Nicola Rose’s sophomore feature Magnetosphere reminded me of Nickelodeon programming I grew up with – family friendly fodder that used sitcom conventions as an entry way for outcasts to identify with off-beat humour and a unique perspective on life. While the nostalgia is hard to shake, with this current collection of coming-of-age films aimed at pre-teens, Magnetosphere is in a league of its own. Maggie (played by newcomer Shayelin Martin of Wild Goat Surf) sees…
Magnetosphere is a sophomore indie from filmmaker Nicola Rose and a standout flick for pre-teens. Pitching itself as a reliable coming-of-age story from a teenage wallflower, Rose uses specific experiences, such as viewing life through synesthesia, to identify with broader and universally relatable growing pains; all while issuing a warm and welcoming feeling for anyone watching her latest effort. I wanted to speak with Nicola Rose about making such an inviting film. From casting her ensemble…
Michael Angarano’s coming-of-age road movie Sacramento is a tragicomedy of sorts, though it’s more easygoing than that sounds. Rickey (Angarno) and Glenn (Michael Cera of Superbad and Dream Scenario) are intermittent pals, though Glenn is always suspicious of Rickey’s freewheeling personality and motives. Glenn is not only reluctant, but also highly anxious in general. Often comforted by his wife Rosie (Academy Award nominee Kristen Stewart) as she carries their first born, Rosie encourages her hubby to break…
We Grown Now tells a singular story that could very well speak for many families who grew up in Chicago’s now-demolished Cabrini-Green housing development. And with impoverished minorities still feeling the struggle of finding a regular routine, writer/director Minhal Baig (One Night) has made a 90s period film that certainly holds a mirror up to contemporary society.
By: Trevor Chartrand Superb and charming, Wild Goat Surf is a timeless coming-of-age story from writer/director Caitlyn Sponheimer. The movie perfectly encapsulates youth and our formative years; a turbulent time full of nuance and doubt.
The People’s Joker feels as if it comes from the nichiest corners: an autobiographical mixed media art piece, based on the filmmaker’s own trans coming-of-age, that reclaims pop culture as a way to personally convey and connect the past to the present. But as specific as The People’s Joker may sound on paper and as polarizing as it appears on screen, this wickedly transgressive tragicomedy is one of the most accessible films ever contributed to…
How to Have Sex is either a cautionary tale or a party movie with a heart or, maybe, it’s both.
Molly McGlynn’s standout sophomore feature Fitting In manages to be both frank and subtle with its portrayal of teenage coming-of-age.
By: Jolie Featherstone Ariane Louis-Seize’s feature film directorial debut, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person, is an intriguing horror-dramedy that has the makings of a cult classic. Think gothic Wes Anderson, or Richard Ayoade’s Submarine (2010) meets Tomas Alfredson’s Let The Right One In (2008).
Golden Delicious is melodramatic molasses. Each emotional beat, as sincere as they may be, can be seen coming from a mile away as they slowly roll their way towards the screen. Personal epiphanies from the characters feel like déjà vu to movie goers who may be more than familiar with coming-of-age stories involving closeted teens becoming more in touch with who they are.