Coming-of-age films for girls are few and far between. Movies that tackle this specific age in a girl's life are basically non-existent. Lucky for girls and women everywhere, Judy Blume's novel explores just such a time from the young female perspective in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret , and after fifty-three years since its publication, it has finally gotten a film adaptation. Writer/Director Kelly Fremon Craig ( The Edge of Seventeen ), bravely takes the task of bringing this story to the big screen and does it so effortlessly, that it feels like an instant classic. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret follows a pivotal year in the life of our young heroine Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson) as she adjusts to several new changes. She's just been uprooted from her familiar life in New York City to the suburbs of New Jersey following her father's new job. Marget is quickly welcomed by her neighbor into a very exclusive girl's club where they make silly rules like "no wearing socks" and spend lots of time gossiping about anything and everything. She confides her innermost thoughts and hopes to God, even though she was intentionally raised by her parents without a specific religion since they each have their own. Her teacher suggests she spend more time examining all religions as a research topic, to help her come to her own conclusions and she soon learns what a complicated topic it can be. For a story written in 1970, its themes are so timeless for young girls navigating their adolescence. Margaret is such a relatable heroine, due in large part to such an earnest performance by Abby Ryder Fortson. Seeing her journey play out feels so natural and true to life; it's so easy to recognize ourselves in her. She's aided by an amazing supporting cast with Rachel McAdams playing her mother Barbara, Benny Safdie playing her dad Herb, and a scene-stealing Kathy Bates as her Grandma Sylvia. McAdams, in particular, gives one of her most striking performances as a mother handling all of her daughter's changing wants and needs. All the young actresses playing her friends are stellar too, particularly Elle Graham as the too-eager-to-grow-up Nancy Wheeler. There's not a false note in the cast and they have a fantastic director working to get the most genuine performances from them. I really loved Kelly Fremon Craig's last directorial effort, The Edge of Seventeen , and once again (this time with the help of some fantastic source material,) she authentically creates the world of a young girl trying eagerly to fit in. Though the last time was through the lens of an older teenager in high school dealing with her own set of problems, this time we're taken back to all the growing pains of that age where we're not quite grown up, but we wish we were. Craig balances the innocence and curiosity of this age so perfectly, that it feels like you're reading the very real thoughts inside of a middle schooler's diary. Honestly, Are You There God? It's Me Margaret's existence feels like an actual miracle. I would have adored a movie like this to relate to growing up, but I'm so happy it exists now both for mothers and daughters alike. There's such a warm feeling of sisterhood to it--a rite of passage in growing up and understanding a more complex world than the comfortable one you were used to. It's not easy to leave that world behind and enter a new scary one, but it's so much easier when we know we're not alone and others have felt the exact same feelings we're feeling. RATING: 9/10

Disney's latest live-action offering, The Little Mermaid , finally swims into theaters after having been announced what feels like a lifetime ago. Rob Marshall helms the musical adaptation, telling the story we all know and love of a curious mermaid (Halle Bailey) who makes a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) for the chance at human life with her beloved Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King). The quality of Disney live-action remakes seems almost impossible for people to fairly quantify. This is because these particular films are made in a way not to be judged on their own merits, but only by comparison to something else. On the one hand, everyone knows they very rarely (if ever) can improve upon the original, so often instead they're compared by the metric of the previous live-action remakes (an admittedly low bar). The one time Disney got the formula right was with 2015's Cinderella , which instead of remaking the animated version of the movie, felt much more like just another adaptation of the famous fairy tale. Why they haven't continued to go this route and make completely new interpretations of these stories in live-action form, doesn't exactly elude me (they're trying to cash in on nostalgia, not showcase any type of creativity here), but it's disappointing all the same. I'd love to be writing a review about a live-action Little Mermaid film where she doesn't have the same old sidekicks, and instead has new characters and deals with a completely different sea witch altogether. She doesn't even need to be named Ariel! But alas...Disney doesn't take risks--they make reproductions, so there's no way to look at the film objectively without comparing it to how it was done first. Halle Bailey is a fantastic new Ariel, who doesn't feel