{"id":2893,"date":"2022-03-21T14:31:19","date_gmt":"2022-03-21T14:31:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/otherpeoplesmovies.com\/?p=2893"},"modified":"2023-05-24T13:53:40","modified_gmt":"2023-05-24T13:53:40","slug":"review-roundup-2022-releases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/otherpeoplesmovies.com\/index.php\/2022\/03\/21\/review-roundup-2022-releases\/","title":{"rendered":"REVIEW ROUNDUP: 2022 Releases"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Penelope Cruz, Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o, and Diane Kruger in The 355<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The 355<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 355 <\/em>may boast an impressive array of acting talent (Jessica Chastain, Penelope Cruz, Bingbing Fan, Lupita Nyong\u2019o, Diane Kruger, Sebastian Stan, Edgar Ramirez) but it fails to be a movie that lives up to the expectations that their presence creates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film contains some well-executed (though rather underwhelming) action and moderately well-developed characters. It just doesn\u2019t have the charm, personality, or edge that it needs to stand out from all the other generic actioners being produced today. There is nothing glaringly wrong with The 355<\/em>, but there\u2019s nothing particularly right about it, either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, and Walker Scobell in The Adam Project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Adam Project<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Adam Project <\/em>is an endlessly entertaining, fun, and surprisingly heartwarming family science fiction\/adventure film. While it owes a significant debt to just about every eighties family favorite you can name (it sometimes feels like a cinematic mixtape of classic eighties scenes), it still manages to be entertaining and unique in and of itself. Ryan Reynolds finally pushes himself to move beyond his nervously sarcastic shtick with an effortlessly charming and emotionally moving lead performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Felix Kammerer in All Quiet on the Western Front<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

All Quiet on the Western Front<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Oscar-winning German production is an exceedingly well-made and overall mesmerizing film about WWI. Following in the footsteps of such classic WWI efforts as Paths of Glory <\/em>and 1917, <\/em>the film isn\u2019t exactly something we haven\u2019t before seen. Despite its lack of originality and its occasionally uneven pacing, the film is still a highly memorable one that is full of extraordinarily committed performances, downright exquisite filmmaking, and deeply harrowing depictions of battle and its aftermath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on the classic novel by Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front <\/em>is an exceptionally haunting effort with some truly brilliant moments that powerfully reminds us of war\u2019s pointlessly destructive and saddeningly painful nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ambulance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ambulance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a bank robbery goes awry, two criminals (an energetic Jake Gyllenhaal and a sympathetic Yahya Abdul-Mateen III) hijack an ambulance and lead the police on a high-speed chase. There is no denying that director Michael Bay knows how to execute an action movie. There\u2019s also no denying that he rarely gets a full handle on tone, character, or story. Ambulance <\/em>is an intense film with nonstop action that is filled to the brim with Bay\u2019s signature techniques (glossy lighting, constant camera movement, kinetic and nonlinear editing). However, the film\u2019s often serious-minded tone flattens its overall experience and impairs a significant amount of its much-needed entertainment value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ambulance <\/em>is a highly well-made movie with solid performances that, unfortunately, doesn\u2019t always know how to hold its audience\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Robert De Niro and Christian Bale in Amsterdam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Amsterdam<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This \u201830s-set, partially truth-based comedy\/drama\/mystery from writer\/director David O. Russell is a frustratingly wasted effort. It boasts one of the most impressively talented casts in recent memory (Christian Bale, John David Washington, Margot Robbie, Andrea Riseborough, Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Robert De Niro, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Taylor Swift, Rami Malek, Zoe Saldana, and others), but not a single performance escapes coming off as lifeless, uninteresting, and flat. From its bland cinematography to its poor pacing to its overly whimsical and redundant score, the film\u2019s execution is uninspired in just about every imaginable way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s hard to say what, exactly, is going on in Amsterdam <\/em>because it becomes progressively harder to pay attention to it as it progresses. It is a hopelessly boring film that entirely lacks the dramatic power it needs to keep its viewers\u2019 interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: D+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Margot Robbie and Diego Calva in Babylon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Babylon<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This three-hour-plus epic about Old Hollywood primarily examines the silent film era to the beginning of synchronized sound. For the first two hours, writer\/director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash, La La Land<\/em>) both revels in and satirizes the debauchery that has seemingly always taken place behind the scenes of major studio productions. Its last hour focuses on the inevitable downfall that such excess begets, expertly shifting tones to something that is much darker and increasingly devoid of the humor that is so present in earlier scenes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The all-star cast consists of Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Olivia Wilde, Tobey Maguire, Samara Weaving, and many others. They all deliver typically committed, highly exceptional, and intelligently heightened performances that fit the film\u2019s thunderous execution quite nicely. Babylon <\/em>is a highly revelatory film that both celebrates and cautions against the intoxicating magic of the silver screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Banshees of Inisherin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson give priceless performances as formerly close friends whose lives are shockingly upended when the latter decides that he no longer likes the former. This is yet another brilliantly written, flawlessly executed, darkly hilarious, powerfully poignant, and oddly moving effort from writer\/director Martin McDonagh. The Banshees of Inisherin <\/em>is a great film that masters many conflicting tones with expertise and finesse, making it an unforgettably vibrant and endlessly unpredictable cinematic experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Justin Long in Barbarian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Barbarian

<\/strong>A young woman (Georgina Campbell) arrives at an Airbnb where she made a reservation and nothing <\/em>goes as planned or is the way it appears to be or should be. To say any more would risk giving away the countless surprises that this gleefully twisted horror film contains. Barbarian <\/em>is a wholly unpredictable, endlessly shocking, and dementedly thrilling experience that never lets up on tension or terror until its very last frame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Daniel Gim\u00e9nez Cacho in Bardo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bardo: False Chronicles of a Handful of Truths<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Los Angeles-based Mexican documentarian (Daniel Gim\u00e9nez Cacho) returns to his homeland seeking self-discovery, world examination, and the many hidden truths behind his heritage in this film by co-writer\/director Alejandro G. I\u00f1\u00e1rritu (Birdman, The Revenant<\/em>). Comically surreal, absurdly satirical, and dramatically powerful, Bardo: False Chronicles of a Handful of Truths <\/em>is an artistically daring collage of different tones that evokes comparisons to Fellini\u2019s most fantastical efforts and to Malick\u2019s most poetic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u00f1\u00e1rritu\u2019s voice and style are as bold and as sensitive as ever, though the film does sometimes cross over the line to self-indulgence with its endless flights of fancy and its near-three-hour runtime. It\u2019s a film worth seeing, for certain, but also one that could have used a little less of, well, everything <\/em>in order to convey more of a direct point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz in The Batman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Batman<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a technical level, co-writer\/director Matt Reeves\u2019 latest incarnation of the classic superhero\/vigilante character is an exceedingly well-crafted and well-designed film. It lacks the vision and the courage of previous cinematic Batman interpretations, however, by failing to deliver anything new. The Batman<\/em>\u2019s reality-grounded approach is just too similar to Christopher Nolan\u2019s films and is, simply put, not as good. The film has no distinct vision or heart, and it\u2019s lacking a certain emotional grandness that we\u2019ve all come to expect from a Batman movie. The near-three-hour runtime is also completely unnecessary and overly indulgent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite being an excellent actor, Robert Pattinson has little to offer the role of Batman. His interpretation is all broodiness and moodiness, and he spends a good portion of the movie acting like he\u2019d rather be somewhere else. Much like the film itself, Pattinson\u2019s performance lacks personality and character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Idris Elba, Iyana Halley, and Leah Jeffries in Beast<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Beast<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While on vacation in South Africa, a widowed father (Idris Elba) and his two teenage daughters (Leah Jeffries and Iyana Halley) must thwart a killer lion\u2019s non-stop attempts at making them its prey. While it\u2019s not anything particularly special, Beast <\/em>is still a moderately thrilling and suspenseful movie that knows how to entertain and engage its audience. Likable and well-developed characters, sturdy performances (Elba always knows how to own the screen), and capable filmmaking make the film rise above its potentially ridiculous storyline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Claude Perron in Bigbug<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bigbug<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This intelligently satirical French-language sci-fi\/comedy centers on a group of people who are trapped in a suburban home during an artificial intelligence uprising. Director\/co-writer Jean-Pierre Jenuet (Amelie, The City of Lost Children<\/em>) delivers another unique piece of eye candy that is filled to the brim with quirky humor and highly innovative concepts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bigbug<\/em>\u2019s main fault, like some of Jenuet\u2019s previous works, is that its constant business can sometimes be over-stimulating and exhausting to witness. The gorgeously designed film may lack subtlety, but it more than makes up for it with its endearingly endless stream of ingenuity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dwayne Johnson in Black Adam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Black Adam<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the presence of the always-affable Dwayne Johnson in the title role, this entry into the DCEU is a noisy, annoyingly busy, and overall hollow film that offers absolutely nothing new to the superhero genre to which it belongs. The movie is full of dizzying spectacle, but its relentlessly rapid and action-focused pace fails to emotionally engage the audience in its events or characters. Instead, the movie lifelessly and uninterestingly goes through the motions with a hopelessly generic and overly familiar style and storyline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Black Adam <\/em>wholly lacks inspiration and increasingly comes across as little more than complete and utter nonsense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: D+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Noomi Rapace in Black Crab<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Black Crab<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noomi Rapace, today\u2019s ultimate cinematic badass, stars as one of a group of post-apocalyptic soldiers who has to skate across a frozen body of water in order to deliver a top-secret package. Black Crab <\/em>contains an intriguing plot, solid performances, refined filmmaking, and some thrilling, impeccably executed action sequences. It is occasionally bogged down, however, by sketchy character development, muddy subplots, and a distracting flashback structure that causes uneven pacing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Complaints aside, the film does still manage to be a predominantly entertaining experience that is lifted by Rapace\u2019s fierce intensity and wholly watchable presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite being an overall moving tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, this sequel to Black Panther <\/em>seems to be grasping at straws as to what to do without him. The story is unmemorable, the action and spectacle are uninspired, and