Shi crafts a heartwarming, empowering and fun narrative about female puberty and a changing mother/daughter relationship.

Pattinson’s main man holds down a revamped Gotham that feels distinctively gritty with its blueprint of madness and mayhem, a place you would never want to live in but still would love to revisit as soon as possible.

It’s a rather impressive feat to bury Tom Holland’s considerable charisma, though that is one of the few aspects where his new film “Uncharted” actually succeeds.

Two years after the release of “Orient Express,” “Knives Out” reinvented the all-star murder mystery in a fun and refreshing fashion, and Branagh’s latest just seems stale in comparison, with no new life in this “Death.”

With “Tragedy of Macbeth,” something wicked this way comes – something familiar to anyone who remembers high school English classes but also at times a darkly enchanting delight.

Clearly far from the worst the franchise has offered (sorry, “Scream 3”) and not quite to the level of the late Wes Craven's innovative 1996 original, Ghostface’s latest slice-and-dice through Woodsboro checks all the appropriate boxes though lacks some of the quirky fun that marked previous entries.

The new "Matrix" tries to reprogram a beloved piece of cinema. However, it’s quite a few fixes short of a full upgrade.

Even though there are a bunch of interesting personalities (like Ron Perlman’s strongman Bruno), Nightmare Alley lacks the human connections that not only made del Toro’s last effort, best picture winner The Shape of Water, so entrancing but also populate the 1947 adaptation of Gresham’s book.

Director Jon Watts’ third Spidey film is a rousing entry that doubles as a love letter to the comic-book character, a film very much about second chances and a cleverly crafted reminder of that famous adage: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

While it lacks a strong overall narrative focus, "Ricardos" makes the most of a strong supporting cast and Sorkin’s excellent, banter-filled script.

With outstanding performances from newcomer Rachel Zegler and Ariana DeBose, Spielberg’s take doesn't stray too far from the original 1957 “Romeo & Juliet”-inspired Broadway musical or the 1961 best picture winning-film, but is rather a more authentic, dynamic and thoughtful revamp.

The period drama The Power of the Dog is a picturesque, enthralling exploration of male ego and toxic masculinity, crafted by an extremely talented woman and offering enough nuanced bite to keep it interesting till the very end.

With Licorice Pizza, Anderson delivers a warm tasty slice of adolescence as well as two fresh-faced youngsters that will satisfy cinephiles for years to come.

But be warned, fellow best actress contenders: The power of Gaga is undeniable as she rules House of Gucci with powerful panache and addictive swagger.

Smith brings passion and stubbornness to Richard, a controversial figure in some corners and a devoted dad in others. The movie itself is a rousing if familiar sports drama that takes care of the surface-level narrative but doesn’t delve deeply enough into the meatier stuff, at times seeming to have the wrong focal point.

While teenage star Mckenna Grace infuses the aging property with a needed burst of youthful energy, co-writer/director Jason Reitman (son of original filmmaker Ivan Reitman) is more interested in looking backward with the sequel, leaning way too hard on old characters, story beats, plot points and zingers.

While the narrative doesn’t totally land, the voice cast is solid and the vibe is consistently joyous.

Boldly filmed in black-and-white, Branagh wrings a heartfelt narrative from a superb cast, though the story stumbles somewhat when it strays from its youthful focal point.

"BOOM!” is an entertaining, heart-filling work that showcases two musical geniuses, putting a new spotlight on Larson’s musical legacy and giving Miranda another endeavor to gift us with his unparalleled artistry.

With a pair of Hollywood gunslingers, a few solid twists and plenty of bullets, The Harder They Fall is a shoot-’em-up to remember.

It’s a ghost story but also an underdog’s story, a fighter’s story, a mother’s story and, thanks to an Oscar-ready Stewart at the absolute top of her game, one of the very best movies you’ll see this year.

Zhao understands the larger assignment, as the epic sets the stage for future MCU intrigue. Her attention to detail and eye for design does wonders, even if by the end it all feels like an eternal chore.

Like most anthologies, some segments are better than others but they all highlight different inspirations Anderson’s woven together for a delightful cinematic sampler.

In picking up exactly where the last one left off three years ago, Kills separates its two key main characters, and not for the better. It just seems like a filler chapter before another main event, albeit with nasty kills, mythos building and cool references.

Amid seriously high stakes, Craig makes you root for Bond like never before in a swan song that’ll leave die-hards shaken, if not stirred.

The movie version is simply a poor adaptation, trading the vibrancy and refreshing spirit of the original show for all-too-familiar teen-movie angst, with an out of place leading man.

