Bring Them Down (2025)

Bring Them Down is a feud story between two neighbouring Irish farmers, one of whom is married to the other's ex. This morally ambiguous film has no good guys as everyone is at fault for their behavior, making this examination of personal politics, and how self-destructive they are, extremely fascinating. Powerfully acted and deftly directed, this is a story that spirals into desperation tragically. 

Abbott and Keoghan are both strong here as men whose spite takes over and ruins their lives. We watch as they degrade themselves in their passion to win, leaving no winners at all. Colm Meaney also deserves recognition as the elder sucked into the battle. The film's intense story is served well by the strong performances in the central cast. 

Bring Them Down is a bit of a gut punch and a morality tale about revenge and resentment. It is the sort of promising debut feature that puts Andrews on my list of film makers to watch. 

Bring Them Down

Starring: Christopher Abbott, Barry Keoghan, Nora-Jane Noone, Paul Ready, Colm Meaney 

Writer/Director: Christopher Andrews

Death of a Unicorn (2025)

Death of a Unicorn is a big swing for its director's feature film debut. It leans into dark comedy and gruesome effects while telling a rather on the nose story about class and capitalism with a somewhat rote father/daughter arc at its centre. It smooths over a lot of its weaknesses by being a lot of fun and keeping its story going at a breakneck pace so it ends up being very watchable. 

I never bought the family dynamics at the heart of Death of a Unicorn which I think is the biggest part of why this film didn't knock it out of the park. The social satire is rather thinly drawn too with the rich pharmaceutical company owning family being very stereotypical and without any depth at all. The script doesn't seem to understand complications or nuances and instead just relies on our preconceived notions of who people are, good and bad. I was okay with the film throwing away any realistic depiction of the unicorn's healing ability (cause the unicorn is all symbolism anyway) so the fact that all this scientific breakthroughs could happen it the matter of hours was reasonable suspension of disbelief. However the film's inability to create realistic human relationships was the main sticking point for me. 

However I forgave most of that because of how much fun it was. Scharfman sets up his story quickly, puts the pedal to the metal, and doesn't let up. We never get a chance to get bored. Schartman's main talent on display here is his crafting of horror comedy, which is less about being "scary" (the closest that comes to is some jump scares), and more about being gory. This is one of those horror stories where people get punished for their sins and people who act out of goodness get rewarded. The unicorns represent this and pick and choose who is brutally ripped apart and who get to be spared, or maybe even resurrected. 

And perhaps that's another issue I had with the film. Yes it's fantasy so perhaps in fantasy people shouldn't get away with their crimes against humanity. But it doesn't feel very honest. In the real world the rich do get richer off the backs of those they exploit. There aren't any unicorns running around to put things right. Maybe this film is more aspirational than honest. But as the film neatly wrapped up its little morality play I felt a little let down. Only the very last scene gave me some hope the film wasn't going to completely simplify things. 

Still, I can't say I didn't enjoy myself. The film follows such a satisfying and basic horror film structure that pays off on a visceral level. The gore is handled well too, while being graphic it remains a bit cartoony so it isn't so disturbing and is instead, symbolic; it is about making a point rather than luxuriating in violence. All in all Death of a Unicorn has classic horror movie morality vibes and succeeds at that even if it cuts corners on character and story. 

Death of a Unicorn

Starring: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, Richard E. Grant, Anthony Carrigan

Writer/Director: Alex Scharfman

The Woman in the Yard (2025)

Deadwyler is becoming one of my favourite actors to watch these days. The Woman in the Yard, while it has some weaknesses, is a great showcase for her. There is a moment near the end where she broke my heart in a very short yet powerful scene. 

It is hard not to talk about The Woman in the Yard without spoiling it so before getting into those sorts of details, I'll say Collet-Serra's work her is a bit all over the place. He makes some effective tensions and scary bits but also drags the story in certain parts. A versatile direction of action and horror his work isn't always the most emotionally invested and this film needed more tender loving care with that aspect. But the fact that Deadwyler is centred here makes up for some of that loss. 

In the end The Woman in the Yard is less scary than emotionally moving so while the film does have some jump scares and some fear inducing images, the real meat here is in Deadwyler's character and her journey. Together her performance with Collet-Serra's horror aesthetic makes it quite watchable. While I think the emotional punch at the end is weaker than it could have been it remains an interesting story and character arc. 

The Woman in the Yard is old school classic horror. Collet-Serra sets up who the characters are and what the threat is pretty quickly and effectively and dives into the story. Here is where he gets a bit shaky though. Once the story gets rolling it lurches a bit. When all is "revealed" some of that lurching makes sense but it would have worked best is that uneven tone was given some in story reason as well so it doesn't just feel off. Some of Collet-Serra's most impressionist takes here aren't smoothly done. But he does pull it together at the end, again with much of the heavy lifting done by Deadwyler. 

*Spoilers*

The Woman in the Yard is powerful in how it anthropomorphizes depression in classic horror tropes. The story is about a mother and her children dealing with her own self-harm impulses. That is a devastating concept, and yet one so real for many people. The horror genre allows for a means to process some of that. For the most part I felt The Woman in the Yard managed this well yet the ending just felt a little to pat. I had wished he found a way to sit with that pain for a bit and really let us experience it and the path out of it. I get where the film is going with its stuffy symbolizing (as it was foreshadowed) caring for each other, but Collet-Serra rushes this a bit. Deadwyler is amazing and she could have really had an incredible moment. As I said early on here she still broke my heart, but there is a bit of a missed opportunity. 

Still I'd recommend this. It is the kind of film that is interesting to discuss afterward. Finding ways to represent difficult emotional states on film is one of the reasons why cinema can be so satisfying. 

The Woman in the Yard

Starring: Danielle Deadwyler, Okwui Okpokwasili, Russell Hornsby, Peyton Jackson, Estella Kahiha 

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Writer: Sam Stefanak

Holland (2025)

Holland has a bit of the vibe between a Coen Brothers' dark crime comedy but with a hint of the twisted zaniness of Kidman's work with Gus Van Sant in To Die For. Director Cave, fresh off her cleverly demented Fresh, spins this twisted tale in a way that keeps us balance throughout. She doesn't always keep it going well. There is a lot in the middle which drags a bit. But she commits to the twisted tale of domestic malaise and the darkness underneath that surface. 

