a magnificent life
Animation, Biography/History, Drama
A Magnificent Life

This animated biopic about French auteur Marcel Pagnol tells a visually lush story, but there are some content smudges on …

Biography/History, Drama
Tow

While ‘Tow’ offers an inspiring message and an effort audiences can root for, it comes with some big content concerns, …

reminders of him
Drama, Romance
Reminders of Him

‘Reminders of Him’ is a sickly mix of the saccharine and sensual—yet another Colleen Hoover adaptation that families may want …

all you need is kill
Action/Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
All You Need Is Kill

‘All You Need Is Kill’ has an inventive premise and some heroic messages—but there’s a lot of animated blood and …

avatar: fire and ash
Action/Adventure
Avatar: Fire and Ash

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ feels much like what we’ve seen before, only more. But that more will leave family viewers …

Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Thriller
The Mummy Returns

‘The Mummy Returns,’ well, returns to cinemas for its 25th anniversary since release—with all its cobwebbed content, too.

Action/Adventure, Comedy, Horror
Cold Storage

‘Cold Storage’ is a “been there, vomited that” derivative of many goo-spew flicks that came before. Comedy? Well, not so …

Biography/History, Drama, War
The Optimist: The Bravest Act Is Truth

While ‘The Optimist’ is never gratuitous, the fact that it walks us through the gates of Auschwitz makes this story …

Action/Adventure, Thriller
Shelter

In ‘Shelter,’ Jason Statham once again plays a stoic loner who protects an innocent person using the deadly skills he …

Drama
H Is for Hawk

‘H is for Hawk’ is at times beautiful and moving, at times hard and cutting. This film is not to …

still hope
Christian, Drama
Still Hope

‘Still Hope’ is a challenging film that details the horrors of human trafficking. But it also tells us that there …

Drama
The Choral

‘The Choral’ is a period war drama with a great cast and some serious potential. But it doesn’t lift up …

Action/Adventure, Crime, Drama, Mystery/Suspense, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Thriller
Mercy

Amazon’s ‘Mercy’ offers audiences a dystopian tale with moments of intense violence and some crude language, too.

Biography/History, Drama, War
I Was a Stranger

Angel’s ‘I Was a Stranger’ evokes sympathy for refugees escaping horrific conditions by displaying their violent circumstances onscreen.

Drama
Hamnet

Chloé Zhao’s ‘Hamnet’ explores what may have shaped William Shakespeare as he crafted the masterpiece tragedy of ‘Hamlet.’