Watching You Were Never Really Here reminds me of staying home sick from school, catching bits and pieces of classic films while scrolling through the television channels in a feverish daze. Drifting in and out of consciousness too often to follow any sort of plot, so I stick to noticing the minor details like changes in the music, or an interesting facial expression. Dialogue is just a jumble of familiar noises from which I catch a word or two at…

As a fan of the franchise, The First Purge is a satisfying, big-budget prequel to a series that had nowhere else to go except into the hood. The generous budget and bigger explosions that go along with a Michael Bay production credit are welcome additions, fitting for a series that has only gotten wider in scope since the first film. While the urban cliches range from comedic to eye-roll inducing and the blatant references to certain events surrounding the election…

Phantom Thread is quite simple and straightforward compared to the director's previous films, but is still able to retain a sense of mystery and a dash of spirituality. The plot is akin to the classic romance novels typical of the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen, and I mean that in the best way possible. While this aspect may cause some folks to call the film boring, those who can appreciate a slow-burn love story with a tear-inducing twist so subtle…