Quick Review: Deception, intrigue, fear, paranoia and... love are at the center of this factual drama about black activism in 60s Chicago which, albeit uneven, maintains the tension throughout its historically important, yet relevant story of betrayal, but the real heart of the film remains the outstanding acting by Stanfield and Kaluuya, the latter giving an award- worthy portrayal of Black Panther's chair, who he embodies with energy, passion, and dedication.
Quick Review: A so-bad-it's-good type of love story with cheesy and sugary Cinderella-ish plot that goes more ludicrous as it unfolds, but at the same time charming, enjoyable, and often sweet, this visually slick, crisp and vibrant Polish rom-com is a true 'guilty pleasure' chick flick led by a pair of attractive actors, which offers more than glossy looks, fairy tale-ish romance, and pretty faces, as it also touches on topics such as passion for teaching, pure love for kids, and family support.
Quick Review: Deceitfully titled, as it's neither a sequel or prequel, nor a reboot of the franchise, with the only thing having in common with it being 'lost in the woods' scenario, "WT" aims to mix 'community' horror and social commentary, but the spin it puts is not particularly effective or disturbing, the characters too one-dimensional and unlikable to really care for and the scares nonexistent, since it relies only on violence, gore and gruesome terror, not to say how far-fetched the finale is.
Quick Review: Neither as clever, nor as mind-twisting as it thinks it is, this high-concept sci-fi romance has some big ideas on its mind, but fails to put them all together coherently enough to prove its point, or at least make sense, and the end result is a moody and muddled mess set in two parallel worlds, one grimly 'real' and one vividly dreamy that contrast the same way Wilson's dry and Hayek's over-the-top characters do, not to say the vague finale contradicts with everything else in "Bliss".
Quick Review: A simple and fairly predictable story built on the warm, naturally-evolving bond between a 'special' boy with a troubled mother and а good-natured ex-prisoner on his way to redemption, "Palmer" has enough heart, charm and warmness to pack an emotional punch, but it also gently refers to the significance of tolerance, while benefiting from Timberlake's most mature turn yet, as the caring father figure Palmer, who develops a real parental feeling towards the sweet Sam.
Quick Review: A semi-amusing UK black comedy with a touch of stalker horror that does little in the 'laughs' department other than mocking the police, "Get Duked!" is about four teen losers who get hunted in the Scottish highlands for no reason by two masked aristocrats, and though it sounds like a lot of fun, the film is rather uneventful till the revengeful third act, while relying on its zany characters and slapstick humor to provide mindless entertainment, but it mostly shoots blanks.
Quick Review: Set in one house, featuring two characters, and shot in monochromatic black & white -- not just for visual elegance, but also to let the dynamics be on focus -- "M&M" is a minimalistic and talkative relationship drama about a couple, who fight and make up numerous times during a long, sultry and frank conversation in which the two leads display a wide range of emotions -- Zendaya is captivating and alluring, but Washington's self-centered and yelly Malcolm is irritating.
Quick Review: A genuine, tender, and delicate gay romance about two elderly family men in a relationship, who also take part in a small queer community with purpose, "Suk Suk" benefits from the subtle, yet emotive performances by Tai-Bo and Yuen and the naturally developing bond and flourishing love between their characters, which drives the film in such a natural, believable manner, it's impossible to judge their actions, or to point out whether what they get into is right or wrong.
Quick Review: Borrowing elements from MCU and "Detective Dee", this is your typical Chinese fantasy with warriors, demons, magicians, royals and monsters, all stuffed in a busy plot that bumpily alternates intrigue, melodrama and overwhelmingly VFX heavy action, but luckily the effects are slick, the gorgeous sets add up to the visual opulence, and the fight sequences, though unsatisfying and rare, are effective enough to make up for the sluggish bits.
Quick Review: It does succeed in creating a dark and eerie tone only through the right use of lights and shadows in addition to its ominously claustrophobic setting, and it uses some clever tricks to deliver shocks, with the big reveal making enough sense to explain the earlier muddle in the puzzling plot, but this Iranian supernatural horror is basically 'all mood and gimmicks', which makes experience as surreal and illogical for us as it's for the characters, but at least it builds tension.
Quick Review: Iseman is likable in the lead, and she gives it her all as the suffering Rain, who can't differ reality from illusion due to a mental illness, but sadly, much like her, the film itself struggles to cope with its identity crisis, as it can't decide if it wants to be a heartfelt depiction of schizophrenia, coming-of-age story, teen romance or "Rear Window"-ish thriller, failing to work as a mix of all, plus, the familiar twist in the last act appears too gimmicky to leave the emotional impact it aims.
Quick Review: Marshall's weakest film yet, "Reckoning" is an uneven, tonally muddy and generic medieval pseudo-horror with uninspired 'witch accusation' plot, devoid of twists or surprises, and jumbled by loads of flashbacks and vain 'hellish' visions, and led by director's wife, Kirk, who fails to convey Grace's affliction, or breathe life into this drab, soulless, amateurishly-shot and clumsily put- together 'Dark Age' revenge drama with no visual authenticity that feels like a student's project.
Quick Review: The film's prisoner-transfer-gone-wrong scenario is too familiar, and it takes quite some time for the action to kick in, and for the curveballs to shake the story up a bit, but this Spanish escape thriller makes up for that with engrossing performances, and a setting that is as claustrophobic, as it's chilly, and though the payoff isn't necessarily satisfying, despite the heart-rending twist in the last act, there are some pretty tense scenes, particularly the chilling underwater one.
Quick Review: A jazzy, tasteful and elegant old-fashioned romance full of heart, passion, lust, and 'classic' melodrama, "Sylvie's Love" works due to the fiery chemistry between the leads, and Thompson's diverse, alluring, and consistently engaging turn, but it's the movie's stylish retro aesthetics that really elevate it, as everything from the chic costumes and mellow pastel color palette to the slick cinematography and pretty 1950s period production design is a sheer feast for the eyes.
Quick Review: This Aussie family drama tells a simple central story of guilt, frustration and recovery about a mother who struggles to return to her normal life after an incident, as well as to reconnect with her loved ones, with Watts gives yet another strong performance as the helpless Sam, but "Penguin Bloom" kind of makes up for his sluggishness and moody tone with a sweet sub-story focused on a fond Magpie bird, who provides the warmest, most uplifting moments in this movie.
Quick Review: A nostalgically fun and intentionally tacky throwback at '80s sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, "PG: Psycho Goreman" totally embraces its utter ludicrousness, never taking itself seriously, and boasts with fine practical and gore effects, even if it is very aware how rough around the edges it is, but what ruins this mildly amusing and delightfully grisly romp is Hanna's annoyingly over-the-top turn as the unlikable and constantly obnoxious little girl Mimi, who sadly eclipses PG's coolness.
Quick Review: More freakish than frightful, this moody religious horror about a lonely and disturbed nurse with extreme obsession in faith has some psychological chills and often disturbing imagery, and gains from Clark's demented turn, despite the lack of Maud's backstory, but "Saint Maud" blurs the line between real and imaginary tad too vaguely to be scarily effective, plus, the deceptive 'diabolical twist' in the last act turns out not be one, which ends the film on an anti-climatic note.
Quick Review: A little moody, not exactly neat, mildly compelling, and hardly ever suspenseful, yet weirdly captivating, finely-cast, and offering enough twists and turns to make up for its outdated premise and deliver a controversially vague payoff, this slow-burning murder mystery earns its title by emphasizing on the small details during the investigation, but the main focus remains the growing bond between Denzel and Malek as the two cops going after the shady freak, who Leto inhabits.
