Wolfgang examines the life and game-changing career of Wolfgang Puck in a visually engaging and charming way. While it repeats itself every so often, the food on display is delectable, and every interview is a trove of information.

Hadaway indicts this country’s misguided preoccupation with being first, scrutinizing America’s twisted values via the prism of her uber-competitive protagonist. As a result, The Novice officially claims the title of The Best Film About Rowing Ever Made.

For me, the relevance outweighs my enjoyment of Ailey, but this relevance bears a massive weight. Alvin Ailey has a fantastic story, but this might be a narrative that lends itself more to a bio-pic than a detail-oriented documentary.

The script for this film is absolutely incredible.

The story, centering around family, culture, and identity, comes from a unique perspective. Some sub-plots go unaddressed, yet Tedaishivili’s excellent performance always brings you back with the worn gaze of a battle-weary wrestler.

It empowers Chinese citizens while also shining a light on the exploitation and oppression they face in the workplace and job market.

Streetlight Harmonies manages to conjure up some compelling and highly evocative vignettes.

The Lost Leonardo tells the tale of the most scrutinized painting of all time in fascinating, exhaustive detail.

While a bit disjointed, the film does offer hidden beauty in a world of seemingly discontent and boredom.

In the hands of a less capable director and actor, the thriller elements would be squeezed out to the very last drop; the film would be yet another tired exercise in suspense. That is not what Sweat is going for. It is not trying to make you breathless from cheap tension; its goal is to leave you breathless from an aesthetic and storytelling perspective. Without a doubt, it achieves that goal.

Catch The Fair One is a fantastic and engaging effort across the board. The direction is lean and ably brings forth the emotional truth of each scene.

It may not be a perfect confection, but this cake’s got layers.

While Altman and Liu may have failed to create a fully developed storyline in All These Sons, the filmmakers enlighten the audience to the plights of young men who have been affected by the gun violence that has been ingrained into the overall image of Chicago.

As a comedy, Mark, Mary & Some Other People keeps the laughs light and the story grounded.

While it may raise more questions than answers and not quite cohere as a whole, the film nevertheless is poetic and at times breathtakingly beautiful, anchored by a superb cast.

Uproarious. Disturbing. Melancholic. Shrewd. All adjectives that the marketing teams behind Andrew Gaynord’s terrific dark comedy All My Friends Hate Me are welcome to use for promotional purposes.

Under the guise of a straightforward love story, Sethi’s film reveals itself to be an incisive look into the long-running Indian tradition of arranged marriages and its implications, set against the backdrop of a rapidly spreading COVID-19. If that sounds heavy, it’s anything but, the writer-director ensuring that things don’t get bogged down in ponderous polemic or pretentiousness.

Not since The Florida Project have I felt this emotional about a story of children forced to grow up way too fast.

The ensemble cast of Werewolves Within is what makes it.

I think what sets Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It apart from other end-of-life docs is that this one is just so honest, so forthcoming, and so remarkably detailed. Mariem Pérez Riera has perfectly captured an American icon at the moment we need her the most.

Gaia uses its atmosphere to great effect.

The filmmaker demonstrates a true cinematic eye with sweeping vistas he captures. If only he resisted the urge to inject himself so much into the story, An Unknown Compelling Force might’ve scaled to even greater heights.

In showing such a diversity of perspective, Sementara successfully captures a moment of transition for the country of Singapore.

Despite pacing issues, the film is a good look at imperialism and the mind of “the white Rajah.” The beautiful locations give the film an ambiance of mystery and adventure.

Despite lacking more elaborate storytelling, Kirk Caouette’s indie thriller features enthralling action and a consistent aura of dread.

The director understands what it takes to get viewers invested, but she throws that away in the finale.

Crow and her crew accurately capture everyone’s emotions throughout and refuse to pull any punches along the way. At the Ready is honest, even in the moments when it becomes frustrating.

Skate or Die is a great documentary with a positive message that will undoubtedly inspire and empower those who watch it.