[6.25/10] Skin (2019)

Skin (2019)

Quick Review: It is no "American Story X", that's for sure, as it could have dug way deeper into both, its sensitive topic and protagonist, but for all its bleak shallowness, "Skin" is a solid story of one man's mental and physical transformation, driven by true love, and all the struggles and obstacles he needs to face in order to grow and keep his beloved, with Jamie Bell living and breathing Bryon, by delivering one emotional rollercoaster of a performance that deserves credit by itself.

[5.75/10] Point Blank (2019)

Point Blank (2019)

Quick Review: A pointless, if well- made remake with  adequate cast, a few solid chase and action scenes, and fairly brisk pacing that partially compensates for the generic story, "Point Blank" fails to do justice to the French original, barely adding anything to stand out on its own, but thanks to the on-screen chemistry between Mackie and Grillo and their contrasting yet likable characters, as well as Harden's vicious turn, this one ends up watchable, despite the predictable twist midway.

[4.75/10] The Golem (2019)

The Golem (2019)

Quick Review: It deserves some credit for putting a fresh spin on the genre with its Jewish folklore take on creature feature, the fairly authentic old-fashioned period design, and its semi-successful attempts in creating creepy atmosphere, but sadly, "The Golem"'s real misuse of the mythical creature which never shows its true form and the directing duo's unwise decision to rely on excessive gore instead on frights turn this at times captivating 'ancient' horror folktale into missed opportunity.

[7.00/10] Anna (2019)

Anna (2019)

Quick Review: Yes, Besson goes totally nuts with his latest absurdly implausible, at times cartoonish spy thriller with a near invincible heroine and a brain-teasing plot that swings back and forth between settings and times periods, but "Anna" remains a highly compelling, ultra-thrilling, and divertingly twisty affair that shows off with its hugely attractive lead Luss as the cunning, matryoshka doll-like badass of a protagonist, and finely- picked secondary cast that shines, especially Helen Mirren.

[4.50/10] UglyDolls (2019)

UglyDolls (2019)

Quick Review: Sadly, more about the desire of becoming pretty, rather than embracing the imperfections, "UglyDolls" has good intentions, but it's trying way too hard to be cute, instead of celebrating its quirkiness, and it's a bit too offensive in parts to convey its moral message properly, not to mention that apart from a few charming characters, the animation is mostly sloppy and uninspired, and there's so much not-too-entertaining singing in it throughout, it's almost unbearably obnoxious.

[6.00/10] Assimilate (2019)

Assimilate (2019)

Quick Review: It borrows several ideas from few other 'alien invasion' films, but this surprisingly fun sci-fi horror flick utilizes those in its own creative way, putting a fresh spin on a familiar scenario, with the result being an entertaining, often freaky teen chiller with extraterrestrial twist on the 'cloning' subject that works well mostly due to the vigorous pace and the mutual chemistry between its unknown trio of youthful leads, even if it tightness and 'creep' factor in its scattered third act.

[5.50/10] Poms (2019)

Poms (2019)

Quick Review: The corny concept, sloppy direction and lack of delicacy make it more ridiculous rather than inspiring for the elder women it is trying to pay tribute to, "Poms" is beyond preposterous, but it still has some sweetness about itself, as it focuses on new friendships at late age as well, plus, despite Keaton's typically obnoxious overacting, the rest of the cast are all just enough charming to make up for the movie's pedestrian predictability and make it fairly watchable at least.

[4.75/10] Trespassers (2019)

Trespassers (2019)

Quick Review: It looks sleek of an indie film, but despite that and a few effective surprises here and there, this one remains a forgettable home invasion thriller that doesn't go full- on violent till the final act and barely sustains the suspense on its way to it, but it's the lazy writing and hard- to-like victims making silly decisions that really put "Trespassers" into the meh category, despite the director's attempt to develop the characters and make you care for them when the film starts to hit hard.

[7.00/10] The Lion King [3D] (2019)

The Lion King [3D] (2019)

Quick Review: This straightforward CGI version of Disney's classic may lack the huge heart, frisky vigor, and sense of fun of the animation, or its jolly musical numbers, and the near nonexistent facial expressions of the English-speaking wild animals along with the cockiness of the cute little Simba could be a bit off-putting, but with its visually-majestic, remarkably -done, and hyper realistic graphics, "The Lion King" is a technical jewel that dazzles the eye even during the film's bleakest moments.

[7.50/10] The Best of Enemies (2019)

Best of Enemies (2019)

Quick Review: Certainly one of the most engrossing, dexterously-filmed and powerfully-acted racism-related films in recent memory, this inspiring and sincere real story about change and acceptance does enter familiar territories, but its strength lies in the evolving relation between the feisty black activist aiming for integration Ann and the tense KKK leader C.P., whose contrasting personalities are equally as strongly embodied by the chameleon Taraji P. Henson and the imposing Sam Rockwell.

[6.50/10] Teen Spirit (2019)

Teen Spirit (2019)

Quick Review: Fully embracing its style over substance approach, and successfully so, "Teen Spirit" makes up for its generic, yet raw take on a singing-competition-teen-enthusiast turned-national-sensation story with extremely catchy musical numbers, upbeat pop hits-riddled music score and dazzling use of neon light, but above all the outstanding turn from Elle Fanning as the ambitious and vocally talented Violet, who conveys genuine emotions as effortlessly as she performs on stage.

