[4.75/10] The Sonata (2019)

The Sonata (2019)

Quick Review: A diabolical mystery that attempts to mix classical music, mental illness and occultism, if with disappointing results, "The Sonata" appears eerie and enigmatic at first, and it benefits from its haunting old-fashioned main setting, but instead of exploring the dark ground of its satanic revelations, it decides to go in a dull and cheesy direction and throw all its potential out the window, delivering cheap scares on its way to the lousy climax and very abrupt and unsatisfying ending.

[6.00/10] Waves (2019)

Waves (2019)

Quick Review: Separated into two distinctive stories, the first of which follows the dramatic collapse of one black family, after a terrible incident, and the second - the consequences of it, "Waves" is a devastating and tragic domestic affair about how the actions of our beloved ones affect our lives, but after a strenuous and vividly-shot first half, the film lose its style as well as its impact, turning into a tiresome melodrama that fails to live up to its themes of pain, loss, sorrow, and forgiveness.

[4.25/10] Playing with Fire (2019)

Playing with Fire (2019)

Quick Review: Okay, the kids are sweet and adorably irritating, plus, this otherwise brainless and foolish movie even manages to grow some heart in its third act, ending up on a poignant note, but the again, from its fake fire depot setting and phony props, to the largely moronic bunch of adult characters, and terribly dim-witted script full of lame jokes and painfully unfunny slapstick comedy, "Playing with Fire" entirely crashes and burns, instead of lighting up its audience with laughter.

[7.25/10] Queen & Slim (2019)

Queen & Slim (2019)

Quick Review: A Bonnie & Clyde- esque and stylishly gritty first-date- turned-a-dramatic-escape-from-the- law fugitive thriller that's equally as raw, tense, touching, and unsettling, "Queen & Slim" is both a powerful commentary for cop cruelty, lack of justice, and racism, filled with anger, but also a bittersweet love story with tragic ending, driven by the thriving bond between the runaway couple, which strengthens and deepens as the urgent, unpredictable, grueling, and thrilling plot unfolds.

[5.25/10] A Fall from Grace (2020)

A Fall from Grace (2020)

Quick Review: Right until the daft and nonsensical if effective final act, Perry's latest legal thriller mixed with late age romance feels so pointless and looks so TV quality-like crummy, it is absolutely frustrating to watch, being as inane as it's convoluted, in spite of the decent acting from Fox and Webb, sympathetic characters, and the plot's lack of predictability, but after the shocking 'big reveal', "A Fall From Grace" starts to make more sense, even though the payoff is absurdly exaggerated.

[6.50/10] Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019)

Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019)

Quick Review: Blending mystery, mythology, religion and horror, this Korean crime thriller kicks off in a creepy fashion with a truly terrifying opening scene, but soon after that loses its focus, as it jumps from one sub-plot to another, with the final result being a muddled and hard to follow, if still intriguing, atmospheric, and eerie story that avoids cliches, even if it never actually culminates into something staggering, in spite of its macabre potential.

[5.75/10] Honey Boy (2019)

Honey Boy (2019)

Quick Review: Split in two parallel stories of then and now, the first of which follows the dysfunctional bond between a young stunt boy and his troubled father, and the second one depicting the consequences on Otis' brain, "Honey Boy" is loud, sweary, shouty, depressing in tone and feel, and not very pleasant to watch, but it offers an uncommon perspective on the delicate, yet bleak ghosts-of-the-childhood subject, and benefits from LaBeouf's wildly anxious, often hysterical performance.

[2.00/10] Cats (2019)

Cats (2019)

Quick Review: With awful musical numbers consisting of poor singing and even worse dancing, which fail miserably to make up for the lack of story, and featuring creepily carnal, human-faced, pawless, and dodgily CGIed cats who give them animals a bad name, "Cats" is an unbearable, awkward, joyless, and sloppily-made musical that stinks even worse than a litter box full of cat shit, and wins the award for biggest waste of talent in history, being an embarrassment to its A-list celebrity cast.

[6.50/10] The Good Liar (2019)

The Good Liar (2019)

Quick Review: A problematic script makes the outcome a bit contrived and too far-fetched, hence absurdly implausible, and yet oddly effective and satisfying, even if you can smell the big twist from very early on, but "The Good Liar" is still an intriguing and confidently-crafted fraud thriller with a touch of elderly romance that pairs veteran UK actors Mirren and McKellen for the first time with stellar results, both portraying cunning and captivating main characters who are a real pleasure to watch.

