Undead Unluckis the latest Weekly Shonen Jump manga to receive an anime adaptation. The manga had always been something of an underrated gem, and with the studio and staff behind both JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Fire Force working on it, Undead Unluck was quick to become one of the most hotly anticipated anime of 2023. 69c5u

Director Bo Mirhosseni's debut feature, History of Evil, presents some good ideas, though it does not end up following through on its promise. The horror movie opens up with a text explanation that lays the setting for its dystopian world. History of Evil takes place in the year 2045, with the United States of America having become the North American Federation, a fascist, totalitarian state following a series of wars. The reality is devastating, with sanctioned militia groups free to roam the country in search of those who oppose the totalitarian regime.

When it comes to film style, I don't have a strong preference for either a heavy hand or a light touch. The sense of a clear perspective is evident in an approach that augments the intent of the material, whatever that may be. By extension, I'm just as likely to criticize a movie for being staid as for getting in its own way; Bleeding Love is in the latter category. The father-daughter drama is coated in a few too many layers of aesthetics to feel engaged by what it does have going for it.

It’s Valentine’s Day Week, and there are plenty of old and new rom-coms to look forward to, with Netflix also releasing its latest romantic comedy, Players, starring Jane the Virgin's Gina Rodriguez. Written by Whit Anderson and directed by Trish Sie, the story sees Mack (Rodriguez), an outgoing sports reporter, who develops schemes to land one-night stands. When she starts falling in love with her latest play, Mack intends to turn her latest interest into a long-term relationship. As far as rom-coms go, Players barks up a creative tree, but this story is about as trashy as they come.

Jacqueline (Cynthia Erivo) wanders the beaches of Greece alone every day in Anthony Chen’s Drift. Her eyes are distant, and there’s a deep pain swimming in them, but Jacqueline goes about her day in the hopes that she will at least be able to buy some food and water to sustain her for the coming days. There’s an immediacy to her quiet actions, but a sense of hopelessness too, as she dodges prying police officers asking for an acquaintance’s port.

There are animations that speak to audiences of all ages and there are those that are simply meant to engage younger audiences for an hour and a half. The Tiger’s Apprentice is the latter. The film’s pacing is swift, leaving the story unfolding too fast to allow characters to breathe before we’re thrown into the next big action sequence. The story is generic, and it’s definitely not memorable. There’s a lack of warmth and heart to the character dynamics, and its overarching story is sometimes doing too much without slowing down to give attention to its worldbuilding and development.

We have all put on figurative masks throughout our lives, depending on the situation we might find ourselves in at any given point. A Different Manuses a literal mask, but the point is no less pertinent. But the film, written and directed by Aaron Schimberg, suggests that pretending to be someone you’re not is ultimately a chore, and a decision that will come back to haunt you. But while the premise is thought-provoking, the execution leaves much to be desired. Oscillating between being darkly funny and thrilling, the tonal shifts and lack of feeling don’t work in its favor.

With such a talented cast and a fascinating concept, I really wanted to like Love Me, but for all its intrigue, Sam and Anthony Zuchero’s sci-fi romance is much too flimsy and shallow. Artificial intelligence is at the center of the story, but the film wants us to desperately buy into the idea that two entities — a water buoy designed in 2600 before humanity’s extinction and a satellite charged with holding vestiges of what human life was like — could fall in love and make a life for themselves.

The term “magical negro” was coined as an American cinema trope then popularized by filmmaker Spike Lee in 2001. The phrase describes a Black side character whose entire existence is to serve and the white protagonist in his or her journey. The "magical power" in question isn’t necessarily literal, as it relates to a Black characteristic or personality trait that directly impacts the white character’s decision and/or growth. I explain all this to emphasize the importance of understanding the phrase before heading to see Kobi Libii’s The American Society of Magical Negroesin March.

Warning: The following contains spoilers for Maboroshi!!Maboroshi is the latest film by acclaimed director Mari Okada in collaboration with the internationally renowned animation studio, MAPPA. After mysterious cracks appear in the sky above Mifuse, the town is locked in an eternal winter. Masamune Kikuiri is one of the people trapped in the town, and his struggles have bigger ramifications for the world than anyone could have expected.