List
2024 Staff Picks: Movies
Our expert staff members look back at the year and share some favorite titles.
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About Dry Grasses
2024Get this itemHow can a nearly 3-½ hour film in which the protagonist is a misanthropic, pompous public school art teacher languishing in a wintry East Anatolia be a masterpiece? Because it is! There's a fiercely beating heart here, and this film is as exhilarating as it is cinematically singular. It includes one of my favorite scenes of the year, where the fourth wall is shattered, only to move on as if that never happened. Suggested by Chris.
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All That Breathes
2024Get this itemNominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, this mesmerizing film focuses on two Muslim brothers who have devoted their lives to saving birds of prey called black kites. They run a bird clinic in Delhi, doing the best they can with limited resources. Yes, the doc is about their selfless work, but it’s also about climate change, complicated family dynamics, and social structures that are often less than welcoming. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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Anatomy of a Fall
2024Get this itemThemes of uncertainty and the impossibility of knowing the truth are examined in this riveting French courtroom drama about a German author suspected of killing her husband. Their visually impaired son's testimony is key to a verdict of guilt or acquittal. Filmmaker Justine Triet won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and we want to point out that Messi, in his breakout role as Snoop, won the Palme Dog award at the Cannes Film Festival. Suggested by Annabelle, Brenna, Rummanah, and Sharon.
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Challengers
2024Get this itemTennis and a love triangle--this dynamic film turns all of the tropes of a sports movie upside down. Mike Faist, Zendaya, and Josh O'Connor all play fantastically complex characters who are unapologetic about their ambitions. It delivers on multiple levels (listen to that intense score composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross), and we hope it is recognized during the award season. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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Perfect Days
2024Get this itemFrom filmmaker Wim Wenders, we get this quiet and reflective film about a man who cleans toilets in Tokyo. It is a beautiful meditation on life, a reminder to slow down and appreciate the beauty around us. Suggested by Annabelle, Brenna, Paul, and Sharon.
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Love Lies Bleeding
2024Get this itemI couldn’t get enough of this queer bodybuilding thriller set in 1980's New Mexico. Director Rose Glass delivers an incredible, ever-escalating love story that examines queer rage, strength, and romance. It never lets you catch a breath. Expect all that the title promises. Suggested by Lil.
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Nowhere Special
2024Get this itemAn incredibly heart-stirring father-son film that is loosely inspired by a true story. James Norton is outstanding and the young actor Daniel Lamont is naturally gifted. This film will break your heart and then put the pieces back together. Suggested by Chris and Rummanah.
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Inside Out 2
2024Get this itemRiley is entering her teen years and acquiring a whole new set of emotions. This sequel delivers on so many levels. I was blown away by the top-notch writing, creative storytelling, stunning animation, and marvelous voice cast. Suggested by Sharon.
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All of Us Strangers
2024Get this itemThe storyline bridges the past with the present and asks what we would do if we were given second chances that we never had. Deftly directed by Andrew Haigh, with incredible and devastating performances from Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal, this emotionally impactful film deals with complex feelings people can have about relationships, identity, and experiences in a tender way. It captivated us and left much to think about. Suggested by Brenna, Rummanah, Sharon, and Wesley.
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Dune: Part Two
2024Get this itemDenis Villeneuve mostly sticks the landing in the second part of his sprawling adaptation of a legendarily unadaptable book. As someone familiar with the source material, I think this is the best we can realistically hope for. There's a lot going on in Dune, but Villeneuve gets that he's basically making a tragedy, as Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) comes to embrace the destiny that once (rightfully!) horrified him. If the ending doesn't fill you with dread, you weren't paying attention. Suggested by Andrew.
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All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
2024Get this itemThis intimate documentary weaves world-renowned photographer Nan Goldin's personal journey of identity and self acceptance with activism and survival during the AIDS epidemic and our current opioid crisis. Powerful and enlightening. Suggested by Rummanah.
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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe!
2024Get this itemFilmmaker Aitch Alberto nicely adapted and directed Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s much-lauded, coming-of-age young adult novel about two Mexican American teenagers grappling with their identity, sexuality, and complicated family relationships in 1987 El Paso, TX. Keep the tissues ready, because you will feel all the feelings. Suggested by Sharon.
