Kuso is the directorial debut of Steve, better known as the experimental, multi-genre electronic artist Flying Lotus, and was co-written with David Firth, the creator of Salad Fingers. The film is a a bizarro body horror comedy of Cronenbergian descent that takes place in the aftermath of an earthquake that has destroyed Los Angeles, and is told through 4 surrealist vignettes (Royal, Mr. Quiggle, Smear, and Sock), which center around the city's mutilated and grotesquely deformed survivors. It's been dubbed "the most disgusting film ever made" and spurned several walkouts when screened at Sundance. It's a body horror, so it's no doubt gross and confrontational, but is it just gross and confrontational for shock's sake? 

Brigsby Bear comes from the minds of childhood friends and SNL regulars, Kyle Mooney and Dave McCary; although, it's not as overtly funny, or dumb, as you'd expect an SNL-fronted film to be. In fact, it's mostly charming and sweet; an optimistic valentine to the obsessive compulsive, an ode to the pariah, a tale of friendship and family, a mashup of Be Kind Rewind and Little Miss Sunshine. 

Step is a documentary from Amanda Lipitz that follows three high school seniors, Blessin, Cori, and Tayla, as they prepare for graduation, apply for college, and gear up for their final step competition. While it's a dance documentary on the surface, the real focus is on these young women and whether or not they'll get into college, which may be their sole ticket out of Baltimore and the only gateway to bigger and better things. The film reminds me of a tire old saying, which holds much truth: "It takes a village." The academic focus reveals that there are so many people rallying behind these women to help them achieve their goals and dreams. And, if you're anything like me, the documentary will have you rooting and applauding them throughout their up and down journey. 

Endless Poetry is the latest film from cinema shaman Alejandro Jodorowsky. Technically a sequel (and the 2nd film in a reported pentalogy), though the film stands on its own quite nicely, it picks up after the events of The Dance of Reality and chronicles a young adult Alejandro Jodorowsky as he escapes his authoritarian father to embrace his true calling as a poet.

Writer/director Makoto Shinkai's animated film, Your Name, is based off his novel (of the same name), which was published a month prior to the film's release, and tells the story of a high school boy and girl, Taki and Mitsuha, each complete strangers to one another and located in separate areas of Japan, who suddenly switch places, waking up to find themselves in one another's body; however, once they return to their own body, they can't recollect the other's name. This bizarre incident continues to occur until a comet flies across Japan, leading them to once and for all track one another down. It's a film about time, the thread of fate, and the connection between two young souls.

Patti Cake$ is the empowering underdog story of 23 year old aspiring rapper Patricia Dombrowski, a.k.a Killa P, a.k.a Patti Cake$ (or “Dumbo” Dumbrowski as she unaffectionately referred to by assholes). She’s a big girl with a big mouth and even bigger dreams of rap superstardom. Stuck in her hometown of Lodi, New Jersey, Patti wades through a sea of haters, which even includes her own mother, as she strives to crack the surface of the rap scene in hopes of leaving behind her hometown wasteland forever. 

The year is 1967, and the location is Detroit during the 12th Street riots at the Algiers Motel. After hearing gunshots from the Algiers, which allegedly came from a starter pistol, a large delegation of Detroit police, State Troopers, and National Guard investigate the scene under the assumption that the shots came from a sniper. The result led to the deaths of three black men (Carl Cooper, Fred Temple, and Aubrey Pollard) and the mistreatment of 9 other civilians (2 white females, and 7 black males). The events of the Algiers Motel incident are still unclear and have been heavily researched and debated to this day. 

Beatriz At Dinner is the latest comedy/drama/social commentary film from writer Mike White and director Miguel Arteta, starring Salma Hayek and John Lithgow, who each light up the screen and deliver the best performances of their respective careers. The film made a big splash at the Sundance film festival for its political allegory and is even touted as “The first great film of the Trump era.” 

David Lowery's A Ghost Story is a poetic meditation on life, death, love, and loss. It's 2001: A Space Odyssey for human existence, and it's the greatest, most genuinely moving film I've seen so far this year. It actually moved me to point of tears on three separate occasions, and I hardly ever elicit a response like that from a film, especially in a theater full of people. Part of the magic stems from Lowery's ability to take something comedic and cliche (the classic sheeted ghost image with two slitted eyeholes) and turn it into something lofty, beautiful and full of deep meaning.

Sophia Coppola's latest film, The Beguiled, is a slow burning thriller based on Thomas P. Cullinan's novel, originally titled, A Painted Devil. Differing only slightly from the 1971 Clint Eastwood film of the same name, it's told from the female perspective, as opposed to the male, and contains several big names, such as Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell, Kirstin Dunst and Elle Fanning.

Based on the real-life courtship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, THE BIG SICK tells the story of Pakistan-born aspiring comedian Kumail (Nanjiani), who connects with grad student Emily (Kazan) after one of his standup sets. What they thought would be just a one-night stand blossoms into the real thing, which complicates the life that is expected of Kumail by his traditional Muslim parents. When Emily is beset with a mystery illness, it forces Kumail to navigate the medical crisis with her parents, Beth and Terry (Holly Hunter and Ray Romano) who he's never met, while dealing with the emotional tug-of-war between his family and his heart.

There are a number of bold tags being tossed out about this film. That it's taken musicals to a whole new level, being described as La-La-Land with car chases. That it's the greatest car chase film ever made, so much so that there should never be another car chase in a film ever again because Edgar Wright had nailed it with this one. That it's this year's Fury Road. That it's the best film we've gotten so far this year. 

On the surface, there's a lot to get excited about with The Bad Batch. All you need to do is glance at the cast list (which boasts names like Jim Carrey and Keanu Reeves), see that Annapurna and Vice are attached, and take a gander at the trailer (which makes the film look like a grand cinematic spectacle). However, the reality here is

Driving synth score. Ominously slow Lynchian pushes and pans, accompanied with low audible guttural moans. A cabin in the woods lit up like jack-o-lantern with heterochromia. Perspective shots from the outside of the cabin watching the family inside. Booms and bumps in the night. A jump scare encounter with a specter. Another Evil begins as a cliched horror, but quickly shifts mood from one of cliched horror to deadpan comedy. 

It Comes At Night will have you gripping the edge of your seat and holding your breath through moments of great unease and tension. In a lot of ways, it's a study of distrust and paranoia, akin to last year's The Invitation, but wrapped in a creeping, slow burn pace, similar to The Witch, and executed with terrifying control by writer/director Trey Edward Shults. 

I'm still reeling from Wonder Woman. I really enjoyed seeing how Diana (played by Gal Gadot), a character that grew up in a matriarchal society, reacts when she finds herself in a patriarchal world. You notice the men in the movie either ogle, silence, or underestimate her, which is not uncommon for women today. I like that she didn't try to conform to this society; instead, she tried to make it conform to her needs and objectives