2024 - a year in film
New movies I watched in 2024
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- DirectorJ.A. BayonaStarsNaomi WattsEwan McGregorTom HollandThe story of a tourist family in Thailand caught in the destruction and chaotic aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.6.9
Earnestly sporting some really simple yet effective storytelling; J.A. Bayona‘s The Impossible is extremely well crafted and tension filled throughout. Solid performances from its principal cast elevates a pretty “routine” survival tale. Sure it’s a little saccharine but by that time it’s all well deserved. Bayona has crafted a film epic in scale whilst retaining some realism and genuine emotionality. - DirectorLasse HallströmStarsJosh GadDennis QuaidPeggy LiptonA dog discovers the meaning of its own existence through the lives of the humans it teaches to laugh and love. Reincarnated as multiple canines over the course of five decades, the lovable pooch develops an unbreakable bond with Ethan.5.1
Earnest yet derivative. Modestly effective if overly saccharine. - DirectorBrandon CronenbergStarsAlexander SkarsgårdMia GothCleopatra ColemanJames and Em Foster are enjoying an all-inclusive beach vacation in the fictional island of La Tolqa, when a fatal accident exposes the resort's perverse subculture of hedonistic tourism, reckless violence and surreal horrors.6.4
Wild and uncanny. Trippy and memorable.
Heightened and purely cinematic; Infinity Pool is a beguiling if slightly gruelling experience.
There will be some that find the lack of a straightforward literal interpretation rather irksome but Brandon Cronenberg has fun with this notion throughout with narrative flourishes and playful, pithy dialogue. Having said that, I’m not sure it all comes together as a cohesive and satisfying metaphor and/or allegory. At points it seems a little on the nose thematically and others it seems too abstruse. Cronenberg examines humanity, class and identity through a darkly comedic, existentially discombobulated lens and occasionally overindulges his fancy.
Much like Cronenberg’s previous works, at the centre of all of the blood and guts is a golden nugget of an idea or question. This idea is then taken to its logical endpoint before being dragged kicking and screaming to hell. The moral quandary at the films heart is served up at a constant sizzle. The moral decay brought on first by an accidental murder and then exacerbated by the very strange judicial system on the fictional island is visceral and uncomfortable to watch. We are made to question what we would do in those circumstances; how would that affect you? What are we made of if such traumas or choices can break us down so completely? What is the price of pure hedonistic indulgence? You get the feeling that, like Miyazaki, Cronenberg works backwards from an image or scene; these retina burning moments stick out and punctuate what might be considered a slightly meandering, perfunctory narrative. Infinity Pool is perhaps more conversational than traditionally structured.
The heightened tone is sometimes pushed too far towards the campy and although this is offset by wild violence and craziness, The performances are tricky; they are smothered in style and visual “delights”. Mia Goth has mastered this type of carnality; here she presents a peculiar and twisted creation; she is convincing if a little unruly. Infinity Pool as a result feels tonally inconsistent. Also, this does start feel a little bloated by the final act as it lacks, by design, a logical endpoint and its final throws start feel a little repetitive.
More experiential than satisfying, Infinity Pool is a great addition to an already interesting, small body of work from Brandon Cronenberg. Where else is there to go? - DirectorKurtis David HarderStarsEmily TennantRory J SaperCassandra NaudWhile struggling on a solo backpacking trip in Thailand, social media influencer Madison meets CW, who travels with ease and shows her a more uninhibited way of living, but CW's interest in her takes a darker turn.4.8
Effective enough pot boiler.
Despite its modern and very “current” trappings, Influencer is a pretty standard killer thriller. Marred by some slightly unconvincing, wooden acting; Influencer strikes a strong and consistent tone, dropping references and prescient (if superficial) themes throughout.
There are more than enough twists and turns to keep this interesting but this works better as silly fun than it does as a skewering of social media. Social media is mere wallpapering here; it’s a skin. This might’ve cut deeper if it was more focussed and centralised. If this was an examination of a character and their sociopathic then psychopathic relationship with social media rather than a standard cat and mouse type deal there might be more to chew on. Sure, the lengths CW goes to in order to cover up her crimes are scary given how accessible the technology is but we aren’t left with any questions after the credits roll. Influencer is too neatly and cutely tied up at the end to leave any room for thought. This is the cinematic equivalent of a thought terminating cliche.
Influencer is not Ingrid Goes West but nor is it Single White Female, Influencer ends up just being premium grade pulp fiction. - DirectorDavid FrankelStarsOwen WilsonJennifer AnistonEric DaneA family learns important life lessons from their adorable, but naughty and neurotic dog.3.5
Despite all of its cliches and saccharine bluster; this is a largely unlikeable and dull affair. - DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsMichael FassbenderKeira KnightleyViggo MortensenA look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis.5.5
Handsome and well played; A Dangerous Method is a sombre and rather bland affair when all is said and done.
The solid performances are hamstrung by a stately but stagey script and style. It’s interesting for sure but Cronenberg is scratching at the surface here and seems more interested in the rather banal relationship dynamics of his players than the nitty gritty of the subject(s). Sure it’d be difficult to cinematically articulate the finer points of Freud and Jung but isn’t that what Cronenberg was doing with his early work? Using visual metaphor and allegory Cronenberg was able to make grand thematic overtures that make A Dangerous Method look like Employees Leaving the Lumière Factory. - DirectorLila NeugebauerStarsJennifer LawrenceBrian Tyree HenryLinda EmondA US soldier suffers a traumatic brain injury while fighting in Afghanistan and struggles to adjust to life back home.6.1
Earnest and quietly affecting; Causeway is a minor work propped up by two good central performances.
This is familiar stuff. The indie drama scene has been beating this drum for years now and with good reason as Causeway shows can be real life under all of the contrivances.
Causeway is a slight, delicate and empathetic study of trauma. There are no grand actorly last stands or late rushes to the airport; but there’s sympathy and genuine affection for the story being told. Lawrence is particularly good; she is understated here but her character is well drawn and interesting. There’s genuine chemistry between her and Brian Tyree Henry even if the relationship feels a little underbaked. I wouldn’t say that it all comes together all that satisfyingly; it feels a little rushed in its third act but this is a clear byproduct of the painterly way Lila Neugebauer has chosen to tell the story.
Narratively, there is something missing. I understand that this is supposed to be more observational than truly cinematic but a wider lens could’ve yielded greater rewards. An extra strand or higher stakes might’ve propelled this wispy indie into truly memorable status. As it is, Causeway is an enjoyable and fairly safe affair carried by handsome direction and convincing performances. - DirectorJodie FosterStarsMel GibsonJodie FosterAnton YelchinA troubled husband and executive adopts a beaver hand-puppet as his sole means of communication.4.9
Melodramatic and unconvincing. Bittersweet and well made.
Despite some solid performances, and much like Mel Gibson’s character, The Beaver just can’t quite pull itself together. Its messaging might land and the film is cinematically astute but this feels more contrived than lived in. There are reels and reels of this type of American dysfunction, granted never quite this “out-there” but we get treated to these types of metaphorical cinematic excursions one or twice a year. This type of visual metaphor has been done better and more convincingly.
Aside from a few sympathetic flourishes, these characters are drawn too thinly and are rendered unlikeable as a result. It’s a shame as some of the dialogue is snappy and witty and the cast is stacked with talent.
The Beaver ends up feeling more novelistic than novel and might have benefitted from a less formal approach. What exactly is the tone here? The puppet is never quite played for laughs but it’s introduced playfully. Gibson’s character ends up a little undercooked and perhaps it would’ve been more satisfying to see him and the beaver interacting. This ongoing conversation might’ve blunted the metaphorical and thematic underpinnings but it might’ve made the film more accessible and likeable. To compound this tonal confusion, Foster’s film is melodramatic but never truly dramatic or affecting. Ultimately, The Beaver is just too slight to be truly memorable. - DirectorRodrigo SorogoyenStarsMarina FoïsDenis MénochetLuis ZaheraAn expatriate French couple operate an organic farm in the Spanish countryside but clash with villagers.6.7
Handsome and sombre. Unsettling and depressing.
The Beasts is a compelling, if slightly cold, small scale drama. Focussing on the dispute between “hill folk” neighbours in the Spanish countryside; The Beasts is a lesson in quiet tension building and tonal consistency. Despite elements of the thriller, Rodrigo Sorogoyen‘s film is squarely a drama. Indeed, the denouement of what would be the thriller version of the movie here happens an hour or so into the film. However, Sorogoyen is much more interested in the relationship dynamics, politics and fallout of the themes and plotting at hand. Theres a sense of dread for sure, we know this type of story well but it’s the way we collect the beats that feels fresh and earthy. - DirectorRuben ÖstlundStarsClaes BangElisabeth MossDominic WestA prestigious Stockholm museum's chief art curator finds himself in times of both professional and personal crisis as he attempts to set up a controversial new exhibit.6.7
Offbeat and engaging. Uncomfortable and ambitious.
Force Majeure was a film nested in a compelling idea. The thematic head of steam built around this central question then created the narrative. Ruben Östlund’s The Square works the opposite way around; it’s a film with so much on its mind and with so much to say that loses some of Force Majeure’s narrative thrust. It is on one hand a detailed portrait of the art world; its day to night, its relationship with intellectualism, its relationship to the press and finally its standing in the “real” world but it picks up and drops these threads in a seemingly haphazard fashion. This “haphazard” ballooning creates a dizzying experience and as a result The Square is a film that comes together better in retrospect with reflection.
