminal – and not-so-subliminal – messages thrown in. Dive right into this tub.

Where Tarantino is bold, the main shortcoming here is that Montiel plays it safe.

City of Dreams is not perfect, but it is extremely well crafted, and as such, I highly recommend it.

For the most part, Walsh’s gags work throughout the film. Like most political docs, the open-minded will benefit the most from what Walsh has to say, while Walsh’s DEI targets will have the most to complain about

Voice Of Shadows takes a familiar premise and adds an original twist, creating a scary little mystery.

Even though McAvoy is the brightly shining star, it takes a large, cohesive team to make it all come together, and when it works like Speak No Evil does, pure nail-biting magic happens.

I enjoyed Subservience for what it is: a Megan Fox vehicle with a dash of sci-fi. Casablanca it is not, but that’s okay.

With standout performances from Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza, it sticks the landing beautifully—don’t be surprised if it ends up on your favorites list, too.