O'Dessa delivers a bold, catchy musical set in a vibrant cyberpunk world that mixes naturalistic visuals with an aesthetic indebted to 1980s sci-fi and fantasy films. Sadie Sink shines as a singer who can change the world with her ballads, with a gender norm-defying performance and an enchanting singing voice.

Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is equal parts exciting action and completely ludicrous comedy, making it a faithful, loving tribute to both anime and Western superheroes.

Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel deliver two brilliant, diametrically opposed performances in Steven Soderbergh’s gentle art world caper.

Project Hail Mary is a rollicking sci-fi blockbuster celebrating how much we can accomplish when we work together… and how much meet-cute mileage you can get out of watching Ryan Gosling befriend a rock alien for two and a half hours.

It’s more than a creature feature, but never in a way that undercuts the main event: Some truly startling above-and-underwater sequences.

Dan Trachtenberg is heading in an interesting direction with this franchise and he gets bonus points for that. The Predator as a mysterious murder monster is getting some of his backstory filled in, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Badlands, in shifting the perspective to a Yautja main character, actually highlights what’s been great about this franchise in its better moments. Dek and Thia are an unexpectedly fun pairing that bring a new energy to the franchise and an altogether different kind of hunt. It might not be pulling the skull and spine out of us and screaming in bloody victory, but it gets close.

Anchored by strong performances from Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson, The Long Walk overcomes the repetitive nature of its story to deliver a timely and powerful condemnation of normalized violence . . . with some seriously brutal, R-rated violence.

Predator: Killer of Killers definitely delivers on its premise. Its journey through several time periods is the perfect way to give us multiple Predator stories that each have their own distinct flavor and action highlights.

Good Fortune is a witty, warm, celestial comedy of errors that splendidly blends the wry world of the Frat Pack with the dopiness of Bill & Ted. It's got great performances -- including a devilishly angelic one from Keanu Reeves -- and offers a fresh, funny look at modern hardships.

The slapstick comedy works wonders, and stands in stark contrast to the endless pop culture-based animated comedies of the past 20 years. But it's the heart at the center of the movie – the dynamic between the dogs played by the likes of Adam DeVine, Idris Elba, Kathryn Hahn – that sells the story and makes this more than a one-joke movie.

KPop Demon Hunters is a stunning animated action musical with terrific fight sequences, catchy musical numbers, and an ample amount of harmony and heart.

The adaptation stumbles in its third act, but before that, Akimoto builds a killer video game-like time loop with striking imagery and a heartfelt depiction of loneliness. The action is tremendous, and the character of Rita provides an excellent viewpoint for watching an alien attack play out over and over again.

Those looking for a straight Hamlet adaptation or an action-oriented animé should look elsewhere; those looking for a fantastical, visually glorious story that reflects on the potential and pitfalls of humanity are in for a good time.

It might not be Oscar-caliber cinema, and hardcore fans of the game with encyclopedic knowledge of the game may have a bone to pick, but it’s big and loud and gruesome and not afraid to have fun. The bar for video game movie sequels isn’t very high, but this one not only clears the bar, it twirls it around like a bo staff.

No Other Choice is another great film from Park Chan-wook, featuring excellent performances and the auteur’s signature directorial acumen.

An intoxicating historical musical about faith, led by career-best work from Amanda Seyfried.

Eternity is a bizarre but heartfelt dramedy that balances a wacky vision of the afterlife with strong performances and direction.

Goat isn’t doing anything new story-wise, but it’s a fun and engaging underdog (or undergoat?) sports comedy that shines thanks to its wonderful production design and animation.

A gorgeously crafted tale of time travel, Arco fills two sci-fi futures with hope like if Miyazaki had made Interstellar.

Rife with great performances and disturbing imagery, The Carpenter’s Son transcends its trappings as a mere horror take on Christ and verges on challenging.

Sisu: Road to Revenge offers a ludicrous and punishing take on the same fantastic action-forward indulgence as the original, resulting in a sublime outcome. Writer-director Jalmari Helander's brand of excitement is loud, resilient, and pushes breakneck intensity to the maximum.

The story of a small-town girl falling for a career criminal and going on a cross-country crime spree with him is one we’ve certainly seen before, but Carolina Caroline provides its own spin on the subject that makes it well worth checking out.

Obsession should and will put Barker on the map as a horror filmmaker you need to watch. Thanks to fantastic turns by Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette, you'll be addicted to this sour Valentine's Day counterprogramming.

At its best, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die is a laugh-filled yet incredibly dark and poignant fever dream that pleads for a safer AI tomorrow. Verbinski's command over utter chaos is nothing short of marvelous, even if the pacing slows while jumping between storylines that eventually all fit together.

I Love Boosters, Boots Riley’s candy-colored indictment of capitalism, is as sharp as it is deranged. Living somewhere along the spectrum of magical realism, the entire film is a brilliant balancing act of comedy and call-to-action that sprinkles a little philosophy in-between.

Bollywood gangster saga Dhurandhar walks a fine line between raucous entertainment and hateful propaganda. With more blood and guts than a slaughterhouse, it’s one of the most viciously enthralling films this year, following a fictitious undercover operative influencing real historical events, like Forrest Gump with a Kalashnikov.

They Will Kill You is a modern action gem with a knockout leading performance by Zazie Beetz, who more than cements her status as a star of the genre we ought to see more of.

Despite an ending that fizzles out, Hollywood remake The Invite is an enjoyably nerve-racking domestic comedy-drama, and Olivia Wilde’s strongest directorial effort.