Yoshii (Masaki Suda) quits his job as a factory worker to continue his successful business as an online reseller in Cloud. He and his girlfriend,  Akiko (Kotone Furukawa), move into a larger home and he hires an assistant, Sano (Daiken Okudaira), but, soon enough, he gets into trouble with a gangster who join up with his former bosses who intend on killing him. The screenplay by writer/director Kiyoshi Kurosawa takes too long to get to the meat of the story as it stretches its highly expository first act thinly with barely any palpable tension or suspense. That mostly changes around the hour mark as the film morphs into an gritty action thriller with a cat-and-mouse chase. Patient audiences who appreciate a slow-paced thriller will be rewarded with an intense third act with twists and turns that won't be spoiled here. Cloud's systemic issue, though, is that there aren't any characters to emotionally connect with. Yoshii remains underdeveloped and hard to like, especially because of how he neglects his girlfriend and cares more about his online business.  At a running time of 2 hours and 4 minutes, Cloud is a moderately suspenseful and visually stylish, but shallow slow-burning crime thriller that tests the audience's patience. It opens at IFC Center via Sideshow and Janus Films.  

      At a running time of 1 hour and 44 minutes, Collective Monologue is a dull and undercooked fly-on-the-wall documentary about the relationship between animals and caregivers at zoos and animal rescue centers in Argentina. Unfortunately, there's nothing exceptional about the cinematography, and there are not nearly enough insights, so this underwhelming documentary fails to entertain the audience, to provoke them intellectually or to engage them emotionally. You'll have to wait until the very end for the explanation of its title which comes from a quote by psychologist Jean Piaget---a quote that would've been more helpful if it were included at the very beginning of the film. For a much more illuminating and heartfelt documentary about an animal and caregivers, see Every Little Thing. It opens at Anthology Film Archives via Grasshopper Film.

Number of times I checked my watch: 4

      Death & Taxes is an eye-opening, fair and balanced documentary about Estate Tax, a.k.a. the "Death Tax." Currently, estates of $13.99 million or more are legally required to be taxed, so it's essentially a tax for the rich. Co-directors Justin Schein and Robert Edwards examine the history and fairness of the Estate Tax. They interview scholars like former U.S. Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich, who taught a college course on Wealth and Poverty before recently retiring. He and other experts argue that the tax is necessary for the economy. Justin Schein's late father, Harvey, feels otherwise: he didn't like the fact that his wealth will be taxed after his death after working so hard to earn his money. He wasn't afraid to speak his mind and to question the norm, but is his reasoning valid? He has the right to be a critical thinker, and he does make some valid points. Kudos to Justin for including his father's refreshingly opposing viewpoints and for shedding some light on his rocky relationship with him. So, Death & Taxes is pretty much an amalgam of two documentaries: one more broad about the "death tax" and one more personal about the director's relationship with his stubborn father. It would've been interesting if Justing Schein and Robbert Edwards were to interview estate lawyers who have a lot of experience and insights about the Estate Tax which is a lot more complex than it seems. At a running time of 1 hour and 25 minutes, Death & Taxes opens at IFC Center via 8 Above Distribution.

Number of times I checked my watch: 2




 

       During a weekend getaway with their husbands and children, Ernesta (Gelminė Glemžaitė) and her sister, Justė, (Agnė Kaktaitė) stay at a cabin by a lake with their husbands and children when a tragic accident happens to Justė's daughter in Drowning Dry. Writer/director Laurynas Bareiša has made a slow-burning and unconventional, but anemic and underwhelming psychological thriller. The non-linear, experimental structure of the plot needlessly overcomplicates the exposition and makes the narrative more frustrating and less engrossing. The characters are underdeveloped and forgettable, and the screenplay doesn't provide enough of a window into their heart, mind and soul. Why over-complicate a plot that's already dealing with complex emotions? Drowning Dry falls flat as a psychological thriller. It's often emotionally cold and moves at a snail's pace that leads to a lethargic experience that's ultimately less than the sum of its parts. At a running time of 1 hour and 28 minutes, Drowning Dry opens at IFC Center via Dekanalog.  

