Arctic is a fine thriller that stuck with me long after it had come to an end, its existential exploration of humanity’s will to survive under the harshest of conditions a hypnotic cinematic sojourn I’d willingly go on again at a moment’s notice.

Donnybrook matters because it doesn’t hesitate to speak truth to power in ways that go from unpleasant to unbearable in the blink of an eye. It is a timely parable of life’s indignities that cuts right to the marrow, its pugilistic nightmares universal in their all-encompassing emotional magnitude.

Mega Time Squad is a lot of fun, this nutty little New Zealand effort a gonzo charmer I hope people take the time to see.

Alita: Battle Angel has its own sense of purpose and moves with a cagily confident self-awareness that’s wonderful.

Isn’t It Romantic is pretty darn amusing, and if Strauss-Schulson and the writers don’t make quite as much out of their inventive scenario as they potentially could have, that doesn’t make what they have delivered any less enjoyable.

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part might not be as awesome as its forerunner but that doesn’t make it any less worthwhile, this amusing follow-up an irreverent gem that even with a few minor misgivings I couldn’t help but enjoy.

What Men Want is a tone-deaf retread that rarely evokes a slight giggle let alone a full guffaw, the film so devoid of satirical insight or comedic inspiration it’s easy to wonder if the film was ever supposed to contain either trait to begin with.

Gustav Möller’s The Guilty is one of 2018 best films. It was a worthy submission for Best Foreign Language Film by Denmark, and even though it didn’t ultimately score a nomination that doesn’t make it any less stellar.

I’m not going to hate on Miss Bala. Rodriguez is great and I can easily imagine myself being perfectly content to give this one a second look when it’s streaming on Amazon or Netflix, available as a free selection OnDemand or after it begins making the rounds on Cable television. But it just as equally isn’t a thriller I’m going to make any plans to view again for that second time anytime soon.