“‘Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever’ is formulaic to a fault… however, keep an eye on Fanny Bornedal. It won’t be long until she headlines (or co-headlines) a high-profile TV series or film on a major streaming service.”
“Rosman builds to a powerful resolution and ideal ending moment in ‘New Life,’ using gore and traditional methods to escalate the tension, and then pulls the rug away from the audience — a reminder of who’s in control, a tease of what’s to come.”
“A film designed as a long-form music video doesn’t need heavy exposition to reach its ultimate truth, as ‘Challengers’ communicates the most important facts through sound design, reaction shots and shared character moments.”
“Tynan DeLong’s ‘Dad & Step-Dad’ finds comedic gold in awkward silence and silly stare-downs.”
“Unfortunately, it takes about 90 minutes for ‘Irena’s Vow’ to find its aesthetic and narrative groove.”
“‘La Chimera’ will hopefully inspire movie lovers of all ages to learn more about not only Italian cinema, but also the specificities of regional (and rural) Italian culture.”
“‘Project Dorothy’ has nothing meaningful to say about the lingering AI threat to humanity.”
“Part of the film’s effectiveness lies in the iceberg-style storytelling, which respects the audience’s intelligence by showing and addressing crime scene evidence without detailing the grisly specifics.”
“‘Hundreds of Beavers’ stands on its own as one of the best rollercoaster-like films of the 2020s, but there’s also potential for a silent cinema-themed series starring Tews and Graves.”
“Poots isn’t just good in ‘Baltimore’ — she’s breathtakingly brilliant.”
“Schießer’s Amazon film is an imaginative thriller, one that requires the performers to think visually like the director.”
“‘Lovely, Dark, and Deep’ teases a bright filmmaking future for Sutherland while spotlighting one of the horror genre’s most promising stars.”
“Lili Simmons plays it perfectly in ‘Double Down South,’ a cinematic descendant of the modern gambling classics ‘Rounders’ and ‘Mississippi Grind.'”
“Shifting timelines in ‘Lee Fields: Faithful Man’ spotlight the subject’s fighter mentality and relevance in 2020s pop culture.”
“It’s amazing what an emerging writer-director can accomplish by staying true to the basic elements of filmmaking and then building upon the foundation by applying a creative vision to a relatively simple yet regionally specific story.”
“‘Air Force One Down’ stalls during the middle act but ultimately finds it groove, choppy as the writing may be overall.”
“Despite the hollow philosophizing, ‘Molli and Max in the Future’ offers a surrealistic blend of popcorn entertainment and classic Hollywood appeal.”
“‘Marmalade’ isn’t a great film, and many high-brow critics will presumably dismiss it as ‘rotten’ nonsense, but there’s something special within the overall approach that suggests a bright filmmaking future for O’Donnell.”
“Al Rasheed’s feature directorial debut succeeds through its cultural specificities, enlightening cinematography and authentic performances.”
“Kim mostly hits the mark with ‘Man on the Run,’ even if some of the Adam McKay-style filmmaking choices don’t land particularly well.”