Flix At :48

This director has created similar treatments with his past biopics, Jackie (2016) and Spencer (2021) making Maria the third entry in this accidental trilogy of famous, glamorous, 20th century women.

This version of Nosferatu is clearly a triumph of cinematic technology. The acting and dialogue are a different matter.

Blitz tries to be a somber portrait of resilience in wartime, but its portrait is shown through such a rosy lens I started thinking this was produced by a room of executives for the Hallmark Movie Channel.

Not only is this film an honest look at Black American identity in the 20th century, it's a beacon for every family's heritage (both good and bad). That heritage is important, because it's inevitably part of your life today.

Musical films are horribly challenging to achieve in the 21st century, so when I left the theater feeling happy, playful, and invigorated, it felt like Wicked did the impossible.

This is not the movie of the year for me. So many themes are only lightly explored, and the pacing is sometimes awkwardly jerky. But every viewer has to give some appreciation to this film being so unique, audacious, and daring.

Some of the conversations are interesting on the importance of belief , but Heretic doesn't quite have enough energy (or inventiveness) to keep viewers in its clutches.

It's true not every film needs to be a brilliant bolt of lightning showing something new and pushing boundaries. We Live in Time is an example of this. So it will tug some heartstrings, but it isn't exactly an exciting choice for movie lovers out there.

Being so different of a film, and being so especially dark and tragic of a musical film, makes this sequel something truly unexpected and unique. So it isn't a brilliant triumph, but at least it isn't boring.

I highly recommend this film for everyone, but only if you think you can handle the outrageous style of gore it has waiting for you, from the bodily fluids to the screams.

Apartment 7A is an okay film. It isn't terrible or boring or lacking in a continuous narrative. It just doesn't have enough new content we haven't seen before to help it feel exciting and memorable.

My Old Ass is such a great mood elevator. I found myself smiling unexpectedly so many times while watching it.

I started this film with an open mind hoping it would be fun. I don't enjoy hate-watching anything. But Uglies falls short in so many ways, I can never recommend this to anyone.

It's just okay for an anticipated sequel, but it could have been outstanding. At least Tim Burton is starting to get his quirky mojo back.

If this film is not nominated for a number of awards next year, I will be totally disappointed.

Blink Twice is an eventful film with some exciting twists. As a darkly satirical response to the post #MeToo movement, it mixes a lot of genres together from comedy and sisterhood to bloody action and mystery.

I'm happy to say, overall, Alien: Romulus is not terrible. It's just okay.

This director is smart, because this semi-autobiographical film is not just about displaying and recreating his childhood memories but about exploring the emotions and experiences in the whirlwind of adolescence.

Is Trap supposed to be a tense thriller or a dark comedy? After watching the one hour and 45 minutes of this film, I gave up caring about my answer.

As the 34th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I walked away from this one thinking it was just okay. Not a disaster....but merely satisfactory.

The NEON studio has just released one of the best films I've seen so far this year.

The historical fiction parts of this film are fun, being written and acted with a likable, energetic charm set against the high stakes space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. The romantic comedy parts of this film are what left me feeling underwhelmed.

A Quiet Place: Day One works successfully since it isn't just about the science-fiction violence with the aliens prowling and attacking. There's also time given to the characters' feelings and backgrounds, which takes viewers through the well-paced peaks and valleys of noisy intensity and hushed contemplation.

The Bikeriders is a great film to watch in the summer, because it feels distinctly American and reminds us all the importance of community.

After watching this one, I became concerned about the overall quality of new releases in theaters today. We're approaching the edge of a content cliff resulting from the Hollywood writers and actors strike from last year.