News of the World is a robust, beautifully shot drama, and while little unexpected transpires, the characters are so richly drawn and their travels so wonderfully realized that honestly isn’t much of a problem.

Murphy’s joy in slapping me silly for every second of The Prom’s laborious 130 minutes was more than I could take, this laudably inclusive LGBTQ high school musical a celebratory dance I’d rather not have been invited to attend.

Songbird pushes buttons that feel ugly and inappropriate, all of which makes giving the film any sort of fair assessment difficult to do.

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.

V for Vendetta plays a little differently in 2020 than it did in 2006, that’s for certain.

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.