Reviews for March 20th, 2026
A smelly gravedigger (Grace Glowicki) tries to resurrect her husband who died at sea in Dead Lover. Writer/director Grace Glowicki and co-writer Ben Petrie have made a consistently bizarre, twisted and grotesque horror comedy that's also exhausting and shallow. If you can imagine a campier and more bonkers version of Frankenstein, it would look something like Dead Lover. Glowicki deserves to be commended for finding and maintaining the film's off-kilter tone and not being afraid to be unconventional. The lighting, set design and visual effects provide some style. Beyond that, though, the film remains emotionally hollow and merely resorts to shock value, mean-spiritedness and disgusting images as a means of entertaining the audience. It's ultimately less than the sum of its parts. At a running time of 1 hour and 24 minutes, Dead Lover opens at IFC Center via Cartuna x DWECK.
Number of times I checked my watch: 3
Jake (Jack FanChan), the owner of a food truck, embark on an adventure with his friends, Mamiew (Mario Maurer), Bobby (Padung Songsang) and Uncle Pueak (Mum Jokmok), when a young boy, Sarang (Chun Pachchunhiranprateep), the son of Mamiew's ex-girlfriend, Me Ree (Yulee Choi), stows away in the truck while Me Ree reports him missing in Food Truck: Stolen Love and Moo Deng. Co-directors Watcharapong Pattama and Chaleumpol Tikumpornteerawong and screenwriter Parames Samranrom have made an outrageously funny comedy that's almost as zany and madcap as Bringing Up Baby. Don't ask how a baby hippo named Moo Deng ends up in the back of the truck and gets reported missing too. Beer Buftalk has a lot of fun with his role as a Lieutenant William who loves to quote movies---and to spoil them, too. He's the kind of cop you'd expect to find in The Naked Gun, so at times this movie feels like a tongue-in-cheek parody. It's at its best when it doesn't try to be poignant because the more dramatic scenes with attempts to be heartfelt fall flat because they're somewhat cheesy, especially during the third act. Despite that minor, forgivable flaw, Food Truck: Stolen Love and Moo Deng will please audiences just looking for laughs and for a pleasantly diverting, crowd-pleasing film that doesn't take itself too seriously. At a running time of 1 hour and 45 minutes, Food Truck: Stolen Love and Moo Deng opens at AMC Empire.
Number of times I checked my watch: 2
Floria (Leonie Benesch) works the late night shift at an understaffed hospital ward in Late Shift. Overworked, exhausted and over-stressed she gets into trouble when she angrily throws a patient's expensive watch out of the window. Writer/director Petra Volpe has made an engrossing and unflinching drama with a heartfelt and raw performance by Leonie Benesch. Every scene feels true-to-life without any contrivance or unnecessary subplots. Volpe does an impeccable job of getting the audience inside the heart, mind and soul of Floria from the very first moment until the very last. She goes through a wide variety of emotions, many of which she must bottle up inside of her to be professional, but her patience begins to wear thin. Nonetheless, she's not a bad person, and she shows signs of genuine remorse and introspection. Don't be surprised if you'll be able to palpably feel her exhaustion and relate to her frustrations. It's interesting to observe how she interacts with her coworkers---you can sense that she has worked there for a while, that they trust her and they've built a rapport with one another. Case in point: when one of those coworkers laughs with Floria after she admits to her that she threw the watch out of the window. The third act has a surprise that won't be spoiled here, but it feels organic
Despite that Late Shift remains set in one location with only a few exteriors shots, it never feels stuffy, tedious or dull. Leonie Benesch's emotionally convincing performance grounds it in humanity, warmth and authenticity much like her performance in The Teachers' Lounge which would be an interesting double feature along with the French drama Full Time also about someone who's overworked. Kudos to Benesch for her emotionally honest and generous performance which makes the film an intense and immersive experience that might change the way you look at hospital nurses afterward. At a running time of 1 hour and 31 minutes, Late Shift opens at Quad Cinema via Music Box Films.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