For most of the film we can't be sure what to believe. Kidman's central character is presented in a way that makes us question whether she is a reliable narrator. Cave builds this narrative to a conclusion that implicates us in all our questioning. 

For me the script didn't hold together entirely. There was an interesting tale but occasionally it falters. The ending builds to a fascinating resolution but sometimes it feels like it wasn't entirely earned. So Holland is somewhat of a mixed bag but was is strong is Kidman in her central off-kilter performance.

Holland

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Matthew Macfadyen, Jude Hill, Gael García Bernal 

Director: Mimi Cave

Writer: Andrew Sodorski

O'Dessa (2025)

Geremy Jasper's fever dream of an apocalyptic musical is part Luhrmann's Romeo & Juliet and part Julie Taymor's Across the Universe. It is chaotic with an overly simplistic plot but visually and musically it is stunning. Sink shines and Bartlett is a camp daddy. But it all worked for me. 

Following up his impressive Patty Cake$ with another music based film, Jasper has laid it all on the line. He commits fully and even when it slips a bit O'Dessa remains fun. The film attempts to be epic and it doesn't quite scale those heights, but with a combo of captivating original songs, a bold vision, and a charismatic central star, O'Dessa is certainly something to remember even if it feels like its story is a little on the routine side. I'd love to have seen Jasper tell a more revolutionary story than this. 

Perhaps in this specific time in history these tales of speaking (or singing) truth to power can feel a little fantastical when we see oppression not being thwarted by good intentioned chosen ones. But I digress, cause O'Dessa was captivating and might inspire the spirit of resistance through song. 

O'Dessa

Starring: Sadie Sink, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Murray Bartlett, Regina Hall 

Writer/Director: Geremy Jasper

No Other Land (2024)

The power of No Other Land is often in just how much it is a series of shots captured by those in the story. Instead of feeling like a film maker came in to a situation to capture it, instead No Other Land is filmed by the man in the middle, often just capturing the images as they happen. He is joined by an unlikely ally who struggles to find a way to effectively show that allyship, but in doing this together they succeed in bringing their story to an outside world reluctant to hear it. 

Be prepared, No Other Land is and deeply upsetting film. This is about bearing witness and even that act isn't easy. There is real world violence documented here, violence against people and property. Once you see it you won't be able to look away. No wonder this film has captured the attention of a world that has turned away so often before. 

No Other Land

Writers/Directors: Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham,Rachel Szor 

The Day the Earth Blew Up: a Looney Tunes Movie (2025)

Zany and irreverent, the first fully animated Looney Tunes feature in a long time, captures the spirit of the classic shorts in a way the live action/animation hybrid films failed to do. This send up of 50s science fiction melodramas is truly hilarious, cleverly referential, and works on both a child and adult level so that the whole family can enjoy it. 

TDTEBU is basically a typical Merrie Melodies short but stretched to feature length. It doesn't connect to any continuity, skips logic for its plot to advance where need be (and delightfully brushes it off such as when Daffy points out "how hard it is for a male duck to lay eggs!), and just focuses on having fun with these beloved characters. 

I know WB dumped this and the only saving grace for how it's being handled by the studio is that it cost very little so it should be able to turn a profit. What I'd suggest is that WB reconsider and perhaps continue to put out these low budget but well crafted films with small ambitions and a big heart featuring many of their other Looney Tunes characters.

The Day the Earth Blew Up: a Looney Tunes Movie

Director: Pete Browngardt 

Writers: Darrick Bachman, Pete Browngardt 

The Electric State (2025)

I argue, as I have in the past, that the Russo Brothers have not yet made a good movie. Their films are always bombastic and go through the motions of what a blockbuster film is supposed to be but lack any real substance or authentic emotional resonance. People get distracted by the Marvel characters in their movies and ignore the failings of those films. But when those beloved characters are missing (like in The Grey Man or this film) it becomes a bit more obvious just how hollow their work tends to be. 

Even more disappointing for The Electric State than just being a rote, cliched tent pole rip off, is that the Russo apparently jettisoned the story from the novel this is based on to come up with this blandness. Supposedly the source material is quite innovative and meaningful and yet they chose to go with this… another knock on their judgment. 

It’s not that the Electric State is bad. I’ve seen a lot worse. It’s that it isn’t very good. It never establishes anything honest, instead relying on our assumptions to fill in its blanks and hoping we’ll project our own emotional state onto its paint by numbers plot (in the way people did with their equally mechanical End Game. 

Sadly they are moving on to direct MORE Marvel films after this cause it appears all we want is the most pedantic and emotionally vacuous blockbusters we can get these days.

The Electric State

Starring: Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Ke Huy Quan, Jason Alexander, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Giancarlo Esposito, Stanley Tucci 

Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Writers: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely

Black Bag (2025)

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; I love late career Soderbergh. He crafts interesting, smart little movies that aren’t trying to be auteur cinema, Oscar bait, or anything other that just a good time at the movies. From his quirky Let Them All Talk, to the fascinating and emotional Presence, to the wonderful No Sudden Move, Soderbergh has pretty regularly churned out satisfying and very enjoyable films recently that follow no pattern or specific style but just are good movies. Black Bag is another. 

Black Bag is a classic spy puzzle movie. Fassbender is a sort of internal affairs for MI6 and he’s been tipped off that there is a leak or a traitor so the movie follows his attempts to weed them out amongst his colleagues including his wife, Blanchett, who is also a spy. It is delicious and very smart and the sort of “who can you trust” mid game that makes for great cinema. Yeah it’s a little pulpy with a classic approach to style (despite being very modern) but with this cast, the film feels elevated. 

Fassbender and Blanchett are just incredible, clearly having a great time and committing completely to the film. This is the sort of film that feels like a bunch of really talented artist come together to make just for the fun of it. And we as the audience get in on the fun too.

David Holmes’ score is a standout too. It captures a British Spy aesthetic that adds to the fun. All of this with Soderbergh’s deft and truly beautiful direction keep Black Bag from feeling like a throwaway and something just really enjoyable. 

