Either you’re able to get on Fuller’s wavelength or not, but the freshness and boldness of Dust Bunny are cause for celebration, regardless of which side you find yourself. There’s nothing else like it.

The character study being forged remains passionately vibrant, and Maura’s performance serves as the guiding light that makes this effort worthwhile. She is undoubtedly the film’s greatest asset, and it’s worth seeking out just to watch her brilliant work.

Lost in the Jungle is a gripping, deeply human tale of survival, told with precision, empathy, and artistry by two of the very best documentarian filmmakers out there.

It’s exactly the kind of solid entertainment, with the right mix of laughs and tears, that reminds us of the genius-level storytelling the good folks over there are capable of. It’s precisely what the animation studio needed at this time and fits comfortably alongside some of their upper-tier offerings.

Sections of this story are missing to give an even broader context, and that means the more powerful message of what really went into making this picture ultimately is muted. However, for anyone who looked upon this enormous undertaking and wanted a bit more information, there is plenty here to satisfy.

Disney producing a beautifully animated film full of cute anthropomorphic animals may not be much of a surprise, but the quality of the screenplay is.

The score is used in a thrilling way that pushes the narrative and thematic elements of the film forward.

Our Hero, Balthazar, is a riotous dark comedy that manages to push all the right buttons in its curiosity about an isolation that is currently plaguing young male zoomers.

Bugonia makes the disappointing choice to favor ridiculousness over meaning.

With its childlike perspective, it explores themes of hope, empathy, and the consequences of progress, set against a visually stunning backdrop rendered in vibrant colors and imaginative design.

The film’s adherence to these genre cliches, along with the characters’ very one-note motivations, holds “LifeHack“ back from reaching the tier of excellent heist films and, more importantly, settles for the best that a screenlife film can be.

It is a harmless outing that, while featuring a few strong performances, ultimately feels like a pleasant diversion from a filmmaker who is clearly capable of far more.

With a film called Fantasy Life, one might expect it to contain a romanticized version of reality, where the characters’ conflicts are magically solved, and their journeys are wrapped in a neat bow. Endearingly, Shear’s version is messier and far more grounded. While the characters live extremely privileged lifestyles and aren’t quite operating in the real world, the film simultaneously touches on the compelling subject matter of personal disillusionment and its impact on mental health struggles.

Boots Riley is a genuine original, and in I Love Boosters, he makes a statement as wildly entertaining as possible.

Exhilarating running sequences are animated with such creative flourishes. It sustains a few of the lulls in this film with thrill and dramatic impact.

It’s easy to identify the ingredients that would make “Bunny” fodder for a compelling situation. The characters, premise, and comedic setups are all there to drive up the tension while also crafting engaging set pieces to witness. Unfortunately, it all amounts to very little.

In the end, The Long Walk is a brutal yet strangely moving reminder that sometimes it is not about the destination at all, it is about the grueling path that gets us there.

It’s a film that’s emotional, exhilarating, and essential.

Staggering animation, jaw-dropping fights, and sensitively-handled subtext that makes these scraps meaningful. Some of the best Japanese voice acting in anime this year.

Exit 8 shows video game adaptations can still have a sense of originality, both narratively and technically.

Though the film can feel a bit too unstructured at times, it’s made all the better with a charming film debut from Charli xcx and a cast of characters who keep the energy high at all times.

Anyone seeking something with more depth will not find it here, but there are still worthy stories to tell.

A solid outing for the series with plenty of satisfying thrills, all of which is sold by the terrific pairing of Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi.

A non-stop spectacle unlike any other. I hoped it would be awesome, and somehow, against all odds, I’m ready for more.

Tessa Thompson and Nina Hoss are electrifying and seductive, and you can't take your eyes off them. Nia DaCosta puts her flair all over this retelling.

Wicker is a sweet, gently moving love story at its core that reminds its audience that the most effective and necessary traits for a successful relationship of any kind are simple honesty and respect.

Grabinski’s joke-a-minute approach is instantly injected with the melding of genres that Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice embraces throughout its gut-busting runtime, reminding audiences why comedies of this vein are becoming a dying breed and that Vince Vaughn, when he wants to be, remains one of the more reliable comedic presences working today.

By the end of the film, it is evident that it is not about whether Father Flynn hurt a student; it is about the contradictions of humans and the uncertainty of the world our characters live in, and how powerful and scary that uncertainty is.

