Film-Forward

An expansive documentary on a community that traces its history to the last known slaving vessel in the United States.

Ruin porn addicts will revel in the film’s rich dinginess, while others may be pulled in by a gruffly sentimental story of a purehearted immigrant putting his life on the line for distinctly lesser men.

The role of a widow seeking sexual experience serves as a greatest hits compilation for Emma Thompson.

Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen has made essentially a less romantic, more realistic Before Sunrise and the first great surprise of 2022.

Actor Jesse Eisenberg makes his writing/directorial debut, which stars Julianne Moore and Finn Wolfhard.

Princess Diana’s life in the often harsh public spotlight is depicted entirely through contemporaneous audio and video news footage in this biographical documentary.

Bhutan’s vast landscape overwhelms with its beauty, and as the village of Lunana and its people calmly make an impact on the protagonist, Lunana makes one on the viewer.

A lot of activity takes place around a wistful antihero buffeted by events: a noble deed that goes awry, a social media pile-on, and a good old-fashioned vendetta.

In its embrace of both fantasy and realism, this anime is very beautiful, with a story line that explicitly winks toward “Beauty and the Beast.”