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An important part of any memorable sci-fi film is establishing a fictional futuristic world that is marvelous and believable, and this film delivers that like you would not believe.

The screenplay has so little content, it can't even fill a 90-minute runtime. Drive Away Dolls is one hour and 24 minutes, but it felt so much longer. That's a bad sign when you lose all concepts of recorded time while watching a short film.

Maybe parts of this film are too watered down to reach a wider and less adventurous range of viewers. But it's entertaining, it will get people laughing in the theater, and it will remind viewers that love develops in all shapes and sizes.

I know my review for this one is negative, but I'm confident saying the lighthearted breezy films are just as important to watch as the more serious, heavy films are. That's why I think Anyone But You could have been so much better.

Self Reliance is not an award-winning comedy, but it maintains its relaxed vibe well and it's at least fun to watch.

UPR's film critic Casey T. Allen hosts a conversation with USU Professor David Wall on this year's 96th Annual Academy Awards.

Poor Things is like Frankenstein meets Alice in Wonderland with a heartfelt feminist core on the development of womanhood.

UPR's film critic Casey T. Allen joins Shalayne Smith Needham during All Things Considered to talk about this year's nominees, surprises and snubs and his own predictions for the evening of Sunday, March 10.

This version of sci-fi looks inward at the emotional repercussions of future advancements in science and the ever-deepening relationships between humanity and electronic invention.

The songs in the film are exciting kaleidoscopes of ragtime, gospel, jazz, and blues that completely transport viewers to another emotional realm that is joyful and wounded and everything in between.

Now comes my surprise saying I wasn't filled with delight or amazement when I left the theater. I walked away thinking Wonka is just okay. It's a fun option for families and children to enjoy (it's rated PG), but I don't think the film as a whole is magical enough to be memorable.

Don't watch Eileen if you want to feel hopeful and energized afterward. But you will get a fascinating peek into a woman's psychological breaking point.

The psychological thriller half of Saltburn is terrifically, darkly exciting. Audiences will leave the viewing of this film thinking how the constant wanting of beautiful things can turn disturbing and deadly.

The Holdovers is more than a funny, dark, heartwarming holiday treat. It's a warm hug to teachers everywhere and how they shape our childhoods (as well as our futures) for good. And who doesn't need a hug this time of year?

Thanks to David Fincher's thoughtful and cerebral direction, this film is less of an explosive action romp and more of a plaintive psychological examination of a man trying to do his job and trying to keep his head. The Killer isn't amazing or new but it's entertaining.

Because this film tries to lead viewers through so many different emotional hoops in a one hour and 43 minute run-time, What Happens Later is not emotionally engaging at all. It's also not emotionally realistic or creative.

We should all be thankful this chapter of 20th century America has made it to the big screen. I thought this film tells its story expertly, and I hope many more people make the time to see it.

The Burial is not a disaster, but it is a disappointment trying too hard to cover too many topics and clumsily mixing lighthearted humor and serious drama.

The acting is solid, the story is only predictable toward the end and the cinematography is hypnotically heart-stopping. The visionary style of The Creator obviously brings to mind the look of past sci-fi gems 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, and Blade Runner 2049.

Is A Haunting in Venice one of the best films I've seen this year? No. But it remains mostly entertaining and is a great improvement from Director Branagh's previous two Christie adaptations.

Inside is not a psychological thriller but is more a psychological study on humanity and our constant needs to build or destroy, to read stories or write them, to consume or to explore. The pieces of contemporary art are shot beautifully in this film, but it could be more exciting and more interesting if it didn't spend so much time trying to be such an austere, psychological daydream.

This nihilist bent on the teen comedy feels so fresh, so crazy, and so aggressively energetic, it will delight many comedy lovers (especially dark comedy lovers.) Bottoms is a cringey, unpredictable addition to the growing wave of mainstream queer cinema that began last summer with the films Fire Island and Bros. I'm hoping this wave keeps gaining height.

A few artsy elements, with visual metaphors of dead birds and engulfing smoke, add some thoughtful style to this biopic. But I'm sad this one doesn't have enough fire to grab viewers' attention. Golda reminds me at least some creative license from the director is important, no matter what real-life story is being told.

Talk to Me follows in the footsteps of other horror films centered around haunted objects tormenting the lives of youngsters like Oculus (2013) and Ouija (2014). A few jump scares are peppered in this film, but it's the quiet, patient moments that succeed in scaring viewers, and those are themoments I'm still thinking about today.

I'm hoping Netflix, and all other streaming platforms out there, are ready to invest in films like this that have a pulpy grit and wonderfully three-dimensional performances.