Betty (Barbara Auer) takes care of Laura (Paula Beer), a piano student, after she survives a car crash that kills her boyfriend in Miroirs No. 3. She lets her stay at her home and invites her estranged husband, Richard (Matthias Brandt) and son, Max (Enno Trebs), over. Writer/director Christian Petzold has made an understated and quietly moving meditation on grief. He begins the film with the car crash; there's little to no first act or exposition that sets up the relationship between Laura and her boyfriend. Miraculously, Laura survives the crash with just a minor cut. Betty seems sad, depressed and lonely. Her faucet constantly drips, her dishwasher and one of her bicycles are both broken. When she tells Laura that she's inviting her husband and son over, she refers to them as "the men." They happen to work as mechanics, so they insist on fixing her faucet, dishwasher and bicycle. Very little happens in terms of plot, but there's a twist near the end that helps to add more emotional depth and to explain where Betty's sadness comes from. Interestingly, Laura and Max don't develop a romance, although they do flirt a little. This isn't a Hollywood film, after all. There's also some surprisingly lively use of music during a few scenes. Paula Beer and Barbara Auer give warm, nuanced and radiant performances that ground the film in humanism. They're both wonderfully natural actresses who get many chances to shine here. The unconventional ending feels abrupt, though, although it does leave some room for interpretation. At a running time of only 1 hour and 26 minutes, Miroirs No. 3 opens in select theaters via 1-2 Special.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
Marc by Sofia is a mildly engaging, somewhat dull and underwhelming biographical documentary on fashion designer Marc Jacobs. Director Sofia Coppola spends too much time interviewing him about his work in the fashion industry and on his preparations for the 2024 Spring Collection. Unless you're into fashion, most of those scenes at his studio won't be very interesting or revealing. When he talks about how much he idolizes gay icons like Barbra Streisand, Liza Minelli , Coppola asks him what makes them gay icons. She's not a great interviewer because she tries to answer the question herself before he replies that they're campy caricatures. He doesn't elaborate on that, though, nor does he discuss with details his traumatic childhood with his abusive stepfather or where his shyness/nervousness comes from. He's capable of being candid because he does admit that his therapist has noticed that he dwells too much on past events that he can't control, but thinks that he can. So, Coppola often squanders opportunities to get to know Marc Jacobs on a deeper level, beyond his work as a fashion designer. The editing is fine, though, with clips and montages interspersed among the talking-head interviews with Jacobs. At a running time of 1 hour and 37 minutes, Marc by Sofia opens at Angelika Film Center and AMC Lincoln Square before expanding nationwide on March 27th, 2026.
Number of times I checked my watch: 3
Yakov Rechter (Jon Voight) and his son, Amnon (Joseph Mazzello), work as architects who the Israeli Ministry of Defense commission to build a monument in honor of the soldiers who died during the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon in Monument. Amnon wants to build a monument for both Christian and Muslim soldiers. He and Yavov race against time to build it while putting their own lives at risk. Director Bryan Singer and screenwriter Alena Alova have made a captivating, gripping, emotionally engrossing drama based on a true story. Set in 1999 at the end of the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon, the screenplay doesn't just follow Amnon as he designs and constructs the monument, but also focuses on his relationship with his ailing father and with his wife, Osnat (Aviv Pinkas). Her reaction after extremists break their window and leave a threatening note speaks volumes about how much she loves, empathizes and supports Amnon without invaliding his feelings. Concurrently, it's heartwarming to observe Amnon's love and devotion to his father.
