[5.75/10] Annabelle Comes Home (2019)

Annabelle Comes Home (2019)

Quick Review: More a slow-mover rather than a valid slow-burner, and relying on 'creep factor' instead of scares, as the latter are either too familiar, flimsy, or 'boo', "Annabelle 3" surely takes an advantage of its dread-soaked, if limited setting, the presence of The Warrens, and the solid acting of its leads, but its mere approach, semi-sinister imagery and unremarkable execution make it one mechanical sequel with weak horror impact, devoid of devilry.

[7.50/10] Long Shot (2019)

Long Shot (2019)

Quick Review: Entertaining, smart, frank, raunchy, romantic, and lustful, but above all freaking hilarious, this sharply-written romcom with political flavor perfectly balances hysterical LOL moments with touchy-feely bits of poignant affection, while unveiling some luscious backstage details of governmental life in a curious way, but it's the kooky chemistry between Rogen and Theron that gives "Long Shot" true edge, with the eye-candy Charlize dominating each shot with her staggering charisma.

[4.25/10] After (2019)

After (2019)

Quick Review: Yet another sappy, mawkish, cliched teen romance with a hackneyed seen-it-all-before story featuring a predictable overdramatic twist towards the end, and a cheesy finale, which make the whole thing even cornier, "After" is well-shot and features a couple of alluring young stars who struggle to make the bond between their characters plausible due to an insipid script, hence, fail to evoke any candid emotion or add depth to this Twilight-ish bummer of love affair with no edge.

[5.00/10] The Intruder (2019)

The Intruder (2019)

Quick Review: As predictable and corny as its title suggests, but also occasionally fun and hardly boring, mostly thanks to Quaid loony turn as the obsessive Charlie with cruel intentions, "The Intruder" is your typical '90s-inspired home invasion stalker thriller with a bit of a twist, let down by an implausible plot full of ludicrous situations, heavily cliched characters who act illogically for the most part, and lack of tangible thrills to back up its otherwise disturbing premise, if nothing else.

[6.25/10] The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019)

The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019)

Quick Review: With an even more vivid use of color and graphics, this eye-catching animated sequel is as magnificent to look at as it's easy on the brain, due to its mild  'strictly for children' approach, playful plot, and amusing slapstick humor, but where "The Secret Life of Pets 2" indeed succeeds the most is the accurately hilarious way it depicts the behavior and habits of its adorably furry pet characters, who all delight with their heart-melting cuteness.

[6.50/10] Giant Little Ones (2019)

Giant Little Ones (2019)

Quick Review: It's the brilliant use of music that makes big impression at first, but apart from its technical excellence and clever directing, this heartfelt, honest and genuine queer movie also gives an intimate look at coming-out and explores sexuality in an intelligent and sensual way by concerning society and gender with more and more depth as the story unfolds, focusing on Franky's tough journey through isolation, confusion, abandonment, rocky relations, and his growth as a person.

[7.00/10] The Mustang (2019)

The Mustang (2019)

Quick Review: It might not be the most inventive horse-human bond story ever created, but it's the gritty, yet sensual approach, the profound character study with a heavy touch of poignant family drama, and the harsh prison setting that contrast with the sensitive subject matter that make the finely-shot "The Mustang" one deeply emotional and personal tale of redemption and forgiveness with a powerhouse performance by Matthias Schoenaerts, backed by a brilliant secondary cast.

[5.25/10] Murder Mystery (2019)

Murder Mystery (2019)

Quick Review: The outdoors of pretty Monaco and the posh indoors of the luxurious yacht, most of the action takes place in, make this mix of mystery and comedy a pleasure to look at, helped by the on-screen allure of Jennifer Aniston, who also brings most of the jokes, but neither the latter evoke any big laughs, nor the been-there-done-that mystery is intriguing enough to raise "Murder Mystery" above mediocrity, despite the director's attempts at lightweight brainless entertainment.

[4.75/10] Maria (2019)

Maria (2019)

Quick Review: It is always fun to watch an attractive, fragile-looking female kicking hard some asses like a real badass chick, which the pretty Reyes successfully achieves as the rebellious title character, but sadly, that is pretty much everything that "Maria" offers as an action movie, with all the rest being a forgettable mixture of an insipid, awfully generic plot, real cheesy dialogues, useless torture scenes and bad guys that are so ludicrously stereotypical that they become laughable.

[6.75/10] Ma (2019)

Ma (2019)

Quick Review: It has several flaws and noticeable plot holes you can't neglect, plus, it does take some time until the movie gets in a full-on crazy mode, but Tate Taylor's "Ma" is still a darkly campy, amusingly freaky, and visually gloomy take on teen horror that delivers well-balanced amounts of chills, shocks, torture, gore, and suspense, and mainly benefits from Spencer's unsettling central turn as the possessive, manipulative, nutty, violent, vengeful, and troubled Ma, who is also oddly likable.

