While it's a very standard documentary in terms of style, and it's not brave enough to fully delve into race and gender, Deaf President Now! is never redundant and always urgent. It'll surely make your heart explode in happiness.

At times, it can be bitterly hysterical, with Aster, who also wrote the film, further flexing his comedic muscles after his previous film with Phoenix. On the other hand, Eddington can be almost too on-the-nose, knicking the surface of complex issues but pulling the blade away before it can really draw blood.

The Chronology of Water is a boisterous spectacle of the female experience directed with pure love and sincerity.

Visceral, bruising, and darkly humorous, Die, My Love hits like a sledgehammer thanks to Lawrence and director Lynne Ramsay's uncompromisingly grim vision of domestic life.

For all The Phoenician Scheme's eccentric thrills, sardonic performances, and globe-trotting adventure, the film still feels limited in the grand scheme of things.

There is a lot to recommend it, including a strong visual sense (especially when it comes to the many scenes that feature single light sources), solid performances (particularly Apte, who commands every second of her screentime, which is essentially every second of the movie), and plenty of kooky moments the likes of which are not going to be seen in any other movie this year.

Given The Furst Brothers are clearly aiming for an over-the-top and ridiculous tone, I'm sure the awful CGI was part of their vision, but rather than feel like a tongue-in-cheek genre film, it instead makes the movie one of the best it's-so-bad-it's-good horror films I've seen in a long time.

I imagine that Sound of Falling will reward repeat viewings. There's almost too much to take in upon first glance, decades of life condensed into two and a half hours. Schilinski's vision is so confident and so bracing that it's hard not to be arrested by what's happening onscreen, even if you're not sure what's going on.

The movie tells a tight, contained story, but spends a little too much time sharpening its emotional knives to craft a truly compelling supernatural story. Bring Her Back gets lost in the weeds of its desire to rip your heart out.

Hurry Up Tomorrow isn’t awful. It stays at the surface, really afraid to interrogate any deeper than required, but it has its moments and aesthetic flair.

As a testament to its strong script, Basir’s latest tackles various themes related to addiction, religion, and even manhood. And in its methodical approach towards addressing mental health, To Live and Die and Live defies and exceeds emotional expectations.

While fans of the Mission: Impossible franchise might shed a tear watching this emotional tribute, all audiences will be swept away by its action.

Final Destination Bloodlines is a spectacle, a joyride, and easily the funniest iteration in the franchise.

Featuring everything from handmade pasta to beautifully rolled cannolis and even the unique delicacy of capuzzelle, I could practically smell the kitchen through the screen, and it certainly kept me hooked on hanging out with the movie's charming cast.

It's a worthwhile, nostalgic UFO movie with plenty of interesting ideas that made it a strong, impressively passionate watch.

The best we can hope for is that Summer of 69 will open the door for more contemporary conversations in coming-of-age movies that aren't afraid to have more fun.

The Moogai uses the monster and horror as tactics, but it's at its best when the story shows that it's bigger than these two elements.

A fascinating character study that shows us the dangers of finding fulfillment in all the wrong places.

Rosario stretches the material of a really good short film into an underwhelming feature.

Even with a forgiving attitude, I could not help but get bored by the film in the first third (or more), as the characters take forever to get from point A to B. The lack of promised humor and David’s passivity also did not help things.

The Surfer is a slow-burn film that requires a lot of patience. Cage does his best with limited material, as his character doesn’t have much depth beyond wanting something and aiming to get it.

A Desert is the scariest movie I've seen all year.

Thunderbolts* deftly tackles mental health and serves as a fantastic MCU movie, with great performances from Florence Pugh and Lewis Pullman.

Its strong characters and performances can only do so much to elevate a lackluster, unfocused story that often feels stuck waiting for the third act to kick in.

The film is a genuine pleasure to watch, especially for fans of either or both of the leading actors.

The Trouble with Jessica's cast still can't overcome just how unlikable their characters are.

The Legend of Ochi isn't just a throwback in terms of style and narrative. It recalls a time when audiences had longer attention spans and were more willing to suspend their disbelief, and there's no better reason to do so than to experience The Legend of Ochi.

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.

Because of its beautiful story about people simply living in 1980s Ireland, That They May Face the Rising Sun stands out as a perfect examination of the multifaceted nature of life.

With a deliberate pacing that is aided by great performances and stellar cinematography, the movie does a phenomenal job at showcasing the human struggles that follow tragedy.

