Despite the film's underwhelming and bizarre story developments, French Exit will remain memorable for Pfeiffer's performance alone.

While the film’s leading cast gives fantastic performances, Four Good Days lacks focus and fails to expand upon its emotionally powerful moments.

For all its stylized flourishes and raw performances, True History of the Kelly Gang's confused narrative prevents it from fully taking off.

Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon meets fans and newcomers right in the middle, and the resulting movie is for everyone. Overall, it's a summation of one of the best animes out right now, and if you want to prep for season 2 and are short on time, it's serviceable.

The film attempts to deliver an emotional, compelling, and entertaining story, but it struggles with balance despite some lovely, uplifting moments.

Ultimately, Brechin appears less interested in crafting a vicious aquatic thriller than in condemning the cruelty of animal captivity. While Killer Whale succeeds as a somber meditation on that subject, it falters as a survival film, offering too little spectacle, tension, or invention to justify its genre trappings.

Though the script is not spectacular it has its moments and a realistic tension that cannot be ignored.

Co-writer/director Ryan Prows has assembled a star-studded cast, some of whom wonderfully elevate their potentially one-note characters into intriguing figures, and its base structure of corrupt cops being vampires is one rife for tackling the very real issues of police corruption in the world, yet the mix never quite comes together.

It isn’t the worst directorial debut by any means of the phrase, but Burr’s raunchy comedy fails to say something meaningful. Instead, it underwhelms.

After We Collided is riddled with cliches and tired young adult tropes, but its dramatic romance and laughable dialogue offers some escapist fun.

Interceptor checks all the boxes in terms of making an action film that will grab the audience's attention, have one root for the hero, and let out a few chuckles (especially for one horribly done cameo) before promptly forgetting the movie exists.

While The Unholy Trinity allows its stars to shine, the cookie-cutter story drags this movie down enough that it's difficult to recommend.

Desperation Road glimmers with moments of beautiful clarity, but the big picture it paints doesn't live up to the promise of its individual strokes.

Despite the clever setup for this (almost) single-setting B-movie, some half-baked plotting and unfortunate stereotyping keep 7500 grounded.

The things that are wrong with Our Times make it too wild to pack a punch, but a better version of it certainly exists in one timeline or another.

The film is still very watchable, and it has a lot of heart that makes up for its overall lack of focus and certain emotional throughlines. But where cohesiveness and pacing are concerned, this sequel leaves a lot to be desired.

While it's a shame the movie around the cast doesn't quite match their efforts, it at least gives them just enough to keep Havoc from being a complete waste.

A couple more action set pieces would have also helped the pacing from growing too stagnant as, like its predecessor, Den of Thieves 2 is far too long at nearly two and a half hours. It’s bloated and, with nothing too exciting going on, the wait for the heist itself starts to drag. Despite some tension, there’s no real sense of urgency at any point. The film sets up yet another sequel, but Pantera lacks the passion and consistency needed to dredge up any genuine excitement for yet another film in a struggling franchise.

In The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, as in the 2023 film, surprise character cameos, nonstop gags and action, and references to 40 years’ worth of games that fly across the screen at 100 mph take precedence over plot, character development, and pacing. However, if you’re ready to turn off your brain for a little under two hours and bask in the impressive animation and countless Easter eggs, there’s a lot of fun to be had in this sugar rush of a sequel.

It's not outright terrible, but it's nothing to get too excited about, either. There's even a sweet subplot about mother and daughters and familial trust. It's an overall cute family movie and anyone who adores Diaz and Foxx will find a way to enjoy it.

With a stellar leading pair who make the most of the screenplay, Darby and the Dead has enough to keep audiences moved and laughing on occasion, though it is unclear whether it can bring viewers back for a rewatch. The only certainty is that Downs and Cravalho are great together and should have the privilege of leading more projects.

Kandahar won’t knock your socks off, but it offers a solid story that doesn’t try to be something it isn’t.

The film is overly long, dragging out its story unnecessarily, with Daniels haphazardly shifting focus away from Holiday constantly. The film is unbalanced, generally failing to center on the song driving the story while romanticizing an affair between Holiday and a FBN agent.