Black Bag

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, Pierce Brosnan 

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Writer: David Koepp

Seven Veils (2025)

I can't remember seeing a film with such a blending of two art forms, in this case cinema and opera, in a very long time. Egoyan has almost mounted a production of the opera Salome along with filming this very Egoyan narrative about how the present mixes with the past, how past trauma informs our present choices. His lead character is re-mounting a stage production of the opera and he has done that here too, to set his movie in. It is a mixing of reality and fiction that is something he always seems quite fascinated with and he pulls it off. 

Seyfried is very strong in a role that puts her through a bit of an emotional wringer but never gives her the big scenes to thrash that out in. Instead she uses her famously large eyes to do much of the character building, her arc remaining just out of sight. Subplots interact with the main story, one of processing our trauma through art, something Egoyan is well versed in. He explores the closeness of sexual desire and pain to our self expression as well as the ways gendered experiences may play into how these stories are told. It is all very fascinating while the story of how the production is made is played out. 

And so much of Salome is on the screen for us to experience. It is an opera whose story resonates with this one, although the interpretations are varied and the relationships to the story are in tension with each other. However that is part of what he does that makes this work so well. I was struck by just how much was going on throughout this narrative, and how much it offered us to think about while keeping most of its visual presentation on the stage.  

Seven Veils

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Rebecca Liddiard, Douglas Smith, Mark O'Brien, Vinessa Antoine 

Writer/Director: Atom Egoyan

Mickey 17 (2025)

Mickey 17 is pretty much a mixed bag. There is a lot to like and a lot not to. High concept absurd satire is hard to pull off and Joon-ho takes a good a swing as anyone but doesn't quite succeed. Pattinson, on his tour of wacky roles hoping to shake off the sparkle of Twilight, pulls off another great performance here playing a number of roles quite well. Unfortunately most of the rest of the (normally quite stellar) cast is just hamming it up. 

Mickey 17's big ideas get pushed to the side often to service the jokes. There will be an interesting thread happens that uses up its usefulness and then gets dropped. The movie is sold in ads through the gimmick of the "expendable" character being sent to die again and again and being reborn into a clone body. But the movie isn't interested in that much, not even as a metaphor for capitalism's exploitation of labour. It moves into it's fascination with "multiples" and even begins to push some comfort with a rather junior-high level tease of a threesome which conveniently gets sidelines before it can become anything too weird. 

The film dodges bullets like that quite a bit. When it starts to get interestingly weird, someone conveniently takes the story in another direction. Much of the script just shifts from one idea to the next without having to commit. The film flirts with a queer character but keeps her queerness sidelined only acknowledging it in passing. The film flirts with totalitarian impulses but just shuffles that off by the end without any real processing of the themes. And it's always done with a sarcastic dark comedy vibe so that we never feel it too much. 

Joon-ho visually creates a stunning world to set his story in and while I appreciated it sometimes it was a distraction from the weaknesses in the story. Mickey 17 walks up to the line of asking quite a few interesting questions but then always just steps back to never deal with it, often in ways that just aren't super convincing. It may be mostly a miss but often it is fascinating to watch the spectacular swing before the strike is called. 

Mickey 17

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo 

Writer/Director: Bong Joon-ho

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (2025)

The amount I smiled during Mad About the Boy was a lot more than I expected. The Bridget Jones series mostly succeeds due to the sheer likability of the character and Zellweger's charisma and screen presence. I'm not sure I can say Mad About the Boy is a good movie, I have quite a few nitpicks, but I also can't say I didn't enjoy watching it. 

So they kill off Darcy so that Jones is single again, this time raising adorable children in her adorable and messy way. Then they introduce a Darcy substitute in Ejiofor's character who is similarly gruff, handsome, and awkward. But first they distract us with Woodall's young hottie even though it's quite clear that's never going to go anywhere. And they throw in Grant behaving badly (but adorably) as always. 

It doesn't amount to much and there are times that you have to roll your eyes. But damn I laughed and smiled a great deal. Zellweger really is so appealing in this role even when very little is happening that I forgave the film most of its faults and just let myself sit back and enjoy it. 

So why not? 

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

Starring: Renée Zellweger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, Jim Broadbent, Isla Fisher, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, James Callas, Celia Imre, Shirley Henderson, Sally Phillips, Sarah Solemani, Nico Parker

Director: Michael Morris

Writers: Helen Fielding, Dan Mazer, Abi Morgan

My Dead Friend Zoe (2025)

There are many times My Dead Friend Zoe tends to fall into a lot of predictable patterns of movies dealing with post-combat PTSD. But what saves it from some of that predictability is the cast and their dedication to the roles. Martin-Green truly breaks out here giving an especially moving performance opposite some great actors. Her relationship with Harris especially is quite well executed between the performers and it makes Merit's struggle and her journey feel very real. 

I understand this is a personal project for writer/director Hausmann-Stokes and you can feel that honesty in the structure of the screenplay. His building of the connection between our protagonist and who she has lost is very powerful and helps bring home the story in a moving way. While sometimes the use of Morales' character's memory sometimes pushed my limits, overall it was a very effective means of communicating the effects of Merit's PTSD.

I'm not sure the film manages to convincingly build its romance subplot. I don't feel such a story is superfluous either as it also speaks to how she is unable to move forward. Despite all Ambudkar's heaping charisma, there is little connection between him and Martin-Green and I think the film would have benefited from that. 

However, My Dead Friend Zoe really does manage to pull it off in the end and delivers a truly moving, if overly formulaic, ending that makes its journey successful. And if it helps some in real life begin to open up about what they need, then it is certainly worthwhile. 

My Dead Friend Zoe

Starring: Sonequa Martin-Green, Natalie Morales, Gloria Reuben, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris 

Director: Kyle Hausmann-Stokes

Writers: A. J. Bermudez, Kyle Hausmann-Stokes

Handling the Undead/Håndtering av udøde (2024)

Horror comes in many forms but in the end is about scaring its audience in some way. Most tend towards scaring us through violence, through gore, through things jumping out and going "boo". But every now and then a horror film can scare us through emotions. Handling the Undead takes the "zombie" trope and laser focuses on loss. And it may be one of the saddest films I've ever seen. 