It's a thrilling ride, and the fun the production is having with itself is contagious. There are moments of humor and necessary breaks in the tension that let us laugh and allow us to get braver alongside the characters.

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.

One of Dreams' strengths is that its dramatic devices pair well with its interests.

There is some great comedy in this, and the performances go hand in hand with the script and production. With early conversations leaning into the goofiness, it permits us not to take everything else too seriously, leading to being surprised by some oddly genuine moments and decent dramatic acting.

Even if I didn't quite love the film, I can't deny I hope it inspires more to take the same bold risks Hernandez and Stephens did.

Thanks to the stellar acting and nonstop pace of the story, iHostage transcends a few underdeveloped characters to create an intense story based on scarily true events.

Though the actors have little to work with, they're a game ensemble, potentially making them the only redeeming quality of Hell of a Summer​​​​​​.

Because of its powerful, universal themes, terrifying creature, and strong characters, It Feeds delivers a resonant horror experience about the pain of shared trauma.

The film did not nail it in many regards, but it is a truly entertaining tribute to queer pop and obsessed fandoms. Queens of Drama is, in the end, a delightful hot mess.

I was taken to another place watching Sinners, and I have no doubt audiences will walk away having been moved and simultaneously entertained by this gripping, multifaceted story that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible and, ideally, more than once.

Yes, Charlie Heller (a brilliant Rami Malek) spends an appropriate amount of time dreaming up memories of his beautiful wife Sarah (an underutilized Rachel Brosnahan), but the screenplay by Ken Nolan and Gary Spinelli offers plenty more than the usual setup of a man hulking out over a woman's death.

It doesn't quite rise to the level of "good" often enough for me to heartily recommend it. However, those who have a morbid fascination with this new crop of public domain horror could do much, much, much worse.

If Sloan and Mastroianni made Gazer with only their limited resources and spark to create something new, it bodes well for the filmmakers' futures and whatever their next project will be.

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.

While I will not spoil the ending, the film really struggles to avoid making a demonized monster out of mental illness, portraying sufferers as violent.

Some of the best game movies have adventure, heart, humor & good characters. I wish I could say A Minecraft Movie had these things besides adventure.

The Life List doesn't offer too many surprises or dwell in any unpleasantness for too long, making for a simple and relaxing viewing experience that hits right in the heart.

Because of its historical highlights, important message, and incredible performances, Audrey's Children is a perfect biopic, depicting a tear-jerking topic without shying away from the emotions it conjures.

Even though Invader presents some interesting ideas and even a few tense scenes, the movie fails to capture much interest beyond its initial premise.

As much as it might omit details important to the wider historical context, The Penguin Lessons confidently engages with its intended topics, and creates something beautiful and emotional.

While Meet Cute In Manhattan falls a little flat at times, and has lines that occasionally veer from homage to cheese, overall, it's a beautifully smart, sweet rom-com that does exactly what it sets out to do. The meta commentary and humor is a highlight throughout, but if I had to pick one best element, it would be how Jason is written.

It's gripping and effective but doesn't have anything new to say.

It's a mindless good time.

While I am all for a genre-blended film, I found the movie's tonal clashes to be so extreme that it was hard to stay aligned with any character's internal experience.

As a longtime fan of the franchise, it is disappointing that we still can’t get a good Hellboy movie from start to finish, and even in comparison to Harbour’s reboot, this one lacks any major style or energy to have it linger in my mind.

Despite lacking the same polish as many other movies the two leads have been in before, it's still a thrilling rollercoaster that offers plenty of twists and turns, making for a generally interesting addition to both actors' careers.

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.

Fans of De Niro and the gangster movie will have fun with this addition to the genre, but they won't find anything new in its well-tread story.

Yet, despite this apathy, there is an emotional core to Friendship, one that made me root for Craig despite all of his shortcomings and unpleasantness.

Though the movie goes by way of Shaun of the Dead and refuses to ever use the z-word, there's no denying that We Bury the Dead is a zombie movie, even if a more scaled-down one than some might come to expect.

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

We're dumped into the action, and the action doesn't even have the courtesy to be good.

It is better at comedy than it is at horror, but it makes even the mystical scenes laugh-out-loud funny in this thoroughly enjoyable ride.

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.

