This dark claustrophobic comedy, confined largely to just two people in one closed space, is not only hampered by these limitations, but even more so by the fact that these two people are really, really annoying.

| Original Score: C | Jan 24, 2024

Plays mental pinball and sexual chess and psychological sudoku set to expert.

| Original Score: A | Dec 13, 2023

Sanctuary is able to bring its viewer on a wild ride that will leave you with a devilish smile until the very end.

| Original Score: B- | Oct 30, 2023

This twisted, tense battle of wits and wills is captivating from the first frame to its emphatic last line. They don’t make many movies like this one anymore, but Qualley, Abbott, and Wigon make a persuasive case that they should.

| Sep 26, 2023

t’s a thrilling cinematic experience to watch Abbott and Qualley completely step out of their comfort zone and destroy their characters’ relationships for hidden motivations.

| Sep 8, 2023

Sanctuary takes a fascinating approach to the dynamics of power through a whirlwind dance through actual and figurative role playing.

| Sep 6, 2023

The twists and turns plus some great acting performances make the film watchable but there is zero chemistry between the characters.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 27, 2023

A twisted psychosexual rom-com with two supremely magnetic leads. Because hey, love hurts.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 25, 2023

Less subversive than it is, as Margaret Qualley’s says, “a whole lot of fun.” Her performance, careening from coquettish to exactingly vulnerable to fiercely savage. truly dominates, putting Abbott, and the rest of us, completely at her mercy.

| Aug 21, 2023

A power struggle between a dominatrix and her over-it client is a stripping back of layers, piece by ragged piece.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 17, 2023

Director Zachary Wigon’s Sanctuary is trying very hard to be both thrilling and erotic, but all that comes through is the effort. Just watching is exhausting.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Aug 17, 2023

Sanctuary is a spicy psychological chess match between two stars in the making.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 25, 2023

Sanctuary is the disintegration of not only a relationship but sanity confined to a single hotel room unleashing a fantasy world of lust and humiliation through melodic dialogue and hypnotic visuals.

| Jul 25, 2023

Qualley is intoxicating, delivering a masterclass performance. When she’s not dispensing piercing stares, the audience is left hanging on her every word. Abbott is proficient at reserved performances and he is terrific.

| Original Score: 4/4 | Jun 17, 2023

This sort of thing infallibly titillates some viewers, but better movies have been there and done that. Sanctuary seems terribly pleased with itself given a cleverness level that isn’t really so impressive...

| Jun 12, 2023

It’s a love story, sort of, and whatever limitations are set by the location are obliterated by the performances.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jun 9, 2023

The recovery is admirable and suggests the filmmakers are capable of great things, but it’s not enough to warrant a recommendation for the preceding 90 minutes.

| Original Score: C+ | Jun 7, 2023

A fun film for grown-ups.

| Jun 7, 2023

It's exquisite... Very sophisticated, and not very much about sex, either.

| Jun 6, 2023

Instead of being ick or yawning-inducing, it is funny, edgy, weird and always intriguing.

| Jun 6, 2023