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Fallen Leaves
2024Get this itemThis beautiful 81-minute film by the master of deadpan minimalist cinema, Aki Kaurismaki, tells the story of two reserved lost souls navigating the mundane hardships of contemporary Helsinki. And while it may feint toward miserabilism, it’s anything but with fleeting joys, droll comedy, and loves giddy possibilities peeking behind every corner. Suggested by Chris.
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Arthur the King
2024Get this itemThe captain of an adventure racing team shows kindness to a stray dog that is wounded and in very rough condition but follows them during the grueling competition and becomes their beloved mascot. This is a sweet and inspiring story of perseverance, compassion, and second chances that the whole family can enjoy. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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The Bikeriders
2024Get this itemSet in Chicago, filmmaker Mike Nichols approached this period piece as a faux-documentary and crafted a story around the photos Danny Lyon took for his 1968 book of the same title. The cast is truly terrific, and the movie gives its audience an intimate look at an inner subculture during a time of rebellion and change. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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The Fall Guy
2024Get this itemHere is a love letter to stunt action and a highly entertaining pick for your movie night. The entire cast delights and has perfect chemistry as they trade barbs and bounce off on another. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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Four Daughters
2024Get this itemKaouther Ben Hania pushes the boundaries of what constitutes a documentary by inserting metacommentary and actors playing the roles of absent people. What could have been a sensationalized story of radicalism becomes a nuanced look at the complex relationships between mother and daughter, a patriarchal society, and intergenerational trauma. Suggested by Rummanah.
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Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
2024Get this itemNikki Giovanni is a national treasure. This award-winning doc makes sure we hear and learn about her life, thoughts, work, and impact via current and archival footage, as well as readings of her poetry by Giovanni herself and also Taraji P. Henson (who served as one of the producers). Plus, the filmmakers included parts of a conversation recorded in 1971 between Giovanni and James Baldwin for the TV show Soul!, which I thought was wonderfully interesting. Suggested by Sharon.
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Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
2024Get this itemExpanding on the Mad Max universe with a brutal origin story, this film happily immerses viewers into a desolate world of warring factions and breathtaking, sun-bleached landscapes. And, of course, with all the high-octane action, it’s another dystopian masterpiece from George Miller. Suggested by Chris.
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Godzilla Minus One
2024Get this itemI’ve been a Godzilla fan for years. This film took home the Oscar for Best Achievement in Visual Effects, and I couldn’t be more pleased for the team behind this movie. They delivered in a big way--the well-written script, the believable characters, the amazing monster itself--awesome work! Suggested by Sharon.
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The Holdovers
2024Get this itemIn this New England prep school, over winter break the holdovers, a small group of students who have nowhere to go during the winter holidays, must stay on campus. This time, an unpopular classics professor is assigned to “babysit” and the well-liked cafeteria manager, grieving the recent loss of her son in the Vietnam War, chooses to stay with them. An engaging dramedy that deals with sensitive topics and highlights the bright side of humanity while reminding us that life is messy. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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American Fiction
2024Get this itemThelonious "Monk" Ellison, a Black author/professor, hasn’t had a novel published in a long while because he refuses to write the stereotypical fiction that white publishers want. Frustrated, he takes on a fake identity, writes a book as a joke that he thinks is dreadful, and to his surprise it becomes a huge success. Suggested by Sharon.
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La Chimera
2024Get this itemThe Italian director Alice Rohwacher’s film finds magic and beauty in the margins. Everything and everyone in this earthy, dreamy, delightfully enigmatic film is lived-in, their clothes wrinkled and living in a 1980s Italy somewhere between reality and folklore. Rochwacher is a master without ever boasting about it, and I loved how this film quietly weaves its way toward something illusive (a chimera, after all) and enchanted. Suggested by Chris.
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Didi
2024Get this itemWritten and directed by Sean Wang, this is his impressive feature film directorial debut. It’s a loosely autobiographical coming-of-age story set in 2008, Fremont, CA. Focusing on 13-year-old Didi in the summer before high school, the movie is tender, honest, funny, about a mother and son, an immigrant story, learning to navigate adolescence, and what things your family can and can’t teach you. Suggested by Sharon.
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Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell
2024Get this itemI loved being enveloped (or, as the title makes clear, cocooned) in this gorgeously shot, languorous, hypnotic feature debut from the Vietnamese writer and director Phạm Thiên Ân. It’s mostly about a young man searching for his estranged brother, though along the way it stuns with its quiet virtuosity and existential questions. Suggested by Chris.