The story, while unique enough in its presentation of Tourette’s, follows the same patterns as any number of other feel-good disability dramas, but all the actors are so believably in touch with their humanity, in all its messiness, that they make the material sing.

Seydoux’s gut-wrenching performance at the center of Gentle Monster, combined with a sensitive approach to horrifying subject matter, makes a tough watch equally compelling.

Honoring its protagonist’s struggle by embracing every bit of the difficulty of that struggle, while keeping a deliberate (if not exactly slow) pace, keeps the film grounded in a darkness that Fonzi ensures is always present. While that might seem overwhelming, it gives the film a sense of realism that lifts it above most legal dramas.

The final notes are disappointingly underwhelming, but the emotional journey leaves a lasting impression.

The Sun Rises On Us All is, above all, a film of contrasts. Its emotional core and the compelling performances of Xin Zhilei and Zhang Songwen are undeniable, and moments of genuine power shine through. Yet uneven pacing, heavy-handed melodrama, and occasional narrative drift prevent the story from fully resonating.

Dragonfly could have been a gem to watch with a cup of tea on a rainy day. It has brilliantly nuanced performances and a heartwarming tone, but it doesn’t seem to trust the quiet power of its story. Instead, it’s ultimately undone by a clumsy, horrific final act. It’s a film that needed more faith in its own heart.

It’s a tender examination, sometimes not fully formed but always with provocative ideas to unearth.

Many audiences may shy away from projects like “Late Shift” because its realism is too unsettling, but that’s exactly why it’s necessary in the first place.

Stephanie Ahn offers an evocative portrait of the immigrant experience, moving beyond surface observation to investigate the visceral, internal world of children raised in the crosshairs of cultural expectation and personal identity.

Copti’s direction coaxes authentic performances from his cast of non-professional actors and the script explores challenging themes in a compellingly even-handed way.

A pair of excellent performances from Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys, led by clever direction from Babak Anvari, make this a tense, captivating thriller, even while set in only one location.

Holland conjures up some genuinely Kafkaesque images and dialogue exchanges that feel like exactly the biopic Kafka deserves, and in those moments, “Kafka” is quite thrilling. Unfortunately, though, Holland’s surfeit of ideas results in a film that simultaneously feels like too much and not enough; too much deviation from standard biopic formula and not enough connective tissue to make everything cohere.

With her feature debut, Popov establishes a bold and playful visual identity that will leave audiences eager for her next project. True to fashion, Idiotka does, indeed, slay, serve, and survive.

This carefully crafted documentary is more focused on telling a particularly curated story about Candy than any incisive or thought-provoking portrayal.

Like the titular woman herself, the film from co-directors Judd Apatow and Neil Berkeley is equally hilarious and unafraid to be very, very real, beckoning viewers in like a close friend and rewarding them with laughs and profound insight.

Though the documentary remains fairly light overall, its brief reflections on grief land with genuine poignancy.

Ultimately, Tuner is a film about sound, silence, and rediscovering who you are. It’s about the terror of losing what defines you, and the strange, unexpected ways life can offer a new shot for those who feel they already missed it.

The film is well written enough to capture the pain of everyone involved and to understand their perspectives. The film also features great camerawork, with close-ups that make the entire experience feel claustrophobic, especially when people make Jimmy doubt himself.

Two Pianos is at once a story about identity, aging musicians, memory (and the loss of it), the dangers of pragmatism, the treatment of young music prodigies and how it affects them as they age, overcoming addiction, and the lies we tell ourselves and others to justify our choices. All of these ideas are connected, but none of them rise to the top to become an overarching theme that unites them all.

Many films like this may exist, and many more will certainly follow. But Layton’s attempts to differentiate this particular crime film will leave audiences with enough worthy moments to linger on, even if the overall impact is modest.

As a whole, Bad Apples occasionally brings some laughs, but it leaves little to ruminate on after. If Ronan and Waller weren’t as good as they are, bringing a dynamic that has some interesting evolutions, then there would be a lot less to present here.

For fans of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, this is essential viewing. Whether you’ve seen the iconic musical one time or one thousand times, be sure to take a “Strange Journey.”

While the film falls into the same pitfalls most celebrity documentaries are bound to repeat, Alvarado not only crafts a suitable tribute to one of the more underappreciated artists in American history but also shines a light on a subset of Latino culture that deserves its time in the limelight.

Volpe’s direction and the stoic pace keep Frank and Louis at arm’s length, never truly letting us engage with them on a deeper level.