the development of characters and their relationships is spotty at best. Not to mention, the near-three-hour runtime is highly indulgent and completely unnecessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many of the film\u2019s contemporary MCU entries, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever <\/em>overall follows a formula that is becoming increasingly tired and stale. The excellent actors who comprise the cast (Letitia Wright, Angela Basset, Winston Duke, and Lupita Nyong\u2019o chief amongst them) can\u2019t save the movie from its overall lack of originality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ethan Hawke in The Black Phone<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Black Phone<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A thirteen-year-old boy (a fully committed Mason Thames) is kidnapped by a serial killer known as The Grabber (an impressively and disturbingly sinister Ethan Hawke) and held captive in a basement where he is able to communicate with the killer\u2019s previous victims by way of a disconnected and mysteriously powered phone. Directed and co-written by Scott Derrickson (Sinister<\/em>, Doctor Strange<\/em>), The Black Phone <\/em>is a strikingly well-made, suspenseful, and creepy horror\/thriller that knows how to keep its audience\u2019s attention. The film has a plethora of positive attributes that are only slightly muffled by the fact that it doesn\u2019t always fully utilize and\/or develop its best concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If The Black Phone <\/em>had a slightly more finessed screenplay that matched the quality of its filmmaking and flawless performances, it could have been a masterwork. As it is, however, it\u2019s going to have to settle for being highly watchable and very good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Axel Boyum and Fredrik Skogsrug in Blasted<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Blasted<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Norwegian sci-fi\/comedy, which centers on a bachelor party that has to fight off an alien invasion, is perfectly funny and enjoyable. Though its fast-cutting and wildly shot style are highly derivative of Sam Raimi and Edgar Wright, the film still offers enough surprises and moments of big laughter to be worth your time. Blasted <\/em>may lack originality, but its highly energetic and endearingly effervescent tone mostly makes up for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ana De Armas in Blonde<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Blonde<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This artfully challenging examination of Marilyn Monroe\u2019s painful internal life is, sometimes, as hypnotic as it is, at other times, frustratingly difficult and exhaustive to sit through. Based on Joyce Carol Oates\u2019 novel, the film dives deep into Monroe\u2019s emotional torment, mental instability, and toxic relationship with fame. Writer\/director Andrew Dominik takes a Lynchian approach to his subject, presenting Monroe\u2019s story in a dream-like, surrealistic haze that often morphs into an unsettling and expressionistic nightmare. Though the filmmaking is exemplary, it doesn\u2019t always emotionally connect with the audience and, resultingly, the film doesn\u2019t quite reach the greatness to which it is aspiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Monroe, Ana De Armas gives it her all with an effectively raw and emotionally volatile performance. Though she looks like Monroe, it\u2019s sometimes hard to fully believe her in the role because her voice and accent are noticeably flimsy and inconsistent. Despite its roughness and faults, however, Blonde <\/em>can still be regarded as a courageously ambitious and bold piece of filmmaking. It just could have used a little less artistic showmanship and a little more straightforward storytelling to fully convey the extraordinary pain behind Monroe\u2019s sunny public image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pedro Pascal in The Bubble<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Bubble<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Co-writer\/director Judd Apatow makes one of the biggest blunders of his career with this star-studded yet excruciatingly unfunny comedy about a nightmarish film shoot that takes place during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bubble <\/em>is loud and obnoxious, overstuffed with expensive set pieces and ambitious VFX but far too short on good writing, developed characters, and laugh-out-loud comedic moments. The sluggishly and loosely paced film is, to put it bluntly, quite painful to sit through. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bubble<\/em> is a poor example of comedic wit and the perfect example of a big-budget and excessive waste of colossal talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: D+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Brad Pitt in Bullet Train<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bullet Train<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A group of criminals led by Brad Pitt converges on a fast-moving Japanese bullet train, resulting in a plethora of brutally violent moments and tiresome attempts at cleverness. This action-packed, distractingly hyper-edited, and frustratingly over-stuffed film tries very hard to be exciting and darkly charming, but its embarrassingly over-confident nature only makes it increasingly unappealing as it unfolds. Bullet Train <\/em>lacks almost all likability and is hopelessly marred by its own obnoxious bravado and forced wit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: D+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Peter Billingsly in A Christmas Story Christmas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A Christmas Story Christmas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sequel to A Christmas Story <\/em>comes nearly thirty years after its classic predecessor. At first, it seems to be as dated as its early \u201870s setting. During what is roughly the film\u2019s first half, the silly humor primarily falls flat, the overly light and falsely sentimental tone lacks edge, and the characters don\u2019t exhibit much personality or relatability. However, as A Christmas Story Christmas <\/em>progresses, you can\u2019t help but get sucked into its nostalgic charms and its magical holiday feelings. The film\u2019s destination is quite worthwhile, but the road to getting there, unfortunately, isn\u2019t always so great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith in Clerks III<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Clerks III<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This entry into Kevin Smith\u2019s View Askew universe is a charmingly nostalgic, big-hearted, and emotionally moving effort. You pretty much have to already be a fan and have knowledge of Smith\u2019s previous movies to find value in this particular one, but that\u2019s hardly a valid criticism because the movie was rightfully, unabashedly, and whole-heartedly made for his fans. The in-jokes, endless self-references, already-developed character relationships, and overall comforting familiarity are what make Clerks III <\/em>feel like the cinematic equivalent of dinner with an old friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lea Seydoux, Viggo Mortensen, and Kristen Stewart in Crimes of the Future<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Crimes of the Future<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A pair of futuristic performance artists (Viggo Mortensen and Lea Seydoux) proclaims that \u201csurgery is the new sex\u201d and perform live surgeries for the art gallery crowd as part of their act. From writer\/director David Cronenberg (and based on one of his earliest independent films), Crimes of the Future<\/em> is every bit as bizarre, surreal, nightmarish, and grotesquely rewarding as the filmmaker\u2019s other \u201cbody horror\u201d efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those familiar with and fond of the filmmaker\u2019s previous work should be pleased, as the highly unsettling film is stylistically and thematically a significant continuation of his voice. Those unfamiliar with Cronenberg, however, will most likely find very little amusement or relatability in the film, as it is one of the most challenging and esoteric efforts of his career. Crimes of the Future<\/em> is a must-see for Cronenberg fans and an enter-at-your-own-risk for just about everyone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Marlon Wayans and Priah Ferguson in The Curse of Bridge Hollow<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Curse of Bridge Hollow<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A young family (Marlon Wayans, Priah Ferguson, and Kelly Rowland) moves to a small town whose community takes Halloween decorating very <\/em>seriously. When the town\u2019s lawn decorations come to life on Halloween night, all forms of rambunctious havoc ensue. The Curse of Bridge Hollow <\/em>is a fast, fun, and humorous film that entertains with an inventive and lively premise and warms the heart with its primary theme of family unity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bruce Willis in A Day to Die<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A Day to Die<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kevin Dillon stars as a disgraced former police officer who is forced to pay a drug dealer (an impressive Leon) ransom in exchange for his kidnapped wife. Bruce Willis and Frank Grillo also have small supporting roles but, as is the norm for most of their low-budget endeavors, their top billing is quite deceiving. A Day to Die <\/em>contains some interesting commentary on the war against drugs but that, along with good performances from all the key cast members, is all it really has going for it. The film is simply unable to sustain the weight of its overly ambitious execution, noticeably faltering throughout by trying to do far too much with far too little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Joseph Winter in Deadstream<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Deadstream<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A struggling video blogger with a tendency for cowardice (Joseph Winter) live streams himself being locked in a haunted house overnight. The success of the film largely rests on the shoulders of star (also co-writer\/co-director) Winter\u2019s performance, and it\u2019s, fortunately, a great one. Deadstream<\/em> is nail-bitingly suspenseful, surprisingly scary, and playfully hilarious\u2014and it all stems from Winter\u2019s dramatic facial expressions, skittish physicality, and comically hyper-emotional reactions. He\u2019s a likable, relatable, and sympathetic protagonist with human faults and painfully unheroic characteristics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film\u2019s main fault is its uninspired and slightly cheap ending, but that\u2019s not nearly enough to spoil the overall fun of this endlessly inventive and wholly entertaining horror\/comedy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Armie Hammer and Gal Gadot in Death on the Nile<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Death on the Nile<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Director\/star Kenneth Branagh returns for his second round of bringing Agatha Christie\u2019s classic investigator character, Hercule Poirot, to the screen. Death on the Nile <\/em>is a beautifully shot, impeccably performed, and classily executed film that successfully engrosses its audience in its clever story and intricate murder mystery. Though the film is a bit too polite to make an indelibly dramatic impact, it\u2019s still a highly intriguing and perfectly pleasant way to pass some time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ben Affleck in Deep Water<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Deep Water<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on the Patricia Highsmith novel, Deep Water <\/em>centers on a married couple (Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas) whose open relationship may be causing more turmoil than either one of them fully comprehends. Adrian Lyne\u2019s return to the director\u2019s chair after a twenty-year hiatus produces a sensual and hypnotic film that never lets up on intrigue, enticement, or tension. Though it somewhat falters with some shaky logic, a slightly unbelievable climax, and an abrupt ending, the film still makes an unshakeable and noteworthy impact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deep Water <\/em>is the kind of intelligent, adult-oriented, and character-based erotic thriller on which Lyne founded his career and that we just don\u2019t see enough of, anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Emile Hirsch in Dig<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dig<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A father and his teenage daughter (portrayed by real-life father and daughter Thomas and Harlow Jane) are taken captive by two criminals (Emile Hirsch and Liana Liberato) and forced to dig up a dead body from a soon-to-be excavated home. Though some storyline details are a bit unclear due to some improper communication, the film\u2019s tight pacing, excellent performances, and well-executed moments of suspense still make it overall worthwhile. Dig <\/em>may not be anything groundbreaking (no pun intended), but it still manages to be an effective and entertaining thriller that mostly delivers on its intended excitement and tension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Xochitl Gomez, Benedict Wong, and Benedict Cumberbatch in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness <\/em>was directed by Sam Raimi, one of the most unique and previously established talents to helm an MCU installment yet. While the film contains a number of his stylistic flourishes, it overall feels like it could have been directed by anyone, as it is an entertaining but, at this point, generic