To be fair, Monument isn't a thorough biopic on Amnon Rechter nor does it purport to be; it's a snapshot of what makes him a heroic architect and a great human being who deserves to be better known. The performances by Jon Voight and Joseph Mazello are solid while the cinematography, editing and music score help to make the film feel more cinematic. The filmmakers manage to find a spectacle that's cinematic on a more intrinsic level: the humanity of Amnon and Yakov thanks to the sensitive screenplay that sees and treats them as complex human beings. At its core, Monument is a powerful protest against war, and a protest for love, compassion, peace, equality and tolerance in a world that's still filled with hatred, intolerance, war and inequality. At a running time of 1 hour and 53 minutes, Monument opens at AMC Empire via Bad Hat Harry Productions.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
After both of their homes get destroyed, Mr. Fish (voice of Nick Offerman), a grumpy fish, and Pip (voice of Nina Oyama), a baby seadragon, embark on a quest to find Shimmer (voice of Jordin Sparks), a mythical fish who can grant wishes in The Pout-Pout Fish. Co-directors Ricard Cussó and Rio Harrington co-writers
Elise Allen and Elie Choufany have made an exhilarating and uplifting adventure for the whole family. The plot remains focused, engaging and easy-to-follow for kids while exploring profound messages about the value of community and self worth. Mr. Fish and Pip's journey can be seen as both a physical journey as well as an emotional one as they learn essential life lessons together. This isn't merely a cute and charming animated film: it has a warm, beating heart beneath its surface, and isn't afraid to briefly delve into Mr. Fish's emotional trauma and insecurities without being too heavy for younger audiences.
The film also manages to be a funny, charming and delightful with a brisk pace which makes it appealing to everyone young and old while its complexities add emotional, spiritual and intellectual depth that will appeal to adults. There are no scary villains, intense action scenes or low brow humor. The bond between Mr. Fish and Pip remains the film's heart and soul. At it's core, The Pout-Pout Fish is about finding the inner strength to conquer one's adversities and to heal emotionally with the help of others who are compassionate. It's one of the best animated films since Finding Nemo. At a running time of only 1 hour and 32 minutes, The Pout-Pout Fish opens in select theaters nationwide via Viva Pictures.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a middle school science teacher, wakes up aboard a spacecraft after a coma and discovers that the the rest of his crew members are dead in Project Hail Mary. He gradually remembers his mission to save planet Earth. Sandra Hüller plays Eva, the woman who recruited him for the top-secret project called "Hail Mary." Co-directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and screenwriter Drew Goddard have made a sugar-coated and harmless sci-fi adventure that's more whimsical and funny than moving, powerful or thrilling. Based on the novel by Andy Weir, the screenplay blends comedy, drama, action, mystery and sci-fi with mixed results.
The audience gradually learns a little bit about Dr. Grace through flashbacks and during his conversations with a spider-shaped alien in the form of a rock that he names Rocky. He had an ex-girlfriend who's not shown in the film, but he agrees with her criticism of him that he's got his head up in the clouds. Rocky has a wife back on his home planet, Erid. The flashbacks to the events that led Dr. Grace to become part of Project Hail Mary are lazy, overused and, at times, redundant while interfering with the narrative momentum. Moreover, a twist in the second act changes the way you look at one of the characters, yet Dr. Grace doesn't change the way he perceives that character which doesn't make any sense because he should've been angry. Dr. Grace and Rocky's blossoming friendship is the core of the film, but Goddard opts for laughs and silliness more often than not as though this were Guardians of the Galaxy and Rocky were Grok. A little comic relief would've been fine, but such a heavy dose of it gets repetitive and diminishes the film's emotional impact. Just when Project Hail Mary starts veering into dark territory, it chickens out and goes back to being lighthearted and breezy.
On a positive note, Project Hail Mary does have a few strengths. Ryan Gosling, one of the best actors of our time, shines with his charisma and provides a modicum of poignancy that can't be found within the screenplay. Sandra Hüller does her best to breathe life into the role of the ice-cold Eva. The visual effects, production design and cinematography are superb while adding plenty of style and spectacle, especially on the big screen. There are more than a handful of awe-inspiring shots that will make you feel exhilarated. If the emotional depth of the film were as strong as its visual style, it could've been a transcendent sci-fi movie like Interstellar, Contact, Gravity or Silent Running. Unfortunately, the third act drags a little yet also feels rushed. It's never a good sign when you can feel the weight of a film's running time. At 2 hours and 36 minutes, Project Hail Mary opens nationwide via Amazon MGM Studios.
