It’s bizarre, occasionally disturbing, but always tender. 

A fun story with a lot more heart than polish.

I’d say that barring a surprise 2024 release date for the third Spider-Verse movie, this may very well wind up being the Best Animated Picture winner next spring. 

Watching this movie feels like having a conversation with someone who’s clearly thinking more about what they're going to say next than what’s being discussed in the moment.

It’s rare for a film to give mental illness this much screen time, and I’m grateful it does. I hope more films geared toward teens will do the same.

This story saunters in, wearing a goofy smile that says, “I know that you know that I know the life of the party has just arrived, and that it’s ME!”

It’s a beautifully crafted, impressively acted, thought provoking film that keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

I’m telling you, the only things missing from Center Court are some strobe lights, a fog machine, and people puking in the bathroom.

Even though they’re the ones who went into this event looking to learn about politics, I’m certain many of our current leaders could learn a lot from them.

I can’t help but wonder how much more joy the Buster-mobile, the brown jumpsuits, and the green ghosts can bring us before that joy gets replaced by that good ol’ fashioned cash-grab feeling.

The editing and blocking combine to weave a bouncy, retro vibe.

The film recognizes the sacrifices racism can force Black people to make, while never bailing on in its desire to entertain.

She’s not Lara Croft yet (I’ve no idea if she wants to be or not), but nothing Brown does here would cause a producer to strike her name from their list. 

Villeneuve cranks up the tension, dials up some dazzling visuals, and drags us to the edge of our seats.

You don’t have to  dream of soaring through the stars in order to be inspired by this story to chase after your own dreams. 

The Zone for Interest is a masterpiece and the most powerful film I’ve seen in ages. 

If it’s a strong story and it’s well told, audiences won’t fret over less than stellar performances. Unfortunately, this isn’t a strong story that’s well told.  

Lisa Frankenstein’s main issue is that it never figures out what it wants to be. To be fair, how many high school seniors do?

If the movie were a game of tug-of-war. Orion would be the all-star anchorman on a team of 28 pound weaklings. He can’t pull this off all by himself.

This is a beautifully made film with a beautiful message, and more than worthy of its Oscar nomination. Don’t miss it.