"A Real Pain" struck the right balance. It was simple but deep. It was thought-provoking and insightful without going overboard. It was funny but sad, light-hearted but moving. It's really hard to dislike this movie and find any real flaws.

We need to get this out of the way first: Kieran-frickin'-Culkin. What a performance. As a fan of "Succession," I knew Culkin was a good actor, but I must admit early on I was afraid he was going to become…

"Conclave" has a simple premise: cardinals from all over the world gather together to choose the next pope. However, the directions this film go, the twists, the turns, revelations and outcomes, pleasantly surprised me. With a superb script, artful direction and great performances, "Conclave" is one of the year's best films.

The screenplay was fantastic, as it should be for a film with little action and a lot of dialogue. There were monologues, verbal exchanges, arguments and confessions, even procedural…

I didn't like "Maestro" that much, but there were redeeming qualities. Bradley Cooper was solid, and I do admire the ambition. His performance was transformative, and I could tell he took the role seriously and gave it his all. It seemed like he really did his homework and poured his heart and soul into it. The effort itself is commendable.

It's equally impressive that he directed the film, and there were a few more abstract, "artsier" scenes I liked. A…