Entertaining and surprisingly funny given the subject matter, the movie’s also an exquisitely acted affair paced by Chastain (who also produces), turning in a career-best effort as the complex Tammy Faye.

The sci-fi epic Dune boasts a few films’ worth of giant sandworms, amazing spaceships, cosmic armies and galactic political drama, though it essentially is only half a movie.

Hide your mirrors and look out for bees: Candyman has returned, more relevant and terrifying than ever.

As the debuting title superhero and a new champ for representation, Liu exudes likability, swagger and depth – plus forms a great buddy-action combo with co-star Awkwafina – and “Shang-Chi” really cooks when he’s in a street-fighting groove. However, director/co-writer Destin Daniel Cretton’s ambitious adventure loses some of that storytelling momentum when diving into its involved mythology.

Given the chilling mood Bruckner strikes and dark corners he unearths, horror fans will want to spend some time in this Night House even if it’s not worth a long-term investment.

The fantastic, funny and heartfelt dramedy CODA doesn’t astound by breaking the mold of teen romances and coming-of-age tales. Instead, its brilliance lies in combining these well-tread tropes with an important sense of inclusion for a sweet story that truly sings.

Similar to other recent musical biopic vehicles like Judy and The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Respect never reaches the greatness of its shining star.

Free Guy is a big, warm hug of a movie with plenty to love, even if you’re not super into bubble gum ice cream, swing sets and vintage Mariah Carey like Ryan Reynolds' goodhearted title character.

Annette attempts to be an avant-garde rock opera, a farce about modern star culture and a tragic family drama all in one bizarre, head-scratching concoction, and not even a revved-up Driver or songs by the cult art-pop group Sparks can lift the film to its lofty aims.

So it seems lightning has struck again, this time in the DC universe where the most successful movies thus far have played it safe. That’s never been Gunn’s game, thankfully, and certainly isn’t here. Anyway, who needs Batman around when you’ve got Starro the Conqueror?

While those parents who grew up with Indy and Romancing the Stone might have seen a lot of this stuff before, it’s right in the wheelhouse for movie-loving youngsters not quite ready to watch Nazis’ faces melt in "Raiders." For those kiddos, Johnson’s big lug and Blunt’s eager explorer offer an enjoyable welcome to the “Jungle.”

Several heads roll though it’s your mind that'll get truly blown by The Green Knight, a visually dazzling and thoughtful trip back to Camelot.

Pretty much everybody is kung fu fighting in “Snake Eyes,” a satisfying martial-arts action-adventure with two magnetic leads, a heap of lightning-quick swordplay and the best argument yet for a G.I. Joe cinematic universe.

The new edition is comparatively an air ball: It’s less a family-friendly film with a hoops legend and more a crassly referential love letter to all things Warner Bros.

Oftentimes, the original book is better than its movie version. And while King’s tweetstorm is an infamous Homeric odyssey in the world of 280 characters, Zola is a solid spin, vividly capturing a stripper saga that would have been harrowing to live through, but is fun to sit back and witness.

Marvel’s Black Widow is a strong solo superhero effort that feels both timely and also way too late.

These movies are best when marrying James Bond high jinks with their longtime emphasis on the strength of family, plus a serving of macho philosophy on the side. F9 tries to goose that template exponentially with soap opera and a greatest-hits package to craft the ultimate "Fast and Furious" movie, instead succeeding at making one that's merely fine.

The movie’s both a reminder to always believe in ourselves, and believe in that old Pixar magic.

Conjuring films are best when tapping into the Warrens’ work and making it feel all too real to audiences, and in that regard, “The Devil” tries to shake things up but ventures too far from that freaky norm.

None of this works without Stone, though. She’s got the comic timing for the lighter scenes as well as the acting chops to pull off the character’s psychological transformation and personal reckoning.

With a musical that doesn’t shy away from tackling issues of racism and immigration, viewers will find themselves immersed in a song-filled, universally relatable story about chasing dreams and building community.

The sci-fi survival horror sequel A Quiet Place Part II doesn’t quite live up to the refreshing feel or innovative novelty of the original 2018 hit, where silence is truly golden in a post-apocalyptic existence full of blind creatures that attack noisy things and noisier humans. But the creatures are still freaky, the soundscapes are still interesting, Emily Blunt is still the second coming of Sigourney Weaver and this time the storyline expands the world, plus lets the kids shoulder some of the live-or-die derring-do. It also works as one heck of a chilling fix for audiences dipping their toes back into reopened cinemas.

