The Beast is like a slow-twisting knife to the side of our existence, its point sharpened with care by writer-director Bertrand Bonello and guided with the utmost precision so as to not puncture any vital organs — we are alive, but in undeniable pain. Indeed, arriving at a time when humanity is at its most anxious, emotionally exhausted, and existentially frustrated, the film offers zero reprieve as it deals with grand questions of love, death, and loneliness. Yet, at the risk of premature exclamation, it stands as one of the most rewarding movies you'll see this year ..read more

Samuel L. Jackson leads a venerated European cast off a cliff in an absurd, mindless, and macabre serial killer thriller. Damaged strains credulity from the start and proceeds to lower IQ points with each passing frame. The seemingly straightforward plot of an American detective helping Scottish police find a Satanic murderer has numerous critical flaws. The biggest problem, and central to the supposed mystery, is the competence of the investigators. A melodramatic subplot further muddies these dreadful waters. Every psychotic murderer would be running loose like rabbits with these guys on the ..read more

29 years ago, the United States was forever changed by an unconscionable act of homegrown domestic terrorism when Gulf War veteran Timothy McVeigh bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City. The act — which is still the most lethal act of domestic terrorism committed within the US — was born from a list of grievances both real and imagined that McVeigh and many like him had stewed on for years. Given the attack’s horrific outcome, the story of the Oklahoma City bombing has been pored over by victims, journalists, government officials, and scholars alike, most recently in the ..read more

Social media wasn’t around in 1997. It hadn’t firmly planted itself in our lives, “influencing” us at will, particularly teenagers, but cruelty and abuse has always existed. Set in the late '90s, Hulu's new drama Under the Bridge recalls some of the emotional combat happening daily on the internet, where bullying and hateful acts are rampant, provoking ongoing measures for protection ..read more

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare takes Guy Ritchie's obsession with English 'gentlemen' away from country manor houses and moves it out to sea during the height of World War II. Based on Damien Lewis' non-fiction bestseller, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a fictional recount of the very real Operation Postmaster. The mission saw a rogue group of Allied soldiers create havoc to sabotage Nazi U-Boat operations. The operation was vital to the Allies winning the war, as it opened the door for the U.S. to join the Allied powers and defeat the Nazis ..read more

South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook remains true to form in his fascinating but convoluted adaptation of The Sympathizer, Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer Prize-winning debut novel. The seven-episode HBO limited series is a winding odyssey in duality. Set during and after the Vietnam War, the protagonist, a double agent anonymously referred to as the "Captain," navigates duplicity, treachery, and gnawing guilt in a darkly comic tale with harrowing emotional turns. Park's stylish visuals and superb cast, including a chameleon-like performance from Robert Downey Jr. in multiple roles, lift an overly ..read more

Not to be confused with the recent release of The First Omen — though perhaps equally impactful — Omen (originally titled Augure in French, which means "oracle" or "soothsayer") is an exciting new indie. The film follows a doomed Congolese man who makes the unfortunate mistake of returning to his roots with his pregnant wife to discover a harsh reality: Ancient beliefs of sorcery and supernatural forces are still at work. What could go wrong with a little family reunion after all these years? Lots ..read more

Sex sells. Sports sell. Retro EDM? Can't hurt. It's all included in master Italian film director Luca Guadagnino's new erotic tennis-centric drama Challengers, a raunchy crowd-pleaser that seems a bit self-aware of how darn good it is from the get-go. Even before we see the iconic MGM "lion roar" logo at the beginning, we see quick glimpses of the tennis-player characters played by acclaimed performers Zendaya (Spider-Man), Josh O'Connor (Emma.) and Mike Faist (The Bikeriders). We get it, Luca — this movie is going to be epic. And sure enough, it is ..read more

A father tries to protect his teenage sons in a post-apocalyptic world teeming with terrifying creatures in Arcadian, which takes a familiar scenario to legitimately scary-as-hell heights. Director Ben Brewer and screenwriter Michael Nilon deserve a golf clap for delivering originality in a genre we've seen before ad nauseam. Jaws will drop as ferocious monsters display unique abilities and work together to fill their hungry bellies. Strong performances by a solid ensemble lift the narrative when it strays into simplistic territory. Arcadian is a lean film that packs a wallop in its relatively ..read more

A Mexican woman fleeing violence and an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agent are inexorably drawn towards each other in a divided border town. The Absence of Eden pulls no punches in its harrowing portrayal of human trafficking, the exploitation of undocumented people, and the differing reactions of those responsible for keeping order. Writer/director Marco Perego, in his feature debut, uses poetic and religious metaphors to bolster the plight of those seeking safety and better lives. But his heavy-handed approach doesn't paint everyone involved with a fair brush. He lacks nuance on ..read more