Art for Everybody is a captivating, revealing and occasionally moving documentary biopic about painter Thomas Kinkade. Director Miranda Yousef combines interviews with art critics, curators, artists and members of Kinkade's family to shed light on the painter who's been referred to as the "Painter of Light." This isn't a warts-and-all documentary per se because it does skim over Kinkade's darker side and his battles with alcohol and drugs, but it's not completely hagiographic either.  His family found new paintings that aren't as bright and upbeat as the vast majority of his paintings are, so the newly discovered paintings show an unexpectedly deeper and darker side of his that had remained hidden. Art for Everybody follows a linear structure with glimpses of his childhood and his success as an artist. It's not until the last section that the film gets to the meatier parts of Kinkade's life that caused some controversy before he self-destructed with drugs and alcohol, and died of alcohol poisoning. So, his life wasn't actually as rosy and full of joy as the paintings that he's so well known for. You won't look at a Thomas Kinkade painting the same again after watching this film. At 1 hour and 46 minutes, Art for Everybody opens at DCTV's Firehouse Cinema. 

 

       In  Audrey's Children, Audrey Evans (Natalie Dormer), a pediatric oncologist, develops a revolutionary treatment for a form of cancer called Neuroblastoma. With the support of Dr. Dan D'Angio (Jimmi Simpson), she researches and develops the treatment before co-founding the Ronald McDonald House of Charities. Based on a true story, Julia Fisher Farbman, is a mildly engaging and inspirational, but shallow and pedestrian biopic. Its systemic issue is that it fails to breathe life into Audrey who's an interesting character, but remains at a cold distance from the audience. She's brave, determined and persistent which are great qualities. However, what about her vulnerabilities and innate struggles as she battled sexism in the workplace? It's as though the film were scared to become too unflinching or dark, so it barely scratches the surface as the plot just goes through the motions. The on-the-nose screenplay doesn't help enliven the film either. What keeps it afloat, though, is Natalie Dormer's moving performance. If only the screenplay were to humanize Audrey more and to explore her personal life beyond her endeavors with her cancer treatment. At 1 hour and 50 minutes, Audrey's Children, directed by Ami Canaan Mann, opens in select theaters nationwide via Blue Harbor Entertainment. 

Number of times I checked my watch: 2




 

      In The Ballad of Wallis Island, Charles (Tim Key), a lottery winner who lives alone on Wallis Island, invites his favorite musicians, Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden) and his ex-girlfriend, Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan), to play a gig on the beach. Herb and Nell haven't played together since they were a couple when they had formed the band McGwyer Mortimer. Herb isn't aware that Nell will be arriving until the last minute when she shows up with her new boyfriend, Michael (Akemnji Ndifornyen).  Tension rises between the two former lovers which could lead to the gig not taking place after all. Meanwhile, Charles flirts with a single mother, Amanda (Sian Clifford), who runs the island's only grocery store. Director James Griffiths and co-writers Tom Basden and Tim Key have made a warm, wity and charming dramedy that's cut from the same cloth of a film from the golden age of Ealing Studios, so if you enjoy those kinds of films, you'll probably enjoy this one as well. There are no villains or catastrophic events; just a gentle exploration of human nature and relationships.

      Fortunately, the screenplay wisely avoids becoming schmaltzy, heavy-handed or clunky. Each character has his or her own unique personality and feels lived-in, even supporting ones like Amanda. The moments of comic relief work not only because they're funny, but because they're well-integrated without tonal unevenness, i.e. when someone asks Amanda for a Peanut Butter Cup, but never heard of it, so she asks her son before giving them a cup filled with peanut butter. Small details like a broken faucet that constantly runs adds a layer of symbolism---although it does make you wonder how high Tim's water bill is. It's genuinely heartwarming to observe how Tim, Charles and Nell evolve and affect one another throughout the course of the film. Kudos to the filmmakers for grasping human nature and for designing a large window into the heart, mind and soul of the characters which makes them more relatable and emotionally engaging, warts and all. At a running time of 1 hour and 39 minutes, The Ballad of Wallis Island opens in select theaters nationwide via Focus Features.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1




 

        At 1 hour and 37 minutes, Black Heat, written and directed by Wes Miller, opens in select theaters nationwide via Dark Star Pictures. 