Propped up by a few brilliantly executed set pieces; the film is perhaps too loose to be memorable overall. There’s some great ideas proffered here mostly centred around art pretension, class, a bystander society, persona, selfishness and prejudice but these ideas are too often vignetted and fail to bleed into each other. This vignetting might have worked better using the Short Cuts mode; cutting up the story and themes dividing them amongst a series of players rather than trying to funnel them all through Christian.
Having said all that, this is still immensely enjoyable stuff, Östlund packs in more than enough food for thought. Despite its bloated runtime and icky, uncomfortable content, the film is never a chore. I would say that this would definitely benefit from a second viewing as it’s perhaps a little too tonally and thematically broad to fully take in one sitting. - DirectorAndrew GaynordStarsGeorgina CampbellChristopher FairbankDustin Demri-BurnsPete is cautiously excited about reuniting with his college crew for a birthday weekend. But, one by one, his friends slowly turn against him. Is he being punished, is he paranoid, or is he part of some sick joke?7.0
Amusing and painful. Effective and mean.
Andrew Gaynord‘s jet black comedy of manners is full of constant surprises, fiendish humour and toe curling miscommunications.
Perfectly pitched between Kristoffer Borgli’s Sick Of Myself and Ben Wheatley’s Happy New Year, Colin Burstead, All Of My Friends Hate Me is a fine dissection of guilt, lad culture and victimhood.
Everybody loves a joke but nobody loves a fool. This is perhaps so excruciating for its kernels of truth. Sure, this is turned up to 11 but we’ve all felt this way. Gaynord’s strength is his control of tone. This could’ve been a wilder, looser and less satisfying experience. Gaynor tightens the reins; the joke remains the same no matter the mode chosen to tell it. English productions over the years might’ve veered closer toward the horror but All Of My Friends is benefitted by keeping its feet on the cold, hard ground.
This is keenly observed even when being slightly overindulgent and stereotypical. For all of the depression induced by Pete’s lack of self awareness; the script knows exactly what it’s doing. This is obviously a lived idea. Pushing characterisations beyond satirisation into the farcical, we are taking a deep dive into Pete’s fragile, black and white, detached world view. Pete’s humbling is our humbling as the audience is asked to consider their own role in social groups and the fallaciousness of such an idea. We aren’t ever one thing especially in a group setting. The reveals aren’t especially revelatory when they happen and it never quite goes full April Fools Day or Bodies Bodies Bodies but Gaynord and co really mange to build up a head of steam here particularly in its final throes.
This might feel like a difficult one to pin down but there’s still a lot to ruminate on after the fact. This is a deeply uncomfortable but ultimately satisfying experience. - DirectorJ.A. BayonaStarsEnzo VogrincicAgustín PardellaMatías RecaltThe flight of a rugby team crashes on a glacier in the Andes. The few passengers who survive the crash find themselves in one of the world's toughest environments to survive.6.7
Harrowing and effective; J.A. Bayona‘s Society of the Snow is a brutal but satisfying cinematic experience. Bayona can pull this brand of old school blockbuster cinema off in his sleep. Punctuated by some memorable sequences; this is an emotionally gruelling film. An unbelievable story told by a master of his craft. - DirectorMolly Manning WalkerStarsAnna AntoniadesMia McKenna-BruceLara PeakeThree British teenage girls go on a rites-of-passage holiday - drinking, clubbing and hooking up, in what should be the best summer of their lives.7.3
As engaging as it is heartbreaking, How To Have Sex is an unsentimental and nuanced look at the pressures and expectations of youth.
Sidestepping some of the trappings of this type of film, Molly Manning Walker focus on smaller moments with lingering close ups, loaded stares and awkward miscommunications. We get the icky moments but they are brief and restrained with both eyes on Mia McKenna-Bruce‘s Tara not the vulgarity at play. It’s a clever, emotionally intelligent choice as this restraint builds the dread and unease rather than breaking it with the explicit.
The writing is sharp. There aren’t any easy outs. Relationships are painted as messy whether platonic or otherwise. This isn’t a battle of the sexes. This is the films strength. Molly Manning Walker isn’t interested in putting nails in a coffin but there’s an honesty and matter-of-factness to her storytelling. The culture is on trail here not specific people. Despite its gruelling content, How To Have Sex ends on a surprisingly upbeat note as with Tara’s honesty comes hope and strength.
This is as nightmarish as it is familiar. A fascinating slice of life look at disaffected youth and an invitation to consider your own role in this complicated story. - DirectorTaika WaititiStarsMichael FassbenderOscar KightleyKaimanaThe story of the infamously terrible American Samoa soccer team, known for a brutal 2001 FIFA match they lost 31-0.3.7
Messy and familiar; Next Goal Wins amounts to little more than a string of silly jokes and some tired heart-string pulling. We need to be more invested in Fassbender for this to work but they are intent on making him unlikeable and useless throughout. This loses the threads of its largest influence, Cool Runnings, and never finds the heart that made it such a likeable movie. There are some nice moments and sequences (with Jaiyah and Armani in particular) but this is too unfocused and scattergun to build up any momentum. - DirectorRuben ÖstlundStarsThobias ThorwidHarris DickinsonCharlbi DeanA fashion model celebrity couple join an eventful cruise for the super-rich.6.4
Subversive and conversational. Silly and blunt.
Like much of Ruben Östlund‘s work so far, Triangle Of Sadness doesn’t quite hang together, at least not in a traditionally cinematic sense. It’s overlong and disjointed but it posits enough questions and ideas to keep repeating on its audience after the fact.
This is perhaps Östlund’s broadest film and is real mixed bag as a result replete with gross-out humour, chucklesome visual gags, and the occasional wearisome, on the nose satirical whipping. Triangle Of Sadness is lacking some of the emotional intelligence of Force Majaeure and the art-world focus of The Square. Östlund chooses to open up his world here to skewer the absurdity of modernity but he sacrifices the personal to the grand. There’s still fun to be had - the opening section feels more specific and intentioned as does the demise of the boat which is pretty entertaining for all its blustery excesses.
Crucially and true to form, this isn’t just about how abhorrent the rich are, Östlund is interested in how self serving and narcissistic we all are, given the chance. All of the characters on the ship exemplify the schism between societal value and material worth in the modern world. The films playful character subversions only serve to highlight this point as “toilet manager” Abigail finds actual value after the shipwreck as she turns into the sole provider and leader of the group. However, instead of this leading to her to enlightenment it leads to her rumination. Ultimately, these ephemeral or material things we covet (money, power, validation) end up destroying us.
Carl is perhaps the most earnest character and is looking for love and self worth in a world that only values his surface. Even his relationship with Yaya is transactional and based on the strength of their socials not their bond. He is eventually forced to abandon his search for true value and self worth when he pimps himself out for the relative comforts offered by the tyrannical island queen Abigail. He gains perspective and “truth” to late to save Yaya, if he was ever truly capable of doing so…
These are tricky and rewarding grace notes. I can see how it’s easier to paint the film as just a satire of the rich. This is not simply another “eat the rich” film. The main issue is that it’s not focussed or nuanced enough to paint a convincing counterpoint to its humorous, extreme skewering of the wealthy.
The result is a nibbling film that is as bloated as it is predictable and as frustrating as it is engrossing. - DirectorKelly ReichardtStarsMichelle WilliamsHong ChauAndré 3000A sculptor preparing to open a new show tries to work amidst the daily dramas of family and friends.6.7
Quiet and understated. Sympathetic and effective.
Michelle Williams does a great job with a difficult character. Her hunched, ever-pained Lizzy inspires compassion and ire in equal measure. Williams has peeled away all of the artifice of the “movie star”. Sure her getup is comical to a point but it feels lived-in rather than manufactured and oscarbaitory. The earthy and considered storytelling from Kelly Reichardt helps these flourishes of eccentric specificity and/or idiosyncrasy feel earned rather than forced.
It is an interesting character piece but it’s perhaps more rewarding viewing Lizzy as a proxy for the artistic experience. She is devoted and all consumed by her passion, to the point where there isn’t much left. Lizzy’s personal life is ashen; driven by miscommunication and irritation. Her family completes the artistic picture as her father peacocks colourfully about the art world whilst living the bohemian life way into his 70s and after his “retirement”. Her mother manages or administrates the art school with a cold and dismissive air; a woman driven by reality and not dreams. Lizzy’s brother is the archetypal tortured, broken artist caught in the middle; a man of supposed genius that cannot function in the “real world”. Each member of the family represent possible avenues for Lizzy if she can’t free herself from the burden of dreams. We all tie ourselves to a rock but it’s about how much we let that rock weigh us down that is the true test. Showing Up is a film about the burden of artistic expression. Art maybe the only way Lizzy can express herself authentically. A lot is made of Lizzy’s inability to get what she wants. She leaves ignored voicemails and is constantly engaged in cyclical, repetitious conversations. Art is her means of escape from the drudgery. If she can put herself into the work; she can better understand and be understood.
Despite its distance and slight sourness, the film ends on a hopeful note; it’s a genuine, quietly affecting last few moments. Sure some of the metaphors might seem a little obvious and on the nose but Showing Up is effective cinema nonetheless. - DirectorJake JohnsonStarsJake JohnsonAndy SambergBjorn JohnsonGiven the opportunity to participate in a life or death reality game show, one man discovers there's a lot to live for.6.3
Good natured and fun. Chucklesome and brisk.
It’s central themes are perhaps needlessly over explained at points but this still works. There’s an undeniable like-ability and silly charm to Jake Johnson’s slight but satisfying comedy. This would be a good companion piece to Colossal or The One I Love as all films are underpinned with “real world” problems and glossed over with high concepts and cartoonish stylings. - DirectorBryce McGuireStarsWyatt RussellKerry CondonAmélie HoeferleA family moves into a new home, unaware that a dark secret from the house's past will unleash a malevolent force in the backyard pool.4.4
Earnest, meat and potatoes curse potboiler.
