Director Oliver Hermanus’ period drama is part romance, part musical, and all ache. Just like the first-person point of view does in Ben Shattuck’s book, the film draws you into Lionel’s (Paul Mescal) emotional sphere.

Feeling more like it belongs on the shelf of ‘90s action flicks such as Point Break (1991) or The Fugitive (1993), Aronofsky deviates heavily from his prior work. Unlike the director’s previous films (such as his recent 2022 Oscar-winning project The Whale), Caught Stealing doesn’t seem to concern itself with any deeper message hidden beneath its surface.

Adapted from Stephen King’s first novel, The Long Walk features a deceptively simple pitch: 50 young men from across America enlist in a walking contest with a single winner.

Weapons (2025) is a nightmare. Directed by Zach Cregger, who impressed audiences with his debut horror release Barbarian (2022), the film puts a spin on both a child and parent’s worst fear: an unexplained disappearance.

Starring the modern final girl of final girls, Sophie Thatcher, Companion approaches themes of misogyny, female rage, and domestic violence with the same subtlety as a hammer to the head. But that doesn’t make the movie any less compelling, especially with such searing commentary.

Set in 1932, Sinners establishes an incredibly intimate historical placement, describing American history through personal struggle instead of gimmicky news articles or radio broadcasts.