like a carbon copy of her animated counterpart which goes a long way to the film's benefit. Unlike past live-action Disney princesses, she can actually sing (I'm looking at you Emma Watson) and she has a very charming presence. You can tell the camera just loves her, and considering how much she's working against blue screen, it's truly impressive what she achieves here. But unfortunately, she cannot carry the film alone and she gets almost zero help from anyone else (save Hauer-King's Eric with whom she does have some nice chemistry). The supporting cast is really what lets this film down and the performances range considerably. Jacob Tremblay as Flounder is fine and generally inoffensive, but barely there. You could cut his character and the story wouldn't change a bit. Melissa McCarthy tries desperately to give her best impression of Pat Carroll's performance, without any of the gravitas. And the less said about Awkwafina's Scuttle, the better. But for me, the most glaring casting choices to really negatively affect the film are Daveed Diggs' imitation crab Sebastian (see what I did there?) and the complete misfire casting of Javier Bardem as the coldest King Triton ever. So many of their scenes together are just reciting the animated scene's dialogue word for word, without any of the warmth or humor that made the original lines work. In the original animated film, aside from her romance with Eric, it's with these two characters that Ariel actually has relationship arcs. We know the animated Triton is too hard on Ariel, but deep down is a softie who deeply loves his daughter and is just trying to do what's best for her. He has to learn to let go and give his daughter the freedom to live her life and do what she believes is best for her. In this version, their reconciliation feels so empty because you never felt anything between them in the first place. Meanwhile, animated Sebastian goes from being an overly strict watchdog to a true confidant and friend. Diggs' Sebastian just is there for bickering with Scuttle, not to provide any sort of meaningful relationship for Ariel. Characters of course aren't the only things recreated though, because we all knew we'd be getting new versions of all the film's beloved musical numbers. Halle soulfully belts Part of Your World , and while I wouldn't really say I prefer her version to the original, it was the only new rendition of these songs that came close to competing. Under the Sea feels completely lifeless in its first few verses, and when it finally does try to pull out all the stops, it just looks like a CGI eyesore. Poor Unfortunate Souls felt like a bland karaoke performance, while Kiss the Girl was absolutely dreadful. So what does the film add, or improve upon? Well, in terms of runtime, it adds a lot...including expanded action sequences and new songs, which makes the film feel unnecessarily bloated. But few of these additions actually improve anything. But, I did enjoy the extra scenes with Eric that really help build up their romance. Their new interactions are definitely one of the film's highlights and welcome additions. For a few moments, it feels like the film gains its own personality, before falling back on its mimicry. So yeah, compared to those other terrible, soulless Disney remakes it is indeed better than most! But compared to the original animated film, it is far inferior. And as a film on its own merits, it can't stand on its own two legs...try as Halle Bailey might. RATING: 5/10

There was a good long while when I wondered if The Flash would ever see the light of day. The film suffered numerous delays for a plethora of reasons, including the troubling actions of its star. It seemed inevitable the film would be canned, yet studio heads persisted in insisting that not only would it be released, but it would also be one of the greatest comic book movies of all time. Sure enough, the early buzz from advanced screenings was glowing and it seemed DC was sure to have a hit on their hands. The Flash catches up with Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) sometime after the events of Justice League (or Zack Snyder's Justice League , depending on your own personal headcanon,) living an everyday life as a superhero, doing his best to save those in need. He's also hard at work looking for evidence to overturn his father's conviction in his mother's murder case with the help of his good friend Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck). When it seems he's finally come to a dead end, he can't help but wonder, what if he ran so far and so fast that he could turn back time and prevent his mother's death? Bruce warns him not to tempt fate, but Barry yearns for his father's freedom and to have his mother back alive and well. He plans to just go back and change one thing to keep her alive, but before he knows it, he's stranded in another timeline, without powers and now face to face with a younger version of himself who just gained his own powers. When he goes find his Justice League friends to help, he realizes more than just his parents' fates have changed. Bruce (Michael Keaton) looks very different here and a looming threat must be faced immediately or mankind will be doomed. Here's the thing. If you spend months hyping up a movie til Kingdom come as one of the best superhero movies of all time, you darn well