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What stands out first about Run the Race is the confidence with which Chris Dowling establishes its sports drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Run the Race asks Tanner Stine and Kristoffer Polaha to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Run the Race is established with useful clarity: Against the backdrop of high school football and track, two brothers in a small Southern town face escalating problems with two different worldviews, stra

What stands out first about A X L is the confidence with which Oliver Daly establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, A X L asks Alex Neustaedter and Becky G to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of A X L is established with useful clarity: A.X.L. That direct approach lets A X L use its 1h 38m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence. ⁠ Oliver Daly gives A X L a directorial line that is more promising in con

What stands out first about Hotel Artemis is the confidence with which Drew Pearce establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Hotel Artemis asks Jodie Foster and Sofia Boutella to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Hotel Artemis is established with useful clarity: Set in riot torn, near future Los Angeles, 'Hotel Artemis' follows the Nurse, who runs a secret, members only emergency room for criminals. That direct approach l

What stands out first about Boy Erased is the confidence with which Joel Edgerton establishes its biographical drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Boy Erased asks Lucas Hedges and Nicole Kidman to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Boy Erased is established with useful clarity: The son of a Baptist preacher unwillingly participates in a church supported gay conversion program after being forcibly outed to his parents. That direct app

What stands out first about Dog Days is the confidence with which Ken Marino establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Dog Days asks Nina Dobrev and Vanessa Hudgens to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Dog Days is established with useful clarity: A group of interconnected people in Los Angeles are brought together by their lovely canine counterparts. That direct approach lets Dog Days use its 1h 53m running time for chara

What stands out first about Mid90s is the confidence with which Jonah Hill establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Mid90s asks Sunny Suljic and Katherine Waterston to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Mid90s is established with useful clarity: Follows Stevie, a thirteen year old in 1990s era Los Angeles who spends his summer navigating between his troubled home life and a group of new friends that he meets at a Motor Av

What stands out first about Beautiful Boy is the confidence with which Felix van Groeningen establishes its biographical drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Beautiful Boy asks Steve Carell and Maura Tierney to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Beautiful Boy is established with useful clarity: A family coping with addiction over many years goes through the heartbreaking and inspiring experience of survival, relapse and recovery. That

What stands out first about Unsane is the confidence with which Steven Soderbergh establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Unsane asks Claire Foy and Joshua Leonard to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Unsane is established with useful clarity: A young woman is involuntarily committed to a mental institution, where she is confronted by her greatest fear but is it real or a product of her delusion. That direct approa

What stands out first about Sanju is the confidence with which Rajkumar Hirani establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Sanju asks Ranbir Kapoor and Paresh Rawal to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Sanju is established with useful clarity: Biopic of the controversial life of actor Sanjay Dutt: his film career, jail sentence, and personal life. That direct approach lets Sanju use its 2h 35m running time for character, at

What stands out first about Early Man is the confidence with which Nick Park establishes its animated adventure identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Early Man asks Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Early Man is established with useful clarity: Set at the dawn of time, when prehistoric creatures and woolly mammoths roamed the earth, Early Man tells the story of Dug, along with sidekick Hognob as they uni

What stands out first about Can You Ever Forgive Me? is the confidence with which Marielle Heller establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Can You Ever Forgive Me? asks Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Can You Ever Forgive Me? is established with useful clarity: When Lee Israel falls out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception. That direct approach lets C

What stands out first about Unfriended: Dark Web is the confidence with which Stephen Susco establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Unfriended: Dark Web asks Colin Woodell and Stephanie Nogueras to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Unfriended: Dark Web is established with useful clarity: A teen comes into possession of a new laptop and soon discovers that the previous owner is not only watching him but will also do