The cast of characters ping-ponging around Sofia's mansion and the surrounding neighborhood feel fresh and funny, the movie consistently delivers both thrills and laughs, and there is an absolutely delectable piano scene that I won't soon forget.

While O’Dessa has a lot of style, it doesn’t have much else. Its substance is sorely lacking, with a lot of jumbled ideas and themes that don’t come together.

The film is a compelling moral character study and a breathtaking thriller that steps on the gas and never lets up. It’s a perfect addition to Anvari’s already robust work as a filmmaker.

With its brisk runtime, the film wastes no time and, though it plays into genre tropes often, its premise is enough to make this film a compelling watch. The film ends up being surprisingly emotional thanks to its protagonist, though its lack of characterization of its human counterparts hurts the film's climax just a bit.

It’s a fun B-movie with timely elements and some exciting kills. It may not be much more than that, but sometimes that’s enough.

While Delicious presents plenty of interesting ideas, powerful themes, and compliments it with memorable cinematography, the weak story and characters ultimately drag the film down.

Its entertaining approach to the history it portrays works to make the movie memorable, resulting in a must-see biopic that's perfect for those who want to learn about women's wrestling history.

Its charms grew on me so fast that I couldn't help but love almost everything about it, logic be damned.

Despite the lack of strong characterization across the team, Rule Breakers still provides an uplifting story about women triumphing over their expected social roles on a global scale. It's a heartwarming story that, despite focusing more on its themes than any other aspect, still delivers a memorable tale with roots in real life.

Black Bag is engaging and refreshing precisely because it is so personal, raising the stakes to the highest level without having to be extravagant in its set pieces.

This story alone is gripping enough to warrant further study, but this documentary has very little in the way of actually exploring the case so much as it focuses on the conspiracies surrounding it.

Seven Veils still falls prey to its own expansive focus, making it a compelling yet unsatisfying drama.

Despite its fun concept and novel creature designs, Night of the Zoopocalypse ultimately finds itself weighed down by its lackluster script.

There are good bones here, but there's just not enough meat on them to make it a satisfying horror movie.

The fashion alone, from design supervisor Stefano De Nardis and the costume team, elevates the film, turning it into an extravagant spectacle.

It’s heartwarming, the occasionally funny moments aren’t shoehorned in, and the story has a solid message that plays into the fact the main characters are sloths.

Cave's assured direction creates a sickly sweet, dreamy world, and though its story sometimes lacks the dynamism it needs to fully connect, Kidman, unsurprisingly, carries the film over the finish line.

It’s the kind of film that not only makes for a great theatrical experience but will also make you want to watch it again immediately afterward to see what you missed the first time.

Death of a Unicorn is incredibly entertaining. It's weird and a bit goofy (in the best way), with a satisfying ending and character interactions that are off the wall.

Between the humor and Quaid's performance, there's so much fun to be had here that it's easy to just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Plankton: The Movie is a gem. Fans of the original series and fans born along the way will enjoy it immensely.

It doesn't reinvent the rom-com wheel, but it makes for easy, pleasurable viewing.

That exquisite balance of art and entertainment is exactly what makes each Bong Joon-ho film a gift to be savored – here's hoping his next one doesn't take quite so long to reach us.

While the movie starts off on a pretty straightforward note, one of the things that took me by surprise was just how often I was left guessing how the story was going to play out.

The script may be the film's rotten foundation, but no one element can take all the blame for its emptiness.

The Accidental Getaway Driver's ability to show connection across generations and languages has rarely been so expertly staged.

Last Breath is a gritty, grounded thriller that knows how to keep us hooked. A stellar cast and a story told right keep this film afloat.

The Quiet Ones isn't action-packed enough to be pure fun or interrogative enough to be thought-provoking.

The film's dialogue is insincere and cookie-cutter, failing to deliver naturalistic character growth. And surmounting its inefficacy at simulating humanity is perhaps Old Guy's most glaring action movie sin: it's truly boring.

It’s still a serviceable film, and you’re in for a wild and weird ride. Even its message, while nihilistic, has merit. I only wish The Monkey had a more balanced story to counteract its weaker elements.

Cleaner is a pretty good reminder of how fun it can be to watch someone with movie star charisma do a Die Hard.

It has some good old-fashioned magic, genuinely pulls at the heart-strings at times, and is occasionally very funny.

Waitress: the Musical offers the best of both worlds: a refreshing new take on a critically beloved but under-seen movie.

The result is an incoherent, messy, and disappointing movie.