better have the movie to back that kind of claim up. The Flash is not that movie. While its core story is good, it is so bloated and bogged down by inexplicable choices. Most distractingly, it's a very ugly movie. For some reason, the CGI is purposefully crude, looking like it came from a movie twenty years ago. Why Anthony Muschietti, or whoever above him ordered it wanted the movie to look so hideous I cannot possibly understand. It's the type of effects that really take you out of the movie and break the suspension of disbelief you're willing to allow. Ezra Miller pulls double duty playing two versions of Barry. One of those performances is pretty good. Unfortunately, the other happens to be incredibly obnoxious. It doesn't make for the most pleasant viewing experience. Meanwhile, Michael Keaton is a fun addition reprising one of his biggest roles, though it admittedly feels like it amounts to about as much as a celebrity repeating their old famous movie character catchphrases for a Superbowl TV spot. The Flash hopes to distract with its flashy cameos but is best served when it actually focuses on Barry's story. The heart of what the movie is about--letting go of the past and accepting that the hard parts of life are what make us who we are, are themes that are worth focusing on in greater depth. The movie is better off when it does, but too often gets distracted with what toys it can be playing with inside the DC sandbox. RATING: 5.5/10

John Carney's fourth film, Flora and Son was my most anticipated film to debut at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival since I absolutely adore two of the director's previous films, Begin Again and Sing Street. Carney's last film, Sing Street was truly one of my favorite films I've ever had the pleasure of seeing at Sundance, and it's been a long seven years since without any follow-up. His talents have truly been missed and his return was long-awaited (by me). Add Joseph Gordon-Levitt to the cast and my expectations were sky-high. Flora and Son follows Flora (Eve Hewson), a feisty Irish woman whose been boxed in by her life choices--namely keeping her son Max whom she got pregnant with at 17. The two don't have the smoothest relationship, particularly when she forgets his fourteenth birthday. She tries to make it up to him when she gifts him a second-hand guitar, but he's more interested in hanging around his dad (Jack Reynor) than touching that piece of junk. Instead of letting the guitar go to waste, Flora decides to take up guitar lessons and makes an unexpected connection with her online guitar teacher Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Flora and Son fits nicely into the John Carney catalogue. It features his unique brand of catchy music, silly humor, and a touching love story you can't help but root for. Eve Hewson perfectly nails the difficult role of Flora. She's funny and fiery--her performance totally carries the film. Her easy chemistry with a more reserved Joesph Gordon-Levitt is a real highlight of the film, and Carney frustratingly leaves you wanting more. In fact, my only complaint with the film is feeling like the ending snuck up on me to the point where it felt like the entire last act of the film was completely missing. I might make peace with the ending on subsequent viewings, but for now, my initial impression was that it was more of an ellipse and less of an exclamation point than the way his previous films have ended. But, even if I'm undecided about the film's conclusion, I still very much love the rest of it. All of the essential ingredients are there for Flora and Son to become an instant favorite, and it very much is. It's charming and laugh-out-loud funny in a way few movies are these days. Like all of Carney's films, it feels like a gem. While it's certainly more grounded and less idealistic than my personal favorite Sing Street , it's great fun all the same. I can't wait to watch it again. RATING: 8.5/10

Depending on who you ask, Pixar has been in a bit of a slump lately, both creatively and successfully. It all began during the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, when their latest release at the time Onward was pulled from theaters and sent to Disney's brand-new streaming service Disney+. This seemed like a no-brainer at the time since theaters were shutting down and this way audiences could still enjoy their latest offering in the comfort of their own homes. As theaters opened back up, Disney opted to keep releasing their films exclusively to Disney+ and audiences became accustomed to the practice of watching Pixar at home. The studio's following three films debuted straight to the streaming service before Disney decided it was time for Pixar to make its return to theaters last summer with Lightyear . The film massively underperformed, leading many to question if Disney itself had trained audiences to devalue the brand and "wait til streaming". But Lightyear's other problem was it wasn't very good. One year later, they're trying again with Elemental, an animated opposites-attract love story that doubles as an immigration tale. For a studio that once never had a misfire, their offerings since 2010's Toy Story 3 , have been a mixed bag with really great films like Inside Out and Coco becoming more of the exception than the rule. Creatively they've been in a rut, either