In Handling the Undead there is a general "zombie" apocalypse but without the hordes or gruesome attacks (generally). Here the dead begin to slowly awake. Instead of attacking (generally) they just exist. Instead of us focusing on a group of survivors attempting to flee or kill of undead armies, we follow three stories of people attempting to deal with the fact their dead loved ones are back; a long time partner, a dead child, a mother who just died but was resurrected. 

Handling the Undead turns its focus on the pain and grief of mourning, the unbearable pain of seeing your loved one, who you had lost, come back to you but not be themselves. The performances are incredible, subtle yet deeply moving. It is a study in some of the worst pain anyone can feel and it is devastating. 

The film begins to bring in some of the more expected "zombie" violence near the end as the resurrected begin to harm those around them but it never becomes the zombie horror that we are used to. Instead this finalizes the realization our characters have that their loved ones cannot come back and are gone forever. It is deeply traumatizing. The film's focus on pain and loss, on grieving is palpable and the way it eschews the escaping motifs of the genre is bold. It is a film I had to sit with for a while. 

Handling the Undead/Håndtering av udøde

Starring: Renate Reinsve, Bjørn Sundquist, Bente Børsum, Anders Danielsen Lie, Bahar Pars, Inesa Dauksta 

Director: Thea Hvistendahl

Writers: John Ajvide Lindqvist, Thea Hvistendahl

Grand Theft Hamlet (2024)

During the COVID 19 pandemic, some actors decided to put on a production of Hamlet in the world of Grand Theft Auto. They recruited other actors, auditioned them, scouted in-world locations, and eventually mounted the production of the play all within the game. This is the story of how that came to be, shot entirely in the game as well. 

Grand Theft Hamlet is a love letter to cinema and gaming, to finding connection, and pursuing passion. Reminding us just how isolated many people felt during that time but also showing us how filled with possibilities our modern world is, the film chronicles the challenging task of pulling this off while also celebrating the achievement. 

One of my favourite aspects of Shakespeare's plays is how versatile they are. The possibilities for adaptation are endless and this is just another example. Watching them perform the famous soliloquy was magnificent. The film is inspiring and affirming. But at the end, the film is quite touching in capturing that post- achievement feeling of what now? 

Grand Theft Hamlet

Writer/Directors: Sam Crane, Pinny Grylls 

The Monkey (2025)

I haven't loved most of Perkins' films. Even his much lauded Longlegs left me feeling a bit blah. For me Perkins often is unable to connect his terror to emotion in a way that make it land. I feel this remains true with his Stephen King adaptation The Monkey, a film that focuses on family trauma but often the film feels more about the spectacle and comedy than the emotional resonance, perhaps this is somewhat amplified by it's focus on humour over chills. 

The Monkey takes King's story and adds a lot of accoutrements (an evil twin storyline, an estranged son plot) but never truly connects the dots. The film goes through the motions of attempting to reunite our main character (played stoically by James) with his son but it never feels real. Mostly every relationship is played for laughs. The one exception might be the relationship with the protagonist's mother which gets a little bit of gravitas. A call back to this at the end of the film does hit even if the film barely touches on it before returning to its macabre humour approach. 

One of the main themes of the story (both here and in the short story) is the abandonment by a father. The film turns that almost entirely into a joke. It's like the film is one bit immature frat boy who can't focus on what he's feeling to he bombastically goes for laughs. And that's the The Monkey does well. Watching one spectacularly gruesome and hilarious cartoon death after another is rather entertaining. And don't worry the film never lingers long enough for you to feel anything other than a kind of shock laughter (a woman running with a burning baby carriage is a blink of an eye shot so we don't have to wrestle with that image) so this won't make it hard to sleep at night. Horror comedy is a good thing and The Monkey does this right. It just doesn't aspire to do anything else. It isn't even satire. It doesn't comment on anything. It's just about laughing at how gross something can be. 

Don't go into The Monkey expecting scares. There is nothing scary about this film. Other than the toy Monkey of the title being a cliche for what we think of when we think of creepy historic toys, there is nothing in the imagery, the suspense, nor the threat itself which will scare you, get under your skin, or haunt you. The Monkey is just for light, forgettable fun. 

The Monkey

Starring: Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Christian Convery, Colin O'Brien, Rohan Campbell, Sarah Levy 

Writer/Director: Osgood Perkins

The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2024)

The story of the making of The Seed of the Sacred Fig is harrowing. Iranian film maker Rasoulof filmed it in secret while being sentenced to prison for dissidence, only to escape to Germany where the film was finally edited and screened winning awards and playing at international festivals from Berlin to Cannes to Toronto. It incorporates real footage of protests in Iran featuring brutal scenes along side its fictional yet fact based plot. Yet even without all of this background Seed is a powerful and beautiful film that is fascinating to watch. 

The film looks specifically into Iranian governmental corruption but its themes are not limited to that country. One could recognize similar authoritarian policies around the globe. Its story feels universal. 

Many of the cast have had to flee Iran as well. The performances here are all strong, especially when one considers that they were filming everything in secret, even the outdoor scenes. The cast comes together so well bringing this story a real gravitas. 

Rasoulof drags out some of his scenes. Even near the end with a few tense chase scenes, he takes a long time to get to where he is going which strips some of the power of the story. Yet Seed remains gripping and tragic with some hope for the future, The Seed of the Sacred Fig is a film you'll remember. 

The Seed of the Sacred Fig 

Starring: Soheila Golestani, Missagh Zareh, Mahsa Rostami, Setareh Maleki, Niousha Akhshi, Amineh Arani

Writer/Director: Mohammad Rasoulof

Oscar Nominated Shorts 2025

I've seen all of the films nominated for Oscars in the five short film categories in 2025 and I noticed some trends. For example in the animation stop motion was strong this year (which might be my favourite animation style). While in the live action films it was noticeable that all but one of the film was based on real events whether they ended up being highly fictionalized or a direct adaptation of real events. There were some inspiring documentaries this year, a category that often leaves more sadness than hope. Here are my thoughts on this year's crop of Oscar nominated short films. 

Animation

Beautiful Men

Stop motion holds a special place in my heart and this year a few of the nominees were stop motion films including this one about three brothers on a trip to Istanbul for hair transplants. It quite entertainingly and rather frankly explores men's body issues connected to aging and societal expectations. While being very funny it is also surprisingly insightful and moving with charming animation.