[5.25/10] Monos (2019)

Monos (2019)

Quick Review: Its pretty aesthetics can't be denied, as it makes out the best of its gorgeous locations and lush scenery, but "Monos" could be either taken as a haunting look at human nature, and the juxtaposition of innocence and brutality, or simply as a bunch of savage commandos wannabe teens playing nasty games in the jungle, and sadly it feels more like the latter, despite the thought- provoking commentary, since it's too abstract and metaphorical to deliver the message it wants to.

[8.00/10] Dark Waters (2019)

Dark Waters (2019)

Quick Review: Thought-provoking, eye-opening, and alarming, the film unveils the truth behind Teflon and its harm on health, by following the 20-year legal battle between a bold, assertive, if humane lawyer, played subtly powerfully by Ruffalo, and the chemical giant DuPont, but also how the case affects his family life, and it does it in such a gripping, shocking and unsettling way, you cannot take your eyes off, being also captivated by its murky in tone, toxically green- shaded cinematography.

[5.50/10] Motherless Brooklyn (2019)

Motherless Brooklyn (2019)

Quick Review: It has the required authenticity and vintage atmosphere of a neo-noir film, but its sleek looks aside, Norton's second directional effort is mostly a bloated, yet empty mystery with suspense levels below zero, whose muddled plot takes way too long to unfold, but it's the insipid payoff that really ruins the lengthy, sluggish, flaccid, and often parody- like comical "Motherless Brooklyn", which otherwise excels with a solid, gifted and versatile cast.

[7.75/10] 1917 (2019)

1917 (2019)

Quick Review: Groundbreaking in its 'single shot' technique, yet apart from its raw sense of urgency, quite mere in narrative, the tightly-scored "1917" follows the mission of pair of soldiers risking their all to deliver a lifesaving letter, with Deakins' keen, tireless, and masterful camerawork tracking the characters' every move against the harrowing backdrop of war wreckage, with thrilling results, even if the impact the story leaves is never as emotionally devastating as the hard-hitting imagery.

[5.50/10] Midway (2019)

Midway (2019)

Quick Review: It's shot with an old- fashioned vibe that fits the era, and though heavily digitized, the aircraft and warship fights are spectacular, if tad overblown, but despite its fairly thrilling action scenes, and its grand ambitions to recreate the historical battle with crashing effect, "Midway" ends up as an uneven, often messy naval war movie, overcrowded with undeveloped characters, the latter of which prevents any member of its ensemble cast to stand out, due to their limited screen time.

[7.75/10] Little Women (2019)

Little Women (2019)

Quick Review: A less patchier plot structure and silkier editing would've made it further refined, yet Gerwig's rendition is not only elegantly-filmed and subtly exquisite to look at, but it retells the March sisters' journey to womanhood with intelligence, grace, passion, and finesse, but above all with heart, as it's deeply poignant to see the affectionate bond and lively dynamics between the four siblings, portrayed so radiantly by the terrific cast, with Ronan and Pugh shining the brightest of them all.

[6.75/10] Bad Boys for Life (2020)

Bad Boys for Life (2020)

Quick Review: Exhilaratingly Bay-less, fueled with high-octane action, packed with laugh-out-loud hilarious age, sex, and jokes, as well as some wit, and surprisingly stylish in looks with all its lurid colors, fancy lighting, and glossy production values, "Bad Boys for Life" successfully reunites Smith and Lawrence, whose mutual chemistry and charisma have really thrived with time, to deliver one fun, funny, energetic, explosive, if Santa Muerte-darkened sequel with thrills, twists, and even a heart.

[8.00/10] Richard Jewell (2019)

Richard Jewell (2019)

Quick Review: Fictionalized or not, Eastwood's take on the bomb attack during the 1996 Olympics translates into a skillfully-crafted, evenly-paced and well-written film that effortlessly balances out drama, humor, wit, and sentiment, being quietly intense and consistently riveting throughout, and though all the cast do a brilliant job, it is Hauser's spot-on portray as the earnest hero accused of terrorism Richard, you can't help but root for and support in his struggle against both the media and FBI.

[6.50/10] Sorry We Missed You (2019)

Sorry We Missed You (2019)

Quick Review: Authentic, genuine, powerful and affecting, it depicts the heartbreaking story of a struggling British working class family in crisis, dealing with job difficulties, poverty, and domestic troubles in the rawest, most realistic way, and though hard to watch due to its sad, depressing nature, this well-acted social drama tells it as it is, illustrating the tragic picture of the English society without any sugar-coating at all.