relying on sequels or formulas that feel derivative, trying desperately to replicate the success of their past hits. Elemental looked very much to fall in the latter category, and the truth is it does more often than not feel like a lesser version of Pixar's previous classics. Yet, it has enough charm and sweetness to elevate a story that feels overly familiar. Elemental follows Ember (Leah Louis), a fire girl whose parents Bernie and Cinder emigrate from their Fire country to Element City to start a brand new life with their child. The town isn't made for their kind, so they have to carve out a place for themselves. They find a community of other firepeople nearby and Bernie opens a shop catering exclusively to their unique needs and tastes. Bernie trains his young daughter to work in the shop, and she spends her years growing up knowing one day, so long as she learns to control her temper, she will inherit her father's shop and legacy. One day, her life is turned upside down when she meets Wade (Mamoudou Athie), a water guy who is her polar opposite in every way. While Ember tends to let her emotions get the best of her in a way that makes her blow up with anger, she learns that Wade will cry at the drop of a hat. She finds that the more she's around him, the more they balance each other out and bring out one another's strengths. Wade calms her spirit and encourages her to have her own dreams that play to her own gifts, to do what would actually make her happy. It soon becomes clear that the two have deeper feelings for one another, but their love seems impossible from every standpoint. Elemental's plot feels like a 90's sitcom episode plot dropped into the high-concept creative world-building of a Pixar film. Two well-known storylines are relied on heavily here, the first being a star-crossed romance and the second being a parent pushing their kid to live the parent's dream for the child, instead of encouraging them to pursue their own interests. This makes a movie that's trying so hard to feel original, ultimately feel really unoriginal. Yet somehow, as worn as these tropes are and as heavy-handed as its metaphor and messaging can feel, it really is able to rise above that and draw you into it. What really works with Elemental is the earnest and sentimental way in which Ember and Wade's affection for one another grows throughout the film. From their meet cute, I really wasn't sure if I was going to buy into this relationship whatsoever, but it turned out to be the winning ingredient of the film. Credit must be due to Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie's winsome performances in being able to make us root for these characters and their blossoming romance. They have an easy chemistry and you can't help but smile at their scenes together. While I enjoyed Elemental , I must admit that I don't see it having very much rewatchability for either kids or adults, which is essential to a good kid's movie. I just don't see children having any desire to revisit this, which very much makes this a one-time watch. Its story won't resonate with younger viewers and its setting and concept are amusing at best and gimmicky at worst. Still, while it won't inspire repeat viewings, it's still worth it to take the trip to visit Element City at least once. RATING: 6.5/10

Christopher Nolan is back with the biopic Oppenheimer , his first film since Tenet, the action spectacle that Nolan and Warner Brothers hoped would bring people back to the cinema during the height of the global pandemic. Though Tenet fared as well as it could under such conditions, its performance, along with Warner's decision to stream all other theatrical releases to HBO Max on the same date they debuted in theaters (Tenet excluded), left Nolan's relationship with the studio fraught. Upon hearing about the strained relationship, Universal came courting Nolan causing him to break with the studio for the first time in twenty years. It was announced shortly after that his first film for the studio would be a biopic on J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man who would help pioneer the creation of the atomic bomb during World War II. As is Nolan's signature fashion, he doesn't tell his story in a conventional non-linear way. Instead, Oppenheimer jumps around three different timelines. Nolan shows us, in color Oppenheimer's (Cillian Murphy's) life from college up to, and following the creation of the bomb. This is interspersed with a security clearance hearing later in his career, as well as a former colleague's (Robert Downey Jr.) senate confirmation set in black and white. Oppenheimer is a long and sprawling epic, three hours in length, where most of its screen time is devoted to dialogue-driven scenes between characters discussing possibilities and consequences. Yet despite all of that, its fast-paced editing keeps the viewer hooked throughout its hefty runtime. Oppenheimer may be Christopher Nolan's most ambitious undertaking yet, which says a lot since this is the same man who helmed Inception, Interstellar , and The Dark Knight trilogy. The film spans decades and features one of the largest and most talented casts in recent memory. Yet Nolan balances it all effortlessly and manages to inspire some of the strongest performances from each member of his sizeable cast. But everything hinges on the shoulders of Cillian Murphy, who gives the most devoted performance of his career. His take on Oppenheimer anchors the film, as he takes us from a passionate young scientific mind to an ultimately tortured and haunted shell of a man. So much here is shown only in glances, but it's incredible what he can convey. As mentioned previously, the supporting cast is quite impressive and everyone is giving it their all--it's hard to know where to begin when giving praise. Many actors only get a few minutes of screen time, but every single one of them makes the most of their part whether big or small. Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Alden Ehrenreich, Josh Hartnett, and Jason Clarke in particular are all fantastic in their respective roles. As are Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh who portray the women in "Oppie's" life, though admittedly I wish both roles were a bit more fleshed out. But given the story is mostly from Oppenheimer's perspective, I can forgive the limited lens through which we see these women. Oppenheimer is truly Christopher Nolan firing on all cylinders, crafting a film with all of the finest elements of filmmaking on display. From its powerful score, striking cinematography, and its tremendous sound work to name just a couple of standouts--it's hard to think of a category that won't be recognized with the bare minimum of an Oscar nomination. Could this finally be Christopher Nolan's year? We've still got plenty of movies left to come out, but it's hard to imagine what else will be giving Oppenheimer a run for its money. Oppenheimer's subject matter doesn't make it an easy movie to watch, but it is absolutely essential viewing. It's a movie that demands to be seen and when it is, it stays with you and even becomes a part of you. RATING: 9/10

When I saw the Marry Me trailer in theaters a few months back I laughed and laughed at the preposterousness of its premise. Superstar pop singer Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez), is humiliated moments before tying the knot in front of a sold-out concert when she discovers her husband-to-be Bastian (Maluma) has been cheating on her with her assistant. In an attempt to save face, Kat spontaneously decides to marry a random fan in the crowd instead (Owen Wilson), because who makes level-headed decisions in romantic comedies?? The two must reconcile their spur-of-the-moment decision with their two realities and of course, they find that maybe what they needed all along was each other. As ridiculous as Marry Me looked, it also promised to be a light and fluffy time at the movies, and who could turn that down these days? Turns out, Marry Me feels like an old friend you haven't seen in years who hasn't changed a bit. As someone who loves the genre and has missed its presence in cinemas, something as harmless and dumb fun as Marry Me feels like more than welcome viewing. While the pairing here didn't completely work for me (their chemistry always feels more friendly than romantic), it's honestly nice to see a big-budget rom-com with two big stars again...even if it's nothing new and goes through all the familiar motions. Admittedly though, chemistry is a big element of a romantic comedy to not get completely right, which will keep Marry Me from being very memorable in the long run. Owen Wilson's math teacher and divorcee Dad Charlie just can't help but feel like he's from a different movie altogether with how silly everyone else plays this. He may have worked well with another actress in the part, but with Lopez, their romance just never enters the realm of believable. Marry Me definitely feels self-aware with how absurd it all is, which at times feels like a good thing...but also simultaneously undermines its own heart. It makes us make sure we remember we're watching something fake, therefore nothing that unfolds feels genuine. In the end, it's no Notting Hill , a film that did the celebrity falls for an everyman story with far more success (and this is coming from someone who certainly wouldn't call Notting Hill perfect). However, when it comes down to it, the romantic comedy is such a rarity to find these days, that I'm able to be a lot more forgiving and willing to overlook a lot. While Marry Me is certainly not destined to become an enduring classic--if you're hungry for a rom-com no matter the quality, Marry Me will absolutely do the trick. R ATING: 5/10

Childhood friends Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) are torn apart when Nora's family immigrates from South Korea to North America. Twelve years later they reconnect, but the timing just doesn't feel right since Nora's life and goals are in New York and Hae Sung has plans elsewhere. Can the two connect again? Is there a future for these star-crossed lovers? Past Lives explores the pair's fateful meetings and partings at three different points throughout their lives, and how their choices would shape each other's destinies. From the very first scene of Past Lives , we immediately know we're about to see something special. From a distance, another couple speculates on the lives and relationships of our protagonists. Who are they, and what are they to each other? There's a closeness and chemistry that can't be denied, yet there's a mystery too. Immediately after that scene, we are taken back to the beginning of Nora and Hae