The mafia murder images are stomach turning, viewers take note. Letizia talks about her life at great length and some of it is redundant, but she is always charming and inspirational, living as a strong, independent woman in a crushing patriarchy.

The two actors are bound to be showered with awards, as is the production design, the polished script, etc. But there’s no intrigue, no real substance beneath all the gloss.

At barely over an hour, Deerskin packs quite a punch, and is bound to get under your skin.

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.

Don’t come in expecting high-stakes melodrama, soul-twisting resolutions, or fiery exchanges. This is one of those meditative films about a fragment of life, wherein we find distinct familiarities. It demands that we slow down and appreciate its leisurely pace, its elegiac/humorous tone – and primarily, its lead performance.

Up to the final scene, the film seems to just barely miss the mark in the place where it could have thrived. The ending is somewhat puzzling with the assumption that the audience would make a connection to what happens with David, but instead, it just left questions.

What really buoys the feature is the acting from its two leads, whose chemistry absolutely sparks.

There’s a lot of silliness that will warm the hearts of Rom-Com fans. The silliness at least is high brow with Paul Feig at the helm and Emma Thompson part of the writing team.

Sabatella makes these characters so viscerally real you can’t help but identify and agree with all sides of the argument.

Lying and Stealing comes across as the object a thief would replace an art piece to prevent anyone from realizing it’s missing at first glance.

It is quite a frothy mix of childish innocence and magical realism. It’s just nothing of major consequence.

Key, Leguizamo, Greer, and Haysbert actually look like their having a good time and investing their acting talent in this silly story without flinching. No one’s phoning it in. John Cena is just a little too cartoony in his straight-laced character and somehow manages to make “normal” feel over-the-top.

In addition to the excellent acting and well-written characters, Doctor Sleep is a delightful visual trip through a hellish winter wonderland.

Lee’s film never escapes its B-movie roots, nor does it try to, embracing its own pompousness.

Her responses and her journey, set alongside her own art, give a unique perspective on that meditation as well as to the crucial importance of art to document our time, to share experiences, and to enhance the quality of life.

It’s all been-there, done-that stuff, diluted further by forgettable characters, plot holes, and a desire by the studio to “get back on track” that transcends earnestness and becomes borderline-insufferable.

There is genuinely fantastic chemistry between the new lovers.

I haven’t seen a crime thriller this good since L.A. Confidential.

Director May El-Toukhy paints an engaging, uncompromising film in bold strokes, never looking away or shrinking from Anne’s boldness to act on her desires, or her willingness to remorselessly do whatever she must to restore the status quo of her life.

The director’s cut of The Current War moves at a faster pace than the original, the characters are better fleshed out, and the drama is more focused where it needs to be. The new cut has elevated the film from mediocre to interesting.

I still can’t believe this is Wolff’s first film as writer and director. He shows an excellent command of storytelling. There’s a lot of backstory and very little exposition (which can be a first-time filmmaker trap). His dialogue is natural and authentic to the age of its characters, and the way eventual conflicts between the friends play out feels unforced.

Its portrayal of Britt-Marie sometimes feels condescending, several of its plot turns make no sense, and its visuals add nothing that wasn’t already there in the original book.

Mrs. Lowry and Son has an appealing old-school charm and two performances that make it worth seeing.

A cautionary tale, a story of salvation, sad, lyrical, funny and even brutal at times, Bloody Marie is a shot of adrenaline in a landscape filled with cinematic clones. It may not be perfect, or for everyone, but it sure is spicy as hell, and it gets most of the ingredients just right.

Paradise Hills has pacing issues, and a made-for-TV feel it can’t quite escape. A firmer grasp of tone would’ve benefited the narrative. Yet its creators’ boundless imagination carries it through the rougher patches.

The documentary may make you angry at times (or throughout), but that’s actually a good thing.

Girl On The Third Floor has enough carnage and bloodshed to satisfy all gorehounds. Director Travis Stevens gets terrific performances from an excellent cast, and the atmosphere is consistently foreboding.

All of this is goodwill, and food for thought is squandered with the third chapter follows Orin. Without getting into spoilers—He ruins the movie.