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What stands out first about Adverse is the confidence with which Brian A. Metcalf establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Adverse asks Thomas Ian Nicholas and Mickey Rourke to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Adverse is established with useful clarity: A rideshare driver discovers that his sister is in debt to a dangerous crime syndicate. That direct approach lets Adverse use its 1h 34m running time for character, at

What stands out first about Lorelei is the confidence with which Sabrina Doyle establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Lorelei asks Jena Malone and Pablo Schreiber to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Lorelei is established with useful clarity: Waylon is released from prison after 15 years. That direct approach lets Lorelei use its 1h 51m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence. ⁠ Lorelei finds additional

What stands out first about The Meaning of Hitler is the confidence with which Petra Epperlein establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Meaning of Hitler asks Matilda Tucker and Martin Amis to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Meaning of Hitler is established with useful clarity: An inquiry into decades of cultural fascination with the Nazi leader, and the ramifications of such a fascination on present day p

What stands out first about Stray is the confidence with which Elizabeth Lo establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Stray asks Zeytin and Nazar to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Stray is established with useful clarity: The world of Zeytin, a stray dog living life on the streets of Istanbul. That direct approach lets Stray use its 1h 12m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence. ⁠ Stray benefits fr

What stands out first about Cicada is the confidence with which Matthew Fifer establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Cicada asks Matthew Fifer and Sheldon D. Brown to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Cicada is established with useful clarity: A New York love story that toes the line between narrative and doc with two actors reliving parts of their own experiences. That direct approach lets Cicada use its 1h 36m runni

What stands out first about American Deep State is the confidence with which Bernie Olaf establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, American Deep State asks Betty Adams and William Barr to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of American Deep State is established with useful clarity: For the first time, American people see the possibility that elected governments have to follow rules set by Washington D.C.'s bureaucratic in

What stands out first about Zappa is the confidence with which Alex Winter establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Zappa asks Frank Zappa and Lonnie Lardner to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Zappa is established with useful clarity: An in depth look into the life and work of musician Frank Zappa. That direct approach lets Zappa use its 2h 9m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence. ⁠ The thematic

What stands out first about No Ordinary Man is the confidence with which Aisling Chin Yee establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, No Ordinary Man asks Billy Tipton Jr. and Holden Bernstein to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of No Ordinary Man is established with useful clarity: No Ordinary Man is an in depth look at the life of musician and trans culture icon Billy Tipton. That direct approach lets No Ordinary Man u

What stands out first about Never Gonna Snow Again is the confidence with which Malgorzata Szumowska establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Never Gonna Snow Again asks Alec Utgoff and Maja Ostaszewska to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Never Gonna Snow Again is established with useful clarity: Zhenia, a Russian speaking immigrant from Ukraine, works as a masseur in Poland and becomes a guru like figure in a wealthy g

What stands out first about Equal Standard is the confidence with which Brendan Kyle Cochrane establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Equal Standard asks Myles Clohessy and Jules Willcox to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Equal Standard is established with useful clarity: The lives of New York City police officers collide with interwoven stories of race, rank, loss and betrayal. That direct approach lets Equal St

What stands out first about Centigrade is the confidence with which Brendan Walsh establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Centigrade asks Genesis Rodriguez and Vincent Piazza to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Centigrade is established with useful clarity: A married couple find themselves trapped in their frozen vehicle after a blizzard and struggle to survive amid plunging temperatures and unforeseen obstacles. Tha

What stands out first about Never Rarely Sometimes Always is the confidence with which Eliza Hittman establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Never Rarely Sometimes Always asks Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Never Rarely Sometimes Always is established with useful clarity: A pair of teenage girls in rural Pennsylvania travel to New York City to seek out medical help after an unintende