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Too bad the uninspired sentimentality makes "Jay Kelly" a far cry from other thoughtful films about show biz.

"Eternity" is not something I find inspiring or even exciting, but it has notable sections that are entertaining, eloquent, and mindful.

Overall, the film does an okay job despite its many visually alluring distractions.

I didn't walk away from "Die My Love" thinking it's the artistic triumph of the year, but I'm glad I saw it, because it reminds us how films can extend beyond the boundaries of storytelling.

I like this film a lot. It's an odd combination of comedic, surreal, and frightening. This combination makes the whole experience of watching "Bugonia" an unpredictable one.

The ultimate message from this film is how someone can express their turmoil through the creative process and then find success. It's effectively moving and simple in many parts, but it's also disappointingly predictable in others.

"Tron: Ares" is a visual triumph and has some great moments of emotional depth to keep everyone watching.

One Battle After Another is one half an intense thriller an one half a sarcastic political commentary. The messages presented by this film are what make it perceptive, forceful, exciting, and current.

"The History of Sound" is a gorgeous slice of Americana in an era with no internet, computers, or television, making the use of music more than just a source of entertainment.

"Him" is not a travesty, nor is it a great achievement. Being too devoid of narrative content makes this just a little under an "okay" rating.

I finished this film thinking it was just okay. The messaging is clear and timely, but I couldn't let go of the fact this film is retreading very familiar ground.

Lots of film lovers are enjoying this film saying it’s an adventurous ride of nihilistic fun. But if I’m going to have fun, I need better ideas and better storytelling.

Its authenticity is dark and convincing without trying too hard, and the dialogue feels mostly attentive and honest.

This honestly could have been one of the best films of the year. But it falls horribly flat sacrificing its authenticity & edge for the sake of shallow, sentimental, overwrought emotions.

Without giving anything away, I have to say the ending is strong. And the metaphor of the older boomer generation living off the livelihood, and energy, of younger people is incisive and sharp. When the climax finally arrived, I was loving it.

This isn’t a great film to me, but ones like this have enough of a mixture that everyone can have a good time with a laugh.

This film has some affecting, memorable moments in its second half. But overall it has too many ideas on manhood, politics, racism, internet deceptions, land use, and COVID shoved into its two hour and 28 minute run time.

Maybe I just need to loosen up and try to have a good time with films like this. I did have fun in some parts of this film, but it was too trying for me to get past so much of a hurried mess.

I felt totally connected with this film. It acts like a cultural vessel on the reverence for the past while also figuring out how to communicate and solve problems for the future.

The length of two hours and 35 minutes is too much for this film, because I started wondering, "How long is this?" well before the ending arrived.

I did not enjoy this film, I'm sorry to say. The technical elements are dazzling, but the story ends up being a hugely lackluster disappointment.

"Materialists" ends up being just okay. It's a shame all its ideas couldn't come together more successfully.

"The Phoenician Scheme" is the closest to an action-adventure film Wes Anderson has ever made with grenades, assassins, and a climactic fist fight.

It totally transported me and will be an unforgettable experience for all who watch it. Do you believe in the power of resurrection? This film might change your mind.

What makes "Friendship" such a delight is that it actually has something to say. It isn't about shocking gross outs or adult men screaming.

In what I think is an effort to avoid sounding preachy or bombastic, this documentary is not focused much on social justice or making an anti-establishment call to arms pushing against the greedy forces of corporate America.

"Grand Theft Hamlet" is a delightfully off-beat reminder that creativity is necessary for everyone and so is togetherness.

A number of film critics are calling "Sinners" the best film of 2025 and a visionary triumph. I wouldn't go that far. "Sinners" is the director/screenwriter's love letter to familial grief and the history of blues music.

"Drop" ends up being a juvenile, absurd experience I could not take seriously. Comedy can have its place in a thoughtful thriller, but it has to be written smoothly enough and naturally enough.

When browsing your streaming services at home, I promise you can skip this one.

It isn't every day a film is set in a nursing home and manages to be as riveting as this, so remember this title if you want some believable shocks and spooks.

If you want to feel good about the future and the transformative power of world travel, watch this film. Maybe we could all benefit from adventure by stepping out of our comfort zones.

I walked away from "Mickey 17" thinking it was just okay. The irreverent, coarse vibe is successfully funny in some moments, but it tries too hard in other moments, making some of the actors' line readings feel forced or boring.

All the main characters are so well-dressed and so casually confident in this film, I felt seduced almost immediately.

Overall, I was happy with the Oscars ceremony. It reminded me of the many reasons why I love movies.

What makes "Flow" so pleasantly different is not just its plain naturalism and quiet storytelling style but also its digital look

Featuring an unprepared staff who throw together live news coverage without the luxury of smartphones or the internet this film reminds viewers of the importance of information in its most accurate and respectful forms possible.

