An accessible, efficiently made but not necessarily invigorating look at finance, reality, and racial injustice in the U.S.

Netflix’s The Monkey King is an example of a potentially great film that’s undone by poor pacing, uneven animation, and a truly unlikable protagonist.

Cruella's gonzo fashion, complicated characters, and truly bonkers backstory are compromised by obligations to be kid-friendly and its time-consuming need to over-explain everything it does.

V/H/S/99 understands the ‘90s assignment and crafts low-budget chaos that delivers a unified anthology slathered in guts, heavy on nostalgia, and with a punk-as-hell attitude.

If you buy a ticket for one killer chimpanzee movie this year, Primate delivers the goofy goods. It has fun set pieces, a great-looking animatronic costumed killer chimp, and applause-worthy gore for those of us who like when our horror gets messy.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is an agreeable, if unnecessary sequel which, through its larger scale, proves that less is often more.

Novocaine offers more depth than its gimmicky “man who feels no pain” premise may lead you to believe. This movie breathes new life into old ideas, with an original hero buoyed by the charm of Jack Quaid and a heroine who ably beats the damsel-in-distress allegations. Novocaine is smart, but not so self-aware that it’s likely to alienate anybody; sharp, but not without feeling.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle brings audiences back to its classic fictional world with a fun, updated new twist on its well-worn story. So even if some of its subplots and emotional throughlines don’t quite click, the action-packed fun and humor should still make it worth your price of admission.

Cole Sprouse and Lana Condor are a fun duo, capable of feeling human and endearing in the midst of cosmic turmoil. The movie's not a full home run, but it's surprisingly silly and shrewd.

In The Accountant 2, Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal return for a sentimental, politically charged, and surprisingly funny action sequel about brothers trying their best to connect.

Curse of Chucky sees the return of the Good Guys doll you love to hate, but sadly he's back with a whimper, not a bang.

There are still plenty of scares and things to enjoy in It Chapter Two even though it can't quite stick the landing.

Justin Lin knows exactly what makes a great Fast & Furious movie. He’s directed several. For the latest, he re-teamed with cast and crew to allow this fantastic film series do what it does best. He delivers bold plot twists, grit-teethed gravitas, and out-of-this-world action to create the kind of cinematic spectacle that demands to be seen on the biggest screen with the loudest sound system possible.

Flamin' Hot is a charming and funny rags-to-riches story with a strong cast, some clever editing, and good use of narration as comedy that make up for its superficial depth.

The Disney+ documentary Stan Lee is a bland work of corporate propaganda that glosses over or outright ignores Marvel’s controversies

If you like the Blaxploitation flicks of the 70s, this is your candy. If you liked Shaft, but thought it was a bit slow, this one has a little more action, and budget, and its logic matches Shaft in Africa (leads come out of nowhere and thugs appear at the unlikeliest of times).

Captain Marvel directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's (sometimes very) fun anthology/love letter to Oakland, California doesn’t add enough of its own unique spirit to quite live up to its influences.

Partially filmed on location in Chicago, the movie benefits from a snowy, urban setting that gives it a very different feel from most films in its genre. Hicks and Chris Sarandon (as the cop who killed serial killer Charles Chucky Lee Ray in the first place) are solid actors and brought a nice adult presence to the story.

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

All in all, An American Pickle is a solidly entertaining comedy. Its oddball conceit dares audiences to take the plunge, and Seth Rogen rewards them with Herschel, who is bold, thrilling, and a little bit bonkers.

Baltasar Kormákur delivers a compelling survival thriller with both Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton throwing themselves into their adversarial roles. Theron crafts a relatable and grounded performance bolstered with emotional sensitivity and physical prowess, while Taron Egerton proves his worth as a weirdly menacing antagonist. Immersively conceived and nerve-rackingly realized, Apex is a visually-commanding action film bursting with impressively dynamic stunt sequences.

Fiercely intelligent and deeply suspenseful, Roman J. Israel, Esq. is an absorbing morality tale from writer/director Dan Gilroy, and boasts one of Denzel Washington’s finest performances.

Funny, gut-churning, playful, wicked, and warm, Tragedy Girls is one of the better horror-comedies in recent memory.

The subpar tech-horror film Come Play is as boring as it is painfully outdated.

George Clooney's The Midnight Sky is a gorgeous, glossy doomsday odyssey that feels like too big a winter coat on a small, fragile frame.

With a funny set of side characters and a lovably kindhearted lead, Ferdinand finds a way to promote being kind to others without becoming an afterschool special. Granted, it doesn’t ever go out of its way to be very unique or surprising, but for what it sets out to do, Ferdinand is altogether successful. Even if that means it doesn’t end up being much more that.

Strikes just the right balance between comedy, tragedy, and drama, the result being a very funny WWII film that nevertheless carries an incredibly important message about the here and now.

David Lowery’s latest is a visually fascinating chamber piece with great performances from Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel.