The Pod Generation
In a rare move, instead of recommending The Pod Generation by itself, I’m asking you to pair the sci-fi indie with another one from the same ilk, After Yang.
Romance
Passages
Passages has a great introduction. Film director Tomas (Franz Rogowski) orders actors around and painstakingly focuses on someone’s inability to walk down a flight of stairs. As Tomas shows the actor how to walk down the stairs, it becomes very obvious that Tomas wants to be idolized. He does this by being intimidating to get what he wants.
Book Club: The Next Chapter
By: Danyal Somani Book Club: The Next Chapter follows the friends from its predecessor: Vivian (Jane Fonda), Carol (Mary Steenburgen), Diane (Diane Keaton), and Sharon (Candice Bergen). In this next instalment, they travel to Italy for Vivian’s bachelorette party. However, with the sudden inclusion of an old flame (Vincent Ricotta) and a persistent police chief (Giancarlo Giannini), the trip doesn’t go according to plan.
One True Loves
Showing little regard for the intelligence of its audience, One True Loves stretches the suspension of disbelief until its final fray.
You Can Live Forever
You Can Live Forever is the latest romance in queer cinema to tell a story about “forbidden love” in unlikely places, as two young women start falling for each other within their Jehovah Witness community. It’s a good movie that not only shows an accurate portrayal of yearning hearts, but also teaches viewers about the upbringing in this specific devout life – the film is emotional and educational.
Stars Fell Again
In Stars Fell Again, the extra-cheesy follow-up to 2021’s decidedly unfunny Stars Fell on Alabama from returning director V.W. Scheich, suffers from many of the same flaws as its predecessor — weak characterization, poor pacing, and a lead couple that’s about as interesting as a stack of wet cardboard.
You People
You People takes audiences through not one but two story formulas – the fish-out-of-water culture clash that could occur between two separate parties, and the road towards a wedding. While this could be seen as a crutch for the filmmakers, this whip-smart comedy becomes the exception. Much like how Hustle exhibited last year, You People reminds us that routine storytelling can be forgiven if the film excels in other areas. You People is funny –…
Stay The Night
After HR specialist Grace (Andrea Bang of Luce and TV’s Kim’s Convenience) is passed over for a promotion, she resolves to embrace spontaneity and have a one-night stand. Little does she know that the handsome stranger she met in the bar (Joe Scarpellino) is really an NHL player from out of town navigating a professional setback of his own.
Decision to Leave
Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, The Handmaiden) aspires to give audiences a different type of police procedural with Decision to Leave, but I’m afraid he’s put too much of his focus on trying to deliver innovation rather than a story that’s either compelling or accessible.