The Wedding Banquet may be the feel-good movie of the year, but that's not to call it a frivolity. It's a film that, once again, demonstrates how all of us, no matter from what background, can relate to each other, and in the era we're currently suffering through, that's a message we could all use more of.

Hustle manages to get by on charm and style, and Sandler gets to remind us again that he has range. "Hustle" isn't a slam-dunk, but it still takes it to the hoop.

Touching, important, and surprisingly inspiring, this movie is a testament to the power of dialect and how it shapes our worldview and fuses and unites us. Willingness to dive in deep past surface level schisms broadens the range of our accepted capabilities and ambitions. Morales may be working with bare bones in her first feature, but she manages to say a lot with a little.

I’m Fine (Thanks for Asking) is a vibrant and inspiring story to come out of the COVID cataclysm both in its narrative and also with its production. This film contains a powerhouse of talent from actors to directors, writers, and producers, many of which wear multiple hats. Filled with refreshingly vulnerable and relatable situations, I’m Fine (Thanks for Asking) is ultimately as validating as it is captivating.

At a bloated 156 minutes, audiences will have too ample time to ponder the film's many weaknesses. The racing will be exciting — very exciting, in fact — and Pitt is certainly a movie star, but quite frankly, I can have my own midlife crisis, thank you. I don't need to watch Pitt's.

The script doesn’t add anything new to the sports movie formula – you can see every major plot development coming from the stratosphere – but Lyn’s execution of those ideas powers the movie through its predictable plotting.

Against all odds, this is the best movie in the series. How wonderful it is to be surprised.

It's slick, solid, and filled to the brim with talented actors digging in and making the most of a not-entirely-nutritious meal.

The return of Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) makes a strong case that extended continuity is an albatross around this franchise's neck. And Malek's Safin feels like a rough draft, only ever half there, never landing the way a classic Bond villain must. These are tough hurdles when the film is meant to be a grand swan song.

Just Mercy ends up being a fairly bland crowd pleaser that doesn’t pick up the momentum it should until the final act.

Fear Street Part 3 is an absolute blast. But there’s tragic darkness prevailing here, as there has been through the previous entries. Yes, we’re having a good time with all this horror, but we’re also affected by the senseless death and dismemberment. There is no reveling in the spilling of blood here. There’s just a unique feeling of loss; the sense of cosmic injustice at young lives being cruelly snuffed out by thoughtless, uncaring hands. It’s oddly beautiful in a devastating way.

Unapologetically silly, disarmingly earnest, and intentionally corny, Gunn's movie is entertaining, fast-paced, and, most important of all, fun.

Crimes of the Future is Cronenberg in his comfort zone, which is a zone choked with things both repulsive and fascinating. It's not quite as nasty as its pre-release reputation suggests, nor is it even the most graphic film Cronenberg has directed. But it's rife with the filmmaker's signatures and quirks; his fetishes and his dreams; his obsessions and his amusements.

This is a hard film to dislike. Cage brings what you'd expect, Pascal brings even more, and their awkward, adorable, genuine kinship represents how so many of us feel about Cage these days.

Black Widow is at its best when it’s a wacky family drama between Natasha, Yelena, Alexei, and Melina, with dashes of a spy thriller. But Marvel films can’t content themselves with staying small, and Black Widow falls victim to the big bombast characteristic of the studio. The result is a disappointing solo movie that ends up burying Natasha Romanoff once again.

Problemista won't be for everyone, but it doesn't want to be. It simply exists as its own magical thing, and for an auteur like Torres, that is the best possible result.

It does wind up playing things too safe, and too conventionally, but Rustin still remains a valuable portrait of how an everyday person can do extraordinary things in the face of staggering adversity.

Arguably Argento's last very good to great film, Opera is awash in lush visuals, killer set-pieces, and bloody shenanigans as it riffs on its well-known literary source.

I don't know if I could rightfully say that this is the best "V/H/S" movie ever. "V/H/S/2" would have something to say about that. But it absolutely continues the hot streak the series has been on. If they continue to be this good, the franchise could run forever and I'd be happy about it.

There’s a serious lack of movies about Black cowboys or Black equestrians in general, and by telling their story in the unlikeliest of settings, Concrete Cowboy feels vibrant and alive, even when it’s suffering from its own plotting problems.

Avatar: The Way of Water overstays its welcome but it sure is thrilling when it wants to be.

The Blackening is content to make a couple of easy observations and move on from the idea. It cuts itself off from actually maximizing what a great idea it is. If a meta-horror comedy can't nail its commentary, horror, or comedy, then it sadly isn't doing much.

"Deadstream" is a cheekily chilling vlog-life satire that scores its shivers and smashes more than like buttons — I can't wait to cram this one into my Halloween movie marathons as a goofball, gross-out, grim-but-gleeful crowd pleaser.

It's genuinely funny while also basking in the very believable romance of it all.

Fear Street is like a big soup pot full of everything – there are shades of Scream, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Stephen King’s It, Halloween, Friday the 13th, and more. Watching Fear Street brings back memories of wandering around musty video stores and browsing the HORROR section for the most lurid VHS box art you can find. There was something sacred about that experience, like going to church.

Ultimately, Scott knows when to let the script beguile the mind and when to let the action dazzle the eyes.

Truthfully, there's a shorter iteration of "Slash/Back" that I'd adore — but I still like what premiered at SXSW. You can't help but want to champion the film's trademark sweetness, shining a light on badass little girls who take on their entire community's enemies.

Fresh is shameless and hilariously audacious, anticipating critique even when it can't quite offer a response. But the film happily rolls with the punches, so self-assured that you're hard-pressed to let the flaws win out. Because even if its commentary won't linger, the experience of "Fresh" is something to savor.