Number of times I checked my watch: 3
Spacewoman is a heartfelt, illuminating and well-edited biographical documentary about Eileen Collins, the first woman to command and pilot a NASA Space Shuttle. Director Hannah Berryman combines archival footage and interviews with Collins herself as well as her family. Although the film follows a conventional linear structure, it avoids becoming dry, academic, by-the-numbers and hagiographic experience that merely bombards the audience with talking-heads and on-screen texts. As socio-psychologist Erving Goffman once wisely observed, everyone has a life "backstage" and a life "front stage." Berryman does her best to provide the audience with a glimpse of what Collins is like behind the curtain, so-to-speak. Collins speaks candidly about some traumatic moments from her childhood, but Berryman doesn't pry or dwell on those sadder moments. She's lucky to have a documentary subject who's courageous, emotionally mature, introspective and very intelligent which also makes her a great, inspirational role model. Kudos to Berryman for humanizing Collins in a way that makes the audience feel emotionally connected to her, her achievements as well as her emotional struggles. Spacewoman also feels more cinematic thanks to the fast=paced editing that doesn't allow for any scenes to drag or feel dull. You don't have to be an atrophile to enjoy it. At a running time of 1 hour and 35 minutes, Spacewoman opens at Quad Cinema via Haviland Digital and Tiger Lily.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
Joey (Olivia Taylor Dudley) and her gay roommate, Craig (Jordan Gavaris), both get addicted to the powerful sexual touch of an alien named Brian (Lou Taylor Pucci) who claims that he wants to take over the world in Touch Me. They end up in a love triangle which Brian's assistant, Laura (Marlene Forte), doesn't approve of because she's jealous of them. Writer/director Addison Heimann has made a wildly entertaining, delightfully bonkers and wickedly funny sci-fi satire with a great command of tone. It begins by jumping headfirst into the meat of the story as Joey confesses to her justifiably shocked and bewildered therapist of her sexual relationship with the alien and how she ended the relationship. Like a true narcissist, Brian hoovers her right back into the toxic relationship when they bump into each other at a grocery store. What happens after that won't be revealed here, but it's worth mentioning that Touch Me isn't afraid to explore the dark side of human nature. There are also a few scenes with stylish lighting that feels surreal and somewhat hypnotic. Heimman wisely keeps exposition at a bare minimum. In a way, it can be seen as an allegory about the dangers of being in a relationship with a malignant narcissist who might even be a sociopath and how difficult it can be to truly escape it. Olivia Taylor Dudley, Jordan Gavaris, Lou Taylor Pucci and Marlene Forte are very-well cast and breathe life into their roles. At a running time 1 hour and 40 minutes, Touch Me opens at Village East by Angelika via Yellow Veil Pictures. It deserves to become a cult classic.
Number of times I checked my watch: 2
Countess Elizabeth Báthory (Mena Suvari) leads a coven of vampires who meet at an absinthe bar and use a dating app to lure their victims in Vampires of the Velvet Lounge. Tyrese Gibson plays one of the men who Elizabeth lures while Stephen Dorff plays his lawyer who tags along with him. Dichen Lachman plays an undercover vampire hunter. Writer/director Adam Sherman has made a horror comedy that's visually stylish, atmospheric and gritty, but silly, unscary and unfunny. The screenplay tries to balance the horror elements with tongue-in-cheek, dark and campy humor. However, none of those beats land. Vampires of the Velvet Lounge doesn't work as a parody of vampire movies nor as a zany, ultra-violent horror comedy. A somewhat witty line from Elizabeth referring to dating apps as something created by AI seems tacked-on, clunky and lacks bite, no pun intended. Sherman includes plenty of blood and guts, though, so if that's all you care about and you're easily pleased, you'll be satisfied on a visceral level. Audiences looking for more than just a mind-numbing B-horror movie will be disappointed. At an overlong running time of 1 hour and 45 minutes, Vampires of the Velvet Lounge opens at AMC Empire via Strand Releasing. It's one of the worst vampire movies since Queen of the Damned.
Number of times I checked my watch: 4
