The movie is funny, but for me, the fun is watching this well-controlled mess unfold.

A New Love In Tokyo does for sex workers what The Sopranos does for the mafia: it shows what the people behind the jobs are like. I wished I hadn’t missed it the first time and relished this opportunity to finally see it.

Much like the rides at the carnival, Whistle delivers heady highs and some disconcerting lows, sometimes within the same scene. It’s a film with flashes of imagination and nostalgia that suggest something brighter lurking beneath the surface. Much like the whistle itself, it delivers on what it promises, and the noise it makes is hard to ignore.

Even if this doesn’t wind up being your favorite version of the film, it’s worth seeing Fennell’s updated take.

Crime 101 will get your pulse pounding on a wild ride.

Sebastian grabs ahold of your attention and pulls it down to the floor.

Besson’s film is a magnificent achievement. More romance than terror and more faith than devilry, this film is sure to pull the heartstrings.

The Friend’s House is Here provides an instructive window into the challenges of life in Tehran, as well as an opportunity for Westerners to share these moments and empathize with the people there.

Solo Mio is good, sappy fun, and the perfect date movie for all the craziness going on in the world at the moment.

American Doctor is a horrifying film to watch, but that’s the point.

Scarlet is at its best when it is simply moving and letting the visuals, the fights, and the bond between Scarlet and Hijiri do the heavy lifting. Even when the destination feels obvious, the ride is so gorgeously constructed that it’s hard not to admire how confidently Hosoda brings it home.

Hanging by a Wire emphasizes the self-reliance of the people of Battagram, who are accustomed to solving problems on their own. Naqvi brings us along to witness their strength and determination on display.

A modern-day Apocalypse Now, a visual and aural trip that’s as abstract and surreal as it is stark and realistic, Sirat urges us to embrace each other, as the world swells and throbs around us.

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

Bonilla has directing chops, but she needs to refine them. She does show real potential and is a director to watch as her career proceeds.

Let’s be real: the only reason to see a Jason Statham movie is for all that juicy action. Fist fights, knife fights, gunplay, machine-gun mayhem, explosions… all in this game of cat-and-mouse.

Paying for It is a tremendous effort that honors Brown’s source novel while digging deeper into its subtext. By further developing these characters and emphasizing the female gaze, Lee provides a compelling narrative that neither glamorizes nor denigrates the women Chester encounters. I highly recommend this film.

If you’re hunting for a fresh animated quest for the under-ten crowd, Tafiti: Across the Desert delivers a simple, sweet ride with Tafiti and Bristles proving that the best adventures come with an unexpected (yet familiar) partner.

Send Help is a brilliant, startlingly gory dark comedy. Sam Raimi still has that old magic.

In a world where there is no shortage of cop thrillers, The Rip is sheer popcorn entertainment from start to finish.

It strives as hard for authenticity as its protagonist does to remain relevant; the strain shows.

Maldoror is a picture that evokes memories of great filmmakers and their contributions to the genre, whilst remaining culturally unique and period-perfect.

The cast is great, especially Vegha and Sligh, who craft realistic, believable characters. The editing is precise, though it interrupts the plot if the audience isn’t properly prepared for it on first viewing. Overall, the director proves he has what it takes to scare cinephiles, and he got a cast just as creepy as his plot.

Every frame will blow your baby dome to smithereens, as I can guarantee you have seen nothing like this.

Featuring fascinating archival footage, timeless music, and a plethora of compelling subjects, Viva Verdi may have a rather narrow target audience. But boy, will it please them.

Signing Tony Raymond is as feel-good as Moneyball.

Greenland 2: Migration is all mind-numbing action with nothing to say. If you’re a fan of Gerard Butler or Morena Baccarin, you will probably have fun with this one. Otherwise, it’s a skip.

At the risk of being hyperbolic, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is a great movie. It offers laughs, thrills, and it’s a thinker; you will not be disappointed.