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What stands out first about Colette is the confidence with which Wash Westmoreland establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Colette asks Keira Knightley and Fiona Shaw to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Colette is established with useful clarity: Colette is pushed by her husband to write novels under his name. That direct approach lets Colette use its 1h 51m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence. ⁠ Co

What stands out first about Stan & Ollie is the confidence with which Jon S. Baird establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Stan & Ollie asks Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Stan & Ollie is established with useful clarity: Laurel and Hardy, the world's most famous comedy duo, attempt to reignite their film careers as they embark on what becomes their swan song: a grueling theatre tour

What stands out first about Gloria Bell is the confidence with which Sebastián Lelio establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Gloria Bell asks Julianne Moore and John Turturro to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Gloria Bell is established with useful clarity: A free spirited woman in her 50s seeks out love at L.A. That direct approach lets Gloria Bell use its 1h 42m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence

What stands out first about Kin is the confidence with which Jonathan Baker establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Kin asks Myles Truitt and Jack Reynor to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Kin is established with useful clarity: Chased by a vengeful criminal, the feds and a gang of otherworldly soldiers, an ex con and his adopted teenage brother go on the run with a weapon of mysterious origin as their only prote

What stands out first about God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness is the confidence with which Michael Mason establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness asks Megan Alexander and Adeeja Rochele Anderson to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness is established with useful clarity: Now the late 2010s, an aging Reverend Dave faces cultural and social backlash, incl

What stands out first about My Hero Academia: Two Heroes is the confidence with which Kenji Nagasaki establishes its animated adventure identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, My Hero Academia: Two Heroes asks Daiki Yamashita and Kenta Miyake to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of My Hero Academia: Two Heroes is established with useful clarity: All Might and Deku accept an invitation to visit an artificial floating island called I Island, where

What stands out first about Death of a Nation is the confidence with which Dinesh D'Souza establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Death of a Nation asks Dinesh D'Souza and Victoria Chilap to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Death of a Nation is established with useful clarity: This docudrama draws parallels between the dramatic fracturing of the nation over Abraham Lincoln's presidency and the presidency of Donald

What stands out first about Leave No Trace is the confidence with which Debra Granik establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Leave No Trace asks Thomasin McKenzie and Ben Foster to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Leave No Trace is established with useful clarity: A father and his seventeen year old daughter are living an ideal existence in a vast urban park in Portland, Oregon when a small mistake derails their lives f

What stands out first about Every Day is the confidence with which Michael Sucsy establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Every Day asks Angourie Rice and Justice Smith to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Every Day is established with useful clarity: A shy teenager falls for a spirit who wakes up in the body of a different person every morning. That direct approach lets Every Day use its 1h 37m running time for charact

What stands out first about The Hurricane Heist is the confidence with which Rob Cohen establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Hurricane Heist asks Toby Kebbell and Maggie Grace to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Hurricane Heist is established with useful clarity: Thieves attempt a massive heist against the U.S. That direct approach lets The Hurricane Heist use its 1h 43m running time for character, atmos

What stands out first about Unbroken: Path to Redemption is the confidence with which Harold Cronk establishes its biographical drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Unbroken: Path to Redemption asks Samuel Hunt and Merritt Patterson to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Unbroken: Path to Redemption is established with useful clarity: The next amazing chapter of Olympian and World War II hero Louis Zamperini's powerful true story of fo

What stands out first about Fahrenheit 11/9 is the confidence with which Michael Moore establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Fahrenheit 11/9 asks Jim Acosta and Roger Ailes to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Fahrenheit 11/9 is established with useful clarity: Filmmaker Michael Moore examines the current state of American politics, particularly the Donald Trump presidency and gun violence, while highlighting the