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.

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.

Even with a transfixing subject at its center, The Man Who Saves the World? struggles with its structure.

It stands as a tribute to the power of storytelling, the influence of the moving image, and the enduring spirit of revolution in all its forms.

The Ice Tower is a beautifully crafted coming-of-age story that casts a hypnotic spell, expertly blending cinema and fairytale to captivating effect.

Regretting You is a baffling romantic drama that reinforces why this genre, despite its loyal audience, has struggled to evolve.

Rather than feeling like the kind of culture-shifting moment the original film became, this remake is more of a shrug, destined to be sadly scrolled past by disinterested streaming audiences.

It serves as both an exploration of the law and a powerful tribute to a mother, a woman, and a human life tragically cut short.

Bertino and Fanning make some wholly horrific magic together, and their diabolical efforts culminate in a wonderfully sinister parable that is nearly impossible to forget.

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.

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.

Despite its flaws, the cast, while underused, is a powerhouse, especially Knightley, who remains magnetic. It’s just that “The Woman in Cabin 10” never manages to transcend its setup.

It’s hard to argue with Martel’s mission, or the existence of the film at all; however, unfortunately, the director’s wide-ranging approach has the effect of muddling the story rather than elevating it.

Homebound is both especially relevant in its exploration of the marginalized communities suffering on the outskirts for the identities society deemed lesser and increasingly resonant for how it shows human endurance does continue to live and fight on in pursuit of achieving their dreams to one day escape, earn their right to freedom and show that no single person should be defined by their background or community.

Director Sepideh Farsi's startling documentary utilizes WhatsApp video chats with a young Palestinian artist living in Gaza to provide a powerful snapshot of how the deadly war is decimating lives across her country.

If anything, Tron: Ares is less a film than a cinematic pin dropped in a franchise map that’s going absolutely nowhere.

Stiller and Meara: Nothing is Lost stands not only as Ben Stiller’s best film directorial work in years but also as a very personal keepsake for him and his family. With admiration, respect and honesty, this carefully crafted cinematic family album ensures his parents’ brilliance and love will never fade.

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

Wyatt’s big-budget foray is an oddity, as it feels like it should be truly epic and a film for Hollywood studios to gobble up, but something went seriously wrong when making it.

Through puppets, recreations, and other hybrid material, León & Cociña have produced an otherworldly, and thought-provoking cultural artifact on Chile's nationalist history.

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.”

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.

By the end, Play Dirty feels less like a fresh Shane Black comeback and more like another casualty of the streaming churn, loud, empty, and forgettable.

The Alabama Solution may not provide a definitive answer, but it sparks an undeniable demand for change, making it one of the most urgent and important documentaries of the year.

Overall, Obsession turns the volume up on impassioned romances with some incredibly committed performances from stars Johnston and Navarrette, and the wild scenarios they have to navigate. This is a film that demands to be seen with an audience to experience some high-energy creeps, chills, and thrills.

Ronan Day-Lewis makes a superb debut with this expressively shot and scored tale of familial reconciliation. The cast, led by the great Daniel Day-Lewis, is uniformly spectacular.

With The Librarians, Kim A. Snyder has crafted a moving, invigorating call for tolerant thinking and freedom to prevail. Thankfully, it provides a path forward for those who will watch it with concern, showing that the best way to combat ignorance and hate is with the further dissemination of knowledge. Evil prefers a closed mind, and like a good book, these librarians seek to open them.

Anchored by another admirable performance by Fiennes, it mines its milieu effectively enough. Even if the end result doesn’t quite live up to the majesty of Elgar’s opera, or even the truly transformative societal shifts that the Great War wrought on this land, there’s enough to admire about what takes place on screen in this telling to recommend it.