Sung's story to witness it all unfold. Throughout the film, we learn how we got to where we are and witness the journey these relationships went through. It's a common framing device, but feels so fresh and perfectly executed here. Every missed opportunity is a knife to the audience's heart. Comparisons to the Before trilogy are inevitable for Past Lives , and while it similarly checks in on characters at different points in their lives who missed the opportunity at love, Past Lives has a different energy to it. Past Lives is less about the intellectual connection the two have than the unspoken love and yearning that's been there all along and has just become a part of them. It's about Nora completely leaving one life and fate for another and who she would have been if she hadn't. It's as much about abandoning her heritage as it is about leaving her potential love and there's very much a Korean folktale feel about their story. The casting of Past Lives is pitch-perfect. Greta Lee is particularly incredible here and her chemistry with Teo Yoo, both through a computer screen and in person, is so lovely. They're like two magnets that can't help but be drawn to one another. Unlike many romance films with obstacles in the lovers' way, Past Lives stands apart because it actually humanizes one of these barriers. John Magaro's neurotic Arthur isn't an expendable 2D character as seen in countless romantic comedies, he feels like a real person in a committed relationship who loves their partner--which makes the situation all the more impossible. Past Lives is an achingly beautiful and wistful story of love and regret--about the chances we don't take and how they can haunt us. There's an evocative shot that closes out their childhood story--of separate paths laid out in front of two souls who long to be together, yet the two reluctantly and slowly go their separate ways. It stays with you and constantly makes you wonder about all that could have been. Such are the fortunes of Nora and Hae Sung; forced to always play those moments in their minds. Past Lives is an assured triumph from first-time writer-director Celine Song and is already bound to remain one of the year's best films by the time December rolls around again. When it comes out, see it as soon as you can. RATING: 9/10

After months of non-stop promotion, the long-awaited Barbie movie is finally here. The film based on the famous doll has been in development for years but finally took off when director Greta Gerwig came on board, along with Margot Robbie who would both produce the film and star in the titular role. And, from the moment the film's first still was released, the internet collectively realized something special was in store and the anticipation had begun. Each subsequent trailer and poster only built up Barbie's unstoppable momentum. Could it possibly live up to the impossibly high expectations and rise to meet this pop cultural moment? Barbie begins with a brief history of the doll before being whisked off to the whimsical world of Barbieland, where she and all her plastic friends (along with their disposable love interests,) are living their best lives. Barbieland is a female utopia, where each day is perfect and magical. The Barbies rest easy knowing they've inspired countless girls to chase their dreams and become anything they want to be. Everything changes for Barbie (Margot Robbie) when she's plagued with thoughts of death and finds herself facing an existential crisis. Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) informs her that she must travel to the real world to find the answers to her questions. On her way, she discovers her Ken (Ryan Gosling) has stowed away to provide her some moral support on her journey. Soon, they'll both discover the real world is far different than the only reality they've known. Barbie has so much going for it. For starters, its two leads Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are perfectly cast and give some of the funnest and funniest performances of their careers. Robbie's role is a bit more nuanced and tender, while Gosling can't help but steal the show with his effortless Ken-ergy. In supporting roles, Kate McKinnon is used in just the right amount of doses, meanwhile, more Michael Cera and America Ferrerra would have been welcome. Gerwig undeniably has a vision for this Barbie world and hired some truly talented artists to bring it to life. The production design, costumes, hair, and makeup in this film are all absolutely impeccable. So much care was put into every detail and it's truly impressive the world that Gerwig and her team crafted. As for the subject matter, Gerwig's film is incredibly ambitious, and as such, the film often bites off more than it can chew. Barbie has a lot of ground it attempts to cover, some of which is done more successfully than others. Barbie always manages to be funny, but can't help but be a bit heavy-handed while delivering its message in the final act. Gerwig attempts to bring it all together in the end but doesn't completely stick the landing. Still, I love a lot of what she's trying to say about the crushing expectations society places on each gender. America Ferrera sums it all up with her show-stopping monologue near the end. I only wish the character could have been given more depth to truly give the moment the weight it deserves. Those issues aside, I do consider Barbie to be a triumph. While it is indeed based on existing IP, it still manages to feel wholly original-- a product carefully packaged to the world through the hands of an auteur. Plus, it is wonderful seeing a movie that is so unapologetically feminine, be poised to achieve so much success. Barbie is both a win for cinema and a win for women and I hope Hollywood is paying attention. Women are a valuable audience, and we want and yearn for originality. RATING: 8/10

