“Cuddly Toys” is Sharp Around the Edges
An impossible balancing act that somehow comes together, Cuddly Toys is blisteringly unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.
“Sawtooth Mountain” Looks for Elusive Scares & Bigfoot
Sawtooth Mountain holds its hairy cards to its chest, but confidently deals a tension-building hand in a game of survival that’s buoyed by a strong cast of actors.
“Nimrods” Can’t Make Mainstream Punk
Nimrods needs more bite to match the fervor of the punks who paved the way.
“The End of Oak Street” Cares More about its Dinos Than its Humans
The End of Oak Street has wrapped itself in the trappings of the blockbuster greats of yesteryear without seeing it through all the way.
The More You Think About “One Night Only,” the Crazier it Becomes
One Night Only is a small stumbling block on the road to a rom com renaissance, with brief moments of glory.
Locarno: “Bruton” is Another Showcase of Theo Rossi’s Greatness
Bruton acts as both a character study and a succinct exploration of the reality of the Florida prison system. It offers no judgment, just the quiet observation Grashaw does best.
“The Best Pizza is in LA” is a Cheesy Love Letter to the City of Angels
The Best Pizza Is in LA is a love letter to a city, one delicious bite at a time.
“Mustache” is a Delight
In order to enjoy Mustache, you just have to be willing to go back to the awkward teenage years of finding yourself — the often uncomfortable, sometimes profound, and always shifting time when the tickle of a prepubescent mustache can change the world.
“Sheep in the Box” Doesn’t Open the Lid on AI
What Sheep in the Box needs is Kore-eda’s trademark humanistic touch, and it’s a shame it’s missing.
“Her Private Hell” Begs for a Sense of Direction
If nothing else, Her Private Hell gives the gift of big screens still taking a chance on something weird.
“The Calling Witch” Blends Fiction & Fear
The Calling Witch is a slow burn that doesn’t rush or worry about hitting a quota of scares. It’s more interested in plumbing what it means to be a family.
“The Odyssey” Doesn’t Tread a New Path
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is an undeniable feat of filmmaking, but one that struggles to make sense of its mortal purpose.
“The Invite” is a Voyeur’s Dream
“One should always be in love. That is the reason one should never marry.” The Invite probes the 21st-century idea of marriage, love, sex, and everything in between.
“Tender” Asks if the American Dream is Enough
Tender is about getting what you want and still being forced to wonder, is this enough?
“Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass” Asks How Far You’d Go to Bang Jon Hamm
The premise is simple, the journey winding, and the jokes pile up by the minute. Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is silly, good fun, something we need a lot more of.
Tribeca: “The Last Day” Swelters in What Could Have Been
The Last Day is hazy and heavy, like the weight of our life’s choices as they come to a frightening flashpoint.
“The Boy with the Light-Blue Eyes” is a Isolationist Fairytale Warning
Much like Wicker Man, The Boy with the Light-Blue Eyes shows the convergence of tradition, isolation, and violence.
“Supergirl” Takes Flight
Kara is a different type of hero. One who’s rough around the edges, but whose heart has the same goal. To be good. To help those in need. Supergirl will make you a summer blockbuster believer again.
“The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel” Looks at Fear’s Impact on Connection
The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel is a thoughtfully intimate documentary about life’s ebbs and flows, and the metaphorical boat we build to weather these highs and lows.
“Sender” Mails Paranoia to the Home
Sender is a paranoid horror for the modern era, one that blends dark humor and genuine eeriness to create an anxiety-twinged package of our times.