Soul

Director: Pete Docter & Kemp Powers

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2948372

Review: A few odd optics here and there but otherwise flows as a beautifully constructed piece with a refreshing tone to it.

Watch it if: You want something that doesn't follow an obvious track.

And if you liked: The Good Place, Inside Out

Tenet

Director: Christopher Nolan

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6723592

Review: Interesting in tone and concept but too dense to really deliver any kind of emotional heft.

Watch it if: You want something with interesting ideas but are ok if none of its twists really hit.

And if you liked: Looper, Primer, Inception

Wonder Woman 1984

Director: Patty Jenkins

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7126948

Review: Flawed in many ways structurally and politically but filled with enough fun concepts and set pieces to deliver a colourful and enjoyable ride.

Watch it if: You want something that's willing to throw things at the wall in a way that most blockbuster cinema isn't.

And if you liked: Superman, Aquaman, The Neverending Story

Wild Mountain Thyme

Director: John Patrick Shanley

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6842770

Review: Varies between unwatchably mundane and baffingly insane without any grasp or grounding in reality.

Watch it if: You want to experience a strange collection of fake accents.

And if you liked: Carrolls Irish Gifts

Check this out: Outside Mullingar

Mank

Director: David Fincher

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10618286

Review: Atmospheric and lush in its textures with a cast of characters that could keep the energy going for twice the film's length.

Watch it if: You're interested in golden age Hollywood stories.

And if you liked: Citizen Kane, Five Minutes, Mr. Welles, Ed Wood

Reno 911! Miami

Director: Robert Ben Garant

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499554

Review: Plays like an extended episode of the series with some fun ideas and a handful of truly standout jokes.

Watch it if: You enjoy Reno 911! to begin with.

And if you liked: Hot Fuzz, Hell Baby, The Other Guys

Director: Michael Lembeck

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0304669

Review: Fairly outdated in some of its humour and style but doesn't rock the boat too much either.

Watch it if: You want something reasonably distracting but not too trying.

And if you liked: The Santa Clause

His House

Director: Remi Weekes

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8508734

Review: A good melding of supernatural horror with complex strata of real life horror with some shocking imagery and impressive performances.

Watch it if: You want to see some classic ideas reshaped for a new story.

And if you liked: Terrified, The Orphanage, The Witch

Possessor

Director: Brandon Cronenberg

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5918982

Review: Wobbles a little towards the end but otherwise brings an excellently unsettling tone and mood with some bizarre moments and some intense performances.

Watch it if: You can handle some deeply graphic and weird imagery.

And if you liked: Upstream Color, Ghost in the Shell, Beyond the Black Rainbow

Climax

Director: Gaspar Noé

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8359848

Review: Doesn't quite resolve all its threads as well as it could but still holds up as an enjoyable descent into madness featuring some incredible dance sequences.

Watch it if: You're ok with some intense visuals.

And if you liked: Possession, The Rules of Attraction, mother!

Lucky

Director: Natasha Kermani

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11701774

Review: An interesting central idea that pushes the metaphor a little hard but still manages to carry itself through to the end.

Watch it if: You want a modern spin on a slasher concept.

And if you liked: Halloween, Happy Death Day, Hush, The Twilight Zone

The Changeling

Director: Peter Medak

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080516

Review: Moody and atmospheric with an intriguing plot and some strong ideas.

Watch it if: You enjoy a slow burn.

And if you liked: The Omen, The Sentinel, The Devil's Backbone

3 From Hell

Director: Rob Zombie

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8134742

Review: Reasonably distracting for a while but is ultimately the same old Rob Zombie hat with the same old Rob Zombie tricks.

Watch it if: You really have to.

And if you liked: The Devil's Rejects, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, House of 1,000 Corpses

Terrified

Director: Demián Rugna

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7549892

Review: Doesn't fully hold together but delivers on some deeply creepy images and some interesting ideas.

Watch it if: You're interested in something with an unconventional narrative.

And if you liked: V/H/S: Viral, Insidious, Baskin

One Cut of the Dead

Director: Shin'ichirô Ueda

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7914416

Review: Funny and interesting in its various strands with some great ideas and a surprisingly heart-warming ending.

Watch it if: You want something more light-hearted.

And if you liked: Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, Dead Set

The Witches (2020)

Director: Robert Zemeckis

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805647

Review: A few touching moments and a few strong images but nothing that really elevates the material more than has been done before.

Watch it if: You're interested in a slightly different spin on the story.