Magic Candies

My favourite of this year's animated nominees has the most gorgeous stop motion animation and a sweet and poignant story about a little boy eating candies which open his mind to the world around him. I found the movie truly moving and utterly relatable. It is the sort of film that anyone of all ages can appreciate. Its story is lovely and will put a big smile on your face.  

In the Shadow of Cypress

This traditionally drawn animated film packs a lot into its story runtime as an estranged daughter and father attempt to rescue a beached whale. The animation is simple but beautiful and the story is intense. Dialogue free it relies on images to convey a lot. Sometimes I felt it didn't all connect but overall it is a powerful movie. 

Yuck!

This is the funniest and most purely delightful of this crop of animated films. When a group of children see adults kissing at a campground, they are fascinated but disgusted... until they aren't. The stylized 2D animation is adorable and captures the film's sense of whimsy. 

Wander to Wonder

This film at its heart is about grieving and loss told through an absurdist story. It's complicated narrative is remarkably conveyed in the film's short runtime. A mix of stop motion and live action, the film captures something quite profound while also pushing some boundaries. 

Live Action

A Lien

This film is very timely in how it focuses on deportation and the tactics American authorities use to take people into custody while they are applying through legal channels for their citizenship. Short but powerful, A Lien is emotionally charged and kinetically filmed. It's title, a play on words, highlights the themes of the story. 

Anuja

Anuja's choice to cast a street involved young actor as the star of this emotionally charged film makes it even more powerful. This is a Sophie's Choice style story about the impossibilities faced by those in the lowest economic circumstances. Despite how heavy the story is the film has a joyousness to it which is uplifting. 

I'm Not a Robot

The only truly fictional film nominated in this category this year, I'm Not a Robot is a hilarious yet quite dark story that examines identity and agency in a very of-the-moment way. The idea isn't unique (it's the subject of the contemporaneous American film Companion as well as the classic Blade Runner) but the structure of this short film manages it exceptionally during its brief runtime. 

The Last Ranger

This is the most epic in scope of the films nominated. The story, based on real events, is broken down in a very effective and emotionally satisfying way. The reality of this story hits hard and the young star gives an incredible performance. 

The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

A tense political thriller boiled down to 20 minutes. It centres you in the story with its intimate cinematography and high stakes. Silent is based on real events but told in a way that can be related to in any time, perhaps especially now. 

Documentaries

Death By Numbers

Focusing on the high profile sentencing hearing of the Parkland shooter, from the point of view of one of the survivors, this film wrestles quite powerfully with the impossibility of finding resolution after such a horrible event. This isn't the only film nominated this year that touches on themes connected to the death penalty nor brutal murders. There is a recognition here of the strength needed to live on after events that have no possibility of resolution. 

I Am Ready, Warden

This film also tackles the issue of capital punishment, this time from multiple points of view, including but not limited to the adult child of a murder victim and the teen child of the murderer. There is a powerful moment near the end when the realization that death doesn't bring about justice or peace which shakes its audience to its core. 

Incident

Incident is quite simply a collection of actual "found footage" (from security cameras, police body cams, and other filmed records) recording the events of a police shooting of an innocent man in real time. However there is nothing simple about it. It is brutal to watch and overwhelming to take in the gravity of how these crimes can occur. The film's sparse approach to presenting the film and letting us see the "incident" with our own eyes, is likely more powerful than it would have been if the film had taken a more narrative approach. 

Instruments of a Beating Heart

This is one of two more charming films that don't focus on tragedy. Beating Heart follows young grade school children in Japan as they practice for an orchestral performance of Ode to Joy and the film is rather joyous. There is a part in the middle that western audiences might find a bit unsettling, when a teacher sternly berates one of the 6 year olds for her failure to practice. But the film pivots from that quickly to instead focus on how much the children enjoy performing together for their peers and parents. 

The Only Girl in the Orchestra 

The most cinematic of the bunch, this film maker has made a tribute to her favourite aunt, a woman who inspired her and lived a rich and full life doing what she loves. Orin O'Brien was the first woman in the NY Philharmonic and her pursuit of her passion is a wonderful thing to see. Molly O'Brien has made a wonderful film that celebrates her inspirational family member and celebrates a life well lived. That's not a bad way to end this round of short films. 

Bird (2024)

Arnold, known for her films Fish Tank, American Honey, and the documentary Cow, is back with another emotionally fraught examination into the lives of the economically marginalized with Bird. The film's strong cast and Arnold's bold vision make it incredibly engaging and truly satisfying. 

Adams breaks out here as a young woman coming of age in devastating economic circumstances. She meets an odd man called Bird whose own journey has been incredibly difficult, and she finds connection to a family she resents. She is supported in this by a strong supporting cast including Keoghan and Rogowski who both bring their own brands of strange yet compelling screen presence to the film. 

Bird is a big swing that works and has a lot of interesting things to think about. Be prepared for a bit of surrealness but a whole lot of emotion. 

Bird

Starring: Nykiya Adams, Barry Keoghan, Franz Rogowski 

Writer/Director: Andrea Arnold

The Gorge (2025)

Derrickson's romantic apocalyptic horror film The Gorge suffers from a few problems. It's not very romantic and it's not very horrifying for example. The film's premise is extremely high concept and for me they never convinced me of any of it. The amount of times you'll ask yourself why didn't they think of X as your making your way through the plot will be frequent. The Gorge never quite comes together as much of anything it's trying to accomplish. 

Teller and Taylor-Joy have 0 chemistry and the The Gorge never believably makes us feel there is any connection. It plays like traditional romance with the absurd "meet cute" and then witty banter. But it's all surface. You never believe they love each other. At one point I wondered if the film was trying to make a point about two people falling for each other because... well there are no other options, about how they are entrapped into a relationship. But the film never consciously explores this. That's too bad cause that might have been more interesting. The Gorge instead builds their loves story earnestly and fails in its attempt to do so. 

Then the film jumps, often quite radically, into Annihilation style existential horror, perhaps with an Alien franchise bent (not a reference to Weaver's phone it in appearance). But here again it never feels like it gets it. The mystery isn't very complicated or nuanced and it just becomes a fairly standard "monster movie". I never felt scared, and the stakes didn't particularly feel intense. The more you thought about the premise, the less the film felt realistic. It feels like the idea wasn't thought through well before it was put to paper. 