The jokes are plentiful in quantity but certainly not in quality, and the shiny, cheap-looking filmmaking itself doesn’t make it any easier on the eyes than it is on the ears. And while it certainly has a heart, thanks in huge part to the talented ensemble of funny performers, it doesn’t have the brains or the nerve to be clever or daring in its comedy.

while there are certainly entertaining moments throughout, Van Sant’s interpretation of this forgotten true crime story is simply not as exciting as it should be – and clearly wants to be.

V/H/S Halloween is a terrifyingly worthy addition to the ranks, excitedly and expertly bringing gorgeously gory and gratuitous fun to fans who love that stuff the most — and god are we grateful for it.

The Shitheads is one hell of a ride, with nonstop laughs and absurd, shocking turns around every corner.

“Infinity Castle” doesn’t feel like a movie so much as a wobbly, but often entertaining, first third of a season of television. Mileage will vary if we should grade on a curve knowing it’s the first part of a planned trilogy, but for my money, if you pay for a movie ticket, you deserve a movie ticket ending.

Although considerable attention is paid to a general love of cinema and those who work to create it, this portrait mostly plays on the surface, evading the more complex inquiries necessary to give this analysis greater depth. Despite much to commend, there remains an emptiness at the center that mirrors the protagonist’s own life. Perhaps it is intentional, but it remains unfulfilling.

With Drucker single-handedly carrying the film’s emotional core on her shoulders, any minor quibbles instantly melt into afterthoughts, while her exquisite work remains at the forefront.

The Wrecking Crew simply relegates itself to the walls of screensaver cinema, destined to be ambient background noise.

Yellow Letters is shockingly low-energy, despite the urgency of the situation the characters find themselves in.

Chastain, Wasikowska, and Hiddleston do their best, but the writing of “Crimson Peak“ comes off far more slight than Del Toro’s previous work. It lives in the shadow of similar films, but with a far more unrelieved energy. Del Toro and Robbins eventually find a groove, but by the time that occurs, it’s far too late.

Verbinski directs with a striking visual style that punctuates the film’s many sight gags while establishing a grunge-inflected aesthetic suggestive of impending urban decay.

Roofman is another standout film from Cianfrance who continues to pull us in with fascinating character studies and explorations of humanity. Tatum delivers on every level, giving one of his very best performances thus far in his career, and Dunst gives so much through her subtle, emotional work.

In a heightened depiction of the hyper-privileged, “Succession” drew parallels to the real world. The balance between absurdity and glimmers of sympathy in such morally corrupt characters made the show an irresistible watch. A feature-length doom scroll from the perspective of out-of-touch, not-so-sympathetic billionaires is a little harder to digest.

Led by a remarkable Cillian Murphy and featuring a stellar supporting ensemble, "Steve” strikes an empathetic chord by placing mental health concerns at the forefront of discussion.

An enjoyable, meaningful, (mostly) sharply-scripted farewell to the beloved series.

If you were hoping The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants would change the game for the franchise, you might be a little let down. That said, it’s still pretty hilarious, at least as funny as the last few films, with plenty of genuine laugh-out-loud moments that are best enjoyed with a crowd.

The so-bad-it’s-good last act may be fun enough to convince you that “The Housemaid“ is a good time on the whole, and yeah, it kind of is. But that doesn’t make it good.

The story strains to keep momentum as it juggles twists and character threads, and while Aronofsky ties things together in a satisfying way for some, others may find the ending underwhelming. Still, in a summer crowded with blockbusters that failed to meet expectations, Caught Stealing stands out as one of the few worth revisiting.

Unidentified uses the familiar framework of a murder mystery to tell a deeply political story about autonomy, visibility, and the high cost of speaking up. Even when the plot stumbles, the message never does.

Johnson, giving the performance of his career, along with excellent work from Blunt and Bader, makes an inconsistent screenplay not only watchable but entertaining and deeply moving.

With magnetic leads and Julia Jackman establishing herself as one of the most exciting new voices in British cinema, the film pulses with inventiveness and heart. It’s a fairy tale like no other, boldly queer and unapologetically feminist, a cinematic feast of humor, emotion, and rebellion.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable mixture of period drama, romance, and a coming-of-age story that’s extremely rewarding in its thoughtful central theme of the connection between past and future.

Leading with sincerity, Hikari makes a moving love letter to the people and places of Tokyo. Brendan Fraser performs with his heart on his sleeve, which lends perfectly to the film’s concept.

