REVIEWSetc.

After navigating the holy halls of the Vatican in Conclave , director Edward Berger trades in papal secrecy for the pulsating nightlife of Macau in Ballad of a Small Player , a visually electric and emotionally turbulent descent into obsession, luck, and moral decay. It’s the kind of movie that walks into the casino with swagger and style to spare, only to realize its chips are stacked on a busted hand. But for all its flaws, Berger’s latest is never dull, never dispassionate

In this, the year of our election, 2024, it would seem that every awards contender is interested in engaging some political or electoral...