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Housekeeping for Beginners
2024Get this itemDita never wanted to be a mother, but circumstances change when her partner dies and Dita promises to take care of her two children, including a very angry, rebellious teenager. Dita and her housemates find themselves becoming a found family, with all its messiness and missteps. Filmmaker Goran Stolevski, along with a wonderful cast, created a story that really spoke to my heart. Suggested by Sharon.
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Io Capitano
2024Get this itemA spellbinding film with hints of magical realism that puts a personal touch to the immigration story while showcasing the beauty and ugliness of humankind. Suggested by Rummanah.
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Late Night with the Devil
2024Get this itemI came for the gimmick of late night TV and stayed for the harrowing yet hilarious 1970's horror schlock and satanic panic. This film masterfully pulls you in with style and keeps you watching as the facade of each character breaks down into something more malevolent. It was truly satisfying to see David Dastmalchian take center stage--he always stands out, and it's about time he got the spotlight. Suggested by Grace.
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The Long Game
2024Get this itemDon’t overlook this inspirational movie set in the 1950s, based on a true story about Mexican-American high school students who have a passion for golf but are not allowed to play at the local all-white country club where they work as caddies. The boys find a kindred spirit in the new school superintendent, JB Peña, and they become the first members of the San Felipe High School golf team. Despite barriers and prejudice, they become state champions. Suggested by Sharon.
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Migration
2024Get this itemA family of ducks have an extraordinary vacation (migration) in this delightful, animated adventure that blends laugh-out-loud moments and heartwarming lessons about family. Plus, you'll love the voice cast and fun visuals. Suggested by Amber I. and Sharon.
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The Iron Claw
2024Get this itemOn the surface, this is a wrestling movie, but at its core it is a story of brotherhood, legacy, and toxic masculinity. A poignant biopic of the Von Erich story. Suggested by Rummanah.
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The Marvels
2024Get this itemCarol Danvers (aka Captain Marvel), Kamala Khan (aka Ms. Marvel) and Monica Rambeau join forces to take down Dar-Benn, Kree’s new leader who’s determined to rebuild her own depleted home planet by draining other worlds. We totally support filmmaker Nia DaCosta’s unique vision and creative choices, and think that the movie should have gotten more love than it did. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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Lisa Frankenstein
2024Get this itemI was utterly charmed by this offbeat, darkly funny comedy horror film that taps into female rage and the nostalgia of the 1980s. Suggested by Rummanah.
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The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
2024Get this itemThe British military sends a ragtag team of soldiers on an unsanctioned, unauthorized special forces mission--to neutralize German U-boats in the North Atlantic. Loosely based on real events and what inspired Ian Fleming to write James Bond, filmmaker Guy Ritchie’s over-the-top, high body count action flick, featuring a great ensemble cast, is definitely a popcorn movie. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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My Sailor, My Love
2024Get this itemFilmed on the spectacular Achill Island, County Mayo, Ireland, the story revolves around a reclusive widower, his estranged daughter, and a local woman hired to be his housekeeper. Looking at different kinds of love and complicated family relationships, Finnish director Klaus Häro gives us a small gem that goes straight to your heart. Suggested by Sharon.
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Next Goal Wins
2024Get this itemIf you’re looking for something quirky, be sure to catch this heartfelt sports comedy directed by Taika Waititi about the American Samoa soccer team, considered the worst team in the world, and their efforts to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Community and teamwork mean more than actually winning a game. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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The Old Oak
2024Get this itemOne of cinema’s greats, Ken Loach, returns to the screen with this (ultimately) heartwarming yet unflinching look at the inhabitants of an economically stagnant, former mining town in Northern England as they work through conflicting emotions and biases brought on by the appearance of Syrian refugees seeking asylum. Suggested by Adam and Chris.
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Opus
2024 by Sakamoto, RyūichiGet this itemRyuichi Sakamoto gave us one more gift before leaving and showed us once again that space is as important as the notes being played. This stately and somber film documents the final concert (performed solo on piano) of the iconic musician, completed just months before his passing in 2023. Suggested by Adam, Chris and Paul.
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Origin
2024Get this itemAdapted from the critically acclaimed nonfiction book Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, this ambitious film from writer/director Ava DuVernay explores caste systems across the world. It’s a movie that makes you think deeply about human behavior and oppression. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor’s performance is stunning. Suggested by Brenna and Sharon.