Number of times I checked my watch: 4

      During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix), the sheriff of the small town of Eddington, New Mexico, decides to run for mayor against the town's current mayor, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal), who's running for reelection in Eddington. Joe refuses to wear a mask and doesn't like the town's draconian response to the pandemic. As the campaigning becomes increasingly aggressive and out of control, it puts a strain on the relationship between him and his wife, Louise (Emma Stone). Writer/director Ari Aster has made a bold, outrageously funny, unpredictable and provocative political satire. Joe comes across as an unhinged, mean-spirited, bitter and deeply disturbed man which makes him all the more interesting and like watching a ticking time bomb like Travis Bickle. It's just a matter of when he'll end up hurting someone and how. What does his wife see in him? What did she ever see in him? That's not very clear. She has a friend, Vernon (Austin Butler), whom she vibes with much more than she does with Joe.

      The first half of the film feels like an off-kilter Western while the second half goes bonkers as it crosses into Coen brothers or Martin McDonagh territory. Eddington, much like Beau is Afraid, doesn't hold back on absurdity and on shocking the audience with dark and disturbing twists and turns. The highlight is a powerful, well-written scene where Ted confronts Joe when he discovers that he's running for mayor. Clearly, Ari Aster doesn't like to treat his audiences with a white glove or to sugar-coat anything. Be prepared for an unconventional and uncomfortable roller coaster ride that's cynical, downbeat and biting as 70s political thrillers like The Parallax View. At a lengthy running time of 2 hours and 25 minutes, Eddington opens in theaters nationwide via A24.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1




 

      Mo Zaltzman (Mark Feuerstein), a rabbi, takes matters into his own hands when a killer shoots up his synagogue's fundraiser in Guns & Moses. Dermot Mulroney plays Alan, a wealthy businessman who's being honored at the fundraiser. Neal McDonough plays the town's mayor, and Christopher Lloyd has a supporting role as a Holocaust survivor. The screenplay by writer/director Salvador Litvak and co-writer Nina Davidovich Litvak is inspired by a true story, but you wouldn't even imagine that because not a single scene rings true. The plot feels convoluted, contrived and meandering as it unevenly blends action, suspense, mystery and thrills. Most of the twists can be seen from a mile away, so they're not very surprising. The dialogue ranges from stilted to on-the-nose without enough wit or comic relief. The best thing about Guns & Moses is its catchy title that makes it sound more like a Mel Brooks religious satire. Everything from the choppy editing to the bland action sequences and clunky exposition turns the film into a lackluster B-movie that's too low on thrills, suspense and intrigue. At a running time of 1 hour and 34 minutes, which feels more like 2 hours, Guns & Moses opens nationwide via Angel Studios.  

Number of times I checked my watch: 4

      At a running time of 1 hour and 25 minutes, Heightened Scrutiny is a timely, moving and illuminating documentary about Chase Strangio, a civil rights trans attorney who fights against anti-trans laws in the US. Director Sam Feder focuses more on Strangio's legal battles and struggles rather than delving into his life outside of work, but that's okay because he's an inspirational and brave hero--a David going up against many Goliaths. It opens at DCTV's Firehouse Cinema via Fourth Act Film.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1




 

      In I Know What You Did Last Summer, a serial killer with a hook terrorize five friends, Danica (Madelyn Cline), Teddy (Tyriq Withers from “Tell Me Lies”), Ava (Chase Sui Wonders), Milo (Jonah Hauer-King), and Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon), one year after they accidentally killed someone in a car accident and swore not to tell one about what they did last summer. Writer/director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and co-writer Sam Lansky have made an inane, clunky and witless horror thriller that's low on scares and thrills. The systemic issue comes from the plot that becomes increasingly preposterous and lacks internal logic with very lazy expositional dumps. It also gets tedious very quickly and has overacting, stilted dialogue, excessive jump scares, bad laughs, uneven pacing as well as choppy editing. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprise their roles as Julie and Jack, respectively, from the 1997 film. Sarah Michelle Gellar has a cameo in a very awkward scene. I Know What You Did Last Summer doesn't manage to become a guilty pleasure like the original, though. There's some gore albeit nothing that pushes the envelope nor are there imaginative kills. Moreover, the intrusive, heavy-handed music score ruins the suspense and surprises because it shows up right before there's an attempted scare. At a running time of 1 hour and 51 minutes, it opens nationwide via Columbia Pictures.  