The Gorge is released on streaming where it is the sort of film you'll likely look away from to scroll through your phone and not miss much of anything. 

The Gorge

Starring: Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, Sigourney Weaver 

Director: Scott Derrickson

Writer: Zach Dean

Universal Monsters - The Mummy (1932)

The Mummy, made soon after the hits Dracula and Frankenstein, pulls from both these in different ways. We get the popular Karloff again, although in a very different role, and we get an exotic evil from another culture pursuing a young woman like the famous vampire story. For today's audiences, we can see the plot is actually remarkably similar to the 1990s remake Bram Stoker's Dracula, about a monster from the past seeking his reincarnated love in the "present". Capitalizing on the western hysteria of the time for all things ancient Egypt, The Mummy was another hit for Universal Studios although watching it now it is one of the duller of their classic horrors.

The film tells the story of a villain who, in his attempt to resurrect his love through sorcery, was condemned to death for the act and brought back to life by a curse seeking the reincarnation of his love. His monstrousness comes in his attempt to force her against her will. Modern audiences may find it interesting how much this film focuses on her right to autonomy, to decide who she is and who she should love. It is a love story about an abusive sort of love, one of possession and ownership, not of mutual respect and care. It is about adoration or idolization. Not what loving someone is truly about.

Also interesting to modern audiences, The Mummy barely references contemporaneous Egyptian culture so there are surprisingly little issues with anti-arab racism. The sole exception to this may be Karloff's depiction as "oriental" which is played to be frightening. If anything the film has a more benign style of racism in how its mixed heroine is seen as exotic, a positive feature in the film's eyes. Instead the film focuses on a rather caricature of popular culture understanding of ancient Egypt (pharos, hieroglyphics, etc.) which was all the rage at the time. 

For me the story drags a lot. There just isn't enough here to flesh out the rather short runtime. Some of the film's most interesting parts are flashbacks to the past and not so much the current story we are being told. Watching it right after rewatching some of the other classic Universal Monster films one might be a bit disappointed. Having said that it still remains impressive with its iconic nature and just how much it shaped our modern conceptualization of the horror trope of a "mummy." 

The film's legacy in this way is impressive and also how it inspired the most successful of Universal's remakes with the 1999 film The Mummy and it's sequels. The story follows the same basic premise, Imhotep resurrected from the dead by tomb raiders and his quest to bring back his ancient love through killing a modern woman. In this version the mummy is super powered and the adventure has been Indiana-Jones-ified. It's a fun if rather silly take on the story and rewatching it I was surprised at just how hammy it is. But it remains a classic in its own right with a big following. Certainly more so than the Tom Cruise reboot from 2017 which flopped critically and commercially. 

The Mummy is still one of the classic horror monsters and its influence on film culture is undeniable. While I found it a bit plodding it is still holds its place in the pantheon of Universal Monsters and as part of the legendary Karloff's career. 

The Mummy

Starring: Boris Karloff, Zita Johann

Director: Karl Freund

Writer: John L. Balderston

 

The People's Joker (2022)

Writer/director Vera Drew's neon fever dream is both a love letter to all cinematic batmen and deconstruction of those mythos at the same time. Embedded in all that fan fiction is a touching and revelatory exploration of trans identify that is unapologetically genderqueer while being accessible for cis audiences, somehow translating her experience into something understood without ever compromising or dumbing it down. The People's Joker is a bit of a miracle. 

Drew has made something truly unique by playing on common tropes in often very brilliant ways. The People's Joker is hard to take your eyes off of, visually, while its kinetic story barrels forward. Also Drew's screen presence is so engaging it all comes together to make a truly fascinating and watchable film.  

The People's Joker is the sort of film that makes it exciting to think about what can be done by a talented film maker with something to say and the vision to pull it off. I hope Drew continues to bring us new stories. 

The People's Joker

Starring: Vera Drew, Kane Distler, Nathan Faustyn, David Liebe Hart, Scott Aukerman, Tim Heidecker, Maria Bamford, Bob Odenkirk 

Director: Vera Drew

Writers: Bri LeRose, Vera Drew

I'm Still Here/Ainda Estou Aqui (2024)

Salles' straightforward yet powerful story of the strength of those left behind when someone goes missing during an illiberal regime is a beautiful film. He focuses on  diving deep into the personal interworkings of the family to show both how the loss of their father, and the lack of information of what happened to him, drives them, but also the strength and power of the mother who holds it all together and never gives up. One of the iconic moments is her posing for a family photo for a paper and refusing to not smile. She is defiant throughout. She will not become despondent, nor give up. 

Torres is remarkable in the role without being showy. It is no wonder she has garnered so much award love for this role. I loved how she balanced so many aspects of her performance keeping it complicated and internally quite strong. The sheer power of the woman she is playing is impressive and she does her justice. 

The film itself is not complicated. Salles just allows his subjects to go forward with their lives. It does suffer a bit from one of my biggest pet peeves about biopics about real people, especially those still alive or recently passed. I'm Still Here paints an overly rosey picture of the Paiva family. They are all angels and they are all amazing in their moral character. This is a picture perfect family, like the picture in that iconic moment. I am sure that while these people are likely very good people for sure, I'm Still Here's refusal to give them any blemishes takes away from the realness. This is a fault of many of these sorts of films and nothing specific to I'm Still Here. 

Regardless I'm Still Here is compelling drama and an important portrait of this kind of horror which continues to occur around the world. 

I'm Still Here/Ainda Estou Aqui 

Starring: Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, Fernanda Montenegro 

Director: Walter Salles

Writers: Murilo Hauser, Heitor Lorega

Maria (2024)

Larrain has made a number of very beautiful, but often very taciturn films about divas. His latest, about quite literally a diva, felt similar for me. It is lush and quite gorgeous to watch. But I felt so removed from its subject I found it hard to get swept up in its story. Jolie's performance is aloof and somewhat sparse as well although there are moments in it which touched me. I came out of Maria a bit unmoved despite how lovely a film it was. 

