CALLING ALL EARTHLINGS: Not Quite Out Of This World

By bouncing back and forth between too many stories, Calling All Earthlings, while intriguing, doesn’t provide the complete picture of any of them.

WE THE ANIMALS: Coming of Age Drama Trapped In Moonlight's Shadow
WE THE ANIMALS: Coming Of Age Drama Trapped In Moonlight’s Shadow

We the Animals is an undeniably moving film, but one whose emotional power is curbed by its similarity to other notable US indies of recent years, failing to rise out of the shadows.

PROMISE: A Contemporary Take On Biblical Story
PROMISE: A Contemporary Take On Biblical Story

Promise is a terrific short drama that represents another stride forward for director Nev Pierce.

THE COOLEST GUY MOVIE EVER: A Look At An Iconic War Film For Super Fans
THE COOLEST GUY MOVIE EVER: A Look At An Iconic War Film For Super Fans

The Coolest Guy Movie Ever looks back at the iconic war film The Great Escape, examining its production and the legacy it still holds today.

2036: ORIGIN UNKNOWN: A.I. Focused Sci-Fi Feels Far Too Familiar
2036: ORIGIN UNKNOWN: A.I. Focused Sci-Fi Feels Far Too Familiar

Katee Sackhoff’s ability to pull off an almost solo performance is 2036: Origin Unknown’s saving grace and, ultimately, is what makes it worth any of your time.

BLACKkKLANSMAN: The Power Of Cinema Triumphs Over Racism In Spike Lee's Best Film In Decades
BLACKkKLANSMAN: The Power Of Cinema Triumphs Over Racism In Spike Lee’s Best Film In Decades

Blackkklansman works on every level – it tells a wildly entertaining story while addressing a pressing social issue with intelligence and moral heft.

HORN FROM THE HEART: THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD STORY: A Documentary That's Got Its Mojo Working
HORN FROM THE HEART: THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD STORY: A Documentary That’s Got Its Mojo Working

Horn From the Heart is a fine documentary, following Paul Butterfield’s career in a compelling and caring way, enough so that you don’t need to know the music to appreciate the story.

Melbourne International Film Festival 2018: The First Weekend Report
Melbourne International Film Festival 2018: The First Weekend Report

In our first Melbourne International Film Festival report, we cover a collection of films, including Columbian crime dramas, a time-bending German war film, and an experimental exercise in young adult race relations.

THE DARKEST MINDS: Uninspired, Half-Baked YA Adaptation
THE DARKEST MINDS: Uninspired, Half-Baked YA Adaptation

The Darkest Minds brings some potentially daring concepts, but builds them to nothing, with not even its action scenes being a saving grace.

THE SECRET OF MARROWBONE: A Ghost Of The Film It Tries To Summon
THE SECRET OF MARROWBONE: A Ghost Of The Film It Tries To Summon

A ghost of the film it tries to summon, The Secret of Marrowbone is unable to pull everything together and its disparate elements fail to coalesce into anything approaching satisfying.

LAURA GETS A CAT: Conversation & Pathos Drive This Life-After-Thirty Rom-Com
LAURA GETS A CAT: Conversation & Pathos Drive This Life-After-Thirty Rom-Com

With Laura Gets A Cat, Michael Ferrell continues his knowing efforts within the romantic comedy genre.

LATE LIFE: THE CHIEN-MING WANG STORY: What Happens To Professional Athletes In Late Life?

You don’t need to be a baseball enthusiast to enjoy Late Life – this documentary about a baseball player’s attempted comeback is a pure, human drama.

BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB: Boring, Bland and Cliché
BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB: Boring, Bland & Cliché

Unfortunately, the Billionaire Boys Club takes a common Hollywood film concept and fails to deliver anything more original than its predecessors.

SHARP OBJECTS “Closer” (S1E5): Another Great Episode But Not Without Frustrations
SHARP OBJECTS “Closer” (S1E5): Another Great Episode But Not Without Frustrations

Episode 5 of Sharp Objects, Closer, is the weakest episode of a brilliant bunch but one still packed with fantastic character work and shattering performances.

BLINDSPOTTING: A Poem About Modern Police Brutality
BLINDSPOTTING: A Poem About Modern Police Brutality

Some reviewers have called Blindspotting a buddy comedy, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth – this is a film designed to make you uncomfortable.