Number of times I checked my watch: 3




 

       Life After is a heartbreaking and mildly engaging, but undercooked documentary about the legal right for disabled people to die through assistance suicide and euthanasia. Director Reid Davenport should be commended for choosing a controversial topic that could be triggering and too heavy for many audiences. He uses the court case of Elizabeth Bouvia, a disabled woman who lost her right to die in her case back in 1983. He decides to look into what happened to Elizabeth since then and what he discovers turns out to be very illuminating. Soon enough, he travels to Canada where learns about the country's new law, Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), that has expanded the eligibility of people who seek medically assisted suicide even if they're not terminally ill. His interviews with the disabled people, like Michal Kaliszan, are heartbreaking. To be fair, Life After is a mixed bag, though, because it bites off more than it could chew and provokes the audience emotionally more than intellectually. It's also not shot or presented in a way that feels cinematic enough to transcend beyond a conventional documentary. At a running time of 1 hour and 39 minutes, Life After opens at Film Forum via Multitude Films / Independent Lens.  

Number of times I checked my watch: 2

      Shari & Lamb Chop is a well-edited, captivating and illuminating documentary biopic on Shari Lewis, a ventriloquist and puppeteer best known for her beloved puppet, Lamb Chop. Director Lisa D'Apolito combines archival footage of Shari and interviews with her daughter, Mallory Lewis, who's also a puppeteer, and other entertainers like David Copperfield. You'll learn about how Shari became a puppeteer/ventriloquist, how she rose to fame, and how much Lamb Chop meant to her so much that it became an extension of her. In terms of its structure and content, Shari & Lamb Chop isn't exceptional, profound or emotionally engrossing for that matter. However, it's not entirely hagiographic and doesn't shy away from mentioning Shari's struggles as a female puppeteer/ventriloquist in a male-dominated industry that wasn't very welcoming to her initially. The Shari Lewis Show lasted for only 3 seasons before it was cancelled, but her and Lamb Chop's fame endured. The anecdotal information is also fascinating. Did you know that she was nearsighted and had to memorize her lines every day? Well, now you do. Audiences who watched her show will enjoy the nostalgia and to behold Shari's talent before their very eyes. At a running time of 1 hour and 32 minutes, Shari & Lamb Chop opens at Quad Cinema via Kino Lorber.

Number of times I checked my watch: 2

      Smurfette (voice of Rihanna), No Name Smurf (voice of James Corden) and other smurfs leave Smurf Village to rescue Papa Smurf (voice of John Goodman) from the evil wizards, Gargamel (voice of JP Karliak) and Razamel (voice of JP Karliak), who search for a book of magic that the smurfs have in Smurfs. Director Chris Miller and screenwriter Pam Brady have made a dull and cringe-inducing animated adventure that's more silly and dumb rather than fun and exciting. There are random musical numbers and unfunny, repetitive jokes involving the word "smurf" substituted for other words. The uninspired plot itself will fail to entertain adults and barely amuse children. In the film's most desperate, yet failed attempt to generate laughs, the smurfs use profanity that gets bleeped out. Yes, you read that correctly. What were the filmmakers thinking? Nothing about this animated film sticks the landing from start to finish. Even the smurfs are as annoying as nails on a chalkboard. Smurfs is ultimately one of the worst children's movies since The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure. Its 90-minute running time feels more like 3 hours. It opens nationwide via Paramount Pictures.

Number of times I checked my watch: 8

      At a running time of 1 hour and 59 minutes, Unicorns, by writer/director James Krishna Floyd and co-director Sally El Hosaini, is a well-acted, tender, unflinching and engrossing romance about Luke (Ben Hardy), a young man who falls in love with Aysha (Jason Patel), a drag queen. It opens at Quad Cinema via Cohen Media Group.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1