Night Swim is a handsomely made modern horror cobbled together using riffs and moments from better movies. There’s an old school, Stephen King vibe to this that hinders rather than elevates. King is famed for putting too much meat on the bones whereas Night Swim starts to feel a little thin and repetitive. All of the beats of a more well rounded story are present but it never threatens to pull together as effective piece of cinema. The MS side story is neat but criminally underutilised and is more wallpapering than an actual narrative propellant. The rules of its premise seem a little inconsistent too, frustratingly so, as at times they seem so limited but other moments suggest more expansive opportunities. Ultimately, Night Swim descends into a series of cliched moments; most are unconvincing and tired. Add this one to the long list of tidy ideas overstretched and botched by lack of imagination or risk. - DirectorDaniel ScheinertStarsMichael Abbott Jr.Virginia NewcombAndre HylandDick died last night, and Zeke and Earl don't want anybody finding out how. That's too bad though, cause news travels fast in small-town Alabama.6.0
An often deeply unsettling jet black comedy, The Death of Dick Long is an oddly enjoyable/weirdly affecting experience. There are some truly memorable sequences and moments here even if the films style is a little too grounded and gritty at times. Perhaps most notable for being the start of a filmic journey that has recently yielded Oscar success for director Daniel Scheinert, Dick Long is an odd and singular experience in its own right. - DirectorChris BuckFawn VeerasunthornStarsAriana DeBoseChris PineAlan TudykA young girl named Asha wishes on a star and gets a more direct answer than she bargained for when a trouble-making star comes down from the sky to join her.3.5
Humourless and unconvincing. What a missed opportunity. - DirectorBastien MilheauStarsPierre GomméNina PolettoBarbara SchulzJanus is a young high school student who dreams of leaving his native countryside ravaged by isolation and alcoholism. His daily life changes when he discovers an artisanal distillery hidden in his grandfather's cellar.4.7
Overfamiliar and slight; Super Drunk is a gently amusing if tonally erratic coming of age comedy. The messaging is abit muddled and it’s way too thin but this is breezy enough to sustain interest. It’s a shame that this feels a little sanitised, containing none of the balls of its source material. - DirectorJesse EisenbergStarsJulianne MooreFinn WolfhardBilly BrykEvelyn and her oblivious son Ziggy seek out replacements for each other as Evelyn desperately tries to parent an unassuming teenager at her shelter, while Ziggy fumbles through his pursuit of a brilliant young woman at school.5.9
As absorbing as it is cold, When You Finish Saving the World is a well made and interesting directorial debut for Jesse Eisenberg.
Straddling some big ideas and themes, the film doesn’t quite come together as satisfyingly as similar movies and feels slightly unbalanced tonally at times. There’s definitely more than a whiff of Noah Baumbach here which makes sense but this is lacking a few of his signature grace notes. Themes of entitlement, exploitation and virtue signalling are handled well and Eisenberg is careful not to come down too strongly on either side. The duelling, mirroring narrative structure works really well too and nimbly builds to its modestly affecting conclusion.
We’ve seen these self obsessed, well-to-do, highly educated characters a million times in indie cinema but perhaps never quite so abrasive, sad and lost. Julianne Moore is much better at navigating these unlikable characters; there’s a depth of understanding to her that isn’t present with Finn Wolfhard’s Ziggy. Ziggy is a “child” so his narcissism and naïveté is understandable. He is desperate for validation as he clearly doesn’t get it at home. His music seems to be a reflected, idealised version of the truth as, in reality, Ziggy seems ambivalent/ignorant to friendships and social systems. The mechanics of his complicated relationship with his mother are hinted at cleverly throughout and mirrored in his mother’s clandestine, well intentioned relationship with Kyle. All of this fails to make Ziggy a compelling character. Wolfhard does well with the musical elements but he is just an Eisenberg stand in for everything else. I suspect there was more to the father character as he seemed to be an interesting counterpoint to his son and wife’s narcissistic tendencies.
Some of the ideas will continue to resonate and repeat but mostly this is just solid indie cinema. - DirectorIlker ÇatakStarsLeonie BeneschAnne-Kathrin GummichRafael StachowiakWhen one of her students is suspected of theft, teacher Carla Nowak decides to get to the bottom of the matter. Caught between her ideals and the school system, the consequences of her actions threaten to break her.7.5
Intimate and tense; The Teachers’ Lounge is a subversive and nifty small scale drama/thriller. Essentially about the fatuousness of conflict and zero tolerance, Ilker Çatak‘a film twists and turns, offering no easy outs or conclusions.
The moral murkiness of the modern world is on full display here as characters constantly do the wrong thing for the right reasons with everyone ending up speckled with shit. We all want to know the truth but it’s the way we achieve it that is the marker of success of a person or society. Casting aspersions, interrogations and covert operations may lead to truths but they also sully the justice.
The Teachers’ Lounge is an often frustrating and distanced watch. Carla may be a good teacher with strong principles but she isn’t especially likeable - this isn’t Hollywood. The truth is that there isn’t one character here to truly root for in a traditional sense. They are all representative of our cynical, insecure and judgemental society in which retweets and gotchas are seen as more valuable than moral decency or respect. Even when standing up against false accusations the father of one boy states that he knows his son isn’t stealing because if he was, he’d break his legs. A noble sentiment smashed with crassness. This subversion runs throughout the film, the adults talk with a childlike, haloed naïveté and the kids seem world weary and beaten down. We are treated to this constant tripping up of idealism. Sure it would be great to live in a world where nothing bad ever happens but what price would you pay to get there? And who would you be after paying that price?
The 4:3 aspect ratio is an obvious choice as it both cinematically represents Carla’s idealistic, naive, myopic world view whilst adding to the claustrophobic atmosphere of the films single location. The music too adds to the growing dread with anxiety inducing orchestral stabs at key moments and landscape changes. Perhaps the key to the entire production is the writing. The way the film weaves in and out of suspicion with an earthiness and realism is a treat. It would been much easier to write this punctuated with Sorkin-esque, overtly cinematic monologues about “the state of things” but Johannes Duncker and Çatak chose to hold back focussing on character. The dialogue between the teachers is neat and is delivered in overlapping, fractured snippets. It feels as if there’s so much going on just off screen or in between scenes. This creates an itchy sense of unease, one that never fully gets scratched.
Engrossing and experiential rather than truly enjoyable; this is the type of cinema that sticks and repeats - in other words, the best kind of cinema. - DirectorDominique RocherStarsAnders Danielsen LieGolshifteh FarahaniDenis LavantThe morning after a party, a young man wakes up to find Paris invaded by zombies.4.5
Earnest and allegorical. Slight and unconvincing.
In the end, The Night Eats the World is just too familiar to be memorable. There are flashes of effectiveness but this mostly middle of the road zombie stuff. The film is constantly hampered by some really strange decisions such as the majority of the film being in English which lends the dialogue an awkward and detached hokeyness. Anders Danielsen Lie is always watchable and he convinces in what is essentially a solo performance.
The idea of the world literally and figuratively ending after a break up isn’t exactly new but there’s some neat additions here. Isolated in an apartment block, Sam encounters different facets or time periods of his life in each new apartment he explores. These include the zombie family next door representing his newly deceased relationship and a graffitied, punk rock apartment (and drum kit) representing his rebellious, free-spirited, self destructive youth. This idea would’ve been more powerful had it been explored more with extended dreamy flashbacks or involved “reenactments”. This could’ve been Dawn Of The Dead meets Mirror but it ends up doing neither justice.
The film ends on a hopeful note (there are plenty more apartments in the sea…) and you can see how, with a firmer and more imaginative hand, this could’ve been so much more. - DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsJack BlackShirley MacLaineMatthew McConaugheyIn small-town Texas, an affable mortician strikes up a friendship with a wealthy widow, though when she starts to become controlling, he goes to great lengths to separate himself from her grasp.6.5
Darkly amusing and light; Linklater shows a deft touch as he somehow finds a balance between cartoonish and vérité. Black is great here as he is the physical embodiment of the films playful and snaky tone. It’s a real tightrope act and it doesn’t always work but there’s enough meat to pick at. - DirectorPaco PlazaStarsAria BedmarMaru ValdivielsoLuisa MerelasAfter a childhood marked by a miracle, Narcisa, a novice nun joins a school to teach young girls.5.5
A familiar tale handsomely told, Sister Death is overburdened with genre cliches and confounding musical choices.
Paco Plaza is good filmmaker and he elevates this rather standard horror into an enjoyable romp. Aria Bedmar is an alluring lead even if her character is a familiar blend of blunt narrative instrument and bland ingenue. There’s a central mystery but it’s just not a particularly new or interesting one. This mystery feels like wallpapering; a means with which Plaza can play with toys. The addition of the war as both a backdrop and a thematic device is a good one but it’s something that Guillermo Del Torro has done to greater effect previously. The final act more than makes up for some of the laziness of the first hour with an effective dual revenge sequence.
More effective than the similar Consecration, this gets by largely due to its simplicity, artful flourishes and robust storytelling. - DirectorChristina ChoeStarsAndrea RiseboroughAnn DowdJ. Smith-CameronNancy becomes increasingly convinced she was kidnapped as a child. When she meets a couple whose daughter went missing thirty years ago, reasonable doubts give way to willful belief.6.4
Earnest and heartfelt. Understated and equivocal.