work that feels like an insignificant piece of a much grander design. In other words, this Doctor Strange <\/em>sequel doesn\u2019t really stand on its own, as it is too reliant on other Marvel films and streaming series to help explain its unnecessarily convoluted and overcrowded narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Complaints aside, the film does contain a number of thrilling set pieces, some dazzling visual effects, and solid performances from its talented cast. It\u2019s a must-see for hardcore Marvel and\/or Raimi fans (the Bruce Campbell cameo alone makes it worthwhile), but doesn\u2019t seem to be particularly geared toward anyone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Florence Pugh and Harry Styles in Don’t Worry Darling<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Worry Darling<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A housewife (the fantastic Florence Pugh) living in an idyllic 1950s suburban neighborhood slowly becomes aware that nothing about her life is as it seems. Though it sometimes buckles under the weight of its hefty ambition and the specifics of its involved storyline are ultimately and frustratingly a tad too vague, Don\u2019t Worry Darling <\/em>is still a highly powerful, astutely observed, and boldly nightmarish examination of female oppression. It\u2019s a movie that meddles with the mind in order to prove a point that undeniably needs to be made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Austin Butler in Elvis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Elvis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Co-writer\/director Baz Luhrmann\u2019s vivaciously energetic biopic of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) centers on the icon\u2019s relationship with his greedy and opportunistic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (an impressively slimy Tom Hanks). The film is primarily fast, fun, and exciting, capturing the power of Elvis\u2019 eternal influence on popular culture and music. Even at almost two hours and forty minutes, however, Elvis<\/em> just doesn\u2019t seem to have enough screen time to fully explore its subject\u2019s life off the stage with the same care and attention as it does his life on it. The film still succeeds, overall, it\u2019s just not quite as fulfilling or complete as it should have been.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though Butler doesn\u2019t particularly look much like Elvis, he exudes his essence so accurately and has such full command of his voice and physicality that it\u2019s easy to forget you\u2019re not actually watching The King himself in grand and lifelike motion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Aubrey Plaza in Emily the Criminal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Emily the Criminal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The endlessly amazing Aubrey Plaza portrays a young artist who, buried under a mountain of student debt and unable to find a well-paying job, turns to credit card fraud as a means of survival. Emily the Criminal <\/em>is a mesmerizing, intense, and tragically frank examination of an individual who, like so many in reality, is unable to comfortably fit into modern-day society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film is a bit too neat and easy in depicting its protagonist\u2019s downfall and most of its supporting characters are too dull to warrant the screen time they\u2019re allotted. However, Emily the Criminal<\/em> still manages to be an overall riveting experience that packs a sizable and memorable dramatic punch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Olivia Coleman and Tom Brooke in Empire of Light<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Empire of Light<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writer\/director Sam Mendes\u2019 thoughtful, warm, and humane film takes place in 1980 England and focuses on a movie theater manager with mental health struggles (Olivia Coleman) and her close friendship with a younger, Black employee (Michael Ward). Though a tad sluggish in spots, the film is an overall beautiful effort that sheds light on past prejudices involving race and mental illness while also making the audience question how, after all this time, they are still so prevalent today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coleman and Ward are both outstanding, as is the rest of the supporting cast, which includes Colin Firth, Toby Jones, and Tom Brooke. Needless to say, the gorgeous cinematography by Roger Deakins only adds to the film\u2019s exceptional quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chris Bridges (aka Ludicris) and Queen Latifah in End of the Road<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

End of the Road<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An African-American family (Queen Latifah, Chris Bridges, Mychala Lee, and Shaun Dixon) traveling across the southwestern states faces one intensely dangerous misadventure after another in this engrossing action\/thriller. The pacing is notably tight, the suspense is ever-present, and the ninety-minute runtime is effectively brief. The characters are all well-developed and the cast chemistry is effortlessly vivacious. Director Millicent Shelton takes time and puts care into emotionally involving the audience through the film\u2019s charming and relatable characters before the plot kicks off into high gear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The screenplay occasionally uses some minor contrivances and unbelievable conveniences to propel the plot forward, but End of the Road <\/em>is still a highly engaging and well-executed thriller that contains a number of downright excellent performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Michelle Yeoh and Key Huy Quan in Everything Everywhere All at Once<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Everything Everywhere All at Once<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This ambitious, mind-blowing, and exceedingly well-made adult fantasy\/adventure centers on a woman (Michelle Yeoh) and her escapades in parallel dimensions. The film\u2019s bottomless energy and endless creativity are exciting but, at times, exhausting. Everything Everywhere All at Once <\/em>is an overlong movie that is so overstuffed with inventive ideas and absurdly random events that it occasionally becomes unfocused and undisciplined. However, the film\u2019s undeniable and unique charm allows for most of its faults to be forgiven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gabriel LaBelle in The Fabelmans<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Fabelmans<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This semi-autobiographical tale from co-writer\/director Steven Spielberg examines an upper-middle-class Jewish family in 1950s and 60s America and a growing boy within the family who falls passionately in love with cinema and ambitiously aspires to be a filmmaker. The Fabelmans <\/em>is a touchingly human film that succeeds in many ways, but it also can\u2019t decide if it should give its primary focus to complex family drama or to depicting the start of a legendary filmmaking career. The two elements never work together as naturally as they could or should, and they are both unsatisfyingly underdeveloped and unresolved in the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite its sometimes-bumpy and unfocused design, however, The Fabelmans <\/em>still manages to be a movingly honest and bravely personal film that shines a revealing and fascinating light on the early days of one of Hollywood\u2019s most celebrated filmmakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lindsay Lohan and Chord Overstreet in Falling for Christmas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Falling for Christmas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lindsay Lohan stars as a spoiled rich woman who discovers the true meaning of Christmas after getting amnesia from a skiing accident. Particularly in its first half, the film is blandly acted, contains a vomitous amount of forced sentiment, and is so predictable that it\u2019s a chore to witness. Falling for Christmas<\/em> mildly improves in its second half, however, to deliver some select moments of holiday cheer, feel-good warmth, and charming romance. These moments are few and far between, however, and don\u2019t fully make up for the fact that the overall film is hopelessly and tiresomely trite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mads Mikkelsen in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This third (and, sadly, most likely final) entry into the Harry Potter <\/em>prequel series is an enchanting, inventive, and entertaining effort. Mads Mikkelsen fills Johnny Depp\u2019s shoes quite nicely (however unnecessary Depp\u2019s termination may have been) as the villainous character of Grindelwald. Though it is a little too reliant upon previous films in both this and the Potter <\/em>series to stand on its own and be fully understood, it is still hard not to be won over by Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore<\/em>\u2019s many magical charms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mark Wahlberg in Father Stu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Father Stu<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This truth-based biography of a former boxer turned wannabe actor turned Catholic priest (Mark Wahlberg) is an endearing and charming effort that hits all the right notes of the standard biopic formula. Though Father Stu <\/em>is nothing new and sometimes fails to be fully engaging due to its sporadically sluggish pacing, the film is still an overall nice, enlightening, and emotionally moving way to spend a couple of hours. Wahlberg delivers a wholly committed, impressively vulnerable, and intensely focused performance as Stuart Long. Mel Gibson, Teresa Ruiz, Jackie Weaver, Cody Fern, and Malcolm McDowell are all excellent in supporting roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar-Jones in Fresh<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fresh<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lonely young woman (Daisy Edgar-Jones) with a nightmarish dating history meets the man of her dreams (Sebastian Stan) but is soon shocked to discover that he may not be exactly who he seems. To say anything more about its storyline would only risk giving away the film\u2019s many wonderful surprises. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Director Mimi Cave and screenwriter Lauryn Kahn deliver a unique, rule-breaking, and riveting entry into the horror\/thriller genre. While it slightly succumbs to a climax driven by a predictable thriller formula that the vast majority of the film intelligently avoids, Fresh <\/em>is still, simply put, quite fresh. Jones and Stan both deliver fiercely committed and naturalistically believable performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Daniel Craig in the Glass Onion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Glass Onion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This lively, quirky, and highly complex whodunnit follows up Knives Out <\/em>and gives us the further adventures of its world-class detective protagonist, Benoit Blanc (an endearingly fantastic Daniel Craig). Writer\/director Rian Johnson executes the storyline with cleverness and innovation, but he also has so many ideas that the film becomes progressively overcrowded and bogged down. The impressive ensemble cast (Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, Janelle Monae, etc.) each get their individual opportunity to shine, but, at the same time, their excellent performances and interesting characters occasionally get lost amidst the film\u2019s ever-increasing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though it is an overall success, The Glass Onion <\/em>either needed some screenplay editing and simplification in pre-production or some fleshing out and runtime lengthening in post-production in order to be the masterwork that it often comes so close to being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ryan Kwanten in Glorious<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Glorious<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A man (Ryan Kwanten) is forced to face himself and his past after he is inexplicably locked in a rest stop bathroom and finds himself at the mercy of a disembodied voice (J.K. Simmons) coming from within a stall. Glorious <\/em>is an intelligent, character-driven, and technically well-made horror\/comedy\/drama that has high ambitions within its limited locations and low budget. Unfortunately, the film\u2019s overall plodding pacing doesn\u2019t always hold its viewers\u2019 interest and its bigger ideas are underdeveloped, underexplained, and ultimately unclear. Though the film tries to pack an emotional wallop in the end, it winds up befuddling its audience more than wowing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Winona Ryder in Gone in the Night<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gone in the Night<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winona Ryder portrays a woman whose boyfriend (John Gallagher Jr.) goes missing after an overnight stay at a cabin with two strangers (Owen Teague and Brianne Tju). With the aid of the cabin\u2019s seemingly affable owner (Dermot Mulroney), Ryder goes searching for what turns out to be a very convoluted and somewhat confusing truth. Gone in the Night <\/em>is a technically well-made and well-acted film whose overly complex story persistently unravels as it progresses, so much so that there\u2019s not much left of interest by the time it reaches its befuddling and unsatisfying conclusion. Though it\u2019s good to see Ryder headline a film again, there\u2019s not much else to this dull and confusing thriller to make it worthwhile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain in The Good Nurse<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Good Nurse<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on