Tara Bennett

For those looking for more razzle-dazzle with assless chaps, Magic Mike’s Last Dance may test your patience with its meandering middle. But Channing Tatum is so damn skilled as a dancer, comedian and romantic hero, he rewards the patient.

Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel try their best with an interesting premise that’s squandered by script with barely any laughs, gratuitous violence and unconvincing action.

Alice, Darling is a measured, affecting observation of a young woman finally coming to grips with how much an emotionally toxic romantic relationship has viscerally changed her.

The Drop has a great premise about an accident that forces a couple to revisit their relationship and needs, but it never really lives up to its promise.

Anna Diop gives a captivating performance as a Senegalese immigrant working to be reunited with her son in an uneven but haunting meditation on motherhood.

After fits and stops, this sequel finds its nostalgic sweet spot midway through and lands an ending that feels earned and honors the spirit of Shepherd and the characters of A Christmas Story.

It will especially appeal to the sensitive kids (and adults) in your life, and it most definitely meets the high standards Cartoon Saloon continues to make in the medium.

God’s Creatures explores generational family gender dynamics in an extremely slow-burn way, but it has plenty of rewards for patient viewers.

The Woman King overcomes the perils of its overstuffed script with a collection of performances that elevate the whole. As expected, Viola Davis is the emotional center of the piece, masterfully fine-tuning her performance to go from fierce to vulnerable as needed.

Aside from an unexpected ending, director Robert Zemeckis is basically doing a paint-by-numbers version of the studio’s much better original, just with modern animation and Tom Hanks. And while Tom always tries his best, even he can’t make this redo memorable on its own merits.

The Invitation takes way too long getting to its most interesting ideas, leaving us with the distinct feeling of “too little, too late.”

LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation wraps up the trilogy of sequel character specials with an emotional conclusion and some very funny summer riffs on beloved characters.

In Thirteen Lives, Ron Howard sheds the spectacle of the 2018 Thai soccer team cave rescue by recreating the impossible logistics, choices, and dangers with intimacy and chilling claustrophobia.

Persuasion is a disappointingly limp adaptation of one of Jane Austen’s great romances. While Dakota Johnson does her best to give director Carrie Cracknell a contemporized, charming version of Austen’s heroine Anne Elliot, the screenplay’s foundational reframing of the character strips away everything that makes the book’s version interesting and quietly heroic.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On gives us the opportunity for a delicate, whimsical and poignant escape that will make you feel stronger, taller and better for it on the other side.

Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson have solid goofball vs. grump chemistry in an entertaining action-comedy.

Official Competition is a sharp black comedy that skewers grandiose wealth, egocentric artists, and how quickly art is swallowed by money and celebrity.

The Twin wastes its desolate location, talented cast, and strong opening in a meandering story that hinges on a last act reveal that doesn’t pay off.

Hit the Road is a quietly powerful yet very funny film about the sacrifices we make for family.

Windfall is a tight, smartly constructed thriller that succeeds on the strength of its performances.

Deep Water aspires to be a boundary-pushing erotic thriller but is stuck treading water in the kiddie pool.

Power does get points for keeping No Exit’s runtime to a brisk and lean 90 minutes, but he doesn’t have as deft a handle on all the other various working parts of the story.

Book of Love ends up being a surprising mix of sweet and salty, silly and sincere, that earns those coveted rom-com sighs.

Only Kaya Scodelario rises above the mess, working hard to try and craft an earnest and accomplished heroine that is by far too interesting for the rest of the boring dolts in the story.

Swan Song is a beautifully acted near-future exploration of self, technology, and the soul.

As a musical, only a few songs really stand out, which is always problematic. There’s also a staginess to the whole endeavor that feels awkward and ham-handed when transposed onto the big screen. But director Joe Wright does get excellent performances from his whole cast, and creates a lush and beautiful period piece playground for the characters to exist within.

The Tender Bar is a coming-of-age dramedy that sails on the backs of the exceptional ensemble cast.

The Lost Daughter is a stunning and unflinching portrait of a woman swimming against the tides of social expectation.