Casper Kelly’s Buddy isn’t one of those “the less you know, the better” type of movies. It’s more like the less you know going in, the more it feels like a fever dream. This movie is most likely to land with anyone raised on television shows like Barney & Friends. I grew up in the ‘90s, and my mother claims I used to love Barney, but I have absolutely no memory of ever joyfully sitting in front of the TV watching that purple dinosaur prance around. In fact, all I can recall is having Barney sheets on my bed as a small child, and deciding in the middle of the night after seeing those dead, vacant eyes staring at me that I hate Barney and needed to get rid of those sheets immediately. So Buddy, a comedy slasher film about a Barney-inspired unicorn who hosts a children's TV show and whose dark side is gradually revealed, especially appealed to me.

Stephanie Laing’s Tow is a touching, based-on-a-true-story drama that sheds light on the realities of homelessness in America. The film is anchored by a dedicated performance from Rose Byrne, fresh off the success of last year’s If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, another film about an imperfect mother navigating a stressful situation. While Byrne and a few of the central performances bring some sincerity to the material, much of the supporting cast feels underdeveloped, with stilted performances and side characters that lack depth and nuance. Paired with a tone that often slips into cheesy sentimentality and a story that unfolds in largely predictable ways, Tow struggles to turn its powerful premise into a compelling drama.

Spoiler-free video review of Bryan Fuller’s film Dust Bunny starring Mads Mikkelsen, Sophie Sloan, and Sigourney Weaver.

Spoiler-free video review of James Sweeney’s movie Twinless, starring himself, Dylan O’Brien, Lauren Graham, and Aisling Franciosi.