An all-star slow-burn mystery for much of its 102-minute runtime until it suddenly decides to become a vomitous reveal-fest doling out all its twists as fast as possible. A storytelling choice, for sure, and one that wastes a talented crew of actors and fails to pay proper homage to the old-school films it references.

[Jolie] does what she can with the throwback role, though it’s the least of the film’s problems, with an unfocused plot, painfully dull villains and far-fetched sequences. That said, for those who dig really cool fire sequences, you’ll definitely feel the burn.

The movie throws in a little murder mystery and an alien-invasion angle with its coming-of-age themes, features a host of up-and-coming stars (including Johnny Depp’s daughter Lily-Rose Depp), and rockets to some interesting places when it comes to science and what makes us us. What undermines all that, however, is when the film shifts into being an intergalactic Lord of the Flies as the kids turn on each other and go tribal.

Nobody fails to break a bunch of new ground transforming another normal guy into a murder machine although Odenkirk's presence does give the film a conflicted and darkly comic center. Let's hope more machine-gun antics are in his future.

Though the documentary painted a story and highlighted onboard emotions of anxiety, frustration and fear, something was missing: input from health and industry officials.

The follow-up is a toothless, fleetingly funny revisit with some moments of greatness yet too much of the same old story to feel fresh.

The film wrestles with tonal inconsistencies but features fantastic action scenes to go with a touching underlying narrative about the power of trust.

Sneakily utilizing production design and uncanny good editing, The Father fascinatingly puts the viewer in the same state of distress as its main character. And in adapting his own play, the director’s carried over an intimate quality of a staged chamber drama to not just show a man dealing with dementia but also offer a way into his mind with a haunting, deeply affecting and quite memorable narrative.

On one hand, the core conceit – about elderly people suffering thanks to crooks and legal loopholes – is upsetting and infuriating on the surface. But Blakeson puts such a colorful, over-the-top sheen on it, plus lets Pike and Dinklage loose on each other, that you can’t help but be entertained by the criminal carnage and extreme shenanigans.

Even with its imperfections, “Billie Holiday” tells a needed story and along the way introduces a bright new Hollywood star to watch.

In creating the film, Chung pulled from his own childhood growing up in Arkansas, and Minari works because it feels so personal as you root for a fragmented family weathering resentment and heartbreak in an uplifting and very universal tale.

“Black Messiah” satisfies both as tense thriller and insightful period piece featuring two of the most captivating actors in Hollywood, Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield.

The movie's exploration of obsession and a sliding scale of what’s right vs. what’s wrong is among the aspects that Little Things does well. And there’s always some positive with Washington in a thriller like this.

Promising Young Woman is a deliciously dark and wonderful combo of style, substance and artfully utilized pop jams.

Soul is a jazzy and profound riff on humanity and the hereafter, an entertaining, exuberant effort about our existence with comedic shenanigans, deep thoughts and wondrous imagination.

Wonder Woman 1984 is director/co-writer Patty Jenkins’ much lighter, somewhat campy follow up to her World War I-set 2017 hit film, though a lot has to do with the new retro time frame. While not quite up to par with its predecessor, the Reagan-era sequel returns Gal Gadot as the Amazon princess with the bulletproof bracelets, introduces a couple worthy foes, and is a pretty fun time even if the extremely busy “1984” almost wears out its welcome at a hefty two and a half hours.

The palpable chemistry between Hanks and Zengel helps the odd friendship to blossom on screen. Hanks exudes the vibe of steady grownup in a crisis and Zengel holds her own with a Hollywood icon by imbuing her character with a wild-child manner that ultimately cracks to show the innocence underneath.

The Midnight Sky doesn’t always have the smoothest storytelling, yet in Clooney’s capable directing hands, the film’s emotional core and human touch are never a waste of space.

The Prom is an exuberant love letter to Broadway’s “Let’s put on a show!” ethos that will earworm you till the new year and proves how a great musical – armed with a heartfelt story – unites like nothing else can.

Rollicking and heartbreaking in equal measure, the period musical drama Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom plays all the right notes, from Viola Davis mightily singing the blues to a brilliant, shattering final performance from the late Chadwick Boseman.

Hillbilly Elegy is a well-acted study of a white working-class family reaching for the American dream over three generations, though its disconnected story is what’s unfortunately lamentable.

A wonderful throwback about a flawed figure who took on a hostile era in Hollywood with choice words and major chutzpah.

Directed by Jason Woliner, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm features an unexpectedly strong ending that at least pays off some of the sweeter aspects of the family dynamic, plus wraps up on an activist note... And while Cohen can be a great “serious” actor when he wants (see: “The Trial of the Chicago 7”), the absolute commitment to the over-the-top Borat persona continues to be admirable.

