“While some metaphors seem rather self-explanatory, Fukada effectively develops a multifaceted character by transforming Ichiko from a collateral victim into an accomplice. ‘A Girl Missing’ highlights the importance of knowing when to speak up and when to stay silent.”
“What ‘Tigers Are Not Afraid’ doesn’t contain in terms of deep characters and real-world specificity, it makes up for with its supernatural elements, allowing its allegory to resonate.”
“‘Luz’ may be a distancing film, but it’s ultimately a fascinating and genuinely creepy one, forging as it does a bold new vision for the tired old demon possession movie, taking a cue from the demons of the subgenre and putting new life into its subject.”
“If ‘Manipulator’ is Segall’s White Album, and ‘Emotional Mugger’ his ‘Magical Mystery Tour,’ then ‘First Taste’ might be his ‘Abbey Road’: brazenly eclectic yet wonderfully cohesive; deeply personal yet superbly tuneful.”
“Reflecting and refracting the ongoing conversations around everything from the salary inequity between male and female soccer players to the alleged child sex trafficking hellscape perpetuated by Jeffrey Epstein, ‘Maiden’ can be read as both time capsule and time bomb.”
“The questions ‘New Money’ poses are numerous and mostly left unanswered. The film is scattershot at times and tonally inconsistent throughout, flirting with elements of a crime thriller and a goofy comedy.”
“It’s a cruel world, but with music like this around, we are never truly alone.”
“‘Late Night’ struggles to define almost all the characters in the ensemble beyond providing the majority with a single, instantly recognizable trait.”
“Written and directed by Michael K. Feinstein, ‘The Browsing Effect’ highlights the beauty of lasting connections. Despite pressing too hard on social media tropes, the film includes numerous charming performances and genuine laugh-out-loud moments.”
“Ioanna Gika has evolved from a promising artist to a fully-fledged talent to be reckoned with. Her uncommon, authentic voice has been sorely missed; it’s good to have her back.”
“There is nothing quite like a Ty Segall show. Witnessing this talented wunderkind and his equally spectacular band in a live setting is nothing short of mind-blowing (and eardrum-rupturing, for that matter).”
“Rodriguez’s battle scenes and the performance capture acting of Rosa Salazar (Alita) are shining aspects of the film, but not enough to render it praiseworthy overall.”
“Where DC trades in grim realism and Marvel does the whole snarky, joke-a-minute thing, the Shyamalanverse is a flavor all its own, a world where superheroes exist, but they don’t wear capes and their lives are usually pretty awful.”
“The vibrant and explosive opening credits sequence sets the tone for an action-packed story that truly feels real and allows women to feel empowered.”
“The biopic-wary should applaud ‘On the Basis of Sex’ for its avoidance of the temptation to cover a longer chronology of Bader Ginsburg’s life and career.”
“‘They Shall Not Grow Old’ is such an apt title because the experiences of these soldiers are made entirely immediate, through both technical and narrative care. Peter Jackson reaches into the past and immortalizes those lives through film.”
“Dramatic license is so much a given that discussions of authenticity are as damned as they are damning.”
“To use a gaming term, it’s got replay value, but it might leave those looking for a cohesive, more-traditional narrative choosing a different path.”
“‘For Some Inexplicable Reason’ strains for authenticity but only registers as a compendium of conventions familiar to the tired subgenre of the post-collegiate dramedy.”
“With all its supporting superheroes and hints of story threads, ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ is bankable for sequels and spin-offs. As long as there’s creative juice for this world, any follow-up would feel inspired.”