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Orlando, My Political Biography
2024Get this itemWriter/philosopher turned filmmaker Paul B. Preciado says his film is a documentary adaptation of Orlando by Virginia Woolf. He cast several trans and nonbinary actors to create this cinematic essay, a collective biography and a letter to Woolf to tell the author that Orlando is alive and there are hundreds of thousands of Orlandos. The result is one of the most unique docs in recent years. Suggested by Sharon.
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Robot Dreams
2024Get this itemPablo Berger's movie is a dialogue-free animated film that's both a love letter to 1980's New York City and a universal tale of friendship and loss. Though deceptively simple in style, Berger loads each frame with playful details and visual ingenuity, capturing the era's diverse charms. A heartwarming, soulful little gem of a film suitable for all ages. Suggested by Chris and Rummanah.
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A Quiet Place: Day One
2024Get this itemThe third installment in the series, in this prequel we find out about what the early stages of the alien invasion by creatures hunting via sound were like. It is an effective and tension-filled apocalyptic movie with bursts of horror. Lupita Nyong'o's performance is indeed awesome. But the cat stole the show for us. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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Sing Sing (DVD)
2024Get this itemPut this movie on your radar, if it's not there already. The story is based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts program (RTA) at Sing Sing Correctional Facility and centers on Divine G, incarcerated for a crime he did not commit, who finds a sense of self and purpose via the theater group made up of other inmates. Colman Domingo as Divine G and Clarence Maclin as Divine Eye, a newcomer to the RTA program, turn in emotionally charged performances that you’ll long remember. Suggested by Sharon.
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The Taste of Things
2024Get this itemI loved this beautifully directed, wonderfully immersive look at 19th-century French cuisine. Of course, food visuals only go so far, but the fact that Juliette Binoche (sublime, as always) plays a culinary master preparing the mouth-watering dishes and moving the narrative, makes this a must-see for anyone ready for a sensual, slow-burning cinematic treat. Suggested by Chris.
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The Teachers' Lounge
2024Get this itemA mesmerizing film that pits idealism and harsh realities set in a German classroom. One teacher's bad decision (made with good intent) snowballs into an intense showdown and results in a fascinating character study of justice. Suggested by Rummanah.
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Thelma
2024Get this itemWhen 93-year-old Thema (the amazing June Squibb) is scammed out of $10,000, she channels her inner action hero and embarks on a “mission impossible” to get it back. Thelma recruits her friend Ben (Richard Roundtree, remember him as Shaft?) to help, mostly because he has a new two-person scooter, but they end up making a terrific team. This movie is full of heart while also addressing issues of family dynamics, senior autonomy, aging, and ageism. Suggested by Brenna, Kieran, Rummanah, and Sharon.
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Tótem
2024Get this itemLila Avilés' film is based on her own daughter's experiences of losing her father. It features a remarkable ensemble performance anchored by a young girl named Sol who observes with a mixture of curiosity and confusion the conversations of the adults in the house and the impending death of her father. Evocative natural imagery and a subtle, almost magically cultivated air of mystery and wonder, lead to the film's final two scenes, shattering in both their poignancy and domestic simplicity. Suggested by Chris and Rummanah.
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The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes
2024Get this itemI really enjoyed this movie because of the beautiful visuals and amazing storytelling. I loved that the story was simple but powerful in its execution. Suggested by Amber I.
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The Wild Robot
2024Get this itemOne can’t say enough positive things about this heartwarming animated movie based on the popular kids book of the same name. The story follows a service robot who is lost in a typhoon and lands on an uninhabited island where she learns to become more than she was programmed to be--finding purpose and joy through motherhood, family, and friends. The animation is phenomenal, the voice cast is superb, and the screenplay is beautifully written. Suggested by Sharon.
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Touch
2024Get this itemAptly titled, the story follows Kristófer, whose first love, Miko, disappeared from his life 50 years ago, and now he’s determined to find her while he’s still able. The film is nonlinear, as flashbacks of young Kristófer and Miko are interspersed with the present, and we were all in for their romantic journey. Suggested by Emily and Sharon.
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Twisters
2024Get this itemThis isn’t just a movie, it’s an experience. Thrilling action, riveting storm-chasing scenes, and a bit of romantic tension make for a heart-pounding adventure. Fans of the original Twister will also find plenty of callbacks to the original film! Suggested by Brenna and Sharon.