a true story, The Good Nurse <\/em>focuses on a nurse struggling with heart issues (Jessica Chastain) who befriends the new nurse (Eddie Redmayne) in her hospital, only to discover that he might be sneakily murdering patients. The wholly hypnotic and engrossing film demands focus and sucks the viewer right into its drama. The voyeuristic cinematography by Judy Lee Lipes and the mesmerizing sound design by Morton Green aid in keeping the viewer wholly consumed. Chastain gives a typically strong performance, supplying her sympathetic character with the integrity and class she needs to be the film\u2019s moral compass. Redmayne is a stunning mixture of affable warmth and cold derangement, giving an infallible depiction of someone who hides their true sinister character behind a well-rehearsed, though perhaps partially sincere, mask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film\u2019s only true fault is that it doesn\u2019t fully examine or develop the relationship between Chastain and Redmayne\u2019s characters. Though it\u2019s believable that they become close, there is never a satisfying moment that tells us how Chastain is affected when the accusations against Redmayne begin. There\u2019s no moment of denial or confrontation, the topic simply moves forward without any dramatic weight. The film skips a step or two in its storytelling, something that mildly mars The Good Nurse <\/em>without ruining its otherwise exceptional quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ryan Gosling in The Gray Man<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Gray Man<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ryan Gosling stars in this action\/thriller, portraying a rogue CIA operative who has to thwart attempts on his life by a psychotically determined former operative (Chris Evans). While the story is unimpressively formulaic and predictable, the kinetic, thrilling, and wholly inspired execution by directors Anthony and Joe Russo (Avengers: Infinity War<\/em>, Cherry<\/em>) more than makes up for it. The Gray Man <\/em>is literally packed with colorfully inventive action sequences, so much so that the film becomes moderately exhausting and numbing by the time it reaches its final act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gosling is his usual smooth, effortlessly watchable self while Evans obviously has a great deal of fun portraying the dementedly vivacious bad guy. Julia Butters (Once Upon a Time in\u2026 Hollywood) <\/em>and Billy Bob Thorton give memorable supporting performances. Ana de Armas is solid, though somewhat wasted, in a forgettable role as Gosling\u2019s colleague.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chris Pratt in The Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You pretty much have to be Ebenezer Scrooge if you aren\u2019t moved, entertained, and filled with the holiday spirit after watching this 45-minute holiday special featuring most of your favorite Guardians of the Galaxy <\/em>characters. It may not be a full feature-length effort, but this is still the most fun, most inventive, and most rewarding entry into the MCU since, well, the last Guardians of the Galaxy <\/em>movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writer\/director James Gunn manages to expertly balance some amusingly demented humor with just the right amount of feel-good holiday cheesiness. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special <\/em>is more than a mere appetizer to the next Guardians <\/em>movie, it is a joyously unique accomplishment in and of itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Guillermo del Toro\u2019s Pinocchio<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Co-screenplay adapter\/co-director Guillermo del Toro\u2019s take on the classic fairy tale offers a refreshingly original approach to the material. Set in 1930s Italy during Mussolini\u2019s reign, the film is darkly themed, historically detailed, and contains an awareness of the time\u2019s violence in a frightening manner that is more geared towards adults than children.  It is also a visually stunning and exquisitely crafted feat that is executed with unbelievably smooth and impressively detailed stop-motion animation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, however, the film is sometimes marred by its uneven pacing, overstuffed narrative, overly long runtime, and ill-timed and wholly unnecessary musical numbers. Guillermo del Toro\u2019s Pinocchio<\/em> still works, overall, but certain aspects of it should have been significantly less busy and ambitious in order for the entire film to qualify as the masterpiece that its exceptional craftmanship deserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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James Jude Courtney and Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween Ends<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Halloween Ends<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This (hopefully) final chapter to director David Gordon Green\u2019s rebooted Halloween <\/em>films is not just an unsatisfying sequel to the filmmaker\u2019s previous two efforts, it\u2019s an underwhelming and unforgivably boring move in its own right. This time around, we jump ahead four years from the previous film (which is already a bad idea that breaks the momentum built up by the first two films) to focus on the town outcast (Rohan Campbell), who teams up with a weakened Michael Myers after they share some ludicrous form of a Vulcan mind meld (or something like that). Nothing particularly interesting happens after that until the last fifteen minutes, which is the only part of the movie that actually feels <\/em>like a proper Halloween <\/em>sequel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have to give the creators behind Halloween Ends <\/em>some credit, however, because they, at the very least, tried to do something different with the franchise. If only they were equally concerned about trying to do something good\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: D+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The House<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The House<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The House <\/em>is a trilogy of half-hour short films that are connected by storylines about the trials and tribulations of homeownership. The films are all surreally and quirkily comedic, and they all have differing dominant tones of ominousness, absurdly dark satire, and whimsical hopefulness. The extreme artistry and care with which each story is crafted\u2014all in gloriously detailed and impressively smooth stop-motion animation\u2014make up for the occasional sluggish pacing and for the lack of seamlessness between each contrasting storyline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The House <\/em>is a beautiful, though, as a whole, slightly haphazard viewing experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Justin Long and Kate Bosworth in House of Darkness<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

House of Darkness<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Justin Long plays a man who drives a woman (Kate Bosworth) home after meeting her at a bar. When she invites him inside, things get increasingly tense, uncomfortable, and dangerous. Writer\/director Neil LaBute (The Shape of Things, In the Company of Men<\/em>) delivers an overall intelligent and suspenseful horror\/thriller that is reliant upon well-written dialogue, a moody atmosphere, and organic human behavior. Though the predictable final reveal is a letdown, the events leading up to it are highly engrossing and well-executed by the talent both in front of and behind the camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hugh Bonneville in I Came By<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I Came By<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A serial vandalizer\/graffiti artist (1917<\/em>\u2019s George MacKay) with a purpose uncovers some dark and dangerous secrets after breaking into the wrong house. This British thriller is, overall, unpredictable and intensely captivating. Though most of the characters within the film suffer from underdevelopment and lack of charm, Kelly MacDonald (Trainspotting<\/em>) somewhat makes up for it with her portrayal of a layered, likable. and sympathetic mother desperately searching for answers regarding her missing son. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I Came By <\/em>may be a bit emotionally dry and dramatically underwhelming, but it still predominantly succeeds as a suspenseful and intelligent thriller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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James Morosini and Patton Oswalt in I Love My Dad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I Love My Dad<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patton Oswalt is, in equal measures, hilarious, painfully vulnerable, and despicably slimy as a father who poses as a young woman (Claudia Sulewski) online so he can talk to his estranged son (James Morosini). Needless to say, the result is squirm-inducing, but it\u2019s also darkly hilarious and, ultimately, oddly moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I Love My Dad <\/em>is an endlessly engrossing and surprising film that fearlessly examines some uncomfortable and messy human emotions. Writer\/director Morosini delivers an original and painfully honest film that is executed with exceptional innovation and whole-hearted care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Odessa A\u2019zion in The Inhabitant<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Inhabitant<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A teenager (Odessa A\u2019zion) with a bloodline connected to Lizzie Borden experiences flashes of madness and soon comes to suspect that Borden\u2019s murderous ways might be inheritable through a family curse. Though it has an intriguing premise and is overall well-acted, The Inhabitant <\/em>falls short of being a success due to its stale execution and its annoyingly unclear plot details. It has moments of terror and a nice surprise or two towards the end, but the film is an otherwise lifeless and dull experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Elsa Pataky in Interceptor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Interceptor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elsa Pataky makes a formidable action star and proves she can carry her own movie with this enjoyable action\/thriller. Capitalizing on current fears of nuclear war, the film centers on a group of terrorists who overtake an American missile interceptor station and the badass woman (Pataky) who has to defend it. It may not be anything particularly original, but Interceptor <\/em>delivers enough thrills, suspense, and likable, well-defined characters to be regarded as a quality piece of entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Executive producer Chris Hemsworth also has a memorable and amusing cameo in which he serves as the film\u2019s primary source of comedic relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jurassic World Dominion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jurassic World Dominion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the sixth entry and third reboot sequel to the Jurassic Park <\/em>franchise that began in the early \u201890s. Dinosaurs are freely and dangerously roaming modern-day Earth at the story\u2019s beginning, and the greedy head of a corporation (Campbell Scott) wants to capitalize on the situation by controlling all food production. It\u2019s up to a fun and nostalgic blend of newer heroes (Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard) and older, familiar ones (Laura Dern, Sam Neil, Jeff Goldblum) to help save the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The movie is occasionally underwhelming with some minorly sloppy staging and editing choices that don\u2019t always produce tension or suspense as well as they should. The movie overall survives its faults, however, due to its excellent cast, brisk pacing (the bloated two-and-a-half-hour runtime is, overall, surprisingly unfelt), and always-impressive visual effects. Jurassic World Dominion <\/em>is an overall fun, exciting, and careless way to spend two-and-a-half hours of your time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Zoe Kravitz in Kimi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kimi<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zo\u00eb Kravitz stars as an agoraphobic woman who, while working for an assistive artificial intelligence company, uncovers the evidence of a murder. This modern-day Rear Window <\/em>is a smart and suspenseful thriller with many Hitchcockian elements that are updated for the age of the internet and COVID-19. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Koepp\u2019s script is full of surprises and well-set-up payoffs, though it falls short of greatness because of its lack of clarity regarding its antagonists\u2019 identity and motivation. Steven Soderbergh\u2019s direction, editing, and cinematography are as top-notch and skillful as ever. Kimi<\/em> is his best-paced and most focused film in quite some time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Charlie Hunnam in Last Looks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Last Looks

