 It's a horror film, no doubt. The worst, most effective form of horror, in that it doesn't feature bogeymen or faceless, raging killers. The monsters in "Antebellum" are real. Disappointingly for a film tackling such important, timely issues such as racial inequality and injustice, its gimmicks undercut its efforts, leaving the viewers to pick up the messy, disconnected pieces where they fall. By the end, you realize the puzzle wasn't even worth putting together, and that the filmmakers - while well-intentioned - don't seem to know the most effective way to handle the material.
 IFC Films, 2020. The title "Rent-A-Pal" may suggest that what you're about to watch is some sort of screwball, buddy-comedy. That couldn't be further from the truth. Instead, what you'll find is a surprisingly gripping psychological thriller, one that is definitely worth watching but somehow feels like it doesn't live up to its fullest potential.
 Netflix, 2020. Charlie Kaufman may very well be better and smarter than us, but man is it annoying when he rubs our faces in his self-proclaimed brilliance. In adapting the 2016 novel by Ian Reed, his "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" is inaccessible, gloriously bland and shamefully pretentious at only a level that Kaufman could ever possibly reach.
 IFC Films, 2020. Other than the spooky background music, the first two-thirds of the new thriller, "The Rental," plays like a soap opera. But it's an intriguing film that will make you think twice before ever renting out your next AirBnB.
 Amazon Studios, 2020. "Les Misérables" is maybe an unfortunate title for this electric thriller that will confuse viewers who are expecting to see Jean Valjean and a few song and dance numbers. But in telling a more modern story, themes of inequality, class oppression and street-level rage eerily feel like echoes from Victor Hugo's classic novel, and send home the message that the more things change, the more things stay the same.
 Amazon Studios, 2019. "The Report" has a lot to say about an important subject, but it gets lost in the proverbial stack of exposition and explanation.
 Neon, 2019. The latest film from Bong Joon Ho ("Snowpiercer," "Okja") is funny, thrilling and poignant, and is a must-see for anyone looking to fill out their "Best of 2019" scorecards.
 Netflix, 2019. The latest Stephen King novella to get a film adaptation, "In the Tall Grass" loses itself in a maze of senseless thrills.
 Warner Bros. Pictures, 2019. It's amazing to me that the new film "Joker" has already stoked such a visceral reaction among fans and critics alike. It will be hated, it will be loved, and there's validity to both sides of the debate. But for a film to incite such strong emotions - good or bad - it must be effectively operating on some level, and for me, it's as unforgettable a film as you'll see all year.
 Neon, 2019. A beautifully-rendered drama that affects the senses, what "Monos" lacks in narrative it makes up for in mood.
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tom santilli movie reviews
Tom Santilli is a professional film critic, TV personality, host and
the Executive Producer of Movie Show Plus.
He also is the film critic for WXYZ Channel 7 Action News in Detroit,
and appeared weekly on FOX-2 in Detroit from 2016-2020.
Feel free to use the "search" below to find your favorite titles.
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