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Under the Fig Trees
2024Get this itemTaking place over the course of one day, Tunisian French director Erige Sehiri explores the lives and ideas of a group of individuals hired to pick figs, especially the women. This is a gem, and the more I ruminate on it, the more I appreciate Sehiri's artistry. Suggested by Sharon.
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Wicked Little Letters
2024Get this itemStranger than fiction, we couldn’t stop chuckling at this British black comedy based on an actual scandal from the 1920s. Edith and other residents of Littlehampton have been receiving anonymous letters full of foul language, and the prime suspect is Edith's free-spirited next-door neighbor, an Irish immigrant named Rose. However, a few of the local women think the police are on the wrong track, and they launch their own covert investigation. Suggested by Sharon and Susanne.
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Wish
2024Get this itemI really enjoyed the encouraging plot development, characters, and action. Watch for the great scene where friends band together to join the heroine! Suggested by Bill.
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Wonka
2024Get this itemMagician, inventor, chocolatier. Willy Wonka has traveled the globe perfecting his craft, and now it’s time to share his delectable chocolates--despite the dangerous Chocolate Cartel. Timothée Chalamet in the lead role hits the mark, and we adored Calah Lane's breakout performance as Noodle. Suggested by Mandy, Rummanah, and Sharon.
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Yuni
2024Get this itemOne of the best students in her high school, Yuni has a rare chance to earn a college scholarship, something that is only available if she is unmarried. As Yuni feels increasing pressure from the community to wed and conform, she also dearly wants to pursue her education and must make some difficult decisions about her future. This sensitive coming-of-age story from Indonesia received a lot of critical acclaim in the film festival circuit, and much to my excitement, it got released on DVD this past year. Suggested by Sharon.
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The Zone of Interest
2024Get this itemThe Oscar winner for Best International Feature Movie and Best Sound. It focuses on Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Hoss and his wife Hedwig who live next to the camp with their five children, in what they believe is an ideal home to raise their family. The film is very thought provoking, chilling, and brilliantly done. Suggested by Adam and Sharon.
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Suzume no tojimari: Suzume
2024Get this itemNot just for anime fans, we were crazy about this fantasy adventure road trip romance that centers on a young girl who becomes a “Closer.” She has to shut doors in ruined cities to stop a giant wormlike creature from causing earthquakes all over Japan. There are messages about nature, trauma, and finding out who you are, as well as some well-placed humor. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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Fremont
2023Get this itemA recent winner of the Indie Spirit Awards, this wry, tender, and melancholic film tells us a different type of immigrant story. With fabulous performances by newcomer Anaita Wali Zada and beautifully shot in black and white, this is a gem waiting to be discovered. Suggested by Rummanah.
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The Boy and the Heron
2023Get this itemWe love all of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s work, but this movie stands out as being especially unique. Set in Japan during WWII, a young boy, mourning the loss of his mother in a hospital fire, enters a fantasy realm of both the living and the dead, where he searches for a way to save himself and the loved ones around him. It rightly won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film. Suggested by Aubree, Rummanah, and Sharon.
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The Monk and the Gun
2023Get this itemIn 2006, Bhutan had just become the world’s youngest democracy, and the Bhutanese government is holding mock elections to teach citizens how to vote. Meanwhile, an American gun collector is tracking down a rare firearm used in the Civil War, which is also wanted by the Chief Lama of a small village--he wants to use it to make things right. A gentle, insightful, and clever movie that does not go where you think it will. Suggested by Sharon.
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Nanny
2023Get this itemNikyatu Jusu's directorial debut is a multi-layered blending of horror, fantasy, and realism that beautifully incorporates social commentary and a running thread of uneasiness throughout the narrative. While you won't get your typical jump scares, it will leave you thinking long after you watch it. Suggested by Rummanah.
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The Persian Version
2023Get this itemWinner of the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, filmmaker Maryam Keshavarz drew inspiration from her own life and that of her mother. It’s about an Iranian American woman who learns a family secret that leads her down a road of discovery and reevaluation of the relationship she has with her strong-willed mother. Suggested by Sharon.
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The Miracle Club
2023Get this itemSet in 1967 Ireland, four women from a suburb of Dublin embark on a pilgrimage to Lourdes in France. Each is hoping for a different miracle, but what they find is friendship, family, and forgiveness. You’ll adore the cast, which includes Kathy Bates, Laura Linney, and the incomparable Maggie Smith in her final movie role. Suggested by Sharon.
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