Alex Welch

Even though the use of one particular plot device ends up feeling unnecessary and Will Forte can often appear miscast in the lead role, A Futile and Stupid Gesture still conjures up enough real emotions and inventive moments to feel like a worthwhile addition to Hollywood’s often tired biopic subgenre.

Paddington 2 goes all in on the charm and wit established in the first film and comes up with yet another winner.

With a funny set of side characters and a lovably kindhearted lead, Ferdinand finds a way to promote being kind to others without becoming an afterschool special. Granted, it doesn’t ever go out of its way to be very unique or surprising, but for what it sets out to do, Ferdinand is altogether successful. Even if that means it doesn’t end up being much more that.

Father Figures is a baffling film, one that never seems to ever get a handle on what it is or what it wants to be. It’s one thing to make a movie about characters stuck in arrested development, unsure of where they’re going, but it’s another for the writing and editing to also feel that way. In short, Father Figures is just a straight-up mess.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle brings audiences back to its classic fictional world with a fun, updated new twist on its well-worn story. So even if some of its subplots and emotional throughlines don’t quite click, the action-packed fun and humor should still make it worth your price of admission.

Featuring several stunning performances by its stars, with Jacob Tremblay shining brightest of them all, Wonder ends up being a much better and wiser film than its trailers or premise let on.

The Bad Moms sequel suffers from an uneven script and the addition of too many new, superfluous characters.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is Martin McDonagh’s most emotional and profound film to date.

Wonderstruck is another emotional and visually gorgeous outing from director Todd Haynes.

Goodbye Christopher Robin is a good example of how far a film can go with just the talents of its actors and director, even when the script can feel jarring or emotionally uneven.

Killing Gunther is an astonishingly unfunny film considering the level of sheer comedic talent involved in it. Its lack of energy or character development keeps the film from ever finding its groove.

While The LEGO Ninjago Movie does venture into overly cliched and cheesy territory at times, the performances of its actors and excited attitude of the material keep it from ever going stale.

American Assassin has some of the more terrifying, brutal, and visceral action sequences to be seen on the big screen so far this year. But the film can’t ever quite manage to maintain the same momentum or intensity as its opening act, thanks to a lackluster climax and sudden left-turn into full blown absurdity.

The film manages to look at its characters with empathy and understanding, while simultaneously refusing to endorse their actions. And because of that, Matt Spicer’s directorial debut proves to be one of the more successful takes on the social media generation to hit the silver screen.

The film knows what it is, and lives in its ridiculous skin with an infectious, gleeful attitude. Unfortunately, The Hitman’s Bodyguard also doesn’t know when to say goodbye, and as a result, overstays it’s welcome.

With his latest directorial effort, Soderbergh has made a film that not only constantly pokes fun at its own characters and their lives, but finds a way to imbue each of them with a soul and heart along the way.

Despite the talents and charisma of its voice cast, The Emoji Movie fails to deliver on any of its intended messages or themes, with a final act that goes back on everything it had originally been trying to say.

Atomic Blonde is one of the best action films of the year.

Wish Upon is the successor to the Final Destination franchise that no one asked for.

The Little Hours is an enjoyable comedy that wears a little too thin by the time it’s over.

Thanks to the charming nature of the characters and their genuine good heartedness, Despicable Me 3 manages to be an entertaining enough film to feel like a decent continuation of the previous two chapters.

It may not be Coppola’s most thought-provoking or emotional outing to date, but it’s a chilling and stunningly well-made one nonetheless.

There are a few occasionally effective scares along the way, but the cliched characters and downright idiotic motivations make 47 Meters Below sink before it even has the chance to swim.

It Comes at Night is emotional, haunting dystopian horror that will leave you shaken.

Thanks to a top-notch screenplay by Nicholas Stoller, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie manages to be both a faithful adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s source material and a fun-filled animated adventure suitable for all ages.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul is yet another disappointing attempt by Hollywood to deliver an adaptation worthy of its source material.