Larrain focuses his story on the last week of the singer's life as she interacts with doctors, staff, and a film crew. She flashes back to the moments that brought her here. She is living an almost Howard Husian life alone in her palace, barking at fans and servers who dare speak to her. She is sad and alone. It is meant to be a tragic tale of a woman who lived on her own terms. Some of this comes through but a lot of it, through Larrain's story telling and Jolie's performance just feels like we're watching someone be not very pleasant. 

There are moments that broke through for me. Jolie does wonderful things with small moments when she's doing less of an impression and more inhabiting the character. Her reaction to her doctor's dire diagnosis is a beautiful piece of acting for example. The film takes a loving approach, filling each scene with exquisite beauty and a bit of fantasy. She begins to wonder what is real and what is hallucination and this is handled quite well by Lorrain. Maria the film is something to see even if it doesn't evoke much emotionally.

Maria

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Kodi Smit-McPhee

Director: Pablo Larrain

Writer: Stephen Knight

 

The Girl With the Needle/Pigen Med Nålen (2024)

I'm not normally a fan of the Lars Van Trier school of miserable films where everything is bleak and terrible, yet I can sometimes appreciate the sentiment. von Horn's The Girl With the Needle is a beautifully shot film that explores a woman forced to confront something truly horrible even after being pushed to desperation. She, and us as the audience, are given somewhat of a hopeful ending despite wrestling with the question of whether this world is redeemable or not. I'm just not sure the film makes a successful case for this final bit of optimism. 

The Girl With the Needle asks us how we can justify the lives of innocents when we create a world that is so patently unjust. When we know humans will suffer how do we justify allowing life to exist in suffering. But it doesn't quite get to asking us to have a responsiblity to alleviate the conditions of suffering, instead asking us whether we should allow life at all. It sets this up through what is essentially a thought experiment along the lines of the trolley question. It creates a villain who does horrible things but then it allows her to argue for her position and perhaps even makes us sympathetic to her argument. Despite this very heavy handed premise, The Girl With the Needle ends with an ambiguous answer. Is it responding by saying the suffering is worth it, or that the answer presented by its villain is unfair. It will give us much to wonder about as we attempt to scrub what we have seen from our memories. 

As a movie it mostly works. von Horn uses a stark black and white cinematography that evokes the horror of a different age, and combines this with the photographic style of that age such as characters looking into the camera as they did in the silent era, and lit menacingly as they often were. This creates an uncomfortable aura which matches the story's tone and chills us as the audience, an audience confronted with our own complicity. It is brilliant to watch but the plot is a bit plodding. There are multiple powerful moments even from the get go, which make Karoline's painful reality feel strikingly real, yet there are also stretches that feel drawn out. In all of this I'm not sure the ending is earned. The hope almost feels a bit outside of what has happened before it and isn't connected to how characters acted in the first act. 

Still, The Girl With the Needle with haunt you, truly asking you to deal with something terrible, humanity's real cruelty. I'm not sure the ending gives enough hope to make the rest of the film's bleak assessment of human beings forgivable. 

The Girl With the Needle/Pigen Med Nålen

Starring: Vic Carmen Sonne, Trine Dyrholm

Director:  Magnus von Horn

Writers: Line Langebek, Magnus von Horn 

Companion (2025)

Smart, funny, well acted and executed, Companion is a fun cautionary tale which taps into very real world issues with its high concept premise and is exactly the sort of thought provoking film that hits all the sweet spots. Hancock has crafted a well balanced comedy/thriller which doesn't get too dark while also not pulling punches. There are a few twists and turns, nothing too shocking, but nothing insultingly dumb. He gives us a fun time while also giving us much to chew on. 

Best to go into Companion with as a little knowledge of the plot as possible and just let it play out. Yes there is a part of me that wishes I could get into all the smart ways the film's plot explores [redacted] but I can't without spoiling the story and much of the experience. There is a little Ex Machina here, a little The Invisible Man (2020), a little Fargo, hell even a little Blade Runner and Barbie even. Just experience it and then find others who have seen it to talk it through. 

Make no mistake, this is a fun movie, even if it is working with some heavy issues. The cast is excellent with Gage and Guillén adding a delightful queer twist to a film that is exploring specific themes of heterosexuality. This.isn't a film that's going to hurt you head but instead inspire great discussion while also being wildly entertaining. 

Companion

Starring: Jack Quaid, Sophie Thatcher, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillén, Rupert Friend, Jaboukie Young-White

GuillénWriter/Director: Drew Hancock

Hard Truths (2024)

I have mixed feelings about Mike Leigh's film Hard Truths. To be honest I found the first half quite difficult to engage with. Jean-Baptiste plays an angry woman who lashes out at everyone around her from the people she encounters out in the world to her own family including her grown son, a man who has withdrawn into himself, the implication being due to his mother's abusive behavior. At first there is some humour in watching her berate everyone and scrunch her face into an angry mask of hate. But as it drew on it became sad and perhaps so over the top it was hard to take seriously.

The film starts out at this contrast between Jean-Baptiste's misanthrope and Austin's joyful character, her sister. But quickly this fades as it becomes more and more focused on how damaged and fragile she really is. The film begins to create a character arc for her as she falls apart in the arms of her sister when confronted with the legacy of her mother's death and the whole thing becomes heavy. But quite jarringly any progress made here is regressed by the end. 

Leigh's ending is one of the bleakest I've seen in a while. It is both unfinished and rather hopeless. The sister's story sort of gets shoved aside while our central character, who the film makes so hard to empathize with, falls completely apart. There is a lot of pathos here but there is also a lot that is just hard to muster even sympathy for. She is so unrealistically unpleasant that giving her the benefit of the doubt about how hard her life must have been to get her there while we watch her destroy the people around her... well the film just never quite gets us there. It's too short to explore some of the complexities it is asking us to consider so instead it's just a snapshot of someone so unpleasantly angry at everything and nothing. The audience walks out just as frustrated with having to tolerate her as those in her grocery line, the parking lot, the dentist... etc. 

Hard Truths

Starring: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Michele Austin, David Webber, Tuwaine Barrett, Ani Nelson, Sophia Brown, Jonathan Livingstone 

Writer/Director: Mike Leigh

You're Cordially Invited (2025)

Most movie stars have their low points in their filmographies and we're witnessing one of those for the truly funny actors Witherspoon and Ferrell. Everything about Invited is half assed and unfunny and it's mostly an exercise in how sad it can be to watch talented people do something so phoned in. You'll want to turn it off part way in and honestly, you're probably right to do so. 