Nancy, perhaps obviously, contains some great performances. Riseborough in particular excels once again playing a tricky character full of contradictions and flaws. Valiantly fighting some terrible wig work, Riseborough paints Nancy sympathetically. It would’ve been easy for Nancy to seem too odd and unlikeable. We have to root for her and Riseborough effectively provides an emotional range for Nancy. She isn’t just a liar or a narcissist but nor is she just a sad little waif. The premise might seem more like 90s thriller but this plays more like a quiet indie drama in part due to Riseboroughs refusal to lean into tropes and easy actorly flourishes.
Much of the success of the film is down to writer/director Christina Choe who keeps things grounded with a choppy, messy documentary feel. The aesthetics do sometimes spill over into distraction but there’s some really astute and clever work here too. Choe provides much food for thought by refusing give the audience easy outs and absolutes. It’s a satisfying piece in spite of this, as the emotional framework isn’t predicated solely on the “answer”. Choe keeps this about the details and the characters. Motivations and feelings are complicated and the truth isn’t always the most important thing on offer; the truth lies within. What we need and how we get it is a fickle mistress.
Thematically this is well covered ground but the presentation and character work make this feel fresh. Questioning who we are vs who we could and should be in the face tragedy is only the starting point but it’s an intriguing one. Lay themes of unconditional love, memory, class and creating fictions in the internet age and you’re off to the races. I can see how the style of this might be off putting for some. It’s a little wispy, allusive and quiet at times but it’s a rewarding watch for those willing to put in the effort. It doesn’t always work there are moments that just feel flat or awkward and it’s a little to lean in the midsection.
The emotional impact of its final scenes might feel muted but this a film that lingers in the mind. - DirectorSean BakerStarsBrooklynn PrinceBria VinaiteWillem DafoeSet over one summer, the film follows precocious six-year-old Moonee as she courts mischief and adventure with her ragtag playmates and bonds with her rebellious but caring mother, all while living in the shadows of Walt Disney World.7.5
Complicated and rich. Involving and heartbreaking.
Featuring some truly brilliant performances; The Florida Project is an emotional whirlwind. It’s a real slice of life picture. The story isn’t anything particularly new but it’s the way in which Sean Baker chooses to tell it that gives its magic. Soberingly naturalistic and novelistic; some might be frustrated by the lack of solid plotting or traditional characterisations but the improvisations and lack of actorly pretension help build momentum not hamper it. Dafoe anchors the film with warmth and charm; he gently knits the film together when everything seems to be falling apart.
Never overly simplistic nor shy of the more gritty truths; this is as complicated and messy as it satisfying and emotional. - DirectorPatrik EklundStarsKatia WinterAdam LundgrenEva MelanderA team-building conference for municipal employees turns into a nightmare when accusations of corruption begin to circulate and plague the work environment. At the same time, a mysterious figure begins murdering the participants.4.6
Playful and well made, The Conference is ultimately just a standard slasher. There are a few effective sequences and kills but this all feels too familiar and slight. Sure it’s irreverent, subversive and post modern but this genre has been doing this stuff for years now. More silly than actually amusing and more annoyingly smug than truly satirical, this all feels a little askew. - DirectorJonathan MilottCary MurnionStarsLulu WilsonKevin JamesJoel McHaleA teenager's weekend at a lake house with her father takes a turn for the worse when a group of convicts wreaks havoc on their lives.4.9
Brutal as it is predictable, Becky is a fun enough splatter fest. It’s nihilistic and shower-shallow but it has a cheeky retro charm. There are issues with the pacing; it’s never as exciting as it could be and it doesn’t build a head of steam like it should. It does feel longer than it’s lean runtime would suggest. This is simple and effective stuff but it perhaps lacks another element or colour that would render it truly memorable cinema.
A more successful version of this type of trashy retro action exploitation would Adam Wingard’s The Guest, which features a more pointed and alluring villain and more overt visual stylings. The Nazi element here feels like the easy option and is never really meaningfully explored or justified. Kevin James is believable but is hamstrung by a script that lacks specificity and indulges too much in pulpy, cineliterate cliches.
Becky is spread too thin and although it plays with convention at times, it’s a shame that it ends up feeling so conventional. - DirectorMahalia BeloStarsJodie ComerJoel FryYves RassouA woman tries to find her way home with her newborn while an environmental crisis submerges London in floodwaters.6.4
Well made and earnest, The End We Start From is a thematically rich experience.
Less of an eco-thriller than billed, The End We Start From is a thoughtful film about parenthood. It’s about what we give up when we become parents; the lives we choose to forget (or not) and the art of self-sacrifice. We don’t have to lose everything in parenthood but we must accept the world changes irrevocably. There’s a balance struck here; this isn’t a film just about a mother’s fight for survival. It’s about finding an equilibrium - a new normal - in the face of change.
Although very different in approach, this is an interesting companion piece to Alfonso Cuarón‘s excellent Children Of Men. Perhaps this is too novelistic in its approach at times and isn’t as broadly engaging as Cuarón‘s minor masterpiece. Despite a relatively lean runtime this does feel a little long especially as it lurches towards its hopeful but predictable denouement. The film meanders, quietly folding in on itself, proffering tidbits and gentle characterisations. Jodie Comer is excellent throughout doing much of the films emotional heavy lifting. Even when the film feels a little stilted she still manages to sell the “truth” of a scene or moment.
This is thoughtful and strong filmmaking. There’s some great visual work in here making this a more than worthwhile experience in spite some obvious trappings and cliches. - DirectorPaul SchraderStarsJoel EdgertonSigourney WeaverQuintessa SwindellA meticulous horticulturist is devoted to tending the grounds of a beautiful estate and pandering to his employer, the wealthy dowager.6.1
Cold and restrained; The Master Gardener is a surprisingly hopeful modern fable. Bressonian in its steeliness; this is subtle but layered filmmaking. Old skool in its attitudes to rehabilitation, forgiveness and healing this might be a leap of faith too far for some but I think that’s the point. Stories like this one exist perhaps to stand contrary to “reality”. The fantastical sequence late on in Master Gardener rams this point home; what we are watching isn’t a documentary. Paul Schrader has made a career out of characters who punish themselves, self flagellating to the point of complete self sacrifice. Using a blunt central metaphor, Schrader this time allows his central character to bloom instead of wilt and die. In spite of this, the films is muted in its emotional power. There’s an air (or threat) of violence throughout that undercuts some of the more flowery moments and plotting. This creates an odd, heightened tone that on first watch was a little off putting. - DirectorSean DurkinStarsZac EfronJeremy Allen WhiteHarris DickinsonThe true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s.6.8
Muscular and effective; The Iron Claw is a well made real life modern tragedy. Broadly dramatic and convincing, Sean Durkin’s third feature is a dynamic exploration of overbearing parenting, souped up masculinity and the weight of familial legacy/success. Not as rich or metaphorical as Durkin’s other films, The Iron Claw is perhaps his most accessible and affecting work. - DirectorCord JeffersonStarsJeffrey WrightTracee Ellis RossJohn OrtizA novelist who's fed up with the establishment profiting from Black entertainment uses a pen name to write a book that propels him into the heart of the hypocrisy and madness he claims to disdain.7.4
Beautifully written and perfectly pitched. Playful and witty.
Jeffrey Wright is excellent in a role that could’ve been smarmy and unlikeable in other hands. He sells some of the broader and more familiar aspects of the family drama which is important as these elements could’ve easily dulled the films satirical literary side.
There’s some thematic and tonal similarities between this and Dream Scenario, albeit from slightly different angles. American Fiction is a much cleaner and well rounded film. It’s cultural skewering is more pointed and focussed. Even when American Fiction starts to feel wispy or overly familiar there’s some real food for thought. Nimbly navigating some tricky terrain (race, exploitation, legacy, stereotypes) this is never preachy or finger wagging. There’s a real lightness to Cord Jefferson‘s storytelling even when dealing with hefty emotional subjects that gives the film a real irreverent charm. - DirectorSean CharmatzStarsJacob TremblayPaul Walter HauserColin HanksA boy with an active imagination faces his fears on an unforgettable journey through the night with his new friend: a giant, smiling creature named Dark.6.4
Rich and textured family entertainment.
Based on the picture book of the same name by Emma Yarlett; this a cute and earnest throwback animation. Comparing this to Disney’s botched Wish is literally comparing light and dark. Here, Kaufman manages to build and layer Yarlett’s original story into something that feels quiet, specific and small whilst still being endlessly cinematic. - DirectorMatt VeselyStarsLily SullivanLing Cooper TangAnsuya NathanA headstrong journalist whose investigative podcast uncovers a strange artifact, an alien conspiracy, and the lies at the heart of her own story.5.3
Intriguingly set up; Monolith just can’t seem to find a compelling way to answer its questions.
The central themes and metaphor work but the mechanics are too creaky, familiar and uninteresting to make the film memorable. What the mysterious objects come to represent could’ve been a neat revelation if the film wasn’t so scattergun; it balloons before shrinking back to a wet noodle for its tired dénouement.
Trauma has become the default setting or the go to underpinning for horror these days. Every monster, every mystery has to be self involved or constantly folding back in on itself - the real monster is us. Like all tropes there’s value to the original idea but there comes a point where these ideas need to be reversed and unpacked again - we need a reset.
There are some really intriguing ideas present here such as the art dealer stealing and making money from people’s guilt and pain but these elements never come together. Much of the world building is solid and pulls the audience in. However, there are too many things thrown out early that when the film gets personal in its final act we feel a little cheated. Compare this to something like Lunopolis (which was probably made for less) and Monolith becomes even more of a disappointment. Pontypool is another good example of how to do the grand on a personal scale - even featuring a similar non-visual plot device.