Number of times I checked my watch: 2




 

      In Death of a Unicorn Elliot (Paul Rudd), a lawyer, runs over and kills a unicorn while driving with his daughter, Ridley (Jenna Ortega), to the mansion of a pharmaceutical boss, Odell (Richard E. Grant), who's terminally ill and lives with his wife, Belinda (Téa Leoni) and son, Shep (Will Poulter). The unicorn's horn turns out to have magical powers that can cure illnesses including cancer which Odell hopes to harness to become even wealthier. Soon enough, its parents arrive to retrieve it, and the killing spree begins. The screenplay by Alex Scharfman blends sci-fi, horror and comedy with very mixed results. What could've been a wildly entertaining and outrageously funny experience turns into a mildly engaging, but unimaginative, witless and toothless misfire. The plot takes too long to get to the meat of the story with lazy and excessive exposition for the first thirty minutes. Once it arrives there, it goes in directions that aren't bold enough with the exception of two very gruesome kills.

      Writer/director Alex Scharfman doesn't take his ideas anywhere interesting, unfortunately. The horror elements don't amount to any palpable scares. The comedic beats rarely land despite the best efforts by its talented cast, especially Paul Rudd and Richard E. Grant. Will Poulter gives a performance that's more irritating than funny. He's much funnier in We're the Millers which has a better screenplay. The stand-out, though, is Anthony Carrigan who plays the butler. He deserves more screen time. Everything, including the ending, is telegraphed early on, so there are no surprises. If you go to the bathroom and return after five minutes, you'll probably be able to accurately predict what happened while you were away. At a running time of 1 hour and 44 minutes, Death of a Unicorn opens nationwide via A24.

Number of times I checked my watch: 3

      The Encampments is an eye-opening, timely and provocative human rights documentary about the pro-Palestinian encampments at Columbia University. Co-directors Kei Pritsker and Michael T. Workman follow four brave activists from the protests, namely, Sueda Polat, Grant Miner, Naye Idriss and Mahmoud Khalil, who serves as the narrator. The footage from the protests shows that they took place without any antisemitism despite mainstream media's reports to the contrary. The activists were protesting peacefully in a place that they thought was a safe space, but Columbia University chose to engage in fascist tactics by arresting them. Everyone on each side of the debate has the right to be indignant and to be heard. Why invalidate their feelings? Why try to silence them? Why detain them by ICE like what was done to Mahmoud Khalil recently? Bravo to the filmmakers for letting the activists speak their mind and share their side of the story from their own perspectives while allowing the audience to understand where their indignance and emotional pain comes from. One of the activists, Grant Miner, is even Jewish, so it's not just a protest by Palestinians; it's a basic human rights protest with Israelis and Palestinians in solidarity. The Encampments is ultimately a powerful protest for truth, justice and democracy, and a protest against war, hatred and fascism. It would be a great double feature with the documentaries We Are Many and The End of America. At a running time of 1 hour and 21 minutes, The Encampments opens at Angelika Film Center via Watermelon Pictures.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1




 

       After his father dies, 18-year-old Totone (Clément Faveau) must take care of his 7-year-old sister, Claire (Luna Garret), and to make ends meet in Holy Cow. He accepts a job at a dairy farm where he meets one of the farmers, Marie-Lise (Maïwene Barthelemy), and begins a relationship with her. Meanwhile, he steals milk from her farm to make Comté cheese  in hope of entering it in a competition where he could win €30,000. Writer/director Louise Courvoisier and co-writer Théo Abadie have made an engrossing, nuanced and quietly moving coming of age film with shades of the Dardenne brothers. The film remains an understated slice-of-life without veering into dullness, melodrama, heavy-handedness or schmaltz. When Totone's alcoholic father dies after crashing his car into a tree, you don't see the accident happening; just the aftermath from a distance. The filmmakers don't dwell on the tragedy nor do they ignore it either.

