In “A Quiet Place,” a family is forced to adapt a lifestyle where they live in silence and are full of caution at every act they commit, as they try to remain hidden in sight and sound from intelligently vicious creatures that have begun to override Earth.

“A Quiet Place” is worth the watch. Especially in the theater. To add to the quiet suspense happening on screen, trying not to break the silence in the theater during this thriller is a challenging and intense experience.

Even if you’re like us and don’t normally like horror movies, there is a lot to appreciate about this one. You’ll feel scared, but not too scared, and overall, entertained. Without excessive gore and jump scares, it relies more smartly on anticipation and tension to be chilling in an understated and creative way. It’s original, it’s well-executed and well-performed.

When tyrannical dictator Joseph Stalin dies in 1953, his parasitic cronies square off in a frantic power struggle to become the next Soviet leader. Among the contenders are the dweebish Georgy Malenkov, the wily Nikita Khrushchev and Lavrenti Beria—the sadistic secret police chief. As they bumble, brawl and back-stab their way to the top, the question remains—just who is running the government?

“The Death of Stalin” was surprisingly hilarious. This movie is for you if you like “Veep” and dark humor mixed with politics. It’s about the scramble for leadership in Soviet Russia after Stalin dies and about living in fear of being killed by the government (the scramble being the comedic part and the threat of government being the dark part).

It’s a film about power and politics, but director Armando Iannucci’s style is no “House of Cards.” Like in “Veep,” which he also created, rather than view the government as a calculated and highly-organized machine, his take on politics has leaders fumbling to figure out what the heck is going on and flying by the seat of their pants. It’s a very humorous take—and it’s probably the more realistic one, which is what makes it so funny (and scary).

It’s a history film: the main events in the story actually happened for the most part. But, the actors all speak English and keep their American and English accents over faking Russian ones. It’s not historically accurate in that sense, but it isn’t supposed to be. Historians have pointed out small inaccuracies or called out the film for misrepresenting Stalinism. But, the movie is not trying to talk directly about the history of Stalinism, rather, it’s using Stalinism and history to talk about today. Because of that, it works.

Watch the trailer for “Death of Stalin” below and listen to the full playlist above for more on the movie and a discussion about spoilers.

When, by executive decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage-dump called Trash Island, 12-year-old Atari sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies across the river in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. There, with the assistance of a pack of newly-found mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture.

“Isle of Dogs” is funny, artistic and cute (in a good way). It’s themes are familiar and topical to the present day, but the characters, the dogs and the scenes present them in a way that is delightful. Plus, who doesn’t like a story about a boy and his dog?

In true Wes Anderson fashion, almost any of the scenes could be printable artwork you would want to put up on your wall. The figurines and the miniature sets are so well done that Kristopher says that he still would have paid full price to watch the movie without sound. And, both Justin and K Polly wanted to buy figurines of all the lovable dogs after leaving the theater.

With auteur directors like Wes Anderson—that is, filmmakers who are the singular artist who control all aspects of a film—it seems like everyone is all too ready to say that their distinct style is getting old. This film has all of Wes Anderson’s trademarks: the precise timing of dialogue and humor, symmetrical framing and romantic color palettes, but at the same time, this movie is so detailed and calculated it’s hard not to respect and marvel at the craft even though it still has all of Wes’ usual gimmicks. (I mean, is it still a gimmick if it’s well done?)

Also, with auteur directors, there’s a tendency to want to compare one film to all of the others in “the cannon.” But, that’s unfair to the movie and to you as a viewer. It’s hard to avoid, but “Isle of Dogs” is best enjoyed when you do.

“Isle of Dogs” is in Milwaukee theaters now. According to the Cinebuds, it is a must-see for it’s entertaining visuals, not to mention it’s great cast list. And, even though it’s hard not to, don’t compare it to “Fantastic Mr. Fox.”

This is second year of the CineLatino Milwaukee Film Festival, which is presented by Marcus Theatres. It will be held at the South Shore Cinema in Oak Creek, from Thursday, April 12 through Sunday, April 15. Most of the films will be shown in Spanish with English subtitles. Half of all the proceeds from the film festival will benefit local Hispanic health and education efforts.