There’s something deeply uncinematic about watching someone make a podcast. There’s nothing inherently bad about listening to these scary stories as audiences have to fill in the blanks which can be more effective but Monolith never strikes a compelling balance between the podcast phenomenon and the cinematic. You might be asking why does there need to be one? Unclear. In any case, the film needs more visual thrust. Just by making her a documentarian instead of a podcaster you’d up the cinematic value and potential by half.
Lily Sullivan is a good actress; she pulls scenes forward and grates every ounce of zest from long stretches of her listening to ambiguous double talk whilst hunched over at her laptop. It’s a shame then that her character does feel strangely unlikeable and underwritten. We have to invest in her. We have to like her. We have to care about what she cares about. More often than not there isn’t enough about her for us to care. I don’t think it’s ever convincing as a dramatic piece. We just get treated to trickling ambiguities and cliches about her. Please see Red Rooms for how to make these types of investigative, restrained stories interesting and these types of fractured, complicated characters alluring.
Ultimately, Monolith’s ending feels overly familiar, underbaked and unsatisfying. At its worst, this functions like a quarantine, Diet Coke version of Annihilation. - DirectorWilliam Brent BellStarsLauren CohanRupert EvansJames RussellAn American nanny is shocked that her new English family's boy is actually a life-sized doll. After she violates a list of strict rules, disturbing events make her believe that the doll is really alive.3.2
Nonsensical as it is derivative, The Boy is smush of bad performances, lifted set pieces and leaden storytelling. - DirectorWilliam Brent BellStarsKatie HolmesChristopher ConveryOwain YeomanAfter a family moves into the Heelshire Mansion, their young son soon makes friends with a life-like doll called Brahms.4.1
An improvement on the first and featuring a few effective moments; Brahms is still abit too wooden and lifeless to be memorable. Elevated by some underwritten but intriguing thematic underpinnings, William Brent Bell backfills his mythology with a silliness that will either induce a cheeky chuckle or a tired eye roll. - DirectorMike NicholsStarsNatalie PortmanJude LawClive OwenThe relationships of two couples become complicated and deceitful when the man from one couple meets the woman of the other.7.7
An endlessly compelling and messy dissection of the idea of love. Smug and stagey; the film manages to win over its audience due to the quality of the writing and performances. In other hands this could’ve been insufferably pompous and unlikeable but Roberts and Owens in particular are effortlessly watchable.
Full of loopy and quotable dialogue this film is exists in that awkward crawl space between syrupy movie romanticism and brutal, sinewy carnal reality. We all say things, push out standards and project versions of ourselves mirroring what we see in art; but living by those standards is the true test. - DirectorMatt VeselyStarsDavid QuirkNick NemeroffChrissie PageA service unit robot who works in a convenience store, George longs for human connection and friendship. When George sparks with one particular customer, he makes it his goal to connect with him in any way he can.5.8
Humorous and thoughtful calling card for Monolith director Matt Vesely. - DirectorMalcolm D. LeeStarsLeBron JamesDon CheadleCedric JoeA rogue artificial intelligence kidnaps the son of famed basketball player LeBron James, who then has to work with Bugs Bunny to win a basketball game.1.3
The worst kind of cash grab. This is just one long misjudged advert. - DirectorSally PotterStarsTimothy SpallKristin Scott ThomasPatricia ClarksonJanet hosts a party to celebrate her new promotion, but once the guests arrive, it becomes clear that not everything will be going down as smoothly as the red wine.6.1
Sharp, amusing and brief, The Party is a nifty and well acted look at shattered, messy idealism. - DirectorTeresa SutherlandStarsGeorgina CampbellNick BloodWai Ching HoLennon, a new back-country ranger, travels alone through the dangerous wilderness, hoping to uncover the origins of a tragedy that has haunted her since she was a child.3.5
Familiar and hokey. Unconvincing and underwritten.
Georgina Campbell is always watchable. She has moments here that pierce the cliched veil of Teresa Sutherland‘s trite filmmaking. Some of the other acting on display is belligerently wooden and breaks the experience entirely. Some of this will be due to a script that is painfully bland, lifeless and functional at best.
Largely uninteresting and cold; this needs a stronger thematic and dramatic through line to make some of the stronger images work. Overshot and disjointed, Lovely, Dark, and Deep feels like a film cobbled together in the edit. Silent House, Triangle and In the Earth do this kind of mystery horror with cleaner strokes.
Theres real ambition on offer here but it’s a shame it’s mixed up with such confounding and cliched storytelling. - DirectorJohn HyamsStarsGideon AdlonBethlehem MillionDylan SprayberryDue to the pandemic, Parker and her best friend decide to quarantine at the family lake house alone - or so they think.5.6
Familiar but well made; Sick is a slight but effective modern slasher. It’s still strange to have COVID as a plot point but it’s used as mere wallpapering here; providing both grounding and some levity. Not clever enough to be satirical or thematically rich; Sick is content to be a functional thrill ride and is successful for the most part. - DirectorEuros LynStarsDyfan DwyforCarwyn GlynSharon MorganAt a national library in Wales, a dead author and her demons may be behind some mysterious occurrences affecting the library's staff.3.7
Only occasionally effective and competent, The Library Suicides is perhaps a little too tonally inconsistent and unlikeable to stick its ambitious premise.
The central mystery is a familiar one and is laid out in a muddled and often confounding fashion. The central performance(s) are good, Catrin Stewart is an alluring presence on screen but her character is underwritten and unlikeable. We understand her motivation but too often early on the whole scheme feels unconvincing and trite all in service of the film's twist ending. There are some “interesting” character decisions here which even in light of the ending feel too hokey and hackneyed, breaking the overall experience. The ending makes some of these things seem more allegorical than literal but these elements have to work both in the moment and in reflection.
The Library Suicides plays like a thriller when it’s much more of a psychological horror. Had a firmer hand been present both in the writing and direction this could’ve been a more effective slow burning and unsettling character piece. This needed to be more like Saint Maud and less like a soured episode of Midsomer Murders. - DirectorClaude BarrasStarsGaspard SchlatterSixtine MuratPaulin JaccoudAfter losing his mother, a young boy is sent to an orphanage with other orphans his age where he begins to learn the meaning of trust and true love.6.4
Dense and affecting; My Life as a Courgette is a melancholic but hopeful tale of youthful resilience. Featuring beautiful stop motion animation, a rich score and a tight, well oiled screenplay this is a knockout in a minor key. - DirectorIan Hunt-DuffyStarsMillie BradyPollyanna McIntoshAkshay KumarAfter an experimental drug trial goes awry, the test subjects face a terrifying side effect: if you fall asleep you die. Trapped in an isolated facility, panic ensues as they try to escape and somehow stay awake.4.7
Familiar yet well made. Predictable yet watchable.
Double Blind is a little too cliched and safe to be truly memorable. It sidesteps insight for cheap thrills too often and forgoes building tension and atmosphere by over explaining its simple idea and narrative.
This is not Come True. Had it embraced the nuttier side or potential of its idea, instead playing to the Netflix crowd, this could’ve been a treat. Come True works because of its unique world building; a world not borne of personal trauma allegorically writ large but of a collective unconscious nightmare. Come True slowly unfurls through rich and effective dream sequences and restrained storytelling. The notion that through hearing these guys blabber on (likeable and well acted nonetheless) somehow enriches the film is laughable. Giving the audience something to think about is the key. Come True understands that cinema is experiential. Double Blind is unconvincing in its character mechanics therefore falters.
Furthermore, the idea that we are all subject to forces out of our control is infinitely more scary than giving into our own fears and traumatic pasts. These idea aren’t mutually exclusive, Nightmare On Elm Street 3 does a good job of melding the two. Krueger, a persistent collective nightmare, uses very personal methods of disposal for each whiny teen. An extra narrative strand, arc or twist could’ve elevated this above the average horror movie. This main issue that there are so many possibilities with this type of film that’s frustrating to see such a pedestrian outcome.
The scope is an issue here too; each death set piece should be a focal point not mere punctuation. These moments rather than focussing solely on the allegorical are often reduced to fluid flinging death fits. It’s a shame as there are a few effective moments of imaginative tension scattered throughout.
Ultimately hamstrung by a tried and tested formulaic approach, Double Blind is a watchable, if distinctly forgettable, Irish horror. - DirectorYorgos LanthimosStarsEmma StoneMark RuffaloWillem DafoeAn account of the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter.5.6
As weird as it well made and as confounding as it is cold; Poor Things is a deeply cinematic assault on the senses. Yorgos Lanthimos is a brilliant filmmaker but he’s also an acquired taste. The droll absurdity on offer here is to be admired but I’m not sure what it all amounts to. Emma Stone is great and pulls all the weirdness together with a sympathetic and layered performance. Episodic and grand, there are moments in Poor Things that pierce through the beautiful and strange artifice but overall the experience is that of being poked and prodded by a mad scientist. - DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsTimothée ChalametZendayaRebecca FergusonPaul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.6.4
Sweeping and epic; Denis Villeneuve delivers yet another visual feast. Dizzying and full of bluster; this is overstuffed and yet strangely underdeveloped. Purely cinematic, Villeneuve sacrifices insight and intricacy for spectacle and bombast. - DirectorBenedict AndrewsStarsRuby StokesRooney MaraRiz AhmedWhen a young woman unexpectedly arrives at her much-older former lover's workplace, looking for answers, the secrets of their dark past threaten to unravel his new life. What follows is an emotional and unflinching excavation of inappropriate love, with shattering consequences.6.7
Well made and deeply unsettling; Una sports an emotionally complicated and robust screenplay and two terrific central performances. Not for everyone, Una is a challenging but rich experience. - DirectorRachel LangStarsSalomé RichardClaude GensacLazare GousseauCharts the trials and tribulations of Ana, a free-spirited 26 year-old returning home to Strasbourg for the summer after living abroad for long enough to feel out of place everywhere.7.3
Keen and intriguing; Rachel Lang’s Baden Baden will infuriate some with its wispy and loose storytelling but there’s much to love here.
