The Substance has an impossible-to-miss message about the struggles of women, especially women on constant display in an industry that thrives on rigid beauty standards. But it's also a delightfully farcical romp; an exhilarating, shocking freak show with an absurdist heart. It's the type of movie you won't forget.

Fire of Love is a riveting portrait of a charismatic couple who lived life on the edge.

Once Upon a Time in Uganda is the perfect representation of the enduring spirit of independent cinema, our love for movies, and how they bring the world together.

In Asghar Farhadi's fascinating, complex A Hero, nothing is simple. And no good deed goes unpunished — if it was even a "good deed" to begin with.

Like any given episode of "SNL," Jason Reitman's "Saturday Night" is not perfect; there are highs and lows, and the cast just might be too big to adequately hit all the finer points in a satisfying way. But the outcome is an ultimately satisfying showbiz romp with equal parts comedy and drama that is full of effervescent life, outstanding performances, and a wealth of laugh-out-loud moments.

The Outwaters is an immersive hellmouth waiting to, quite literally, swallow us up and spit us back out into the landscape more horrified of what the universe is capable of than ever before — and trust me, you don't stand a chance against what it has in store for you.

Do we really need yet another "Batman" reboot? The answer, after watching Matt Reeves' tremendous The Batman, is apparently a resounding yes.

The Disappearance of Shere Hite, in its thoughtful compilations and equally important talking heads, should be required viewing for every self-described feminist as we strive for a more sexually-inclusive world. Without it, Hite's hopes for a truly equal world might have been for nothing.

Spencer will break your heart, but it will bring it warmth, too.

Mickey 17 crystalizes our horrific reality into an existential parable, one that fundamentally understands the hell of working-class existence with the allegorical precision of "The Twilight Zone." It's a story about people finding love, connection, and community under hopeless circumstances, and a rallying cry that we all deserve better conditions for existing.

The dreamy, deliberate pacing of all of this never feels overlong. Instead, the film gathers you up in its hands and carries you along with it, resulting it what will surely be one of the best films of 2023.

In The Woman Who Ran, Hong lets go of all vanity and gives Kim a well-deserved spotlight. With Kim’s rueful performance, and the film’s roaming, Eric Rohmer-like sensibilities, The Woman Who Ran allows itself to take solace in serenity and not worry so much about the would haves and could haves.

The end result is stunning and scary, full of swooping, swooning, doomed romanticism and moments of pure, unblinking horror.

Nope may not be Jordan Peele's best movie to date, but it is his most enjoyable. A true summer movie spectacle meant to be writ large across the screen, giving us thrills, chills, laughs, and that most precious of things: movie magic.

Moments of levity and joy twinkle throughout the crackling, tense narrative, endearing the characters to us viewers. It's a fierce message against the oppressors, unapologetically feminist in reckoning against the patriarchy.

A sharp, laugh out loud crowd-pleaser, Palm Springs could end up being the funniest film of 2020. But it’s not a mindless comedy. It tackles some profound topics amid the laughs, interrogating the sustainability of long-term relationships and exploring how a seemingly awful situation might be aided by a change in perspective.

I Was a Simple Man is a slow-burning walk toward the light, a paean for life, and the land and people that shaped it. It's the kind of love letter that only a lifelong resident of Hawaii like Yogi could make, to a resilient land whose scars will take long to heal.

An icy cold mix of The Shining and religious mania run wild, The Lodge opens with a bang, and never lets up. Take it from someone who doesn’t scare easy: The Lodge is scary as hell.

Killers of the Flower Moon is a fast, fierce, and unapologetic gut punch that centers the horrific abuse suffered by the Osage nation at the hands of those who were entitled to nothing and thought themselves worthy of everything.

Unlike some movies that feature a group of urban teens inspired by a teacher and their lessons, it doesn’t make it seem like merely winning a chess tournament will make all the problems in their lives go away. It’s one victory that might make everything else feel less overwhelming, at least for a little bit.

Barbie is an absolute marvel hiding within the plastic pink confines of Barbie, making it a phenomenal reflection of the iconic doll that serves as source material. Gerwig clearly knew the preconceived notions folks would have about the film going into it because they're the same ones lobbied against the doll. Fortunately, she put her best pointed foot forward and delivered one of the best films of the year.

The genius of Sundown is how little it tells us while keeping us glued to what we're seeing.

Moviegoers often cry out that they want fresh, original films instead of more endless remakes and sequels. Well, here you go. Companion is exactly what you're looking for. Don't miss it.

The end result is a real pleasure, taking us along for a wild ride. Yes, it’s slightly too long, and Baker and his team could probably trim a bit to make things even tighter. Yet there’s so much charm at play, so much joy in watching even the moments of pain and embarrassment that it’s difficult to criticize.

Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks is an insightful, celebratory, uplifting, and uproarious documentary that celebrates some of the best and brightest comedic talents.

When Presence delves into the more typical trappings of the genre — everything from a scene where a psychic investigates the house to moments of seance-like invocation — it still retains its unique voice, thanks not just to Soderbergh but Koepp.

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.

Friendship is a delightful, vulnerable, agonizing film, and it's a new career height for Tim Robinson.