And if you liked: The Witches, Matilda

Check this out: The Witches

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

Director: Jason Woliner

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13143964

Review: Sharp and shocking with plenty of genuine belly laughs and a surprisingly touching central throughline.

Watch it if: You're ok with a certain amount of gross-out humour.

And if you liked: Borat, Bruno

In the Mouth of Madness

Director: John Carpenter

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113409

Review: Dips a little in the middle but brings a lot of great ideas to the table with a fun tone and a solid ending.

Watch it if: You enjoy something that starts leaning on the fourth wall.

And if you liked: Tales from the Crypt, Videodrome, Wes Craven's New Nightmare

It Comes at Night

Director: Trey Edward Shults

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4695012

Review: Establishes various layers of tension with ease while delivering a strong tone without sacrificing ambiguity.

Watch it if: You want something that's both moody and pacey.

And if you liked: A Quiet Place, They Look Like People, Night of the Living Dead

The Thing (2011)

Director: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0905372

Review: Fairly flat in character and plot without many interesting new ideas and a misunderstanding of what made the original scary.

Watch it if: You're curious.

And if you liked: The Mist, The Thing

Check this out: Who Goes There?

Red Dragon

Director: Brett Ratner

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289765

Review: Deeply silly all the way to its core but still fun to frolick through.

Watch it if: You're interested in seeing a bad film-maker attempt to ape another's style without fully understanding what made it good in the first place.

And if you liked: The Silence of the Lambs, The Mothman Prophecies

Check this out: Red Dragon

Session 9

Director: Brad Anderson

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0261983

Review: Some interesting ideas and good character work throughout even if it does end a little predictably.

Watch it if: You want something that feels rough and raw.

And if you liked: Possum, Kill List, Dead Man's Shoes

The Invisible Man (2020)

Director: Leigh Whannell

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1051906

Review: Tense and tightly crafted with some strong thematic ideas and plenty of exciting moments.

Watch it if: You want something that knows the genre well and uses that to create surprises.

And if you liked: Midsommar, Hush

Check this out: The Invisible Man

Marie Antoinette

Director: Sofie Coppola

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0422720

Review: Rushes its end a little bit but keeps attention well throughout with a comfortable pace and a clear view of character.

Watch it if: You want something that does a good job using fallacy to get its head around the reality of the period.

And if you liked: Dazed and Confused, The Royal Tenenbaums, American Graffiti

Check this out: Marie Antoinette: The Journey

Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer

Director: Tim Story 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486576

Review: Unfocused and uninterested in presenting anything that hasn't been sanded down to the point that its fully unmemorable.

Watch it if: You're curious.

And if you liked: Fantastic Four, Steel

I'm Thinking of Ending Things

Director: Charlie Kaufman

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7939766

Review: A few flashes of brilliance fail to save a self indulgent mess of sneering cynicism and smug posturing.

Watch it if: You enjoy seeing literary references listed off ad nauseum.

And if you liked: Waking Life, Identity, Adaptation, Ready Player One

Check this out: I'm Thinking of Ending Things

Bill & Ted Face the Music

Director: Dean Parisot 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1086064

Review: Just a breath of fresh joyful air full of delightful silliness and an effortless return to old beloved characters.

Watch it if: You're a Bill & Ted Fan.

And if you liked: Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, Galaxy Quest

Anomalisa

Director: Duke Johnson and Charlie Kaufman

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2401878

Review: One or two interesting ideas being held aloft by its production without much else going for it and not nearly enough examination or criticism of its central character.

Watch it if: You're interested in experimental animation.

And if you liked: High Fidelity, Being John Malkovich, Team America: World Police

Prisoners

Director: Denis Villeneuve

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392214

Review: Unbelievably gorgeous to look at with a strong sense of tone and a gripping plot that continues to knock you on your feet throughout.

Watch it if: You can handle something with a long slow burn.

And if you liked: True Detective, Insomnia (2002), Zodiac

An American Pickle

Director: Brandon Trost

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9059704

Review: Reasonably thin in terms of character and plot but charms with some fun ideas and sincere emotion.

Watch it if: You want something that seems effortless in its impressive technical accomplishments.

And if you liked: Being There, Hits, Borat

Check this out: Sell Out

Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood

Director: Quentin Tarantino

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622

Review: Some really confusing choices floating in a fairly breezy and pleasant sea of nostalgia and indulgence.

Watch it if: You're ok with something that has no problem meandering at its own pace.

And if you liked: Death Proof, The Hateful Eight

Little Joe

Director: Jessica Hausner

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9204204

Review: Could maybe use an extra push but still delivers a fascinating tone with intriguing music and a great use of colour.