Sure it’s not “comedy” per se, nor is it an indulgent piece of dramatic art house cinema, instead the film occupies a more interesting and earthy half-space between the two. More realistic for not having “jokes” like Adult Life Skills and more dramatic for letting scenes breathe without necessary comedic punctuation.
Salome Richards is an alluring presence even if her character, Ana, is messy and rather ambiguously drawn (much like the film itself). Ana is caught between the dreamy artistic abstractions of her on and off boyfriend, Boris, and the earthy tactility of her “project” helping her grandmother. The push and pull of the past and present. This is the films central conflict highlighted by the water motif that weaves in and out of the narrative, a constant reminder.
The tendency toward a dreamy laidback anti melodramatic style is the films strength but it lets it down in its final throws. Ana learns a few things; there is growth but this needed a bigger moment to sell it. Instead the film ends with a hopeful sigh rather than a grand gesture. - DirectorRachel LangStarsSalomé RichardSarah GilmanEloïse GenetAna, alienated and struggling to find herself, enlists in the reserves to be part of a disciplined group while searching the uncertainty of her own being.
- DirectorRachel LangStarsSalomé RichardJulien SigalasCyril PointurierA glimpse at Ana's feeling of being emotionally trapped in a relationship and having the idea of letting go.
- DirectorJuan Carlos FresnadilloStarsMillie Bobby BrownRay WinstoneAngela BassettA dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt.4.1
Humourless and unconvincing; Damsel is ultimately just a nonsensical, underwritten and wooden collection of cliches. Fronted by a spiky and unlikeable performance, this just never gets off the ground. - DirectorChristian CarionStarsJames McAvoyClaire FoyTom CullenEdmond Murray searches for answers deep in the Highlands after receiving a frantic call from his ex-wife that their seven-year-old son went missing from a campsite.4.2
Well made, if overly familiar, My Son works better as a windswept and sodden Brit drama than the McBourne thriller it becomes in its later moments. Carion seems interested in the mechanics of the situation in the films ambiguous and intriguing first half before undoing his work in the by the numbers super dad soupiness that follows. There’s no doubting Carion’s talent, even the “action” as insipid as it is, is well staged.
This felt like a clipped TV mini series drama. A story to be developed over 4 or 5 parts with each part focussing on a new angle with a gradually unfurling grand mystery arc. As a 90 minute movie it feels wildly uneven and unsatisfying. The performances are good with Foy and McAvoy elevating what is essentially just bog standard TV writing. This lacks the narrative focus to be an effective procedural and the emotional specificity to be a solid piece of drama.
Count this as missed opportunity. - DirectorPatrick RidremontStarsEugénie DerouandHonorine MagnierClément OlivieriEva is a paraplegic. On her birthday, her friend Sophie gives her a strange Advent calendar. It's not the traditional treats you find when you open each drawer, but quirky gifts that are scary and get bloodier.4.5
An unconvincing hodgepodge of tones and references that fails to scare or tickle its audience.
There are wacky elements to Patrick Ridremont‘s The Advent Calendar but most of the film is oddly restrained and cliched. There’s an icky 90/00s thriller throw back quality to some of the set pieces that neuters any potential tension and/or horror. This needed a push either towards the mad (The Day Of The Beast) or towards dourness or goriness (When Evil Lurks). With a premise this silly you need to pick a lane and put your foot down. As it is, The Advent Calendar feels confused and mishandled. - DirectorEthan CoenStarsMargaret QualleyGeraldine ViswanathanBeanie FeldsteinJamie regrets her breakup with her girlfriend, while Marian needs to relax. In search of a fresh start, they embark on an unexpected road trip to Tallahassee. Things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals.5.5
Quirky and well made. Amusing and messy.
Characteristically madcap and zany; Drive-Away Dolls is anchored by two engaging central performances and a witty script but is perhaps ultimately hamstrung by its own raunchy, risqué belligerence.
As with all of the Coen’s more “out there” experiments this is tonally bonkers and it isn’t always easy to tell what the joke is. Furthermore, it isn’t always clear what Ethan Coen is trying to say. Sure there’s some nice genre subversions and some will champion the “mainstream” lesbian representation but what does it all add up to? Bottoms offers cleaner representation and clearer insight; feeling decidedly more specific and less like it was made by a horny old man (I know Ethan’s regular collaborator and wife Tricia Cooke is a co-writer here). Read literally as a riotous road movie there is fun to be had but there are hints at deeper themes and commentary all of which never quite come together to form a robust underbelly to all of the superficial silliness.
I’m not sure all of this lands quite as intended but it does a job. Ethan Coen certainly knows how to navigate this kind of material even if it does feel a little underbaked and slight. - DirectorWilliam LabouryStarsAyumi RouxGulliver Bevernaege-BenhadjArmande BoulangerA miniature AI hologram, MaÏko, is programmed to be utterly devoted to her teenage owner. But when he gets a real girlfriend, her passions may prove to be too large for her container.A handsome and well made modern fairy tale short. Well integrated visual effects and strong central idea make this a decent calling card for William Laboury.
- DirectorWilliam LabouryStarsJulia ArtamonovBernard BlancanOlivier LinFunctioning like La Jetée in the internet age; this is wild and inventive filmmaking.
- DirectorWilliam LabouryStarsDevi CouzigouAmélie ZelechowskiMathilde HaurayTom is 16 years old, and he is the whipping boy of Evan who manufactures artisanal weapons. Since he survived the 'spudgun experimentation', he avoids passing Evan's place. However, Evan doesn't want to stop yet as the fun has just started.Beautifully shot, if rather troubling, French short. William Laboury once again showcases a keen cinematic eye and a solid grasp of short form filmmaking. Conceived as part of a tv channel Arte commission on the topic of weapons; Laboury was “fascinated by the idea of a weapon that you download and then comes out of your computer. ”
- DirectorRobert MorganStarsAisling FranciosiStella GonetTom YorkA stop-motion animator struggles to control her demons after the loss of her overbearing mother.6.1
Dour and depressing. Ambitious and atmospheric.
Much like Saint Maud, The Silent House or Censor, Stopmotion is a thematically rich and allegorical horror film that rewards patient viewers with plenty to think about and analyse. Suffused with an odd nonspecific retro aesthetic; much of the real world feels slightly askew, flat and off. The dialogue and performances are all stilted and blank as if seen through Ella’s own slightly manic eyes. Ella is functional in the real world but it clearly lacks the majesty or magic of the creative one. At its heart it’s about the often torturous artistic process; and what “true” art requires of a person. Where do ideas come from and at what price?
Straight and literal readings of the film might leave some viewers bewildered but Robert Morgan has a strong grip on cinematic language and guides his audience cleanly through the metaphors. The sound design is also worth a mention as it elevates much of the icky and uncanny visual work with earthy scrunches and deft flourishes.
It’s not as engaging nor as likeable as it could or should be, but this is really interesting stuff and is sure to repeat on its audience. Never condescending or overly abstruse; this is pitched perfectly at the more grown up Shudder crowd. - DirectorWilliam LabouryStarsSophie BreyerConstantin VidalMalivaï YakouThe meeting of Ema, an isolated electrosensitive girl and her burglers ...Chose Mentale is a captivating piece that seamlessly blends the abstract with the literal, making it a thought-provoking meditation on the impact of technology on modern society. The short film also delivers a gripping home invasion story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. With its masterful execution, Chose Mentale is a must-see for anyone who appreciates innovative filmmaking that challenges the status quo.
- DirectorMichael ThelinStarsSarah BolgerJoshua RushCarly AdamsA couple's replacement babysitter turns out to be more than they bargained for when she subjects their kids to a series of twisted activities.3.6
Dour and humourless. Unconvincing and slight.
Similar to Hounds Of Love for its twisted, gritty sourness; Emelie lacks the colour and detail that made Hounds memorable. Emelie is painted in much broader strokes and is stuck awkwardly between earthy horror and home invasion thriller, failing on both fronts.
Familiar and trite, Emelie needed to pushed further toward twisted maximalism like Inside or into a more considered, more specific character piece like Hounds Of Love. As it is, Emelie isn’t all that interesting as a film or a character. - DirectorJosiah AllenIndianna BellStarsBrendan RockJordan CowanElena CarapetisPatrick, a strange and lonely resident, lives in a mobile home at the back of an isolated trailer park. After a violent storm, a mysterious young woman appears at his door seeking shelter from the elements.6.9
Stylish and moody Australian chamber piece chiller.
Even if it is a tad overwritten at times, this is effective cinema. Grim and well made; the films slinky and harrowing stylisations reminded me of the stronger moments of The Deeper You Dig. Narratively assured, Josiah Allen and Indianna Bell guide viewers through a low key maze of genre subversions, deepening mystery and familiar Aussie grimness.