Endings, Beginnings favors style over substance, rarely igniting the spark its meant to and anchored only by a compelling Shailene Woodley.

It's a riveting film, but one that left me feeling hollow and ultimately frustrated with the continued way in which much of American cinema tackles crises like the one at the center of September 5.

William Tell is a rare movie that I would argue should have been longer. If there's any story that could justify a three-hour runtime, it's William Tell, and the pacing would have benefited from this length enormously.

It isn’t sincere or as inspiring as it believes itself to be, but it also understands what its aims are, and that self-awareness is worth noting.

It is heartfelt in its embrace of silliness, and for that reason alone, it is worth a watch.

As it stands, however, Spin Me Round is all over the place and even its best moments can’t be saved due to a muddled storyline and lack of character development.

It's a visceral experience, though it doesn't reach those epic highs because the romance, while it works on paper, doesn't quite materialize as expected.

The combination of crime film and romantic gothic horror never really gels. It is successful in its invocation of old Hollywood (including a very fun opening credits sequence), and its horror beats are effective, but it doesn't work in total.

It’s certainly not Ethan Coen's strongest film, though it is saved by an especially fantastic performance by Geraldine Viswanathan and a fun story.

Halloween Ends is a satisfying enough conclusion to the H40 trilogy and, overall, the three films provide the strongest Halloween sequel continuity of the franchise's twelve post-Halloween 1978 follow-ups. For that reason, even if Green rolled the dice (and lost) on an underwhelming central premise for Ends, a satisfying conclusion to Laurie's story from Halloween 1978 to 2022 was worth any missteps that plague Kills and Ends. Still, in spite of this, it's hard to ignore that Halloween 2018 set a high bar for Green's revival trilogy - a bar that was undermined by the following chapter and is barely improved in Halloween Ends.

Unwelcome is many things — entertaining is one of them. But with little focus on what actually makes this film worthwhile, the result is disappointing.

Despite their best efforts, though, Wahlberg and Berry's chemistry is never quite enough to fully lift The Union from being another mediocre Netflix action offering. The story is both far too simple and predictable, the worldbuilding isn't thought out enough to be believable, and the action isn't so exciting as to fully turn one's brain off and enjoy the decently paced journey.

It's an entertaining movie that also serves as a great showcase for Gadot's action chops, but it might not linger long in the memories of viewers.

Ultimately, Pain Hustlers is a mixed bag of entertainment that opts for flashiness instead of focusing on the important elements of the story at hand — the people affected by the carelessness of others.

While the Code 8 movie's premise is more interesting than its other elements, it's handled well enough to warrant further exploration. Code 8 works better as a proof of concept than a standalone sci-fi thriller, serving up fascinating world-building with a fairly basic story.

The film is, unfortunately, just another instance of the book being better than the movie.

Those looking for a heartfelt tale of family and love might find this one misses the mark, but other viewers willing to go along for the ride could find themselves grinning by the credits. The People We Hate at the Wedding will likely be somewhat divisive, and that makes it a rather intriguing movie in the end.

All in all, Creation Stories is by no means a loss, it's just missing that special ingredient that would transform it into a film worth being excited about. Instead, it could have simply been a spirited documentary narrated by Bremner.

It isn’t the best in its genre, of course, but the commitment from Keaton, as actor and director, is more than enough for me to rally behind this film for another watch.

It's to the actors' credit that it works when it does, and what it ultimately posits about marriage is as grossly haunting as it is disturbingly poetic.

It’s goofy and relies heavily on common tropes, failing to offer insight into the players as people outside their team.

A Quiet Place Part II feels hollow where it could have brilliantly captured the nuances of the characters and their journey. The sequel provides some new information, but doesn’t do the work to deepen the story.

It does not reinvent the wheel, but it engages viewers on a visual and cerebral level. There is a precarious balance between the heavy themes of the script and the upbeat nature of this Bad Boys-esque action film, but somehow it sticks the landing.

All in all, Heart Eyes is a fine horror movie. It has a fun and unique idea, and the first act of the movie is very strong, but Heart Eyes loses its way and culminates in a middling-to-bad third act that squanders all the potential of the premise and beginning.