      In a powerful scene, Totone chills with one of his friends who tells him that he's willing to talk about his father's death with him if he wants to. It doesn't seem like Totone has the emotional maturity to confide his feelings with him nor with anymore for that matter. The relationship between him and Marie-Lise feels real although it's not the narrative's main focus. It's quite clear from the beginning that their relationship isn't serious, that they're not compatible and that it will soon come to an end. Totone's struggles to make Comté cheese for the competition doesn't generate much suspense because it's obvious that he can't win without experience or understanding the bureaucracy, i.e. the requirement for PDO certification which takes at least a few years. Yes, he's naive, but determined and passionate. He's got a lot of learning to do, but there's hope for him even if he doesn't win the competition. Clément Faveau provides authenticity with his raw, breakthrough performance. At 1 hour and 30 minutes, Holy Cow opens at Film Forum via Zeitgeist Films. It would be a great double feature with Rosetta and The Kid with a Bike.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1




 

       Janis Ian: Breaking Silence is an insightful, but conventional, overlong and by-the-numbers documentary biopic on singer-songwriter Janis Ian. Director Varda Bar-Kar charts Ian's rise to fame, her controversy surrounding her song "Society's Child" about the interracial relationship, her song "At Seventeen" which became a hit, her album "Breaking Silence" and how she came out as a lesbian in 1993. There's some archival concert footage, photos and clips, but not enough interviews with Janis Ian herself. For the most part, this is a fine introduction to Janis Ian without being transcendent enough as a documentary. It's informative, but not very revealing, profound or moving. It also overstays its welcome, so tighter editing would've helped with that. That said, if you're unfamiliar with the musician, you'll be tempted to start listening to her music while understanding its significance within the context of Janis Ian's career. At 1 hour and 54 minutes, Janis Ian: Breaking Silence opens at IFC Center via Greenwich Entertainment. 

Number of times I checked my watch: 3

      Julie (Tessa Van den Broeck), a tennis player at a tennis academy, must decide what to tell investigators when her former coach, Jeremy (Laurent Caron), gets suspended after one of his players commits suicide in Julie Keeps Quiet. The screenplay by writer/director Leonardo Van Dijl and co-writer Ruth Becquart is understated and gently moving, but also undercooked, tedious, frustratingly ambiguous and shallow. It definitely lives up to its title because Julie keeps quiet about whatever she knows about her former coach from start to finish. Was she abused? Does she suspect that he abused the girl who committed suicide? What actually happened? She's aware that her relationship with him is too close since, after all, they speak to each other over the phone. He's obviously crossing a line there, so did he cross others? That remains unclear and open to interpretation. It would've been forgivable that Julie Keeps Quiet leaves more questions than answers to the audience if, instead, it were a profound and unflinching character study. Unfortunately, the screenplay fails to get inside Julie's head to allow the audience to grasp what she's truly thinking and feeling. So, it's not an effective character study nor does it offer much suspense or emotional depth. Tessa Van den Broeck gives a fine performance, but she's undermined by the vapid screenplay. It pales compared to the superior drama Slalom which charts similar territory more unflinchingly. At a running time of 1 hour and 37 minutes, it opens at Metrograph via Film Movement.

Number of times I checked my watch: 3




 

        At 1 hour and 56 minutes, My Love Will Make You Disappear, directed by Chad Vidanes and written by Patrick Valencia and Isabella Policarpio, opens in select theaters nationwide via Star Cinema. 

Number of times I checked my watch: 2




 

       Michell (Steve Coogan), a British teacher, accepts a job at a boarding school in Argentina and rescues an orphaned penguin he finds on the beach in The Penguin Lessons. Based on the memoir by Tom Michell, the screenplay by Jeff Pope is breezy, amusing and heartfelt, but contrived, overstuffed and sugar-coated. The story takes place in 1976 when Argentina was under a military dictatorship. Those darker elements remain as undercooked subplots, i.e. when someone gets kidnapped in front of him and Michell feels guilty that he wasn't able to stop the kidnapping. The Penguin Lessons focuses too much on the charming relationship between Michell and his penguin which he hopes he can donate to a local zoo. Unsurprisingly, the school's headmaster (Jonathan Pryce) discovers the penguin and gives Michell an ultimatum: either he goes or the penguin goes. Steve Coogan does his best to rise above the clunky screenplay and mostly succeeds thanks to his charisma and comedic timing.

      Michell comes across as the least interesting character despite the tragedies from his past that he's in the process of overcoming. The film glosses over his emotional battles, though, which makes it harder to get a sense of his heart, mind and soul. Two cleaning ladies, Sofía (Alfonsina Carrocio) and María (Vivian El Jaber), her grandmother, are much more interesting characters, but they're underwritten and just seem like they're there as plot devices. In terms of performances, the penguin steals the show, so if there were an Oscar for animals, it should be nominated. At a running time of 1 hour and 50 minutes, The Penguin Lessons, directed by Peter Cattaneo who also directed The Full Monty, opens nationwide via Sony Pictures Classics.