Deeply cinematic in spite of its limitations; You’ll Never Find Me is rare film that builds to a genuinely thrilling and surprising final act. - DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsBryan CranstonLaurence FishburneSteve CarellThirty years after they served together in Vietnam, a former Navy Corpsman Larry "Doc" Shepherd re-unites with his old buddies, former Marines Sal Nealon and Reverend Richard Mueller, to bury his son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War.7.1
Earnest, lived-in and conversational, Last Flag Flying showcases Linklater’s eye for naturalism and human connection. Some might find the messy sentimentalism and no easy out mentality frustrating but it’s the films strong suit. Had it been just a finger wagging exercise Last Flag would have lost much of its emotional potency and character specificity. You care about the messy characters first foremost so it makes sense to nest the drama there and not with a grand sweeping statement about America etc. - DirectorJennifer DevoldèreStarsMélanie LaurentJustin BarthaValérie BenguiguiJack is encouraged to take the romantic Paris vacation he won, despite just being dumped by his girlfriend. His trip soon devolves into chaos and adventure, when his luggage is swapped for a French businesswoman's belongings who soon takes a liking to his belongings -- especially his shoes -- and sets out to find him.5.7
Quirky and cute; Every Jack Has a Jill is an understated and charming look at the relationship between the things we like, collect and covet and the people we actually are. Relationships are messy. They might be borne of some collective love of a “thing” but that is ultimately not the glue that binds two people together. Jennifer Devoldère‘s film is ultimately a little slight, not cutting much deeper than your average romantic comedy but it has sturdy thematic underpinnings and charming lead performers. - DirectorOlivier Van HoofstadtStarsMarion CotillardDominique PinonJean-Luc CouchardA womaniser, the titular big mouth, helps his introvert best friend find true love.3.5
Obnoxious and messy by design; Dikkenek is more of a collection of soupy skits than an actual movie. Loosely strung together with “interconnected” characters, this never comes together as anything other than an exercise in belligerent childishness. I can see how such a film can have “cult” status but for my money, Dikkenek is such an unlikeable and vacuous film. - DirectorFrancis GalluppiStarsMatt McVayCameron McVayA scientist visits his quarantined patient living in the remote Oregon wilderness to try and cure a mysterious disease.Well shot and off kilter; The Gemini Project is a handsome head scratcher of a calling card for director Francis Gallupi.
- DirectorFrancis GalluppiStarsKristen VaganosPaul AddisonColby StewartFour young adults venture to a remote location in The High Desert of California and are mysteriously preyed upon.
- DirectorThea SharrockStarsJessie BuckleyOlivia ColmanTimothy SpallWhen people in Littlehampton--including conservative local Edith--begin to receive letters full of hilarious profanities, rowdy Irish migrant Rose is charged with the crime. Suspecting that something is amiss, the town's women investigate.6.1
A well made and (mostly) enjoyable old school tale of scandal and true crime.
Told with its tongue firmly in its cheek, Wicked Little Letters is a good example of how to smudge the ink with real life “crime”. Its prickly sense of humour and “modern” flourishes embellish a familiar tale of prejudice and repression. These modern embellishments may alienate some and I’d be lying if I didn’t find some of the changes slightly distracting. Had they built some of the race swaps (Irish, Indian) into the story I think they could have spun a more interesting and pertinent web. I’m not sure why these changes to the actual story needed to stop at the casting call. As it is, Wicked Little Letters is more concerned with pithy superficialities and belly laughs than genuine insight and pathos.
An interesting comedic counterpoint to Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Le Corbeau; Thea Sharrock plays this as more fun and fictional than fact based and studious. The writing is good for the most part; well structured, cozy and chucklesome. This is breezy and functional in the way “British” cinema used to be.
At its worst, Wicked Little Letters has a TV movie feel and you can imagine the BBC extending this over a few episodes. This extension might’ve helped iron out some of the kinks in the films tone, giving the piece a more rounded and satisfying finish. The presence and likeability of Buckley and Coleman undoubtedly pushed this otherwise unremarkable yarn into cinemas. - DirectorNed BensonStarsLucy BoyntonJustin H. MinDavid CorenswetA love story centering on the connection between music and memory and how they transport us, sometimes literally.4.1
Bland and unconvincing; Greatest Hits plays like a dusty teenage mixtape filled with familiar songs that have lost all meaning and feeling.
Boynton is good here but other than the occasional witty vocal volleying her character is underwritten and one note. Put this along side Jack & Alice, One Day or About Time and you’ll see how much this is lacking depth or feel. For a film about nostalgia and memories this is all so forgettable. Benson seems more content painting her as cute ingenue rather than a complicated or interesting person. The wall to wall music only serves to highlight the lack of connection to these characters. The use of pop music here is sinewy and hamfisted; clearly overused to try cover holes left by a lack of care given to the characters. It’s tricky to convey the love of music as it’s such a subjective and personal thing. It’s even trickier to try and graft a story on to it. Greatest Hits needs a stronger hook or a larger story dynamic. In terms of the plot, we’ve seen this story a million times (Lake House) so there needs to be bigger or evolving stakes. I don’t think enough care is given to the time travel element either as an allegory or as a literal plot device. The central idea is a good one, it’s just a shame they stopped thinking after that. As it is, Greatest Hits fails to be anything more than soulless cover version; a colourless remix of better films and tropes. - DirectorDavis GuggenheimStarsMichael J. FoxDavis GuggenheimTracy PollanFollows the life of beloved actor and advocate Michael J. Fox, exploring his personal and professional triumphs and travails, and what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease.7.1
Moving and well crafted; Still is a heartfelt portrait of a larger than life and inspiring character. Cleverly mixing reenactments with choice archival footage, the film is zippy and entertaining in spite of its dour subject matter. - DirectorHalfdan Ullmann TøndelStarsKristine Kujath ThorpHelene BergsholmAndré SørumCaptivating and well made; Fanny is a simple story about a complex character. Peppered with jet black humour, Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel‘s film is a brief but layered examination of lingering trauma.
- DirectorMichael MohanStarsSydney SweeneyÁlvaro MorteSimona TabascoCecilia, a woman of devout faith, is warmly welcomed to the picture-perfect Italian countryside where she is offered a new role at an illustrious convent. But it becomes clear to Cecilia that her new home harbors dark and horrifying secrets.4.1
Well made but mean spirited; Immaculate is as effective as it is silly and it’s pretty darn silly at times.
This needed another layer to it. It’s all too familiar, predictable and one note to be memorable. Benedetta Porcaroli’s character threatens to be interesting and with some work she could’ve provided the film with an interesting dynamic. Her character however is reduced to traumatised woman cliches and is largely sidelined.
It’s wrong to expect nuance from this type of cinema but there isn’t an effective counterpoint to all of the nastiness going on. Sweeney plays Cecilia wide eyed and open mouthed with the film leaning on her alluring screen presence to avoid having to building her character meaningfully. With points of reference and homages too numerous to mention; Michael Mohan’s film is perhaps only notable for its commitment to over the top gross-out violence and having the flavour of the moment actress, Sweeney, top of the bill. Sweeney is a good actress but she is ultimately let down by some creaky and unhinged writing. The big reveal is just bonkers and doesn’t even begin to make sense either in terms of the movies inner logic or more broadly. Too often these types of films are written by people either with an axe to grind or by people who use these types of settings as mere wallpaper for blood to splatter on. Which is fine, but it’s almost impossible to care without being shown something to care about. When it’s all so superficial and empty, what’s the point? All of this leads to a visceral but unsatisfying dénouement.
Sure, this is a horror movie so it can be forgiven for some of the hamminess, cliches and iffy plotting but Immaculate ends up being just another tired and slight addition to already bloated sub-genre. - DirectorCameron CairnesColin CairnesStarsDavid DastmalchianLaura GordonIan BlissA live television broadcast in 1977 goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation's living rooms.6.4
Much like the excellent Brooklyn 45, Late Night With The Devil is an effective and engaging supernatural chamber piece. The Cairnes brothers cleverly build towards the gruesome, if slightly confounding, ending with creepy atmospherics, satirical flourishes and escalating demonic stakes. The 70’s setting and ‘found footage’ format help to give what is essentially a familiar tale of greed and “selling out” an earthy and fresh feel. There is so much fun to be had in the set up and the film strikes the right balance between homage, satire and giving horror fans what they want. However, the overall impression is slightly unsatisfying largely due to an ending that is too cute and clever for its own good; breaking the established and foundational rules of the movie. - DirectorMartin de ThurahStarsSophie Karlin SchauerteJohanna SchauerteJudith SeitherA young girl's summer diary about her older sister Lola. A summer in the countryside. The secret language between sisters, the magic of small moments and naive self discovery.
- DirectorMartin de ThurahStarsDidier BaudeLisa CarlehedNiels Ole HauerbergAs beautiful as it is creepy; Colour Me occupies that fascinating half space between fever dream and metaphor. Recalling the works of Tetsuya Ishida and Lars von Trier amongst others; Martin de Thurah‘s short film is a beguiling descent into nightmare and corruption.
- DirectorMartin de ThurahStarsDaniela SchmidtMauricio García LozanoMateo CuarónA couple and a dog. They live not far from Mexico City. Strange things happen in the house. She is in love. She'd like to be pregnant. He is busy and tired. The woman is undressing inside the house. He falls asleep. She pours wine on his face. A strange visitor dances outside. She stares at us, under the waterfall. They are imagining things. They might be happy in a near future. The film was inspired by a famous Edward Hopper painting, 'Summer evening'.
