Andrew Desmond’s feature-length narrative debut The Sonata is a literate, methodically paced throwback gothic thriller that plays a little like a Hammer production from the mid-to-late 1960s that would have starred Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in the two primary male roles.

Underwater gets the job done. I liked it a lot. Heck, I’m likely to head to the theatre and see it again before January ends.

It is a pity that The Grudge goes so obnoxiously off the rails just as it’s building to a conclusion.

By challenging audiences to recognize and understand this fact Cretton is adding his voice to the growing chorus attempting to see that this happens, that in and of itself reason enough to give the Just Mercy a look.

This Little Women kept me on my toes, and even though I’ve read Alcott’s novel multiple times and have watched Armstrong’s sublime adaptation on numerous occasions, I still felt like I was experiencing this tale for the first time while watching Gerwig’s film.

There is nothing polite about brothers Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie’s newest hyper-adrenalized ticking clock drama Uncut Gems.

Cats might be a mess, but it’s a one-of-a-kind incredibly memorable mess (for better and for worse), and for all I know that’s entirely by design.

Maybe I’ll not feel so sad after I give The Rise of Skywalker a second look.

But this new Black Christmas is a heck of a lot more than a talented filmmaker beating a socially-conscious drum. Takal has manufactured a monstrously entertaining horror riff that intelligent audiences of all backgrounds, races and genders will hopefully find just as much fun to watch as I did, this merry little not-really-a-remake remake a gleefully malevolent horror gift I’m happy I took the time to unwrap.