Problemista (2023)

Julio Torres's (Los Espookys, Fantasmas) directorial debut is an innovative surrealist comedy that falters under the crushing weight of its own ambition. Alejandro is a struggling immigrant who dreams of being a toy inventor. Recently fired from a cryogenic facility, and under the risk of deportation, he must acquire a work visa within 30 days while being forced to navigate the tricky halls of bureaucracy. There's a lot more going on here, but you get the gist. I didn't love this film as much as I hoped to, but it gets extra points for supreme originality and creative vision. This is one filmmaker to look out for.

3 egg paintings out of 5

Tuesday (2023)

Tuesday is a 15-year-old girl with a terminal illness who is at death's door. Meanwhile, her grieving mother attempts to bargain with Death. I went into this knowing nothing and was absolutely blown away by it. This is just a very special film, full of really interesting ideas. Easily one of Julia Louis-Dreyfus's best roles, and the CGI in this film is surprisingly well-implemented (anything less would have made it seem cheesy). It's a fantasy parable that's both funny and sad, but the tonal shifts work within the difficult thematic issues, and I found myself fighting back tears until the very end.

3½ macaws out of 5

Jules (2023)

This movie made me very emotional for reasons I can't quite explain. The central theme being that older people really need company. Ben Kingsley is completely sympathetic as the widower exhibiting early signs of dementia who finds a crashed spaceship in his backyard. But since he's old, of course no one will believe him. It's a very sweet and charming story with a touching message at the heart of it, although the serious issues are treated solemnly without sugar-coating anything. It's reminiscent of gentle science fiction such as E.T. or Cocoon. I thought it was a beautiful film and I absolutely cherish it.

4 dead cats out of 5

Brian and Charles (2022)

Brian is lonely as fuck. One day, he decides to build a robot friend out of loose junk around the house. Once you buy into the quirky premise, this movie charms the pants off you. Charles ends up being a handful and eventually becomes high maintenance. Meanwhile, Brian has met someone and Charles is experiencing his own lonely pangs. It's all very low-key and no fuss. A sweet little indie with a gentle nature that moved me on a deep level. There's such an innocence about Charles that reminds me of the best android movies, from Edward Scissorhands to I'm Here. Based on the short film of the same name.

4 spare parts out of 5

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021)

A documentarian moves into a rental home and discovers an anthropomorphic one-inch talking seashell named Marcel living with his grandmother and pet fluff of lint, who views the world through a child-like sense of wonder and matter-of-factness. After posting a short film about him online, Marcel achieves national attention and must cope with his newfound popularity, while trying to maintain a simple existence. Blending stop-motion and live-action within a unique mockumentary format, it's a gentle and sweet tale that manages to avoid feeling mawkish and doesn't outstay its welcome.

3½ 60 Minutes segments out of 5

Memoir of a Snail (2024)

A girl obsessed with snails lives in her own metaphorical shell, where she experiences a life filled with tragedy and pain. Like the rest of Adam Elliot's clay-animated stop-motion filmography, it's full of great humor and wit, but altogether harrowing and emotionally devastating. I respect the rich artistry of his craft (on full display here) so much, but his movies make me want to fucking kill myself. That's not intended as a criticism by any means; just that you need to have a stable mental state to prepare yourself.

3½ pity-pits out of 5

Harvie Krumpet (2003)

The life and times of one Harvek Milos Krumpetzki, a mentally challenged man plagued by a lifetime of bad luck (aka, life), whose outlook remains simple but optimistic. An early "clayography" by Adam Elliot, best known for Mary and Max. Despite the seemingly innocuous nature of its subject matter, the depressing realities of this one will have you reaching for your razors by the end of it.

4 fakts out of 5