<\/strong>A former Los Angeles police officer (Charlie Hunnam) takes a private investigator job to help solve a murder that involves a popular television star (Mel Gibson). While the film has plenty of charm and was obviously made with care and talent, its convoluted and conversation-driven story\/screenplay (by source novelist Howard Michael Gould) is hard to focus on and follow. Though it has a number of impressive moments, the film\u2019s dramatic energy too often falls flat, causing the story to sometimes lose momentum and, subsequently, its audience\u2019s engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last Looks <\/em>had a great deal of potential that is only partially realized. It could have been something truly special with a little screenplay finessing and tighter editing, but, instead, it\u2019s going to have to settle on being a flawed work that houses some solid filmmaking and some highly memorable performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Daniel Stisen in Last Man Down<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Last Man Down<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a pandemic wipes out the majority of the world\u2019s population, a secluded soldier (Daniel Stisen) is forced to protect a young woman (Olga Kent) who is being hunted so she can be the subject of inhumane testing because it is believed that she holds the virus\u2019 cure in her blood. Though Last Man Down <\/em>has a somewhat generic style and storyline, it\u2019s still an overall entertaining film with some thrilling and well-staged action sequences, tight pacing, and sympathetic and likable characters. Stisen is well-suited to his role as an unstoppable action-hero badass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gerard Butler in Last Seen Alive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Last Seen Alive<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gerard Butler stars as a frantic husband who takes matters into his own hands after his wife (Jaimie Alexander) mysteriously goes missing at a gas station. It\u2019s been done before, sure, but Last Seen Alive <\/em>is still successfully suspenseful and attention-grabbing due to its brisk and tight pacing, disciplined filmmaking, and committedly intense performances. Butler\u2019s natural charisma and watchability make it easy to sympathize with him and follow him on his character\u2019s exasperating journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lou<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An ex-CIA operative (Allison Janney) braves a severe storm in the wilderness to help a young girl (Ridley Asha Bateman) who has been kidnapped by her dangerous father (Logan Marshall-Green). Though the film is functionally well-made and features outstanding performances by Janney (who is an unsurprisingly tough and believable action hero), Bateman, and Marshall-Green, there\u2019s no life, personality, or inspiration to be found in the film\u2019s story or execution. Lou <\/em>is simply a bland, generically styled, and passionless film that overall fails to sustain interest and only fully succeeds in wasting some exceptional talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mila Kunis in Luckiest Girl Alive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Luckiest Girl Alive<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mila Kunis gives a powerful and edgy performance as a rape survivor and high school shooting survivor who is forced to deal with the rumors that she may have had a hand in the latter\u2019s violent events. Luckiest Girl Alive <\/em>is an overall pertinent and harrowing depiction of two important topics (sexual violence and mass shootings) that deserve a great deal of examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The oftentimes-darkly humorous tone overall works, but is occasionally at odds with moments of strong drama and direct sincerity. Minor faults aside, this an exceedingly well-made and thought-provoking film that deserves to be seen by a large audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Charlotte Gainsbourg in Lux Aeterna<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lux Aeterna<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This fifty-minute experimental feature from the explosively daring auteur, Gaspar No\u00e9, takes place on a fictional movie set for a film about witches. While it is thrillingly inspired with its utilization of innovative filmmaking techniques, Lux Aeterna<\/em> falls short of the greatness that most of No\u00e9\u2019s other films achieve because it\u2019s hard to relate to or understand any of its characters. The film is aesthetically bold but, overall, dramatically flat and unengaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lux Aeterna <\/em>still manages to be mesmerizing in select moments due to No\u00e9\u2019s aggressively psychedelic style, but it would have been nice if the master magician had a clearer point with his fevered illusions this time around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B-<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mad God<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mad God<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every frame of this nightmarishly surreal, beautifully grotesque, and predominantly stop-motion-animated epic is bursting with ingenuity and skill. All the painstaking effort put into this groundbreaking, thirty-years-in-the-making achievement by visual effects pioneer Phil Tippet is evident while viewing it. Mad God<\/em>\u2019s mad brilliance is something you just have to see and experience for yourself in order to believe it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tom Hanks in A Man Called Otto<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A Man Called Otto<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This charming character-based comedy\/drama stars Tom Hanks as an antisocial widower who is plotting his suicide, only to constantly have his plans thwarted by unforeseen life events. Though the film is a tad too polite and slightly oversimplifies grief and depression, it\u2019s still a highly thoughtful and overall moving film that is a terrific vehicle for Hanks\u2019 bottomless talent. A Man Called Otto <\/em>induces laughter, pulls at the heartstrings, and reminds us to look at life from different angles in a very endearing and sensitive manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson in The Man From Toronto<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Man From Toronto<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson star as a bumbling everyman\/deadly assassin odd couple that is forced to work together despite their extraordinary differences (can you imagine?!<\/em>). The story is tired, the jokes are stale, the tone is obnoxious, the action sequences are exhaustingly unspectacular, and the airtight pacing allows little room for character development. On the positive side, Hart and Harrelson display an effortless and lively chemistry, but it\u2019s too underexplored and lost amongst the noise to save The Man From Toronto <\/em>from being a creatively bankrupt production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jessie Buckley in Men<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Men<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A young woman (Jessie Buckley) rents a remote house so she can heal from the troubling death of her husband (Paapa Essiedu). Shortly after arriving, she is stalked by a mysterious male entity and soon finds that all the men with whom she comes into contact seem to hold an increasingly misogynistic grudge against her. Are these events real? Or are they all part of her traumatized psyche?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite its deliberately paced, downright brilliant, and utterly terrifying build-up, the film\u2019s unclear final act proves that writer\/director Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation<\/em>) doesn\u2019t entirely know how to make sense of his own story. And if he does, he certainly doesn\u2019t seem to want to share it with his audience. Rather than being tantalizingly ambiguous in a Lynchian sort of way, the film instead falls quite short of dramatic satisfaction. However, the first hour of Men<\/em> contains some of the best and most effective horror of its time, which alone makes it worth seeing. Just don\u2019t expect any closure or catharsis. Enter at your own risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anya Taylor-Joy in The Menu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Menu<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A snootily enthusiastic foodie (the always impressive Nicholas Hoult) and his date (an equally impressive Anya Taylor-Joy) visit a highly exclusive restaurant headed by a legendary and brutally perfectionist chef (a steely, smooth, and typically brilliant Ralph Fiennes). The Menu <\/em>is an overall unpredictable and gleefully shocking satire\/horror film that is filled with intelligence, tension, and scathingly dark humor and absurdity. It succeeds with just about all of its many aspirations and is executed with expert craftmanship and endless originality. There is simply nothing else quite like this wonderfully shocking film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Johnny Depp in Minamata<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Minamata<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set in the early 70s, Minamata <\/em>tells the story of the celebrated WWII photographer, W. Eugene Smith (Johnny Depp), who exposed the devastating effects of mercury poisoning on a Japanese city. Though its heart is in the right place, the film fails to captivate its audience on a dramatic or emotional level. Minamata <\/em>is a good history lesson, but it\u2019s one that is increasingly laborious to sit through the further it progresses. Depp gives as much character shading as he can to a role that is underwritten and underdeveloped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jared Leto in Morbius<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Morbius<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Sony\/Marvel production lacks the heart and character it needs to stand tall amongst the plethora of other comic book movies. Morbius <\/em>is sluggishly paced, blandly executed, and filled with uninteresting and thinly developed characters. Jared Leto does his best in the titular role, but his efforts can only go so far when he\u2019s working with such an uninspired screenplay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morbius, <\/em>despite the talent associated with it, is an inexcusably dull viewing experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jeff Daniel Phillips in The Munsters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Munsters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writer\/director Rob Zombie\u2019s reboot of the classic, spookily family-friendly series centers on the origins of the titular family of lovable monsters and how they came to live in suburban America. Though sometimes poorly paced and often thinly plotted, The Munsters <\/em>isn\u2019t nearly as bad as it should be. It boasts beautifully and boldly colorful cinematography by Zoran Popovic, innovative and eye-catching set and costume designs, and fun, bubbly performances by Sheri Moon Zombie, Daniel Roebuck, and Jeff Daniel Phillips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, the movie is also a bit of a tonal and structural mess with sometimes-odd comedic timing, numerous unsuccessful bits that simply don\u2019t know who they\u2019re playing towards, and a runtime that is at least twenty minutes too long. However, there is still a charming and intentional silliness\/childishness to the movie that should make it appeal to younger audiences and, at the very least, mildly amuse older ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jaicy Elliot and Bruce Campbell in My Southern Family Christmas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My Southern Family Christmas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A journalist (an excellent Jaicy Elliot) gets the opportunity to meet her estranged biological father (a layered and likable Bruce Campbell) through the guise of a piece she is assigned to write for Christmastime. All-around good acting, solid filmmaking, and an intelligently touching script make this charmingly cute Hallmark movie a good fit for anyone\u2019s holiday viewing list, no matter how formulaic it may be. My Southern Family Christmas <\/em>is a holiday movie that is unabashedly designed to make you feel good, but it does so with striking intelligence and sincerity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Marilyn Monroe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This documentary examines the tragic, painful life and mysterious death of America\u2019s most iconic actress, Marilyn Monroe, by way of previously unheard interview tapes featuring those closest to her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the film is perfectly intriguing, it fails to be fully riveting due to its haphazard structure and uninspired filmmaking style. The audio clips are organized without concern for clarity or dramatic impact, and the visuals that accompany them largely consist of tiresome roaming shots from the point of view of a car driving through Los Angeles at different time periods. The film manages to raise interest in its subject\u2019s questionable death, but it fails to be a wholly gripping or definitive examination of the topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Geno Walker in Night’s End<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Night\u2019s End<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An agoraphobic and anxiety-ridden video blogger (Geno Walker) suspects that his apartment may be haunted and decides to seek help in the form of an online exorcism, which has unexpected results. Director Jennifer Reeder\u2019s feature follow-up to her highly inventive and genre-defying effort, Knives and Skin<\/em>, is a bit more straightforward and an even larger bit less inspired than her previous film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Night\u2019s End <\/em>is a low-budget effort with limited locations and cast members, and it does deserve credit for trying to accomplish a lot with very little. The film is well-made on a technical level, features some excellent performances, and has a notably strong first act. However, it just doesn\u2019t know how to sustain its audience\u2019s interest for the entirety of its duration and it, ultimately, fails to come together as anything memorable or impactful with its dull and unclear