The showings will be celebrating 2018 Oscar winners like the Chilean drama “Una Mujer Fantastica” (“A Fantastic Woman”) and “Coco.” Not to mention, it will have a whole Guillermo del Toro showcase, who won Best Director this year for “Shape of Water.”

Guillermo del Toro’s Shape of Water

On April 13 from 6-8 p.m there will also be a celebration of the late Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez’s birthday. This special tribute will feature a lookalike contest and more prior to a big-screen showing of “Selena.”

Below are all the featured films this year. Visit the Marcus Theatres website for showtimes.

New Releases:

“Overboard” (Rated PG-13) – When a spoiled yacht owner hailing from one of Mexico’s wealthiest families is thrown overboard, a single mom convinces him they are married. Remake of the 1987 comedy starring Eugenio Derbez.

“La Boda de Valentina” (“The Wedding of Valentina”) (Rated R) – Valentina has the perfect life in America. Her universe trembles when Jason, her boyfriend, proposes marriage and she must confront her family, the Hidalgo, the most chaotic and surreal political dynasty in the history of Mexico.

“La Novia del Desierto” (“The Desert Bride”) (Rated PG-13) – The story of Teresa, a 54-year-old woman, whose life begins to fall apart when the family that has employed her decides to sell their home. For decades, she has taken refuge in the routine, but now she must begin a new life that leads to an unexpected accident that will take her across the desert.

“Los Que Aman Odian” (“In Love and In Hate”) (Rated PG-13) – Dr. Huberman arrives at a hotel near the sea in search of a delightful and fruitful solitude. Little does he imagine that he will soon be involved in the complex relationships of the curious inhabitants of the hotel.

“Una Mujer Fantastica” (“A Fantastic Woman”) (Rated R) – Marina, a transsexual woman who works as a waitress and moonlights as a nightclub singer, is moved by the death of her older boyfriend. After his passing, Marina faces scorn and discrimination about their unconventional relationship. (2018 Academy Award Winner – Best Foreign Language Film.)

“Una Mujer Sin Filtro” (“A Woman Without a Filter”) (Rated PG-13) – Paz, a kind woman, has allowed everyone around her to treat her as if she were worth nothing, keeping silent so as to not hurt anyone’s feelings. That all changes the day a phenomenon in her head forces her to express what she feels.

Family Favorites:

“Coco” (Rated PG) – Aspiring musician Miguel, confronted with his family’s ancestral ban on music, enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer. (2018 Academy Award Winner – Best Animated Featured Film and Original Song.)

“Condorito: La Pelicula” (“Condorito: The Movie”) (Rated PG) – With help from his nephew, a condor named Condorito embarks on a hilarious adventure to save the planet and his loved ones from an evil alien king. This film is based on the most beloved comic strip in Latin America.

“Ferdinand” (Rated PG) – Set in Spain, Ferdinand tells the story of a giant bull with a big heart that proves you can’t judge a bull by his cover. After being mistaken for a dangerous beast, he is captured and torn from his home. Determined to return to his family, he rallies a misfit team on the ultimate adventure.

“Tesoros” (“Treasures”) (Rated PG) – In a small community on the Mexican Pacific Coast, siblings Dylan and Andrea set off with their new friends on a marvelous journey of discovery in search of long lost pirate loot.

Guillermo del Toro Showcase:

“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Rated R) – In the falangist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world.

“The Shape of Water” (Rated R) – In a 1960s research facility, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with a strange, amphibious creature that is being held in captivity. (2018 Academy Award Winner – Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Director and more.)

Selena Celebration:

“Selena” (Rated PG) – The true story of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, a Texas-born Tejano singer who rose from cult status to performing at the Astrodome, as well as having chart topping albums on the Latin music charts.

When a high school baseball player is hospitalized after a nasty prank, the gang responsible decides to stay quiet about the accident and proceed with daily life, unscathed. This solution doesn’t sit well with the paranoid newcomer of the group. The combination of unwavering paranoia and an open police investigation prompt the newbie to spill the beans about the accident, but the gang’s alpha male is willing to curb all rationale to keep it buried.