Sunset
Although a different beast to Son of Saul, László Nemes’ 2015 feature debut, Sunset demonstrates so much of what gives the director such a deft eye for cinema. Nemes is an integral part of what is making Hungarian cinema worthy of talking about – though very few actually are. Shadowed with gloom and mystery, Sunset is a carefully paced motion picture, weaving through a troubled society almost literally on the back of one woman. Írisz Leiter (Juli Jakab) returns to a Budapest bubbling over with political horn-locking, a woman determined to discover an unknown past. Jakab is terrific, the cinematography from Mátyás Erdély is so finely choreographed, alongside László Melis’ understated music score – Nemes’ Sunset is an enduring, eye-opening experience. — Robin @Filmotomy
Toy Story 4
After seeing Toy Story 4 I watched the trailer again. At first, there’s an uncertain start and a sense of ‘more rehashed ideas as studios make more money off beloved franchises’. But when “God Only Knows” started to play, it clicked that this isn’t about a kid losing their toy but about the existential threat of love. How scary it can be to lose love, to find love, to move on from love. Invariably we lose them, maybe only for a little while, and have to face who we are without them. And that’s the journey Woody goes on in what I presume is our final goodbye, as he discovers who he is without the person he thought he was meant to be with. — Harry @HTPRobertson
One Child Nation
One Child Nation is a very powerful documentary on the issue of a woman’s right to make decisions concerning her body. I cannot think of a more relevant topic right now. The documentary also discusses how silence and simple compliance can have devastating consequences not just for the present or the near future, but also for the long-term future of an entire nation. There is still much I wish to discuss about One Child Nation, but it would be unfair to reveal any more information about this fantastic documentary. This is a fearless, powerful piece that needs to be seen. — Bianca @the_filmbee
Shadow
For all that his films deal in action, director Zhang Yimou has rarely spilled blood onto his otherwise vivid color pallet. The balletic choreography has, up until now – in his greater efforts – been the show stopping element of any wuxia inspired film of his. With Shadow, his grittier approach, with the crunching of bones and slashing of necks, that leaves little to the imagination. And that human nihilism on display, along with the unusually monochromatic tone of the film, makes it one of the most viscerally haunting of the year. Deng Chao delivers one of the best performances of the year. Best exemplified in a moment of pure feral anger, letting down his customary guards to unleash his fury, marrying the atmospheric menace the film had promised thus far with brutal action and unleashing and explosion of visual and thematic rage. — Allyson @AllysonAJ
Booksmart
Making a coming-of-age comedy that really stand outs from the crowd, cannot be an easy challenge for any director. Yet with Booksmart, Olivia Wilde has done exactly that, with her directorial debut no less. As two academical brainboxes realise that they have missed out on all the partying and the usual teenage shenanigans, they decide to cram as much partying and raucous behaviour into one night as they possibly can, to make up for the lost time. The script is filled with witty and side-splitting jokes, and the performances from every member of this terrific cast are fantastic. However, it’s the performances of the leading ladies, Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein, that shine the brightest, forming a very warm and sincere friendship. — Martin @ThrSilverScreen
The Mustang
As a form of population control, many wild horses are gathered and taken to these rehabilitation facilities where they get trained to hopefully be sold in an auction. Based on true events, this film tells the story of an antisocial inmate, who is assigned to start a rehabilitation program. This convict is constantly in and out of isolation due to this behavior. He is drawn to this specific wild horse, the wildest of the herd. Beautifuly shot with wide scenes of gorgeous landscapes, this film succeeds in accurately portraying the two different scenarios (nature and prison). Not only was I amazed by the lead character’s development with the horse training, but his antisocial behavior changes by starting to socialize with other inmates. The most underrated film of this year. — Rosa @rosasreviews
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
The action, the visual aesthetic, the body count – it just doesn’t stop. You’re left trying to process one impeccably choreographed fight scene, but director Chad Stahelski throws another one right at you. And then another, and another. For 130 minutes, this beast does not relent, the audience has little time to catch its collective breath. From the library sequence where former hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) takes out assassins in a public library, and traversing the Moroccan desert with ex-killer Sofia slewing down droves of enemies, to Dan Lautsen’s sublime cinematography. This world of thugs, killers, and crime families dares other action movies to be just as bold, hardcore and stylish as this series is. — Jonathan @MisterBrown_23
The Dead Don’t Die
Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die is the most underrated movie of the year (so far). Which is a shame considering it’s a pitch-perfect satire of the zombie-horror sub-genre. With its tongue firmly in cheek, writer/director Jarmusch plays with typical genre conventions, along with some meta touches, to comment on the preconceived nature of horror. Even some of the deadpan, halfhearted reveals in the exposition seem obligatory and ironically sheepish to emphasize that a film’s formula will always revive itself – just like a zombie. Jarmusch takes the lampooning further by turning the attention on movie goers, and showing us just how easy it is to bait us with an all-star cast and classic Hollywood creatures. — Addison @AddisonWylie
The Sun is Also A Star
The Sun is Also A Star is a movie that I very easily fell in love with. Though it can be sappy and overly sentimental at times, it almost plays like a Mike Mills film for teens. Much like his films, the narrative is strung together with voice-over accompanied by stock photos, film footage, and music. Making for a visually interesting and unique film experience. Director Ry Russo-Young isn’t just playing the hits as a cover band in this film. She brings her own very welcome visual style to the table. The cinematography is inspiring and the color correction is pitch perfect. Years from now, if this film leads young filmgoers of today to cinematic treasures such as Beginners or 20th Century Women, I don’t see that as a bad thing at all. — Jardiel @PulpCereal
Arctic
To compare such a film, of a man marooned in the middle of nowhere in treacherous conditions, to something like Cast Away, is not doing Arctic much justice at all. So I won’t. Instead I will say that this empowering, enthralling survival tale, from director Joe Penna, is how a one-man stuck in the Arctic snowstorm movie should go down. The protagonist, Overgård, is meticulously portrayed by the great Mads Mikkelsen. An actor with such dedication and screen presence – not just in this movie – it is incredible to me the Danish actor likely won’t be a Best Actor contender at the upcoming Oscars. More astonishingly, he has never been nominated. The sheer humanity and test of spirit that Mikkelsen displays is what makes us truly invest in every bite of frost. — Robin @Filmotomy