climax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nope<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nope<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This new and updated take on extraterrestrial invaders from writer\/director Jordan Peele is, at the very least, uniquely executed. However, the overall storyline is unnecessarily complicated and intentionally jagged to follow, making it quite difficult for the audience to become fully immersed in the film. Peele, despite his massive talent, gets in his own way this time around by being more concerned with breaking new narrative ground than he is with telling his story with clarity and inclusivity. Considering all the talent associated with it, Nope <\/em>could have been something much more memorable if it would have rethought and finessed some of its more frustrating and over-ambitious narrative choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Alexander Skarsgard in The Northman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Northman<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alexander Skarsgard stars a former prince turned Viking who seeks vengeance against the man (Claes Bang) who killed his king father (Ethan Hawke) and kidnapped his queen mother (Nicole Kidman). Co-writer\/director Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse<\/em>) pushes his bold filmmaking style to the limit with The Northman<\/em>, a challenging, brutally violent, and visually hypnotic film that rises above what easily could have been a simplistic, revenge-themed storyline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sometimes-tediously paced film can come off a bit emotionally cold due to some underdeveloped character relationships. However, it\u2019s still a work of undeniably high quality, as it features a number of striking performances, gorgeous cinematography by Jarin Blaschke, and a creatively courageous and overall unforgettable style of execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Zoey Deutch in Not Okay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Not Okay<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zoey Deutch continues to prove herself as one of the most adept comedic and dramatic actresses of her generation with her layered portrayal of a depressed young woman who pretends to have survived a terrorist attack for internet attention. She conveys the wince-inducing situation by effortlessly shifting from hilarious, airheaded vanity to pained, vulnerable self-awareness. It is a highly complex performance that is all the more impressive because Deutch makes it look so effortless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This intelligent and thought-provoking study of social media fame, gun violence, and mental illness challenges its viewers in a variety of ways. Writer\/director Quinn Shephard creates a direct, edgy, and fiercely funny piece of satire, but also tackles the film\u2019s subject matter with sincerity and open-minded, non-judgmental integrity. Not Okay <\/em>refuses to simplify itself and never takes the easy way out, resulting in a film that bravely asks a number of important questions about today\u2019s world without providing any false or easily digestible answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Colson Baker in One Way<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One Way<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This intense, minimalistic, and character-driven thriller is wholly engrossing from beginning to end. Featuring an excellent and hyper-focused lead performance from Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly) and directed with precision and skill by Andrew Baird, One Way <\/em>never loses its momentum and never fails at keeping up the suspense. Though its supporting characters could have used a little more development and the ending is a tad abrupt, the film is still a surprisingly successful low-budget accomplishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Christian Bale in The Pale Blue Eye<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Pale Blue Eye<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christian Bale gives another committed, focused, and quietly hyper-intense performance in this darkly moody and tangibly atmospheric effort from writer (based on Louis Bayard\u2019s novel)\/director Scott Cooper. Bale portrays a detective trying to solve an inexplicable murder in 19th<\/sup> century New York with the aid of a young Edgar Allan Poe (an also excellent Harry Melling). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pale Blue Eye <\/em>is an effective and engrossing mystery\/thriller that contains beautifully dark cinematography (by Masanobu Takayanagi) and some otherwise excellent filmmaking. Its deliberate pace is hypnotic at its best, but sporadically sluggish at its worst. The two-hour-plus film could have easily been trimmed a good ten to fifteen minutes of its runtime to provide a steadier pace. Looking past this, however, The Pale Blue Eye <\/em>still has a number of wonderful surprises and is an overall mesmerizing and impressive piece of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Evan Rachel Wood in Phoenix Rising<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Phoenix Rising<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This two-part documentary centers on actress Evan Rachel Wood outing her abuser, shock rocker Marilyn Manson, a decade after their toxic relationship ended. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phoenix Rising <\/em>is an inspiring and heartfelt look into surviving and standing up to emotional and physical abuse. Though the slightly unfocused and sometimes redundant film would have been more impactful if it were presented as a standalone feature with a half-hour shorter runtime, it still manages to make its point with clarity, empathy, and painstaking honesty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tom Hanks in Pinocchio<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pinocchio<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This (kind of) live-action retelling of the Walt Disney animated classic about a puppet who is on a mission to become a real boy is a simple and direct pleasure. The film doesn\u2019t hold much appeal for adults, but it\u2019s charming and innocent enough to bring out the kid in you for nearly a couple of hours, regardless. Director Robert Zemeckis and his team\u2019s filmmaking is solid, the songs are mercifully brief, and Tom Hanks\u2019 lead live-action performance as Geppetto is as loveable and as integrity laden as the actor has ever been.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Amber Midthunder in Prey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Prey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This prequel to the Predator <\/em>series, about an alien race that hunts humans for sport, is set three hundred years in the past and features the titular antagonist sparring with a female Comanche warrior (an intensely focused Amber Midthunder). Though the outcome of each action sequence is relatively predictable, director Dan Trachtenberg still keeps us engaged with tight pacing and sturdy staging. Prey <\/em>may not be overly wowing, but it does still manage to be highly entertaining for most of its duration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rebecca Hall in Resurrection<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Resurrection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A single mother (Rebecca Hall) is terrified to discover that her abusive and controlling ex (Tim Roth) is slowly reappearing back into her life after years of absence. Hardly a conventional thriller, Resurrection <\/em>deserves credit for taking what could have been a very formulaic premise and doing something highly expressive, thought-provokingly complex, and oddly surreal with it. Though it doesn\u2019t fully come together in the end or make its points entirely clear, the film is too unique to be written off without, at the very least, partially appreciating its courageousness and originality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shaina Schrooten and Caito Aase in Revealer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Revealer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A stripper (Caito Aase) and a religious zealot (Shaina Schrooten) must face the apocalypse in \u201880s-set Chicago while being trapped together in a peep show booth. Despite its sometimes-slow pacing and an occasionally unclear storyline, Revealer<\/em> mostly lives up to its amusing premise and provokes thought while delivering scares and laughs. Aase and Schrooten are both excellent in their lead roles, carrying the weight of the movie and inhabiting their roles with lifelike ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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N.T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan Teja in RRR<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

RRR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This relentlessly kinetic and endlessly inventive Hindi film centers on real-life Indian revolutionaries\/freedom fighters Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) and Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan Teja). The film\u2019s depiction of their friendship, forced antagonism, and eventual team-up against British colonialist invaders is purely and, in the best possible way, ridiculously fictional, however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RRR<\/em>\u2019s many action sequences and its few musical numbers are brilliantly executed and loaded with emotion and imagination. Its protagonists are admirable and likable, and their motivations are always clearly defined. You never feel the film\u2019s three-hour runtime (which is no small feat), and it consistently feels like it is simply bursting with impressive skill, intelligent and amusingly absurd humor, and extraordinarily sincere heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dustin Hoffman, Schuyler Fisk, Sissy Spacek, and Jake Hoffman in Sam & Kate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sam & Kate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A curmudgeonly elderly man (Dustin Hoffman) begins dating a hoarder (Sissy Spacek) around the same time their grown children (Hoffman\u2019s real-life son, Jake Hoffman, and Spacek\u2019s real-life daughter, Schuyler Fisk) begin seeing one another. Sam & Kate <\/em>is highly affable and emotionally moving without containing a single contrived moment or false note. It presents its complex characters with realism and care, never shying away from life\u2019s harsher realities but never dwelling on them to the point of being depressing. It\u2019s a thoughtful, beautifully acted, and all-around well-made film that is ultimately as heartwarming as it is achingly honest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scream<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Scream<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This self-described \u201crequel\u201d to the Scream <\/em>series sees a new killer in the Ghostface mask stalking a new group of hip and attractive youngsters, some of whom, like previous franchise characters, participate in the film\u2019s meta-awareness and commentary of horror movie \u201crules.\u201d The new actors overall do a fine job with roles that are only occasionally interesting or fully developed. The return of Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and David Arquette is welcome, as they all provide the film with the nostalgia it needs to appeal to fans of the original films.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s just not enough inspiration or freshness to its design to make this new Scream <\/em>movie as memorable as the original films. Though it has a couple of nice surprises and contains sequences of aggressive suspense and brutality that are effective in and of themselves, the overall impact of the film is, unfortunately, rather dull.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan in See How They Run<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

See How They Run<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This endlessly enjoyable, charming, and witty mystery\/comedy centers on a backstage murder during a 1950s theatrical run of Agatha Christie\u2019s The Mousetrap <\/em>while its Hollywood film adaptation is in the midst of pre-production. <\/em>Sam Rockwell is simply brilliant as a burnt-out inspector who is assigned to the case and given a new partner in the form of a young constable\/sergeant-in-training (an affably na\u00efve, comically uptight, and all-around pitch-perfect Saoirse Ronan). See How They Run <\/em>is an inventive, fun, and funny film that provides highly amusing and engrossing escapist entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Carey Mulligan and Zoey Kazan in She Said<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

