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What stands out first about Shithouse is the confidence with which Cooper Raiff establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Shithouse asks Cooper Raiff and Dylan Gelula to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Shithouse is established with useful clarity: A lonely college freshman forges a strong connection with his resident assistant during a fraternity party. That direct approach lets Shithouse use its 1h 40m running time for

What stands out first about The Rescue is the confidence with which Dante Lam establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Rescue asks Eddie Peng and Yanlin Wang to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Rescue is established with useful clarity: A rescue unit within the Chinese Coast Guard are forced to overcome their personal differences to resolve a crisis. That direct approach lets The Rescue use its 2h 19m running ti

What stands out first about Frank and Ava is the confidence with which Michael Oblowitz establishes its biographical drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Frank and Ava asks Rico Simonini and Emily Elicia Low to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Frank and Ava is established with useful clarity: Before he was chairman of the board. That direct approach lets Frank and Ava use its 1h 50m running time for character, atmosphere and consequ

What stands out first about Sputnik is the confidence with which Egor Abramenko establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Sputnik asks Oksana Akinshina and Fedor Bondarchuk to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Sputnik is established with useful clarity: The lone survivor of an enigmatic spaceship incident hasn't returned home alone hiding inside his body is a dangerous creature. That direct approach lets Sputnik use

What stands out first about Mandibles is the confidence with which Quentin Dupieux establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Mandibles asks Grégoire Ludig and David Marsais to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Mandibles is established with useful clarity: When simple minded friends Jean Gab and Manu find a giant fly trapped in the boot of a car, they decide to train it in the hope of making a ton of cash. That direct appr

What stands out first about A Soldier's Story 2: Return from the Dead is the confidence with which Frankie Ogar establishes its action film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, A Soldier's Story 2: Return from the Dead asks Eric Roberts and John J. Vogel to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of A Soldier's Story 2: Return from the Dead is established with useful clarity: In Watz Republic, Regina (Linda Ejiofor) confides in her friend, Zaya (So

What stands out first about Tar is the confidence with which Aaron Wolf establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Tar asks Timothy Bottoms and Graham Greene to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Tar is established with useful clarity: A mysterious creature rises from the depths of the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles to wreak the city. That direct approach lets Tar use its 1h 36m running time for character, atmosphere

What stands out first about Heart of Africa is the confidence with which Tshoper Kabambi establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Heart of Africa asks Moyindo Mpongo and Brandon Ray Olive to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Heart of Africa is established with useful clarity: A Congolese man runs from a terrible accident and finds himself at a revolutionary camp, where he is told that he has a great destiny. That direct a

What stands out first about The Violent Heart is the confidence with which Kerem Sanga establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Violent Heart asks Jovan Adepo and Grace Van Patten to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Violent Heart is established with useful clarity: Fifteen years after the murder of his older sister, Daniel finds himself falling for Cassie, a vivacious high school senior. That direct approach l

What stands out first about The Night is the confidence with which Kourosh Ahari establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Night asks Shahab Hosseini and Niousha Noor to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Night is established with useful clarity: An Iranian couple living in the US become trapped inside a hotel when insidious events force them to face the secrets that have come between them, in a night that nev

What stands out first about Bloody Hell is the confidence with which Alister Grierson establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Bloody Hell asks Ben O'Toole and Meg Fraser to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Bloody Hell is established with useful clarity: A man with a mysterious past flees the country to escape his own personal hell only to arrive somewhere much, much worse. That direct approach lets Bloody Hell use

What stands out first about Holler is the confidence with which Nicole Riegel establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Holler asks Pamela Adlon and Austin Amelio to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Holler is established with useful clarity: To pay for her education, and the chance of a better life, a young woman joins a dangerous scrap metal crew. That direct approach lets Holler use its 1h 30m running time for character