Number of times I checked my watch: 3

      Secret Mall Apartment is a captivating and illuminating documentary about 8 artists who secretly built a small apartment in a space inside the Providence Place mall in Rhode Island between 2003 and 2007. It's no spoiler to say that Michael Townsend and his fellow artists who lived in the mall apartment ended up getting into trouble for trespassing, although it took 4 years until they were finally caught. Director Jeremy Workman interviews Townsend and the other artists to get their own accounts of exactly how they succeeded in building it inside the newly constructed mall in 2003. He combines the interviews with footage that the artists took from back then, so this isn't a doc that merely bombards the audience with talking heads. Workman doesn't judge them either nor does he ask the audience to. Instead, he humanizes them and shows what they've been up to as artists since then. It's fascinating to watch the artistic recreation of the iconic mall apartment which serves as a powerful protest against gentrification. Truly great documentaries often feel as cinematic as narratives. Workman accomplishes that feat with flying colors. He's lucky to have found a subject that's stranger than fiction and has to be seen to be believed. At a running time of 1 hour and 31 minutes, Secret Mall Apartment opens at IFC Center via Wheelhouse Creative.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1




 

        Thank You Very Much is a well-edited and illuminating documentary biopic about comedian and performance artist Andy Kaufman. Director Alex Braverman does his best to try to understand the enigmatic Kaufman through interviews with his peers like Danny DeVito and archival footage of him. The doc follows a non-linear structure without being confusing or meandering. This isn't a hagiographic documentary because Braverman manages to delve a little into the emotional trauma that Kaufman suffered as a child when his parents lied to him when his grandfather, his best friend at the time, died by telling him that he had simply gone traveling. Kaufman felt lonely, abandoned and frustrating at his parents, so he needed an outlet for his emotions. How emotionally mature was he? That's up for debate. What's clear, though, is that he was an entertainer who wasn't afraid to be unconventional, controversial or divisive. Who knows how many different masks he wore and what he was truly like behind all of those masks? Those questions are hard to answer without interviewing Kaufman himself, but even then, he might be putting on an act. He's an enigma wrapped up in a riddle wrapped up in an enigma. Deep down, though, he's human, so kudos to Braverman for attempting to allow the audience to peek behind the curtain, so-to-speak, to get a glimpse of Kaufman. Thank You Very Much would be an interesting double feature with Man on the Moon, the Hollywood biopic of Andy Kaufman starring Jim Carrey. At a running time of 1 hour and 39 minutes, it opens at Quad Cinema and on VOD via Drafthouse Films.

Number of times I checked my watch: 2




 

        At 1 hour and 25 minutes, The Woman in the Yard,Jaume Collet-Serra and written by Sam Stefanak, opens in theaters nationwide via Universal Pictures. 

Number of times I checked my watch: 4




 

      Levon (Jason Statham), a construction worker, uses his special set of skills to hunts down the human traffickers who kidnapped, Jenny (Arianna Rivas), the daughter of his boss, Joe (Michael Pena) in A Working Man, based on the novel Levon's Trade by Chuck Dixon. The screenplay by writer/director David Ayer and co-writer Sylvester Stallone doesn't get any points for originality nor for its stilted, occasionally clunky dialogue, but who goes to see an action thriller just for originality or brilliant dialogue? That's what Oscar-nominated movies like The Substance are for. Instead, what you get is a rousing, exhilarating white-knuckle thriller that's a rush of pure adrenaline. There's not much plausibility, but that's forgivable as long as you check your brain at the door and suspend your disbelief. The plot remains lean and focused albeit not very surprising with the exception of a few gory action sequences in the third act and a few brief moments that show Levon's compassion. The action scenes are well-choreographed and pace moves briskly enough without any scenes that drag. Jason Statham is typecast in the kind of role he's done before in The Beekeeper, Crank, and The Transporter series, but he fits the role perfectly with his charisma. At a running time of 1 hour and 56 minutes, A Working Man is a slick, exciting and wildly entertaining cross between Taken and John Wick. It opens nationwide via Amazon MGM Studios.

Number of times I checked my watch: 2