drama
Elaine May had a run of successful films in the ’70s and ’80s, yet she remains an underappreciated director and writer in the industry.
Prevenge is a film about revenge from the womb; it succeeds both as a satire of how pregnant women are seen and as a hilarious comedy.
A Dog’s Purpose is a manipulative movie that, though occasionally cuddly and cute, serves little “purpose” overall.
The Daughter is a film about a family in Australia who suddenly uncover a buried secret; it is an effectively wrought, tension-filled drama.
Dark Night is based on the events of the Aurora theater shooting; with a detached aesthetic perspective, it is a compelling yet tragic film.
Lost in Florence is a breezy romantic comedy set in Florence, Italy, though don’t expect to get much of a deeper meaning than that from it.
Sleepless is a thriller that occasionally seems passable and avoids some clichés, but still doesn’t quite achieve the level it could have.
20th Century Women is a remarkable character study of women in the 1970s, but it falls just shy of greatness due to its lack of plot.
Patriots Day is a memoir to the tragic events of the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing, brought to screen both tactfully and honorably.
Films focusing on a very niche subject walk an incredibly fine line. Most of the time if a film is geared on something specifically niche, it’s a fair bet that the writer or director has experience in the subject. This can either work brilliantly in favour of the film, or it can alienate audiences and feel quite awkward to experience.
A Monster Calls is an entertaining and beautifully presented fantasy, which also imbues deeper universal themes of grief and loss.
Kaili Blues is a debut feature that is inspired by many Chinese filmmakers that came before; yet it emerges as a unique and compelling film.
White Girl reflects the embodiment of societal and interpersonal dysfunction while exploring the role of the body in film and in life.
Collateral Beauty is a messy film that is almost saved by its heartwarming theme and performance by Will Smith – though still not quite.
Twenty Twenty-Four is a sci-fi that alerts its audience as to a possible world-ending scenario, though it’s not a complete success.