Greengrass can conjure up some magic in those final twenty minutes as The Lost Bus, on all levels, feels like it’s in rhythm. Unfortunately, by the time it does, the film is winding down to its inevitable conclusion.

Ultimately, Pizza Movie’s title not only reveals a major plot point but also captures the film’s overall energy and weight. It’s generally enjoyable while being consumed, but afterward, it may not feel like a fully satisfying or nourishing cinematic meal.

All the ingredients for a good movie, or at the very least a fun one, are present in Cold Storge: A charismatic and talented ensemble, a clever story, and an overall sense of playfulness that extends from the effects work to the production design of the 24-hour self-storage facility built over the old government bunker used to contain the fungus. However, that sense of playfulness doesn’t extend to the overall tone, leaving the movie feeling like a wasted opportunity.

Just when things begin to feel like they’re leading somewhere, it dissipates in such an inorganic manner.

Even with relatively minor quibbles, it’s hard not feel appreciation that a contemporary movie made in an uncompromised fashion about such a cinematically unpopular topic as sex exists at all. Hopefully, Araki doesn’t take another 12 years off and continues to probe into other areas of modern human interaction.

In its attempt to create extreme good vs. extreme evil characters, California Schemin’ schemes one click too far.

If one (somehow) completely ignores the utter ridiculousness of a musical performance anchored with mediocre singing (insert snarky Russel Crowe-related comments here, if you’d like), there’s still a lot of fun to be had from the film.

Jennifer Lopez and Tonatiuh give exceptional, electric performances. The musical sequences are stunning, thanks to thrilling dancing and gorgeously old-fashioned designs.

Claire Foy’s performance alone is reason enough to see it. She soars in a role that proves once again why she is among the finest actors working today.

This isn’t just some quirky look at an obscure American event and subculture or a love letter to the filmmaker’s home state; it’s a sly indictment of 21st-century America, wrapped up in what looks like a trashy thrill ride. It is pretty thrilling, to be sure, but much like how our intrepid hunters learn that the hunt is much more driving around in the dark than stalking and killing snakes, it’s not what you expect. For both the hunters and the audience, that’s for the best.

As Normal barrels toward its conclusion, it’s easy to look past the way it glosses over in-depth characterization.

Despite being well shot and slickly constructed, “Faces of Death” doesn’t successfully bring the decidedly not-good but undeniably captivating spirit of the original film into the 21st century.

The Rip is serviceable largely due to the well-worn chemistry between Affleck and Damon. It delivers exactly what’s expected, leaving viewers mildly satisfied in the moment, but unlikely to think about it again long after the credits roll.

While The Devil Wears Prada 2 isn’t too sweet, it could certainly use more sour notes. The callbacks to the first film get the balance mostly right, but outside of those nicely judged moments, the film can sometimes feel like Miranda struggling with the new HR guidelines: Trying to be biting, but turning out toothless.

While what we see on the streets of Seattle is engrossing and, at times, even startling, the lack of a singular protagonist keeps us from becoming as emotionally invested in the ultimate outcome of the protests as we might.

Zak Hilditch has crafted a harrowing, unsettling zombie movie that totally enmeshes the audience in its collapsing world.

Good Fortune is an amusing effort from Ansari, but one can’t help but leave it wanting a bit more, especially from someone of his caliber of talent.

In Your Dreams doesn’t reinvent the animated adventure, nor does it need to. It’s a whimsical, sometimes chaotic journey that effortlessly balances humor, imagination, and heartfelt emotion.

Despite its faults, Song Sung Blue is a sentimental, deeply non-cynical film that practically anyone can enjoy, and is sure to be a holiday-season winner.

This is a powerfully intense erotic drama that exposes its central character’s exploitation of both the wealth gap and the age gap to devastating effect. Here’s hoping Chastain’s collaboration with Franco continues because they are doing exceptional work together.

“Fire and Ash“reaffirms Cameron as one of our greatest storytellers and the Avatar series as the pinnacle of Hollywood blockbuster entertainment.

It’s easy to wish “Black Phone 2“ came together better, but you can’t deny that all the film’s individual elements are quite strong. It will chill you to the bone while watching, but it won’t haunt you for too long afterward.

Charming and truthful, this excellent film about the perils of the gig economy serves as a metaphor for the ruthlessness of the free market at large. Bastien Bouillon gives a terrific, grounded lead performance.