I know I don't say this a lot, but please put this film on your watch list. It will stay with you long after its hopeful conclusion.

When the closing credits were playing, and my friend and I were chatting about this film in the murky theater, she said, "I think I'm dumber after watching that."

You know that feeling of lightness and joy you get after watching a film or TV episode that helps you feel better? That's exactly what happened with me after watching this.

This director has created similar treatments with his past biopics, Jackie (2016) and Spencer (2021) making Maria the third entry in this accidental trilogy of famous, glamorous, 20th century women.

This version of Nosferatu is clearly a triumph of cinematic technology. The acting and dialogue are a different matter.

Blitz tries to be a somber portrait of resilience in wartime, but its portrait is shown through such a rosy lens I started thinking this was produced by a room of executives for the Hallmark Movie Channel.

Not only is this film an honest look at Black American identity in the 20th century, it's a beacon for every family's heritage (both good and bad). That heritage is important, because it's inevitably part of your life today.

Musical films are horribly challenging to achieve in the 21st century, so when I left the theater feeling happy, playful, and invigorated, it felt like Wicked did the impossible.

This is not the movie of the year for me. So many themes are only lightly explored, and the pacing is sometimes awkwardly jerky. But every viewer has to give some appreciation to this film being so unique, audacious, and daring.

Some of the conversations are interesting on the importance of belief , but Heretic doesn't quite have enough energy (or inventiveness) to keep viewers in its clutches.

It's true not every film needs to be a brilliant bolt of lightning showing something new and pushing boundaries. We Live in Time is an example of this. So it will tug some heartstrings, but it isn't exactly an exciting choice for movie lovers out there.

Being so different of a film, and being so especially dark and tragic of a musical film, makes this sequel something truly unexpected and unique. So it isn't a brilliant triumph, but at least it isn't boring.

I highly recommend this film for everyone, but only if you think you can handle the outrageous style of gore it has waiting for you, from the bodily fluids to the screams.

Apartment 7A is an okay film. It isn't terrible or boring or lacking in a continuous narrative. It just doesn't have enough new content we haven't seen before to help it feel exciting and memorable.

My Old Ass is such a great mood elevator. I found myself smiling unexpectedly so many times while watching it.

I started this film with an open mind hoping it would be fun. I don't enjoy hate-watching anything. But Uglies falls short in so many ways, I can never recommend this to anyone.

It's just okay for an anticipated sequel, but it could have been outstanding. At least Tim Burton is starting to get his quirky mojo back.

If this film is not nominated for a number of awards next year, I will be totally disappointed.

Blink Twice is an eventful film with some exciting twists. As a darkly satirical response to the post #MeToo movement, it mixes a lot of genres together from comedy and sisterhood to bloody action and mystery.

I'm happy to say, overall, Alien: Romulus is not terrible. It's just okay.

This director is smart, because this semi-autobiographical film is not just about displaying and recreating his childhood memories but about exploring the emotions and experiences in the whirlwind of adolescence.

Is Trap supposed to be a tense thriller or a dark comedy? After watching the one hour and 45 minutes of this film, I gave up caring about my answer.

As the 34th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I walked away from this one thinking it was just okay. Not a disaster....but merely satisfactory.

The NEON studio has just released one of the best films I've seen so far this year.

The historical fiction parts of this film are fun, being written and acted with a likable, energetic charm set against the high stakes space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. The romantic comedy parts of this film are what left me feeling underwhelmed.

A Quiet Place: Day One works successfully since it isn't just about the science-fiction violence with the aliens prowling and attacking. There's also time given to the characters' feelings and backgrounds, which takes viewers through the well-paced peaks and valleys of noisy intensity and hushed contemplation.

The Bikeriders is a great film to watch in the summer, because it feels distinctly American and reminds us all the importance of community.

After watching this one, I became concerned about the overall quality of new releases in theaters today. We're approaching the edge of a content cliff resulting from the Hollywood writers and actors strike from last year.

I learned pregnancy is sometimes gross and scary, but it's much more manageable with a friend.

Atlas tries to be a treacherous fight for survival and a perceptive social commentary on the dangers of artificial intelligence. But it succeeds at neither because the writing is so vapid, uninteresting, and immature.

Oxygen masks, internal organs, and bloody hospital gloves make Birth/Rebirth feel like a modern mix of Frankenstein (1931 and 1994) and Flatliners (1990), pushing the boundaries of life and death into unknown spooky territory.

Adagio is a patient neo-noir film without the expected gun fights, car chases, or mysterious women. This film is too thoughtful and too quiet for that, because it spends its time creating four human portraits of different men each with cloudy criminal pasts.

Challengers is an interesting study of relationships with an arresting soundtrack of thumping, techno, dance music. Like a trend forecaster at a fashion magazine might say, Challengers is a film that feels like now.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is filled with people who are not trying hard enough at all to give viewers something new, personal, or interesting.