[6.75/10] Always Be My Maybe (2019)

Always Be My Maybe (2019)

Quick Review: Revolving around the up-n-down relationship between two childhood buddies-turned-lovers with contrasting personalities and statuses, this refreshing, zesty, and quirky Asian-Asian romance is filled with moments of hilarious zaniness and sweet awkwardness, but also plenty of emotions, with Wong and Park's oddball chemistry and frank acting being the engine of the film, and the hysterical 'Keanu' part one 'bananas' of a highlight.

[5.50/10] Dark Phoenix [3D] (2019)

Dark Phoenix [3D] (2019)

Quick Review: A bland, disjointed, lazily-directed, emotionally lackluster and underwhlmingly simplified recap of The Dark Phoenix Saga, this final entry in the X-Men series has a few visually arresting set pieces with hip CGIs and entertaining action, but it burns out to ashes the potential of its fiery protagonist, due to a flawed script devoid of wit, humor, soul, and coherence, a recycled plot with stale ideas, nearly wasted ensemble cast, and a cool-looking villain that is as futile as the movie itself.

[6.50/10] Gloria Bell (2019)

Gloria Bell (2019)

Quick Review: It can be perceived as either a quietly gloomy character drama about loneliness, or a funny dramedy about an eccentric woman embracing the freedom and joy of life, and as indefinite and uneven as it is, "Gloria Bell" succeeds as a tender, moving, and oddly enjoyable personal story with a fine touch of romance, led wholeheartedly by the outstanding performance by Moore as the melancholic titular character, who's loopy happy-sad personality is oddly easy to relate to.

[6.00/10] Wine Country (2019)

Wine Country (2019)

Quick Review: It finely gathers an ensemble cast of comically talented and charming actresses who work together like a well-oiled machine, creating a credible and sweet bond, and bringing some mild laughs here and there, despite the 'vanilla' light-on-wit script they have to work with, but for a lightweight comedy about middle-aged women rebuilding their old friendship, while enjoying, wine, nature, and spending a good time together, "Wine Country" is a fresh- looking, pleasurable film.

[6.75/10] I Am Mother (2019)

I Am Mother (2019)

Quick Review: As visually slick as it is ambitious, "I Am Mother" deftly combines a snazzy design work and increasingly taut story with a brainy take on A.I. and subtly-delivered, if vital social commentary, with the end result being a cleverly futuristic sci- fi flick with one of the most intriguing robots in recent cinematic history, an all-female cast who are equally as engaging in their roles, and an intelligent script that luckily achieves originality, despite its flaw to reveal a bit too much too soon.

[7.25/10] Rocketman (2019)

Rocketman (2019)

Quick Review: As entertaining and fun as it's accurate, this retro biopic may lack supreme musical numbers and spectacular on-stage acts, but it's light jukebox approach provides all the joy you'd expect from a music film about one of the biggest queer stars of the 1970's, plus, its glits 'n glam visual style contrasts brilliantly with Elton John's emotional states and personal life struggles, but it's Egerton's remarkably dedicated turn that makes the glossy "Rocketman" such a delight to watch.

[5.25/10] We Have Always Lived in the Castle (2019)

We Have Always Lived in the Castle (2019)

Quick Review: It wins some points for atmosphere and dread, as well as the sinister old mansion setting, authentic vintage feel, and above all the superb cast, with Stan deserving a special mention for his nutty turn, but this old school mystery drama about isolation and paranoia is way too low-key in its approach, despite the surprising amount of violence it contains, and this profound subtlety often works against it, even during the ghastly tragic finale.

[7.25/10] The Professor and the Madman (2019)

The Professor and the Madman (2019)

Quick Review: Telling to equally as compelling personal stories, the one being brilliantly educational, and the other subtly disturbing, merged into one captivating whole with emotional and dramatic depth, this beautifully shot, written and acted movie may be a bit too convoluted at times, but the informative plot, intelligent, often witty dialogues, refined period looks, and the two winner of performances by Gibson and Penn make it a really precious cinematic piece.

[6.25/10] Godzilla: King of the Monsters [3D] (2019)

Godzilla: King of the Monsters [3D] (2019)

Quick Review: Don't expect much 'fun' from this loud, murky, muddled, and humorless Godzilla sequel with corny script and nonsensical plot, in which the humans have less brains than the giant creatures, but at least "KoM" offers a supersized spectacle of titanic kaiju battles and shattering mass destruction, enhanced by first- class effects, although it under-uses some of its beasts, namely Mothra, along with most of its otherwise top- notch international cast.

[6.50/10] Booksmart (2019)

Booksmart (2019)

Quick Review: Smart in quirky way, if hardly any groundbreaking, Olivia Wilde's debut feature puts a fresh spin on coming-of-age dramedy by putting a queer twist on the familiar high school friendship subject in a frankly candid manner, "Booksmart" is all about the genuine relationship between two underdog girls, played so credibly by Dever and Feldstein, whose chemistry is the driving force, but it is also the sharp dialogues, witty sense of humor, and vigor that turn it into such a winner.