The Seeding
The Seeding may be the first great horror movie of the year and, yet, it’s a tough recommendation.
2024
Tótem
Lila Avilés’ Tótem, Mexico’s selection for Best International Feature Film at the 2023’s Academy Awards that didn’t make the cut, offers a unique fly-on-the-wall point-of-view on a typical family drama. The movie’s perspective commits to a cramped aspect ratio but doesn’t marry itself to a specific identity, giving the audience a true outsider’s view of a personal conflict they’re infringing on.
Fitting In
Molly McGlynn’s standout sophomore feature Fitting In manages to be both frank and subtle with its portrayal of teenage coming-of-age.
Four Daughters
Tunisia’s harrowing Oscar nominated documentary Four Daughters is a trip in the sense that you never know what to expect from it. It’s a sympathetic filmmaking experiment that aims to work as closure for its subjects but, along the way, rediscovers old family wounds that also need to be addressed.
The Underdoggs
“Tacky” and “hacky”. Those are the first words that spring to mind when describing The Underdoggs, an R-rated, pee-wee sports comedy from director Charles Stone III (Mr. 3000, Uncle Drew), and starring rapper Snoop Dogg. “Tacky” because the humour derives from the stale gag of having adults swearing around, or at, kids. “Hacky” because Snoop should feel guilty for aiming at such low-hanging comedic fruit.
The Teachers’ Lounge
By: Jolie Featherstone Ilker Çatak’s award-winning feature The Teachers’ Lounge is a scintillating, modern-day fable.
Trolls Band Together
While Trolls Band Together works as an innocuous piece of children’s entertainment, it’s official that the popular animated series may be finally spinning its wheels and overreaching for ideas. Resident franchise directors Walt Dohrn (Trolls World Tour) and Tim Heitz (Trolls Holiday in Harmony) return to helm this sequel that does something the other feature-length movies haven’t done: call attention to itself.