Now playing in theaters nationwide is Joel Edgerton's expertly crafted thriller The Gift. Currently sitting at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and having already received a positive review on this site from Matt, there isn't a lot of praise that I can heap on the film that someone else hasn't already stated more eloquently. I'm going to give it my best shot, however, because this is a dynamite feature debut that deserves to be seen and talked about.

Starring Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, and Edgerton (who also writes and directs), The Gift is a slow burn that methodically consumes everything it touches. The setup is basic: Simon (Bateman) and Robyn (Hall) are a married couple who relocate to California for Simon's new job as a sales executive and for a fresh start following a traumatic event. Simon grew up near the area and, shortly after they arrive, he runs into Gordo (Edgerton), a kid he went to high school with. As their relationship with Gordo persists, sins of the past begin to capsize Simon and Robyn's seemingly idyllic life. To say any more would be to ruin some of the great twists and turns that The Gift has to offer. The performances are great all around and Edgerton proves he's a gifted storyteller by keeping us invested in the characters and guessing about their past, present, and future throughout.

Before you head out to watch The Gift in theaters, stick around for a few more minutes to read this week's Top 5 below:

Straight Outta Compton Coverage

With critical praise and a huge opening night in hand, F. Gary Gray's NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton is poised to hang around for a while. Matt criticizes the film for endlessly idealizing its subjects but can't deny that the first half of the pic is "electrifying". As someone who knows very little about the group, I'm looking forward to learning something from the pic.

First The Hateful Eight Trailer

The Weinstein Company released the first trailer for Quentin Tarantino's eighth film, The Hateful Eight, this past week and it looks A) beautiful and B) like a ton of fun. I may have to go out of my way to see this one in 70mm when it releases exclusively in that format on Christmas Day.

Best Movies on Netflix Right Now

When I came across our feature entitled "The Best Movies on Netflix Right Now" I thought to myself, "this list better have Sunset Boulevard on it or we've surrendered all credibility". Sure enough, Billy Wilder's classic is on there and our credibility is preserved at least until I ruin it by talking about Kindergarten Cop 2 here shortly.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Coverage

While I would have loved to have seen a Steven Soderbergh-directed The Man from U.N.C.L.E., I'd be lying if I said that Guy Ritchie's take doesn't look like a good time in its own right. Then again, my judgment could be clouded by the insanely great looking cast of Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, and Elizabeth Debicki. Seriously, how does anyone on set get any work done with those four hanging out there all day?

A feature film was completed in spite of these difficult conditions and you can learn more about it by reading Matt's review, watching said cast play "Would You Rather?", and watching the video review above.

Kindergarten Cop 2 with Dolph Lundgren Is Real

Here it is, folks. The pinnacle of my film writing career. Everything after this will try, unsuccessfully, to compare.

Kindergarten Cop 2 is a real movie and 57-year-old Dolph Lundgren is apparently starring in it. Click here to check out some set photos that prove my preceding sentence is factual and take solace in knowing that some of director Don Michael Paul's other directorial efforts include: Tremors 5: Bloodlines, Lake Placid: The Final Chapter, and Half Past Dead (starring Steven Seagal and Ja Rule).