Invited starts out with the tired and gross cliche of the father thinking no partner is good enough for his daughter and the film goes on to make tensions within a family fall along Red American vs. Blue American lines. Not one line in the film feels original or thought through. Eye rolling is the reaction most audiences would have to the jokes. I can't imagine laughing. 

I could get in to how badly the film is plotted with all of the conflict being derived from overly constructed circumstances that never feel organic. I could get in to how none of the characters feel more than two-dimensional or get any character arc that isn't a recycled rom com plot. I could get in to all sorts of problems with this badly made movie but mostly it was just infuriating to see such a strong cast wasted like this. 

It is not just Witherspoon and Ferrell who are slumming. There is a great cast here from the promising Vizwanathan to the veteran Weston. Truly funny people being unfunny while trying to be funny is just so depressing to watch. 

You're Cordially Invited

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Will Ferrell, Geraldine Viswanathan, Meredith Hagner, Jimmy Tatro, Celia Weston, Jack McBrayer 

Writer/Director: Nicholas Stoller

The Six Triple Eight (2024)

Tyler Perry's film about the only African American women's army corp to serve over seas in WWII is rather standard and predictable but the story of these real life women is compelling enough to overcome that so when we get to the end of this story, we are moved and inspired. I'll give Perry credit that despite framing his story in a rather paint by numbers sort of way, he does film it beautifully, often featuring stunning scenes. The Six Triple Eight ends up being rather enjoyable while giving us a peak into one of those historical moments that is often pushed to the side. 

Perry's film lacks in nuance and subtlety. Washington's performance brings strength but not a lot of dimension to the lead character. None of the characters get to be very complicated. They are all either completely good or completely bad and no one has a character arc. Instead we just follow through the steps of their story as they prove their worth and decades later get some of the recognition they deserve. 

And this is a very inspiring story and one that points to patterns of history and those who manage to overcome them. His transition at the end to take us into the real world as H.E.R.'s The Journey is playing is a powerful and satisfying conclusion that might juts give a bit of hope for us for the future. Despite being rather formulaic, The Six Triple Eight is not boring nor does it talk down to its audience and in the end I was happy I watched it. 

The Six Triple Eight

Starring: Kerry Washington, Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffrey, Dean Norris, Sam Waterston, Oprah Winfrey, Susan Sarandon, 

Writer/Director: Tyler Perry

 

Nickel Boys (2024)

Nickel Boys is notable for a few reasons. One of which is of coarse the unorthodox choice to film the movie in first person POV so that we, as the audience, are seeing what our central characters are seeing. This turns out to be not a gimmick but a brilliant means of bringing us into the story. Director Ross' brilliance here is two fold, centring his characters so flawlessly (including the narrative's bait and switch) and filming such a gorgeous movie. The POV never feels forced, never confusing. We are there in the Nickel "school" and their pain is real without devolving into graphic exploitation. 

Also notable is the cast. Herisse and Wilson are both marvellous even though we often aren't seeing their faces. The entire cast is with Ellis-Taylor truly standing out. A big part of what makes Nickel Boys work is  how the cast brings it to life. 

The importance of films like Nickel Boys which bring our recent "past" so vividly to life and force us to confront it, especially in such humanizing way, can't be overstated. This is a piece of America that many don't know about, don't want to know about, or don't want us to talk about. That makes this film even more relevant as it is released than ever. 

But Nickel Boys is truly a beautiful film that despite how harrowing its story often is, is also a story of survival and resilience, something truly needed right now. The story of this film is one that has taken place all over the US and in many other countries too and sharing it in the gorgeous way Ross and his co-writer Barnes have done is a gift to us. 

Nickel Boys

Starring: Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor 

Director: RaMell Ross

Writers: Joslyn Barnes, RaMell Ross

September 5 (2024)

Sorkinesque remains a style that has traction even if Aaron's Sorkin's own star had faded a bit in Hollywood. We still see examples of TV and movies where characters, usually professionals, walk around furiously, spewing verbose dialogue at each other during some crisis debating the ethics of whatever issue is at hand with a cerebral humour and articulate cadence. There is a compelling energy to this style of storytelling and it generally requires its audience to pay attention. September 5 is another example of this, a concise and compelling rumination on journalistic responsibility and voyeurism related to tragedy. 

Set in the ABC sports newsroom during the 1972 Munich Olympics on the day when Israeli athletes were taken hostage, September 5 follows those sports reporters who were in the "right place at the right time" (a callous way to phrase it) to bring the story to the world. We see everything from their perspective so it is about how to react to events like this. The film focuses on people reacting, fumbling with an unexpected series of horrible events, and figuring out what to do as they juggle their professional, ethical, moral, and personal responsibilities. The film is fascinated with the fact this is Germany, 25 years after the concentration camps. It is centred around a mostly American crew, who are made up of a mix of Jews and non-Jews, and the false distance that their jobs are journalists is supposed to create but doesn't quite achieve. 

September 5 is rather short and doesn't always have time to get into much. It starts to float ideas and emotions but is fairly preoccupied with the urgency of what everyone is doing meaning there isn't a lot of time for reflection. The film occasionally takes a moment for pathos but not often and never quite wrestles with the political questions at heart of the events. Instead, and this is probably rather historically accurate, our subjects are simply dealing with something terrible unfolding in front of them and don't have time to weigh things with much depth. So by the end of the film's 94 minutes the characters are shaken as are we as the audience. 

September 5 handles its' visual storytelling very well. I appreciated how well the film's footage is mixed with the archival footage from the real events such as Jim McKay's and Peter Jennings' real reportings and interviews from that day. It all feels very cohesive which helps bring us into the moment. You'll feel something watching September 5 and the film doesn't want to give us answers or tell us how to feel which I appreciated. It also comes and goes and then its done, perhaps that says something too about how these events play out for those of us not directly effected. A lot of people lost their lives that day and a lot of other people continued on with theirs. There is a tension here that is interesting but also somewhat removed. It almost feels like driving by an accident, slowing down but not stopping, feeling moved but then continuing on. 

September 5

Starring: Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, Leonie Benesch

Director: Tim Fehlbaum

Writers: Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David