Don't let the previews fool you. This film is not an action-packed adventure. Civil War works to be a more human story by showing the lengths reporters and photojournalists go to simply to do their job capturing the realities of war.

I get the feeling this film was never about telling a unique or articulate story. Even from the beginning concept of doing this remake, it was probably all about virile men showing off how to throw a good punch.

Shirley slips into the easy pitfalls of many biopics and history adaptations: it paints its subject as too much of a righteous saint/political figure and not enough as a human one.

I have to say Cabrini is not a disaster. The production design, costumes, editing, and cinematography, while very plain, all look professional and consistent. And it's nice to see something in movie theaters so proudly optimistic and working to spread compassion.

Casey gives us his take on this year's Oscars ceremony takes a look at the big winners of the night.

An important part of any memorable sci-fi film is establishing a fictional futuristic world that is marvelous and believable, and this film delivers that like you would not believe.

The screenplay has so little content, it can't even fill a 90-minute runtime. Drive Away Dolls is one hour and 24 minutes, but it felt so much longer. That's a bad sign when you lose all concepts of recorded time while watching a short film.

Maybe parts of this film are too watered down to reach a wider and less adventurous range of viewers. But it's entertaining, it will get people laughing in the theater, and it will remind viewers that love develops in all shapes and sizes.

I know my review for this one is negative, but I'm confident saying the lighthearted breezy films are just as important to watch as the more serious, heavy films are. That's why I think Anyone But You could have been so much better.

Self Reliance is not an award-winning comedy, but it maintains its relaxed vibe well and it's at least fun to watch.

UPR's film critic Casey T. Allen hosts a conversation with USU Professor David Wall on this year's 96th Annual Academy Awards.

Poor Things is like Frankenstein meets Alice in Wonderland with a heartfelt feminist core on the development of womanhood.

UPR's film critic Casey T. Allen joins Shalayne Smith Needham during All Things Considered to talk about this year's nominees, surprises and snubs and his own predictions for the evening of Sunday, March 10.

This version of sci-fi looks inward at the emotional repercussions of future advancements in science and the ever-deepening relationships between humanity and electronic invention.

The songs in the film are exciting kaleidoscopes of ragtime, gospel, jazz, and blues that completely transport viewers to another emotional realm that is joyful and wounded and everything in between.

Now comes my surprise saying I wasn't filled with delight or amazement when I left the theater. I walked away thinking Wonka is just okay. It's a fun option for families and children to enjoy (it's rated PG), but I don't think the film as a whole is magical enough to be memorable.

Don't watch Eileen if you want to feel hopeful and energized afterward. But you will get a fascinating peek into a woman's psychological breaking point.

The psychological thriller half of Saltburn is terrifically, darkly exciting. Audiences will leave the viewing of this film thinking how the constant wanting of beautiful things can turn disturbing and deadly.

The Holdovers is more than a funny, dark, heartwarming holiday treat. It's a warm hug to teachers everywhere and how they shape our childhoods (as well as our futures) for good. And who doesn't need a hug this time of year?

Thanks to David Fincher's thoughtful and cerebral direction, this film is less of an explosive action romp and more of a plaintive psychological examination of a man trying to do his job and trying to keep his head. The Killer isn't amazing or new but it's entertaining.

Because this film tries to lead viewers through so many different emotional hoops in a one hour and 43 minute run-time, What Happens Later is not emotionally engaging at all. It's also not emotionally realistic or creative.

We should all be thankful this chapter of 20th century America has made it to the big screen. I thought this film tells its story expertly, and I hope many more people make the time to see it.

The Burial is not a disaster, but it is a disappointment trying too hard to cover too many topics and clumsily mixing lighthearted humor and serious drama.

The acting is solid, the story is only predictable toward the end and the cinematography is hypnotically heart-stopping. The visionary style of The Creator obviously brings to mind the look of past sci-fi gems 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, and Blade Runner 2049.

Is A Haunting in Venice one of the best films I've seen this year? No. But it remains mostly entertaining and is a great improvement from Director Branagh's previous two Christie adaptations.

Inside is not a psychological thriller but is more a psychological study on humanity and our constant needs to build or destroy, to read stories or write them, to consume or to explore. The pieces of contemporary art are shot beautifully in this film, but it could be more exciting and more interesting if it didn't spend so much time trying to be such an austere, psychological daydream.

This nihilist bent on the teen comedy feels so fresh, so crazy, and so aggressively energetic, it will delight many comedy lovers (especially dark comedy lovers.) Bottoms is a cringey, unpredictable addition to the growing wave of mainstream queer cinema that began last summer with the films Fire Island and Bros. I'm hoping this wave keeps gaining height.

A few artsy elements, with visual metaphors of dead birds and engulfing smoke, add some thoughtful style to this biopic. But I'm sad this one doesn't have enough fire to grab viewers' attention. Golda reminds me at least some creative license from the director is important, no matter what real-life story is being told.