Hooray! We've finally made it to my last movie recaps from Sundance 2025! Whew! This wasn't even one of my busier years, but it's still been crazy finding the time to recount everything. Now we've just got three more things to recap before I can share my Top Ten films from the festival. THE LEGEND OF OCHI In The Legend of Ochi , a young girl named Yuri (Helena Zengel) was raised by her father (Willem Dafoe) to fear mysterious creatures called the Ochi. One day when she finds a lost and wounded baby ochi in the woods, she's determined to reunite him with his family, no matter the danger she might face. In defiance of her father, she sets forth on an adventure that will change the way she views the world around her forever. From a visual standpoint, The Legend of Och i is a stunningly lush film full of beauty and wonder. Unfortunately, it suffers from some other issues that dull its magic. Instead of fully immersing us in the story’s lore from the get-go, we instead are given some clunky exposition that totally drags everything else down. While the creature design is admittedly adorable and endearing, the human characters are less memorable, with Willem Dafoe being the only one trying to breathe any life into things. For a kids' film, this definitely could have used more levity and depth to the characters to make this more than just a good-looking movie. The potential was here for a new children’s classic in the vein of ET, but sadly, it will be soon forgotten. RATING: 6/10 THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR In the documentary The Perfect Neighbor, police body cam footage from a two-year period shows us the escalation between a Florida woman and her neighbors--and how it led to a tragic end. Susan Lorincz is the neighborhood Karen in a small Florida town, who constantly wants to speak with the manager over every little inconvenience--only in this case the manager is the police. She's a curmudgeonly lady who may have seen Gran Torino one too many times, as she can't stand any of the neighborhood kids coming near her yard. After years of the police failing to resolve her disputes in her eyes, she is emboldened by the "stand your ground" law to take matters into her own hands. Comprised almost entirely of body cam footage and police interrogations, director Geeta Gandbhir chooses not to fall back on the standard tricks that other true crime documentaries thrive on (techniques which are discussed ad nauseum in fellow Sundance doc The Zodiac Killer Project ). There are no cheesy re-enactments here, or tearful sit-down interviews with the people close to the case--just the actual footage of what went down. Because it's not quite so glossy, it really requires more attention to focus on some details that might seem mundane. But it doesn't take long before the viewer is sucked into this harrowing story and completely invested in what will happen at every turn. RATING: 8.5/10 HAL & HARPER Siblings Hal & Harper are twenty-somethings who were forced to grow up a little too early, due to a rough childhood. The two reflect on their past and contemplate their futures, in the midst of all of their current hurdles. For the first time in my Sundance-watching career, I watched not just a TV show...but an entire season of said show. After watching Hal & Harper , I can't help but wish that it was a movie instead! Granted, I might have felt differently if I could have absorbed this over the same amount of time I would normally digest a show's season, rather than all in one sitting. Hal & Harper requires a lot of reflection between episodes, which I didn't really have time to do. But even so, it doesn't really have the feel of a TV show, as it feels incredibly cinematic by nature. It felt more like watching a long uncut version of a film, as opposed to an episodic show. Yes, I'm harping (no pun intended), on this a lot...but mostly because I think I would have really loved this if some of the fat had been trimmed and it was a little more succinct with what it had to say. Still, there are so many good things here and I'd love to watch it again and spend a little more time reflecting on each episode the second time around. I loved Cooper's last Sundance film Cha Cha Real Smooth and here many of the same things I loved about that film are present here. The show has well-drawn characters and very fine performances from the actors who play them. Cooper takes less of the center stage here and defers the spotlight to his television sibling Harper (Lili Reinhart) who is absolutely wonderful in the role. Mark Ruffalo too does a really nice job here in a supporting role playing their father who still has a hard time letting go of the past. RATING: 7.5/10 Hooray! That's it for my recaps of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Be on the lookout soon for my Festival Wrap-up & Top Ten list.