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There is a useful directness to Ping Pong Summer, a comedy shaped by Michael Tully with a firm understanding of its audience. In Ping Pong Summer, Marcello Conte provides the anchor while Judah Friedlander introduces a contrasting energy. Without revealing later complications, Ping Pong Summer opens from this situation: A family vacation during the summer of 1985 changes everything for a teenage boy obsessed with ping pong. The resulting its 1h 32m running time feels most con

There is a useful directness to Aloft, a drama shaped by Claudia Llosa with a firm understanding of its audience. In Aloft, Jennifer Connelly provides the anchor while Cillian Murphy introduces a contrasting energy. Without revealing later complications, Aloft opens from this situation: A struggling mother encounters the son she abandoned 20 years earlier. The resulting its 1h 52m running time feels most convincing whenever Aloft trusts behaviour more than explanation. ⁠ What

There is a useful directness to Beloved Sisters, a romance shaped by Dominik Graf with a firm understanding of its audience. In Beloved Sisters, Hannah Herzsprung provides the anchor while Florian Stetter introduces a contrasting energy. Without revealing later complications, Beloved Sisters opens from this situation: The 18th century literary genius Friedrich Schiller falls in love with the sisters Charlotte and Caroline von Lengefeld. The resulting its 2h 18m running time f

There is a useful directness to Low Down, a biographical drama shaped by Jeff Preiss with a firm understanding of its audience. In Low Down, John Hawkes provides the anchor while Elle Fanning introduces a contrasting energy. Without revealing later complications, Low Down opens from this situation: A look at the life of pianist Joe Albany from the perspective of his young daughter, as she watches him contend with his drug addiction during the 1970s jazz scene. The resulting i

There is a useful directness to The Search for General Tso, a documentary shaped by Ian Cheney with a firm understanding of its audience. In The Search for General Tso, Susan Carter provides the anchor while Ian Cheney introduces a contrasting energy. Without revealing later complications, The Search for General Tso opens from this situation: Who was General Tso, and why are we eating his chicken. The resulting its 1h 11m running time feels most convincing whenever The Search

There is a useful directness to Clown, a horror film shaped by Jon Watts with a firm understanding of its audience. In Clown, Andy Powers provides the anchor while Laura Allen introduces a contrasting energy. Without revealing later complications, Clown opens from this situation: A loving father finds a clown suit for his son's birthday party, only to realize that it's cursed. The resulting its 1h 40m running time feels most convincing whenever Clown trusts behaviour more tha

There is a useful directness to Hellion, a thriller shaped by Kat Candler with a firm understanding of its audience. In Hellion, Aaron Paul provides the anchor while Juliette Lewis introduces a contrasting energy. Without revealing later complications, Hellion opens from this situation: When Jacob's delinquency leads to his brother Wes being placed with relatives, Jacob and his father Hollis must confront their issues to reunite the family. The resulting its 1h 39m running ti

There is a useful directness to The Bag Man, an action film shaped by David Grovic with a firm understanding of its audience. In The Bag Man, John Cusack provides the anchor while Rebecca Da Costa introduces a contrasting energy. Without revealing later complications, The Bag Man opens from this situation: A criminal bides his time at a seedy motel, waiting for his boss after killing several men and making away with a mystery bag. The resulting its 1h 48m running time feels m

There is a useful directness to Sold, a drama shaped by Jeffrey D. Brown with a firm understanding of its audience. In Sold, Gillian Anderson provides the anchor while David Arquette introduces a contrasting energy. Without revealing later complications, Sold opens from this situation: A girl risks everything for freedom after being trafficked from her mountain village in Nepal to a brothel in India. The resulting its 1h 34m running time feels most convincing whenever Sold tr

There is a useful directness to Rudderless, a comedy shaped by William H. Macy with a firm understanding of its audience. In Rudderless, Billy Crudup provides the anchor while Anton Yelchin introduces a contrasting energy. Without revealing later complications, Rudderless opens from this situation: A grieving father in a downward spiral stumbles across a box of his recently deceased son's demo tapes and lyrics. The resulting its 1h 45m running time feels most convincing whene

There is a useful directness to The One I Wrote for You, a music drama shaped by Andy Lauer with a firm understanding of its audience. In The One I Wrote for You, Cheyenne Jackson provides the anchor while Kevin Pollak introduces a contrasting energy. Without revealing later complications, The One I Wrote for You opens from this situation: A singer and songwriter, who gave up his dream is entered into a Reality TV songwriting contest. The resulting its 1h 50m running time fee

There is a useful directness to Walk of Shame, a comedy shaped by Steven Brill with a firm understanding of its audience. In Walk of Shame, Elizabeth Banks provides the anchor while James Marsden introduces a contrasting energy. Without revealing later complications, Walk of Shame opens from this situation: A reporter's dream of becoming a news anchor is compromised after a one night stand leaves her stranded in downtown L.A. without a phone, car, ID or money and only 8 hours