Me Time may not be a groundbreaking entry into Netflix’s catalog, but it offers reliable laughs for anyone needing an escape from their own hectic reality.

While Blitz may not be transformative, it isn’t all bad. McQueen is a capable director who deftly moves between different points in time, offering a glimpse into Rita and George’s life before and during the war.

While the drama can be a tense watch, there is something missing in its execution to make it a riveting, suspenseful watch.

Operation Mincemeat is a solid movie, the only reasonable reactions to which are mild. A small smile and a nod of approval on one end of the spectrum, a tilt of the head and a dismissive shrug on the other.

Don't Tell Larry is a dark comedy that tries hard to deliver a unique brand of comedy, only to fall short in the storytelling.

Ash can be horrific and genuinely startling; there’s a specific scene near the end that underscores the apprehension that permeates the film. It’s chilling and memorable. And yet, had the sci-fi thriller given its characters more dimension, it would have been all the stronger.

Heretical or not, it's a captivating story, even when it seems predicated solely on vibes. It's a shame, then, that the film is not as accessible as Jupe is as an actor. The first two acts move like molasses, brimming with allegory that never quite translates off the page.

The best action sequence comes at the end, which bolsters the film's best use of camera movement and editing to highlight the fight choreography.

La Dolce Villa is a feel-good film that forgoes proper tension-building for a more headache-free delivery. The result is a mixed bag that I enjoyed occasionally, though its inability to spark a greater emotional reaction is the film’s greatest weakness.

To make it really gel, the film needed to have a stellar performance at its core. For me, Tran fell short.

There aren't any surprises, and all that we are left with is a little bit of satisfaction and underlying curiosity as to why this movie was worth investing in.

Sissy sacrifices its themes for violence and surface-level explorations of psychological realism, making it as frustrating as it is compulsively fun.

At the end of the day, Joker comes off as Scorsese-lite in the same way that Phillips' last movie, War Dogs, did - albeit, with great acting from Phoenix to elevate it, but also a sense of self-seriousness that borders on self-parody and pretentiousness that War Dogs did not have.

Disney's Snow White is hardly a misfire, with Rachel Zegler shining as the titular princess, but it can't avoid familiar live-action remake problems.

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken's story could've used a more well-rounded approach, but the strength of its cast and character dynamics make for a solidly entertaining watch.

All told, Fresh has a lot of potential even though it doesn’t fully deliver. Cave makes a case for herself in a directorial debut that is ambitious, even when all the pieces don’t seamlessly fit together.

Though suffering from repetitive plot beats and thin characters, Black Adam is powered by Johnson's performance and its promise of an exciting future.

There are a few bright spots in Rise of the Beasts, but these are largely overshadowed by a lot of generic parts that would not be out of place in any of the previous six Transformers movies.

Even with a nuanced performance from Coster-Waldau and beautiful cinematography, Exit Plan is a slow-burn drama that fizzles out in the end.

Despite the lack of kinetic energy and well-developed characters, the movie offers a rather humorous take on the art world and its criminal underbelly with characters that are enjoyable to watch.

Filled with a lot of action, The Forever Purge is at times thrilling, but it remains at surface-level rather than delving further into its themes.

The Royal Treatment is ultimately benign fun. It is sweet, simple, and boring.

The overall momentum stalls and prevents A Lot of Nothing from sticking its landing, but it's a promising debut from McRae, who has a strong grasp with regards to maintaining much of the film's tension through dialogue alone.

The One and Only Ivan has a good heart at the center of this mediocre animal tale, which never quite delivers on the requisite Disney magic.

Despite a compelling first half, False Positive fails to imbue the pregnancy horror trope with depth or ingenuity, accelerating to a banal finish.

More subdued than most Exorcist-inspired flicks, yet with a raw, vibrant edge that places the viewer into the action, Demonic offers more than the conventional possession story — but falls just short of being a thoroughly frightening film.

A great cast and patience will prove only somewhat rewarding, even if the journey to get there is shaky and more than a bit confusing.

