28 Years Later (dir. Danny Boyle) 

Target Score 8/10 - 28 Years Later is an exhilarating second sequel to the groundbreaking and apocalyptic 28 Days Later.  Famed writer / director duo Alex Garland and Danny Boyle return with a film that is as environmentally beautiful as it is maniacally graphic.  (streaming on Netflix)

Black Bag (dir. Steven Soderbergh)

Target Score: 9/10 -  Delightfully understated and irresistibly detailed, Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag is more than a sleek English spy thriller, it is a dazzling display of style and substance. (streaming on Prime Video)

Bugonia (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos)

Target Score: 8/10 - Bugonia is elevated by twin apex performance by its stars Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons.  Yorgos Lanthimos offers another thematically rich and comedically daring film that lands just 8 minutes short of mastery. (streaming on Peacock)

Eddington (dir. Ari Aster)

Target Score 8/10 - Ari Aster’s covid-era period film Eddington returns the director to his native New Mexico armed with a brilliant cast including Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal and Emma Stone.  With his latest offering, Aster offers a blistering satire about the nature of America’s modern illness. (streaming on HBOmax)

Hamnet (dir. Chloé Zhao)

Target Score: 9.5/10 - The 16th Century story of William Shakespeare and his young bride gradually transitions from a fascinatingly performed period piece into one of the most captivating and heart wrenching filmmaking ever created.  With career-defining performances by Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal,  Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet has safely planted itself at the heart of this year’s conversation for best picture. (in theaters)

Honeyjoon (dir. Lilian T. Mehrel)

Target Score 9/10 - It takes a talented filmmaker to wield such an amalgamation of cultures and spiritual perspectives while leaving the perception of such ease and grace.  Lilian T. Mehrel delicately balances the humor of a mismatched mother daughter duo with the emotion of a final goodbye in the gorgeous and memorable Honeyjoon. (distribution pending)

Is This Thing On? (dir. Bradley Cooper)

Target Score 8/10 -  Bradley Cooper’s honest and prescient story about a marriage experiencing its final death rattle is equal parts funny and fundamental.  Is This Thing On? is comfortable in its discomfort, a credit to the brilliance of Cooper as well as stars Arnett and Dern. (in theaters)

It Was Just an Accident (dir. Jafar Panahi)

Target Score 8.5/10 - Dripping in revenge and miscalculation, Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi steps as close to the line of permissibility as dictated by his government in this thoughtful and tense insight into the ramifications of an authoritarian regime. (available to rent on Prime Video)

KPop Demon Hunters (dirs. Chris Appelhans & Maggie Kang)

Target Score 8/10 - Modern animated musicals don’t come much better than KPop Demon Hunters.  Family-friendly films that are visually alluring, thematically relevant, and musically dynamic are increasingly difficult to locate.  All the more reason to celebrate the brilliance of directors Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang and their triad of fearless songstresses. (streaming on Netflix)

Natchez (dir. Suzannah Herbert) 

Target Score 9/10 - Outlining the deeply divided nature with which America’s Antebellum South is remembered, Natchez is a documentary that elevates far beyond being interesting, Suzannah Herbert’s film is essential.  (distribution pending)

One Battle After Another  (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)

Target Score 10/10 - Paul Thomas Anderson has set an incredibly high bar for the remainder of the 2025 film slate as his propulsive epic, One Battle After Another offers a timely story that calls into question the very nature of American existence. (streaming on HBOmax)

One Golden Summer (dir. Kevin Shaw) 

Target Score: 9/10 -   With his emotionally evocative sociological documentary, One Golden Summer, Director Kevin Shaw creates a film that shines a light on America in its purest and most vile forms.  Following Chicago’s Jackie Robinson West baseball team through their historic Little League World Series Championship, Shaw reminds us that what glitters isn’t always gold. (distribution pending)

Roofman  (dir. Derek Cianfrance)

Target Score  8/10 -  Roofman is the unbelievable true story of a man under the financial thumb of society.  Featuring memorable performances from Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst, Derek Cianfrance’s film is an emotional crowd-pleaser with depth and a strong sense of purpose. (streaming on Paramount+)

The Singers (dir. Sam Davis)

Target Score 10/10 -  There is a technical excellence present in the work of director Sam Davis’ short film The Singers. The result of Davis’ meticulous approach to establishing an imperfect world is a film that proves to be an unexpected and emotionally resonant sledgehammer.  (distribution pending)

Sinners  (dir. Ryan Coogler)

Target Score 9.5/10 -  Sinners is undeniable proof that providing an talented storyteller like Ryan Coogler with a budget and a team of gifted craftspeople and actors, is a worthwhile proposition. Coogler’s delta blues infused period piece of dark rural lore is a revelation of both craft and narrative.  (streaming on HBOmax)

Train Dreams  (dir. Clint Bentley)

Target Score 9/10 - Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar have once again harnessed the power of a slowly evolving story, that by its end, is sure to level audiences with a profound and memorable understanding.  Train Dreams is the perfect amalgamation of naturalistic and historical storytelling, and instantly one of the year’s best films. (streaming on Netflix)

Twinless (dir. James Sweeney)

Target Score 8.5/10 - Twinless is a dark buddy comedy about two men grieving the loss of their identical twin brothers.  Lifted by a noteworthy performance by gifted actor Dylan O’Brien, he and Sweeny shine through the dense fog of sadness manifested by the film’s proceedings.  Steeped in mystery and uproarious laughter, writer and director James Sweeney has crafted a brave film that is not to be missed. (available to rent on Prime Video)

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery  (dir. Rian Johnson)

Target Score: 8.5/10 - Wake Up Dad Man: A Knives Out Mystery is a brilliantly constructed and hilariously delivered whodunnit from Rian Johnson.  With the aid of an excellent ensemble cast, the third Knives Out installment is a welcome return to form. (streaming on Netflix)

Weapons (dir. Zach Cregger)

Target Score 9/10 - Armed with an undeniable premise and a near flawless execution that delicately balances intrigue, brutality, and small doses of tactfully employed comedy, Zach Cregger’s Weapons is an instant genre classic.  (streaming on HBOmax)

Zootopia 2 (dirs. Jared Bush & Byron Howard)

Target Score 8/10 - After taking a beat to find its bearings, Zootopia 2 sets forth on an expansive and delightful adventure that is perfectly suited for families of all ages.  Boasting a robust cast of vocal talent, there is very little that feels recycled about Disney’s long-awaited sequel.  

(in theaters)