Thoughtful and hauntingly beautiful in style and treatment, Nine Days emerges as a sublime slice of cinema that sincerely tugs at the heartstrings.

It’s meant to shock and disgust — and it does — but while Infinity Pool starts off interestingly enough, its take on power, corruption, and privilege only goes so far.

Piggy (Cerdita in Spanish) has a slow-burn intensity that culminates in a superb ending and, though the film could have had tighter writing and better pacing in places, it’s still a satisfying watch.

With a powerful central performance and an occasionally chaotic but nonetheless captivating and moving narrative — helped along by fantastic editing and cinematography — The Outrun is a detailed film strengthened by its connection to nature’s beauty and belonging to it.

What I connected to wins out over what I didn't – I have enjoyed sitting with its ideas, and there are a couple flourishes that will stick with me.

At times coming across like a fusion of Babe and The Thursday Murder Club, The Sheep Detectives gets by a lot on pure charm. The mystery is compelling enough to keep audiences guessing, while the central characters are engaging enough to follow as they find out more about George's death. The film doesn't quite overtake other entries in the cozy mystery genre, but the sweet morals and clever twists make this a worthwhile watch.

The Color Purple is a resounding success with respect to quality and entertainment. From its messaging about sisterhood and self-love to its stunning filmmaking achievements, it’s a film that's easily enjoyed on the big screen. While the entire cast brings their A-game, Barrino, Henson, and Brooks steal the show with Oscar-worthy performances.

It's as rewarding as it is challenging.

Though faithful to the book in many ways, this adaptation, though serious in tone, removed many of the more upsetting elements of the story, including darker aspects of Scrooge's visions of his death and his past tragic romance.

Bugonia will make you laugh, squirm, and gasp in equal measures, but the film always feels in control of which of these emotions it wants you to feel at any particular moment. Lanthimos is a master of creating atmosphere, and Bugonia really feels like he’s at the top of his game.

From its endearing animation style, which blends a 2D aesthetic with 3D technology, to its poignant and refreshing writing, Orion and the Dark is a true joy to watch.

Cummings and McCabe don’t quite balance the purple envelope mystery with the character study of a self-involved man, and the ending takes a sharp left towards confusion, but it is surely something worth watching.

While introducing a few arcs it doesn’t fully explore, Candyman is replete with haunting imagery, disconcerting horror, and thought-provoking themes.

Sometimes the central metaphors of the film are so cleanly didactic they risk becoming preachy, but, more often than not, the film tilts in such inventive ways that recognition only breeds appreciation.

The film is infectiously exuberant, with kinetic energy that never lets up. Paired with its lighthearted tone, Honor Among Thieves is a wildly good time at the movies.

Thought-provoking, beautifully edited and told, Sirens explores the band members’ relationship with each other, gender, and conformity in a society that isn’t always open about such things.

In its gorgeous animation and stylization of motion blur, Arco pleads us to return to a time when we dreamt about the future as hidden through fluffy clouds and resplendent rainbows.

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.

There’s a sincerity that underscores its central themes, and the performances, writing, and direction don’t cut corners to get to the end. And what we end up with is a comedy-drama that understands what a thoughtful exploration of a relationship can look like onscreen.

It's the kind of filmmaking that rewards returning fans while being accessible to new or casual viewers. As a result, The Suicide Squad is a delicious, deviant and delightful watch for everyone.

Sam somewhat shrinks into the periphery of the story to make way for Amanda Peet's Dianne, whose tonal world is welcome, but certainly different. Rather than hold things together, Shear the filmmaker seems to step back, too. The result is a film that only exists in moments: sometimes funny, sometimes interesting, always lacking the cohesion necessary to add up to anything.

Thanks to Liu as both performer and producer, Rosemead not only earns its place among those films’ superlative ranks, but achieves a surprisingly powerful balance between intimate cultural authenticity and urgent, universal relevance.

Late Night with the Devil is tremendously fun.

As hypnotic as Eileen is, the film ultimately falls short. Its final moments suggest that it could have become a completely different film than what was initially presented. Had there been enough time to flesh out the story and build up the tension, the final Rebecca twist would have worked a lot better.

An obvious inspiration pulled from experiencing losing his wife Carolyn to cancer, Cronenberg delivers a subdued horror film on grief, which feels unlike any of his previous works.

Thanks in large part to Moss's performance, The Invisible Man becomes a fascinating dive into a survivor's psyche wrapped up in a compelling and truly scary horror movie.

With exhilarating action scenes, a layered story & poignant, in-depth characterization, The Batman is a worthy addition to the live-action DC slate.

The cast's chemistry really sells what transpires here and without that, it's hard to see the film working. Luckily, Brooklyn 45's disparate pieces come together to make for a wholly unique film that feels rare to come across these days.