The Stand In moves through the motions with a plodding laboriousness that grows increasingly irritating, and almost all of the supporting players are never around long enough to make anything more than a passing impression.

Mank is nothing more than a metaphorical celluloid sled of failed dreams and misguided ambition burning to ash in a fiery furnace fueled by frustratingly combustible emptiness.

There is a breathless sonic majesty to Darius Marder’s superb Sound of Metal that left me a discombobulated mess long after the drama had ended.

Happiest Season is a comfortingly romantic present almost guaranteed to bring its recipient joy, and all things considered in a year overflowing with humbug this small gift of holiday cheer is more than enough to satisfy.

Thanks to the talented cast a lot of the humor worked for me, and as relentlessly energetic as The Croods: A New Age can be, I still spent the majority of my time watching it with a gigantic grin plastered on my face.

While harmless and not altogether without its minor pleasures, Vanguard is instantly forgettable, and if one wants to see Chan at the height of his creative powers I suggest re-watching the original Police Story trilogy instead of this.

Freaky is an imaginative body-swap horror-comedy where thrills and chills relax comfortably alongside giggles and guffaws with intoxicating grace.

Let Him Go is a quiet meditation on grief, forgiveness, regret and family that managed to leave something of a noticeable impression, tragedy, joy, misery and sacrifice all melding into one, powerfully impactful emotional response richly deserving of a few empathetic tears.

Come Play ends up being a fun, frequently tense little genre shocker that’s also a sublime calling card for Chase that has me excited to see what he’ll get up to next.