Watch it if: You're ok with something chilly and low-key.

And if you liked: The Lobster, Invasion of the Bodysnatchers, Shivers

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Director: Thor Freudenthal

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1854564

Review: Nothing particularly new to show but carries itself along reasonably well with a certain amount of charm.

Watch it if: You want something reasonably inoffensive.

And if you liked: The Harry Potter Series, The Hunger Games, Power Rangers

Check this out: The Sea of Monsters

Charlie's Angels (2019)

Director: Elizabeth Banks

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5033998

Review: A refreshing blast of fun and intrigue with strong action and a real sense of effortlessness.

Watch it if: Yu want something that knows exactly what it needs to be and delivers.

And if you liked: Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, Ocean's 8, Charlie's Angels

Men in Black: International

Director: F. Gary Gray

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2283336

Review: Carries a few good ideas and interesting designs but never stops feeling like an middle draft of a decent story before they really made it sing.

Watch it if: You're naturally drawn to the Men in Black franchise.

And if you liked: Men in Black 3, Ghostbusters (2016)

Ready or Not

Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7798634

Review: Funny and pacy with a solid idea at the centre and a strong lead performance that carries the whole piece.

Watch it if: You want something that successfully builds its options so any path will be satisfying.

And if you liked: You're Next, The House of the Devil, Would You Rather

Clue

Director: Jonathan Lynn

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088930

Review: A strong ensemble cast with a clear sense of tone and a good rollicking pace.

Watch it if: You want something that knows exactly what it is.

And if you liked: Tales from the Crypt, Knives Out, Would You Rather

Brahms: The Boy II

Director: William Brent Bell

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9173418

Review: Beyond silly in every detail but manages to pull through in terms of raw entertainment.

Watch it if: You accept that the film will go where it wants to go regardless of previously established ideas.

And if you liked: The Boy, The Conjuring, Sinister 2

Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn

Director: Cathy Yan

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7713068

Review: A little too self-indulgent in places but carries through with charm and aplomb.

Watch it if: You're ok with something that goes a little nastier than it needs to sometimes.

And if you liked: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Kill Bill, Deadpool

Encino Man

Director: Les Mayfield

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104187

Review: Fairly thin on the ground but reasonably distracting in a harmless way.

Watch it if: You want to see an early 90s comedy that somehow skirts most of the usual things that would date it.

And if you liked: George of the Jungle, Good Burger

Extra Ordinary

Director: Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8233874

Review: Soaking in specific detail and wit with a strong ensemble cast and consistently funny jokes.

Watch it if: You want something that knows to its core what it is and what it wants to do.

And if you liked: Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, What We Do in the Shadows, Shaun of the Dead, Mandy

Good Time

Director: Benny and Josh Safdie

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4846232

Review: Tense and tactile with a narrative thrust that's impossible to map-out and a sense of foreboding that's impossible to escape.

Watch it if: You have a high tolerance for film-induced stress.

And if you liked: Uncut Gems, Drive, Of Mice and Men

Free Fire

Director: Ben Wheatley

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4158096

Review: Consistently funny and tense with a clear sense of character and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end.

Watch it if: You want to see something that is both ridiculous and grounded.

And if you liked: From Dusk Till Dawn, Let the Corpses Tan, Down Terrace

Sonic the Hedgehog

Director: Jeff Fowler

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3794354

Review: Thin, by-the-numbers and mired by product placement but it's hard to resist the fun that the central cast bring.

Watch it if: You're a fan of unhinged Jim Carrey.

And if you liked: Detective Pikachu, Inspector Gadget, Shazam

Uncut Gems

Director: Benny and Josh Safdie

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5727208

Review: Tense and bizarre in all the right places with an incredible central performance and a mesmorising score.

Watch it if: You have a high tolerance for film-induced stress.

And if you liked: Punch Drunk Love, Bad Lieutenant, Hard Eight

Parasite

Director: Bong Joon-ho

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6751668

Review: Gripping and saturated with empathy with elegant plotting and a clear, well-defined characters.

Watch it if: You want something that holds tension and keeps you guessing right until the end.

And if you liked: Knives Out, Stoker

Color Out of Space

Director: Richard Stanley

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5073642

Review: Dips into familiar territory occasionally but spills a good amount of bizarre and colourful imagery onto the screen including some genuinely horrifying sections.

Watch it if: You're interested in seeing something that manages gradual descent well.

And if you liked: Annihilation, The Thing

Check this out: The Colour Out of Space