A dreamy homage to old-school Hollywood as well as a haunting, female-driven psychological thriller with deep mystery and satisfying twists

A feel-good, all-star monster mash with a low-key smackdown on bullying and a major focus on being as goofy as possible.

The filmmaker crafts an entertaining, immersive and ultimately optimistic spectacle that never forgets, especially at its ending, that humanity should always trump the system.

It’s rather elementary: Young women yearning for an action heroine of their own get one with Enola Holmes, a problem-solving youngster we all could use more of in our streaming lives.

The not-so-secret sauce for why this Mulan works is Liu, a Chinese actress new to American audiences who sells every bit of her character, from rebellious youngster to conflicted accidental soldier to confident warrior woman.

What makes the new psychological thriller Antebellum effective, however, is not just studying the past of America’s original sin but deftly showing how it still paints our present day.

While Face the Music is best when you don’t think about it too hard, it's also a movie that knows exactly what it is and doesn’t bother to have an insincere moment.

It’s cute and heartfelt at times, though the adventure by director Thea Sharrock (“Me Before You”) can’t decide between being a fun-filled romp or an animal-rights drama.

There are some scattered laughs but it's not particularly funny, and American Pickle is generally all over the place, aiming to be an abstract comedy about family and religion but losing its way trying to also poke fun at modern culture.

The movie is successful at finding little details that make it feel lived-in and authentic.

Old Guard feels fresher as a high-minded treatise on mortality and loss than a superhero-y franchise-starter.

Would it have been better to be in the room where it happened? Sure, the magic of watching excellent musical theater happening in front of you is impossible to re-create. But as the recent “Cats” movie proved, sometimes veering too off-course from the stage production isn’t great, either, so why not embrace a filmed version of this spectacular thing?

Irresistible lives up to its title with an enchanting twist on a well-trod narrative and thankfully brings back the gifted satirical mind that our crazy world has sorely missed.

Rather than being a massive foul-up, Artemis Fowl is a sufficient spycraft fantasy that could benefit from the inevitable sequel, and Gad proves once again to be the Mouse House’s Dwayne Johnson, a rock-solid personality who makes everything around him better.

The best of Lee’s joints straddle the history that’s happened and the history being written now, and Da 5 Bloods successfully follows suit with themes of modern civil unrest and activism existing alongside images of Vietnam hero Milton L. Olive III and activist Angela Davis.

Scooby has quite a history to which “Scoob!” pays homage, though it seems to have missed the most basic lessons.

Hardy is half of why Capone works. The other is Trank, the wunderkind whose nuanced 2012 superhero movie “Chronicle” showcased tons of potential that then was questioned with the disastrous “Fantastic Four” and the loss of a “Star Wars” film in its aftermath.

While not quite as subversive and refreshing as the first “Trolls,” “World Tour” offers endless cuteness, an impressive voice cast and just enough depth for grownups and children alike to chew on.

The Hunt is definitely controversial, but it’s an equal-opportunity offender that forgoes partisanship to poke bloody, gory fun at everybody.

The best thing O’Connor does here, as he also did with the underrated “The Accountant,” is let Affleck remind us once again that he’s a first-class actor – just in case anyone forgot after his brief stint in an infamous cape and cowl.

The Invisible Man is both a jumpstart and a template for their renaissance: The movie delves into the sheer terror of abuse and explores how Cecilia doesn’t even really understand the psychological scars until she begins to discover some semblance of freedom.

Like a highly watchable amalgam of “Field of Dreams,” “Zootopia” and Arthurian legend, the colorful crusade features a solid hero’s journey with a slam-dunk of a finale.

At least Harrison Ford does his grizzled best to ground a hybrid film awash in computer-generated animals and visual pizzazz.

The film is fine, familiar fare for gamers and children: Sonic sprints, Carrey mugs, but the creative juices run out quickly.

While Birds of Prey is all about that group dynamic, its resident Oscar nominee sparkles as the cuckoo crazy pants center of attention who's the batty wind beneath their wings.

Lively pulls off one of her best movie roles so far – ranking up there with her surprisingly delicious shark flick “The Shallows” – and is surrounded by plenty of visual spectacle, yet is waylaid by a narrative that lacks excitement. Even the twists seem painfully ordinary.

For every really cool interaction Downey's hero has with one of his animals as a caring listener, there's either an over-the-top spit take or an eye-rolling cheesy line of dialogue.