She Said<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Centering on the 2017 New York Times <\/em>article that first exposed producer Harvey Weinstein as a sexual predator, this carefully handled, finely acted, and thoughtfully written film is a revelatory examination of the power and courage behind standing up to abuse. Completely avoiding all forms of sensationalism and exploitation, the film matter-of-factly relays its story through conversation and pained, hindsight reactions to the central abuse that drives it. The only downside to the film\u2019s consistent integrity is that it sometimes lacks dramatic punch, something the intellectually stimulating film needs a tad more of to drive its point home on a more emotional level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That being said, She Said <\/em>is a highly intelligent and thought-provoking film that examines a very disturbing piece of recent history with endless class, good intentions, and impressive skill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Caitlin Stasey in Smile<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Smile<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A psychiatric doctor with a troubled past (the excellent Sosie Bacon) witnesses a patient\u2019s suicide, then experiences horrifying visions that could possibly lead to her demise. Smile <\/em>is a smart, deliberately paced, and wholly terrifying horror effort that relies on simple but effective jump scares as much as it relies on intelligent, searing, and inescapable psychological horror. The film is, simply put, the best of both worlds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film has some minor faults, as it does take a little too long to find its footing in the beginning and its sometimes-sluggish pacing occasionally threatens to hurt its momentum. However, Smile <\/em>is still an unforgettably creepy and disturbing film that uncomfortably lingers in its viewer\u2019s psyche long after it\u2019s over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chris Hemsworth in Spiderhead<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Spiderhead<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This endearingly strange film offers a unique but messy blend of drama, humor, and science fiction. It is a bit too tonally haphazard to be considered great, but it\u2019s also too interesting and original to be examined without praise. Spiderhead <\/em>is a fascinating, though sometimes clumsy, film that knows what it\u2019s trying to say but sometimes has a little trouble saying it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris Hemsworth appears to be having a blast with his portrayal of a quirky, eighties rock-loving mad scientist who conducts drug experiments on prisoners. Miles Teller and Jurnee Smollett are both excellent in leading and supporting lead roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Robert Downey Sr. and Robert Downey Jr. in Sr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sr.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This extremely touching, highly personal, and painfully forthright documentary focuses on legendary underground filmmaker, Robert Downey Sr. The film is an exploration of his provocative and endlessly innovative work, his relationship with his celebrated actor son, and his complex feelings about his life as he reaches the end of it. Sr. <\/em>is a valuable and heartful exploration of an inescapable artist and a wholly individualistic man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Staircase<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This eight-part, reality-based miniseries focuses on Michael Peterson (Colin Firth) and nearly two decades of legal battles to clear his name of murdering his wife (Toni Colette). Creator, co-writer, and director of six episodes, Antonio Campos (The Devil All the Time<\/em>), delivers a staggeringly watchable story that never ceases to be riveting for the entirety of its over-eight-hour duration. Consistently mesmerizing to the point of being downright hypnotic, The Staircase <\/em>is a prime example of a richly developed story that benefits from, and doesn\u2019t merely adjust to, its ongoing series format. Its events couldn\u2019t have been conveyed as fully or satisfyingly in any other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The simply outstanding Firth delivers a highly complex and appropriately ambiguous performance. He portrays an inherently flawed and painfully human character, never once tipping his hat towards Peterson\u2019s guilt or innocence. Colette, Juliette Binoche, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Dane DeHaan, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sophie Turner, Odessa Young, and the remainder of the supporting cast all deliver equally outstanding and deeply thoughtful performances. On just about every level, The Staircase <\/em>is a massively impressive achievement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cate Blanchett in Tar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

T\u00e1r<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though it is impeccably crafted and performed, there is little enjoyment to be found in this fictional study of a celebrated, world-renowned composer\/conductor (Cate Blanchett). Writer\/director Todd Field\u2019s return to the director\u2019s chair after an over-fifteen-year absence (his last effort is the excellent 2006 drama, Little Children) is a welcome one, but it would have been nice if he\u2019d chosen\/created material that contains a little more dramatic urgency. T\u00e1r has a number of exceptional qualities, but being interesting and engaging for the majority of its duration is not among them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film eventually has something to say about cancel culture and the corruption that power often begets. However, it takes far too long to get to its point and runs the risk of losing its audience by the time it does. T\u00e1r is the cinematic equivalent of studying for a final exam: it feels much better having done it than it does actually doing it. In other words, there is much to admire about the film after it is over, but sitting through it is nothing short of a laborious and painstaking chore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kevin Bacon in They\/Them<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

They\/Them<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gladiator <\/em>and The Aviator <\/em>screenwriter John Logan makes his directorial debut with this challenging, thought-provoking, and unsettling horror film. Taking place in a gay conversion camp led by a charmingly sadistic Kevin Bacon, the film focuses more on the internal struggles of the camp\u2019s inhabitants than it does the masked killer who seems to be hunting them all. They\/Them <\/em>is a thoughtful slasher film that only occasionally contains slashing. While this allows room for in-depth character study, it also makes the film intermittently lose focus and have minor but noticeable pacing issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though it has its faults, They\/Them <\/em>overall succeeds due to its unique point of view, topical storyline, and the exceptional talent both in front of and behind the camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, and Chris Hemsworth in Thor: Love and Thunder<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thor: Love and Thunder<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe centers on everyone\u2019s favorite god of thunder (Chris Hemsworth) taking on a new villain, Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), with the aid of his ex-girlfriend (Natalie Portman), who has discovered a way to carry and execute Thor\u2019s powers. There\u2019s a lot of potential to be found in Thor: Love and Thunder<\/em>. While a good deal of this potential is realized, an equal amount of it is squandered by a predominantly silly tone and oftentimes forced humor that don\u2019t organically blend with the overall storyline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are still many positives to be found in the film, as it is just as lively, entertaining, and inventive in some parts as it is mildly obnoxious, uninspired, and scattered in others. It\u2019s just too bad that the best and most interesting aspects of the film (Thor\u2019s adventures with The Guardians of the Galaxy, Portman\u2019s realization of her new powers, Bale\u2019s fascinating performance and character) take a backseat to juvenile jokes that only occasionally work, tiring spectacle, and action sequences that are too derivative of Thor\u2019s previous adventures to be noteworthy or memorable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba in Three Thousand Years of Longing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Three Thousand Years of Longing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This variation of the genie-in-the-bottle storyline is quite the antithesis to its director George Miller\u2019s previous film, Mad Max: Fury Road. <\/em>Since that movie is a masterpiece in just about every way, however, that\u2019s not necessarily a good thing. Three Thousand Years of Longing <\/em>is an overall sluggishly paced and dramatically flat film that forgets to engage its audience. Stars Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton give committed and professional performances, but the stale writing of their characters keeps them uninteresting and undefined. It being a Miller film, there are some beautiful visuals and some rare moments of stylistic ingenuity, but it\u2019s not enough to save the film from primarily being a hopeless bore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Top Gun: Maverick<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tom Cruise returns as Maverick, the iconic character that made him a bona fide movie star in the eighties, in this long overdue sequel to Top Gun<\/em>. In terms of story and character, the film is essentially a retread of ground already covered in the original film. Its biggest fault involves a very forced romance between Cruise and Jennifer Connelly that falls completely flat and pretty much wastes the latter\u2019s talents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An otherwise good performance from Cruise, impressive work by the young ensemble cast (Miles Teller, Monica Barbaro, Lewis Pullman, Glen Powell, etc.), and some truly breathtaking aerial cinematography and choreography make up for the film\u2019s lack of originality. As formulaic and overtly nostalgic as it may be, Top Gun: Maverick<\/em> still manages to be an overall impressive filmmaking achievement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Woody Harrelson in Triangle of Sadness<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Triangle of Sadness<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Centering on a group of rich and privileged passengers aboard a luxury cruise ship, Triangle of Sadness <\/em>is a refreshingly unpredictable, bold, and scathingly hilarious satire that examines (amongst many things) the flaws of capitalism and upper-class entitlement. The overly-long film\u2019s loose pacing and its sprawling and meandering structure occasionally make it tiresome to sit through, but the otherwise intelligent nature of its screenplay, along with some solid filmmaking and excellent performances, make such faults overall forgivable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, however, the film\u2019s abrupt ending, which aspires to be cleverly ambiguous, notably hurts it by making it feel frustratingly unfinished. There is still much to admire about Triangle of Sadness<\/em>, despite it falling short in a few capacities that prevent it from reaching the masterwork status that it comes so close to achieving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sandra Oh in Umma<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Umma<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sandra Oh gives an excellent performance as a woman who is psychologically and spiritually haunted by her deceased mother (MeeWha Alana Lee). Umma <\/em>uses the horror genre to explore realistic complexities and intricacies that are found in mother\/daughter relationships. Though the film contains its fair share of horrific moments, it\u2019s overall more thoughtful and revelatory than it is terrifying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writer\/director Iris K. Shim is more concerned with the psychology and emotional reality of her characters than she is with pleasing genre fans. This makes for an interesting, relatable, and adult-oriented film. However, Umma <\/em>only partially reaches its goal to be scary and never fully manages to get under our skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicolas Cage stars as Nick Cage in this wildly inventive ode to the world-famous thespian. The meta film centers on a plot where Cage is paid one million dollars to attend a massive fan\u2019s (a surprisingly hilarious Pedro Pascal) birthday party, then somehow finds himself working undercover for the CIA. The film is exciting, hilarious, and bonkers in all the right ways. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent<\/em> is a must-see film that both spoofs and celebrates one of cinema\u2019s most creative and powerful performers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tom Holland in Uncharted<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Uncharted<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uncharted <\/em>is an action yarn based on a popular video game series of the same name. Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, and Sophia Ali star, portraying small-time criminals who go on an archaeological hunt for old pirate ships and lost gold. The actors do their best to add life and humanity to their underdeveloped characters and the screenplay\u2019s overly busy storyline, but they can only do so much. Despite a couple of thrilling action sequences, the cluttered film is ultimately more tiresome and numbing than it is exciting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Director Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland<\/em>) obviously knows how to deliver a funny and entertaining actioner, he just needs a better script with a more unique concept for his next effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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B.J. Novak and Ashton Kutcher in Vengeance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Vengeance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A New York podcaster (B.J. Novak) is mistaken by the members of a small-town Texas family to be the true love of their deceased family member that he only casually dated, and soon gets entangled in the mysterious circumstances surrounding her untimely death. Also the writer and director, Novak delivers a quirkily and darkly funny yet, at times, sincerely poignant dramatic mystery that relies more on character development and character interaction than it does on hitting progressive plot points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film, on rare occasions, loses focus and it also doesn\u2019t quite reach the full potential of its dramatic impact in the end. However, Vengeance <\/em>is still, overall, a captivating, surprising, and movingly heartfelt feature debut from an impressively solid filmmaking talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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David Harbour in Violent Night<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Violent Night