A harrowing narrative that contemplates the transition from girlhood to womanhood, Arnold uses magical realism to capture preteen angst with a strong desire for existential freedom.

The film is at its best, visually and narratively, when it is deeply entrenched in metal. There is a visceral impact to the third act which truly hones in on what this film has been lacking from the beginning.

Fear Street Part 2: 1978 is a fun enough riff on 70s slashers, but works better as the middle chapter in Netflix's horror movie trilogy.

The material is not lacking in thematic depth, but how the filmmakers choose to express these themes makes for an inconsistently engaging experience. Dreamin' Wild is sometimes too caught up in its own artfulness, and all that weighted form ends up trapping its ideas rather than giving them heft.

Reptile gets an extra edge thanks to its rock-solid cast and sufficiently gripping mystery, but it never coalesces into anything incredible.

Despite a few strong aspects here and there, Inherit the Viper is more or less a fleeting entry into the crime genre that won't stick out in viewers' memory after the credits roll.

Rather than being a well-rounded look at Martin's life, Christy offers a shallow, unbalanced perspective. It's light on its feet in some parts and heavy-handed in others, and though Sweeney gives a strong performance, I can't help but feel like she deserved a better showcase for her talents.

She Dances seems almost scared of its own premise.

Sure, the film may feel somewhat tepid in places, and it meanders, but the overwhelming wholesomeness of the picture will make one embrace its simplicity.

Even while Thorne's performance proves effective enough to keep us attached to her story, the rest of Saint Clare's cast fails to attain the same feat.

The film has some elements that work, but not enough to overcome its gratuitous cameos, its need to be bigger, or its wasted nostalgia and bloated runtime. Unfortunately, our lovable golfer may have been better off staying in retirement.

More Millennial introspection than sci-fi movie, what Save Yourselves! lacks in world-building, it makes up for with charming relatable comedy.

As the film marches to its conclusion, one will have some appreciation for the rotoscoping animation, the score, and the voice work from some of the actors. However, the murky narrative structure and the lack of a central protagonist only works against all the gory goodwill the film possessed.

While the movie's sea battles are elegantly staged by cinematographer-turned director Aaron Schneider (helming his second feature here, more than ten years after his acclaimed debut with Get Low), the absence of a compelling character throughline makes it difficult to become emotionally invested in their outcome.

Donowho’s western tale follows a typical formula, but there are plenty of laughs and smiles to be had throughout this familiar story.

The film is ultimately underwhelming and lacking the urgency needed to drive the story and lend realistic consequences to their endeavor.

Director Vicky Jewson and her stunt team... properly make dance a large part of its central characters' fight sequences, which gives them a very different flavor. However, this only elevates the film so far beyond its fairly underwhelming script.

Where the Crawdads Sing stumbles a bit in its transition from page to screen, though it is aided by a great lead performance.

Witherspoon and Ferrell play off each other fairly well, but I'm not convinced they have the chemistry necessary to pull off some later developments that I won't spoil here (but honestly, it's easy to guess what it is fairly early on). Throw in some big cameos that really don't go anywhere — the trailer already revealed Peyton Manning, who does nothing — and you get a fit-to-bursting comedy that's only intermittently successful.

Ultimately, The Pale Blue Eye feels like more of a missed opportunity than a story worth enjoying on its own. As far as historical fiction goes, the film fails to capitalize on its central historical figure, especially with Melling’s performance a beacon of light.

In Land, actress Robin Wright’s directorial debut, the sad, isolated feelings that come with bereavement saturate the story, but the film has surprisingly very little to say about grief.

While the film has some full-blooded setpieces and creative visuals - plus one of the franchise's coolest posters - it's a thoroughly by-the-numbers effort. Lee is visibly disengaged with the sequel, the middle section drags on and most of the cast of characters aren't terribly interesting.

Between its concise action and Crowe's scenery-chewing, Unhinged makes for an amusingly trashy B-movie, even if its social commentary never congeals.

The film does an outstanding job elevating its horror with a sprinkling of disconcertment, but it takes a wrong turn by offering a muddled message.