- DirectorKate MelvilleStarsTatiana MaslanySpencer Van WyckSteven McCarthyA rebellious teenager forced to repeat her last year of high school is caught between adolescence and adulthood - and between two very different male admirers.4.4
Much like the central character, Picture Day gets stuck in between raunchy, serious adultness and saccharine broad strokes teen flick. It’s mostly convincing (largely due to Tatiana Maslany) but lacks another dimension. This needed a firmer hand to pull the more interesting, complicated elements into focus. There are hints at a raucous, weirder and more rebellious film underneath some of the more inane teen patter, docu-stylings and sad-sack indie musical flirtations. Structurally, this meanders like a considered character piece but aside from a few effective moments there’s not enough specificity to make this work. As a result, Picture Day drags viewers through its final act. There have been more committed versions of this film in recent years such as Dinner In America and No Hard Feelings. Both films forfeit generalities with big tonal swings that give birth to memorable moments. Picture Day never quite gets out of cruise control. Fans of Maslany are treated to a good performance but one that is held back by a screenplay that, much like her character, isn’t quite sure what it wants to be. - DirectorPaul DuaneStarsSimone CollinsCharlie MaherCatherine SigginsA young couple who collect rare folk ballads discover the dark side of love when they surreptitiously record and translate an ancient, taboo folk song from the deep, forgotten past.2.5
All You Need Is Death has an interesting premise and there’s potential to some of the ideas on offer here. It's a shame then that this promise is hampered by a flat, unconvincing and directionless style and its obvious budgetary limitations.
Humourless, incoherently overwritten and meandering; All You Need Is Death has shocking moments but it’s all so one note and blandly put together that it’s hard to care. Commendable for its earnestness; Paul Duane can’t quite find the right notes to make all this babble and bluster work. Similar to The Kill List for its gritty modern folk stylings but without the narrative assuredness and stripped back, forward thinking script. There are so many interesting things about history and politics in Ireland that you could build into this narrative with abit of extra care and attention but Duane is more interested the superficial mechanics of his story and not what it all could mean. - DirectorSalomé RichardStarsLoup BrentaAdélaïde HuetBert JacobsThe story of Judith who is trying to find out whey her partner no longer wishes to sleep with her, who is trying to understand why others but not him, why she has such need of desire, and why the money she owes him stops him getting it up. It is the unadorned story of Judith who is struggling like a fish caught on the end of a line.Sensitive and thought provoking; Salome Richard's September is an aching portrait of the obstacles of desire.
- DirectorSalomé RichardStarsBert JacobsSalomé Richard
- DirectorDev PatelStarsDev PatelSharlto CopleyPitobashAn anonymous young man unleashes a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systematically victimize the poor and powerless.6.0
A well made, if slightly bloated, action revenge thriller. Dev Patel is an engaging lead and clearly has chops as a filmmaker but too much of Monkey Man’s runtime is made up of choppy repetition and familiar emotional beats. The action is great, especially early on but gives way to a flabby midsection and some broad strokes sociopolitical filler. The ambition on offer is commendable and some of these broader grounding elements (whilst over used) work pretty well notably in relation to the films title. Patel’s reverence for Korean cinema is front and centre and whilst run times are similar, Monkey Man forgoes the Korean fondness for pared down and more stately mechanics. The result is a film that feels a little long in spite of its effectiveness. - DirectorRose GlassStarsAnna BaryshnikovKristen StewartDave FrancoGym manager Lou falls for Jackie, a bodybuilder who is passing through town en route to a competition in Las Vegas.6.6
A well-made and surprising pulpy neo noir.
Rose Glass is a great filmmaker. Her debut, Saint Maud, was a brilliant character-fueled, atmospheric, and metaphorical creepfest. Love Lies Bleeding shares some of these elements, particularly in its closing moments, but it’s all shot through with dark humour, earthy brutality, and a wry tone.
An old-school raunchy, cinematic thriller, Glass nimbly navigates sticky terrain with a keen eye and a “no holds barred” punk rock attitude. The performances are good throughout, although, by design, this isn’t a film (or genre) with strong characterizations and sweeping arcs. The plotting feels familiar, but that’s a byproduct of the Neo-noir genre rather than a black smudge on the filmmaking. Glass's lean and strong genre filmmaking keeps things ticking over without overstuffing her narrative with soupy moralising or intrusive exposition.
Sure, we’ve seen this type of film a million times before (even with the retro aesthetic), but Love Lies Bleeding is so confidently rendered and neatly drawn that it becomes its own thing. It doesn’t all land. Some will be put off by the more “out there” moments, but it’s oddly charming and makes its point neatly enough. - DirectorJoe MarcantonioStarsJessie BuckleyMartin McCannBen PeelHaving to move away due to his job, a kind man tries to convince his friend, a young prostitute, to stop working and run away with him - But all may not be as it seems.A sombre and pretty dour short film. The two central performances are great here (Buckley in particular) and the “twist” ending is a minor but welcome sting in the tail.
- DirectorAurora FearnleyStarsJessie BuckleyDavid GyasiTahirah SharifA Peacemaker, who rejects his final mission to save an endangered planet, is believed to be cursed when a solar storm hits his spaceship.Stagey and unconvincing, Pulsar suffers from feeling more like a scene rather than a self contained story.
- DirectorRose GlassStarsAlexa BrownCollette CooperMarie EverettSet in 1950s England, Room 55 follows the story of Alice Lawson - strictly self-disciplined wife, mother and celebrated television cook - as she spends an unplanned night alone at the mysterious Clove Hotel...Well made and slippery, Room 55 is the perfect showcase for Glass’s subversive brand of cold and kooky creepiness.
- StarsDale WheatleyTawd BeckmanJohn SchindlerThe apparent "true story" behind the unreleased film, "Don's Plum", starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire that's been banned in the U.S. and CanadaMildly interesting doc that, despite best intentions, starts to feel like a mockumentary due to its wild tonal swings and earnest but overblown interviews.
- DirectorSimon Cellan JonesStarsMark WahlbergSimu LiuJuliet RylanceAn adventure racer adopts a stray dog named Arthur to join him in an epic endurance race.5.4
Gentle, familiar and functional, Arthur The King is a perfectly fine mishmash of sports and animal movie cliches. It’s brisk enough to remain inoffensive even when swinging big for icky sentimentality. Some of the structural problems (especially the ending) are probably borne of adherence to the real life story but they do make the piece feel a little claggy in the backend. - DirectorCaitlin CronenbergStarsJay BaruchelEmily HampshirePeter GallagherIn the wake of an environmental collapse that is forcing humanity to shed 20% of its population, a family dinner erupts into chaos when a father's plan to enlist in the government's new euthanasia program goes horribly awry.2.1
Flat and unconvincing, Humane has interesting ideas but they are simultaneously over-explained and undercooked.
As a chamber piece this is all too unlikeable and poorly played to sustain interest, Jay Baruchel In particular seems to suffer from a lack of direction. Tonally Caitlin Cronenberg can’t seem to decide if this is a serious sociopolitical, inverted whodunnit or a playful and satirical punk rock “eat the rich” beat 'em up. The violence and “gore” feels a little out of place when it eventually arrives given the earnestness of the initial set up and only highlights the films creaky mechanics. Had Cronenberg played this down a little and traded in the buzzword bullshit for stone cold atmosphere this could’ve been a winner. There are real pacing issues too borne of a script that can’t pick a lane.
Incoherent, nonsensical and confounding, this is a huge missed opportunity. - DirectorMattis Adar Ohana GoksøyrStarsFredrik Stenberg Ditlev-SimonsenIngrid GiæverSondre LarsenMartin is afraid of what (and whom) his ex-girlfriend Emma has been doing since last time they met. Tonight they will meet again for the first time since they broke up, and his friends try to prepare him for his meeting.
- DirectorMattis Adar Ohana GoksøyrStarsThea Sofie Loch NæssFredrik Stenberg Ditlev-SimonsenAnna LadegaardWhat happened to Helene yesterday? She remembers nothing. When Patrick tries to explain it leads only to misunderstandings that quickly turn into suspicions.Cleverly constructed mini examination of a complicated hot button topic. Told in neutral, this is clearly designed to spark a conversation rather than to wag a finger - which is to be respected in the internet age.
- DirectorMattis Adar Ohana GoksøyrStarsRagnhild Meling EnoksenArian KashefDanish Palestinian Amir finds out that the flirt he went home with is Jewish.
- DirectorLizzy BornStarsAnna CordellKevin PhillipsAfter a painful dry spell, a woman attempts to have a one-night stand.
- DirectorMattis Adar Ohana GoksøyrStarsSimen BostadElvira HaalandRebekka JyngeSara experiences another woman's orgasm and gets a new view on life.
- DirectorLizzy BornStarsAnna CordellJosh FademMatt IngebretsonHip Hip Hooray is a short film about a guy who breaks up with his girlfriend on his 30th birthday, moments before discovering she has thrown him a surprise birthday party.
- DirectorScott PickettStarsTrieste Kelly DunnJosh LawsonHayley MagnusA romantic getaway goes horrifically wrong when a couple tries to help a hunted girl.
- DirectorSebastian PardoStarsCarrie BartonAmanda BecknerDavid BlackAn aspiring actress moves to Los Angeles to pursue her dream, and finds herself orbiting the periphery of the business, while everyday life muddies what exactly her path to happiness might be.
- DirectorVittoria CampanerStarsAna CotoFabianne ThereseCeleste and Aurora have lived together for some time. Dye Red is a dark but graceful slice-of-life look at their relationship.
- DirectorJimmy MarbleStarsSuzanna SonMatisse AndrewsBrittany HoffnerWe follow madcap Zizi and her absurd attempts to abate trauma, isolation, and self-doubt with a social media account dedicated to marbled smoothies. But first, she has to patch things up with her roommate, a table lamp, spend some time with her imaginary boyfriend, and, well, actually be able to leave her apartment without having a nervous breakdown. Zizi chokes on her third attempt to get into a ride share car, crawling back home to ask her snake plant the million dollar question - is she actually a loser? It's time to go back to the drawing board, or in this case, her social media feed, where Zizi's pattern clash identity and magic crush powder smoothies merit emoji hearts. But, when fans of social media account befriend her in the real world, can Zizi unhinged keep it all together?