<\/strong>David Harbour stars as a burnt-out and embittered Santa Claus who rediscovers the spirit of Christmas when he is forced to battle brutal mercenaries who have taken a wealthy family hostage. The easily likable Harbor is equal parts comedy gold and action-movie-badass, successfully conveying a wide range of endlessly entertaining emotions. Though the film\u2019s running time could have been shaved down to create a more consistently kinetic pace, Violent Night <\/em>is still a gleefully violent, darkly humorous, and amusingly atypical way to enjoy some holiday cheer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dario Argento and Francoise Lebrun in Vortex<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Vortex<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though far more toned down and introspective than the aggressive bouts of cinematic psychedelia for which he is best known, this Gaspar No\u00e9 film is no less innovative or profound than his previous efforts. Centering on an elderly married couple (Dario Argento and Francoise Lebrun) whose lives are under duress due to the wife\u2019s increasingly debilitating dementia, the film is a brutally honest and lifelike depiction of the devastation that mental decay causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film utilizes long, often interrupted takes that sometimes threaten to be gratuitous but also ground the film in a very deliberately paced reality. Split screen effects are also used throughout to highlight the increasing disconnection between the two characters. No\u00e9\u2019s inventive filmmaking, along with his newfound sensitivity and restraint, makes Vortex <\/em>an unforgettable experience that bravely explores a very harsh and painful reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Maika Monroe in Watcher<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Watcher<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A young woman (portrayed by an overall believable but sporadically flat Maika Monroe) moves with her husband (a charming but somewhat too relaxed Karl Glusman) to Romania and soon becomes obsessed with the idea that a man is stalking her. Watcher <\/em>is the kind of frustrating horror\/thriller whose plot progression is far too reliant upon unrealistically convenient story beats and the stupidity and unbelievably poor decisions of its protagonist. Though it is primarily well-made and contains a surprisingly intense and effective climax, the film never fully recovers from its sometimes-lazy writing and slightly uncommitted lead performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Leighton Meester in The Weekend Away<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Weekend Away<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A new mother (Leighton Meester) takes a much-needed vacation to Croatia, then soon has to clear her name of murdering her best friend (Christina Wolfe). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Weekend Away <\/em>is like a Lifetime movie without the cheesy, guilty pleasure fun factor. There is no life or heart to the film, as it is merely a bland experience consisting of highly implausible events and underdeveloped character motivations. Though the film has a few nice (though highly unbelievable) surprises, they\u2019re not enough to make up for its highly uninteresting and dully executed storyline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: C-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Daniel Radcliffe in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This exceedingly clever and highly absurd spoof of the biopic format (kind of) tells the life story of parody musician \u201cWeird Al\u201d Yankovic by relaying it through parody. The film, on rare occasions, drags (it probably runs about ten minutes too long) and it doesn\u2019t always take full advantage of its wild premise, but it\u2019s still an overall hilarious and entertaining effort that is ultimately as inventive as it is charming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Radcliffe is pitch-perfect and priceless as Yankovic, playing every moment, even the silliest ones, with complete commitment. Evan Rachel Wood steals every second she\u2019s in front of the camera with a brilliant and endlessly amusing portrayal of a sociopathically ambitious and comically exaggerated Madonna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wendell & Wild<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wendell & Wild<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two demons (voiced by Keegan-Michael Kay and Jordan Peele) take advantage of an orphaned teenager (voiced by Lyric Ross) to return to the land of the living after stealing their boss\u2019 magical hair cream and discovering they can use it to revive the dead. The inspired creative pairing of producer\/voice actor\/co-screenwriter Peele and producer\/co-screenwriter\/director Henry Selick doesn\u2019t quite live up to its promise, as Wendell & Wild <\/em>doesn\u2019t seem to fully belong to either creative visionary and never quite reaches either of their standards for greatness. Though it has an inventive story, dazzling visuals, and contains some of the smoothest and most refined stop-motion animation ever accomplished, the film lacks the heart, vision, and character it needs to fully rank alongside its creators\u2019 most noteworthy accomplishments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Michael Rooker in White Elephant<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

White Elephant<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exceptional talents of cast members Michael Rooker, John Malkovich, and Bruce Willis can\u2019t help this hopelessly sub-mediocre action\/thriller. Though it has plenty of bloody violence, White Elephant <\/em>is low on excitement and entertainment due to its lack of ingenuity and bland execution. It offers absolutely nothing that hasn\u2019t been seen before and done far better. Willis, whose voice sometimes sounds like it was dubbed by a different actor, deserves much more for what is, quite sadly, one of his final film roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: D+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig in White Noise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

White Noise<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig star as a married couple trying to keep their family secure during a potentially apocalyptic scare that involves airborne contamination (or something like that for at least part of the film). Since I have not read Don DeLillo\u2019s source material, I can only assume that writer\/director Noah Baumbach didn\u2019t fully utilize what makes the book such a classic piece of literature for his misguided and dull film adaption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

White Noise<\/em>\u2019s satire is obvious, its obnoxiously quirky tone is overbearing, its forced humor constantly falls flat, its character definitions are unclear, its story is a meandering and confused mess, and its pacing is unbearably uneven. What a colossal waste of time and talent!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: D<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jason Segel, Lily Collins, and Jesse Plemons in Windfall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Windfall<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jason Segel stars as a man who breaks into a tech mogul\u2019s (Jesse Plemons) vacation home, only to be interrupted by his and his wife\u2019s (Lily Collins) unexpected arrival. Windfall <\/em>is a well-acted, well-made thriller that is consistently surprising. The formula-averse film does a fine job of creating the feeling that anything unexpected could happen at any moment. On top of containing large measures of entertainment value, the film also manages to examine and provoke thought on the unfairness of widely separated social classes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though it\u2019s a variant of the home invasion scenario that we\u2019ve seen countless times before, Windfall <\/em>is still an exceptionally intelligent and riveting burst of cinematic intensity that is unpredictable right up to and including its final moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Viola Davis in The Woman King<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Woman King<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This riveting adventure tale is inspired by true events that took place in 19th-century Africa. It centers on a teenage girl (the excellent Thuso Mbedu) who refuses her family\u2019s orders to marry a rich man and, instead, becomes a soldier led by a skilled female general (the typically brilliant Viola Davis).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood successfully balances meaty character drama with historical insight and thrilling, expertly staged battle sequences. Though the film\u2019s momentum is occasionally disrupted by its unevenly paced first half, it mostly makes up for it with its near-breathless second half. The Woman King <\/em>is an overall entertaining and enlightening film that exhibits many great performances and impressively skilled filmmaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rooney Mara in Women Talking<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Women Talking<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This thought-provoking and exceptionally powerful film centers on a group of Mennonite women who have suffered physical and sexual abuse at the hands of some of the men in their community. They then have to decide whether to leave their home or stay and forgive those who did them so terribly wrong. Writer (based on the book by Miriam Toews)\/director Sarah Polley delivers a wholly honest, sensitive, and intelligent film that depicts the painful aftermath of male aggression and violence directed toward women. The extraordinary ensemble cast is comprised of such massive talents as Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Frances McDormand, and Ben Whishaw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women Talking <\/em>is a meditative, poetic, and revelatory examination of the unavoidable necessity of female empowerment and independence. It is the perfect antidote to the increasingly overt misogyny found in today\u2019s backward-moving world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: A<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Florence Pugh in The Wonder <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Wonder<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set in 1860s Ireland, a widowed English nurse (a typically impressive and committed Florence Pugh) is hired to observe a young girl (an excellent Kila Lord Cassidy) who has, miraculously, managed to survive after not eating for four months. The film\u2019s deliberate pacing is occasionally tedious but its sturdy filmmaking, rich atmosphere, and focused performances prevent it from being a chore through which to endure. Not exactly riveting though far from dull, The Wonder <\/em>is an overall success that could have used a bit more dramatic power to properly communicate its fascinating storyline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bruce Willis in Wrong Place<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wrong Place<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally! A latter-stage, low-budget Bruce Willis movie where he is actually in it a significant amount and deserves the top billing he receives. In the film, Willis plays a security guard who witnesses a crime, then has to rescue his kidnapped daughter (Ashley Greene) from the criminal who is trying to keep him silent. Wrong Place <\/em>is an overall predictable action\/thriller but it still delivers some moderately good entertainment due to some solid performances, tight pacing, and engaging action. It\u2019s nothing special and is obviously cheaply made but it\u2019s still great to see Willis doing his thing with a role that is meaty enough to deserve his presence and talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRADE: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 355 The 355 may boast an impressive array of acting talent (Jessica Chastain, Penelope Cruz, Bingbing Fan, Lupita Nyong\u2019o, Diane Kruger, Sebastian Stan, Edgar Ramirez) but it fails to be a movie that lives up to the expectations that their presence creates. The film contains some well-executed (though rather underwhelming) action and moderately well-developed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3125,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/otherpeoplesmovies.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2893","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/otherpeoplesmovies.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/otherpeoplesmovies.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/otherpeoplesmovies.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/otherpeoplesmovies.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2893"}],"version-history":[{"count":97,"href":"https:\/\/otherpeoplesmovies.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2893\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4163,"href":"https:\/\/otherpeoplesmovies.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2893\/revisions\/4163"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/otherpeoplesmovies.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/otherpeoplesmovies.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/otherpeoplesmovies.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/otherpeoplesmovies.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}