Osgood “Oz” Perkins has scrupulously honed a directorial style like no other. With films like The Blackcoat’s Daughter, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, and Gretel & Hansel, his dreary and lurching vibe is unmistakable. But while he makes stunningly photographed thrillers, his narratives tend to linger at a pace that’s more tortoise than hare. For some, it’s the pinnacle of slow-burn suspense. For others, like myself, it’s been an uphill battle.

Longlegs perfects the filmmaker’s formula by leaning into Perkins’ dawdling aesthetics that creep like rolling fog, emphasizing continuous hunt-and-stalk tension pulled tight like a hangman’s noose. Perkins’ command over persistently low-gear speeds has never been better, nor has his presentation been more stupendously infernal. Longlegs is his best work by a country mile, and comes emphatically recommended whether you’re a devoted fan or a first-time appreciator (like me).

Have you ever wondered why there isn’t a clear crayon? Or what Timothée Chalamet would look like if he were a beautiful pearl? Those are the questions pondered by Julio Torres, the comedian behind Saturday Night Live classics like “Wells for Boys” and “Papyrus.” After leaving the show, he created some indescribable works for HBO, like his comedy special My Favorite Shapes and the canceled-too-soon Los Espookys, while making his mark on the movie landscape with his indie darling Problemista.

But Torres’ latest work is far more abstract than anything he’s done before, and the result is a meandering, often otherworldly, look at day-to-day life that’s far more daring than even the most lofty sci-fi shows.