[5.00/10] In Family I Trust (2019)

In Family I Trust (2019)

Quick Review: The pretty settings, charming characters, and amusing, often raunchy dialogues make this Spanish dramedy a fairly watchable for the most part, plus, the sweet family relations manage to evoke some real emotions, but "In Family I Trust" suffers from its hackneyed Hollywood-ish screenplay which has absolutely nothing new to bring to the table, and as a result this ends up being a mediocre rom-com with neither much moving romance nor enough honest laughs.

[6.25/10] Five Feet Apart (2019)

Five Feet Apart (2019)

Quick Review: Neither as moving, nor as emotionally powerful as "The Fault in Our Stars", this is another mawkish romantic drama about sick teens falling in love that tries to be rather uplifting than manipulating, in which it sort of succeeds, in spite of the script mostly built on tropes, but "Five Feet Apart" still finds its way to feel-goodness, due to the positivity of its characters and the charming turns from Richardson and Sprouse, whose love story may be fabricated, but their chemistry isn't.

[6.75/10] Missing Link (2019)

Missing Link (2019)

Quick Review: The utterly striking stop-motion animation with a touch of quirkiness, rich in both color and detail, is crafted with typical mastery from Laika, and even though the studio has brought more impressive features in the past, "Missing Link" wins the heart over with his sweet- natured story, cute protagonist, and sense of adventure with zero forced action gimmicks, but it's the oddball humor, pure heart, and the thought- provoking themes it hints that make it suitable for grown ups.

[5.25/10] Men in Black: International (2019)

Men in Black: International (2019)

Quick Review: Moderately fun, but never genuinely funny, and offering nothing real eye-catching other than cartoonish alien creatures, lame-to- mediocre effects, and unimpressive set pieces, this largely unnecessary "MIB" fails to grab the attention with its uninspired story with little action and weak twist, and not even the charm of Thompson and Hamsworth is able to cope with the wishy-washy script, which funnnily alienates them more than it bonds them.

[7.25/10] Hotel Mumbai (2019)

Hotel Mumbai (2019)

Quick Review: Powerfully depicting the terrifying real-life events around the terrorist attack against the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in India in 2008, but also telling a personal story with an emotional impact, "Hotel Mumbai" is shocking, disturbing, and tough to watch, yet deeply moving, thanks to the credible acting and portrayal of 'human factor', but it's also a prettily shot movie that captures both the time period and the authenticity of its setting, showcasing the technical skills of its great director.

[5.75/10] Breakthrough (2019)

Breakthrough (2019)

Quick Review: Built on faith, hope, love, and prayers, "Breakthrough" is surely a tragic, if uplifting Christian drama based on a 'miraculous' real- life story, but putting the latter aside, this one on the other hand is yet another manipulative tearjerker with preachy approach, Hollywood style plot formula, and clumsy narrative, which is occasionally compelling, at times even genuinely moving, and led by Metz's devoted performance as the grieving, if optimistic mother driven by belief in God.

[7.50/10] Spider-Man: Far From Home [3D] (2019)

Spider-Man: Far From Home [3D] (2019)

Quick Review: Giving the needed comic relief after "Endgame" with its breezy style, but also by playing it safe, and set in various EU cities for a change, the romcom-ish "FFH" is actionized by well-staged set pieces with cool disaster and creature CGIs and elevated by fun 'illusive' visual tricks, notably in its flashy third act, which despite the obvious plot twist, still delivers thanks to the dynamics between the gawky Spidey and the cunning villain, Mysterio.

[6.50/10] The Hummingbird Project (2019)

The Hummingbird Project (2019)

Quick Review: Cleverly-conceived, well-written, and tautly-directed, this is a constantly engrossing financial tech thriller with ambitions as big as the project concerned in the story itself, and even though it gets a bit frustrating towards the finale, "The Hummingbird Project" fulfills those to some extend, keeping the viewers interest, thanks to the steadily tense plotting, a couple of effective twists, and all the engaging performances from the dedicated cast.

[6.00/10] Little Woods (2019)

Little Woods (2019)

Quick Review: Simplistic in both its approach and execution, and telling a simple, yet profoundly personal story of two struggling sisters who battle the system as well as their own demons, "Little Woods" is fairly a little tedious modern-day western experience with grim tone and slow pacing, but the connection between the two leads is so powerfully real, and the acting by Thompson and James so convincing, they make this character-driven drama worth sitting through its sluggishness.

[8.50/10] Toy Story 4 [3D] (2019)

Toy Story 4 [3D] (2019)

Quick Review: With extraordinary attention to detail, incredible depth, crisp visuals and shiny effects, Pixar deliver the best-looking entry so far, but the brilliant "Toy Story 4" offers so much more than a feast for the eyes, reintroducing old characters and presenting cute new ones, and concluding the series in the typical brisk and adventurous fashion with a clever, heartwarming, emotionally- driven and fun-filled story with heart, humor, tears, romance, and even a bit of 'evil doll' darkness.

[6.50/10] Captive State (2019)

Captive State (2019)

Quick Review: Unevenly-plotted, convoluted, and stuffed with far too characters, hence, hard to follow yet rich in ambitions and ideas that are either half-baked or underdelivered, "Captive State" is a tonally-gloomy and visually grim alien invasion flick that depicts dark future somewhat authentically in feel and manages to maintain the moderate suspense and mild thrills of its intriguing story with political message, but it's the lack of focus and proper action that prevent it to really excel.