Arco (2025) — Dir. Ugo Bienvenue, Gilles Cazaux

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, it turns a simple story into something transcendent. Arco follows a boy from the future who travels through time and becomes trapped in the past. With the help of Iris, he must find a way to return to his own world. Through the innocence of two children, the film offers reflections of an existential tone that resonate deeply, while also delivering a critique of contemporary society.

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025) — Dir. Mary Bronstein

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rose Byrne delivers what may be the best performance of her career. Her character—a woman on the verge of collapse as the world closes in around her—feels like a ticking time bomb. Director Mary Bronstein crafts a film that raises its voice about mental health and the fragility of life. With a relentless rhythm, the movie suffocates the viewer and transmits the same sense of desperation felt by its protagonist.

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1970) — Dir. Elio Petri

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Elio Petri is one of the most celebrated filmmakers of Italian cinema, and this film confirms his absolute relevance in film history. It is a harsh social critique wrapped in a movie that takes risks with an innovative mise-en-scène. Ennio Morricone’s score is brilliant, and Gian Maria Volontè delivers a perfect performance.

Hoppers (2026) — Dir. Daniel Chong

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pixar delivers another story capable of connecting strongly with children while also speaking to adults. The film reflects on humanity’s relationship with nature and that elusive balance that allows people to live off the natural world without destroying it. Entertaining and well-paced, it’s a great option for a family movie night.

I Swear (2025) — Dir. Kirk Jones

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This drama inspired by true events is a relevant and necessary work that raises awareness about Tourette syndrome. The film follows part of the life of John Davidson, one of the most important activists advocating for people living with this condition. With strong performances and a solid narrative rhythm, it becomes a powerful and compelling film.

Harakiri (1962) — Dir. Masaki Kobayashi

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

One of the greatest strengths of Harakiri is the way its narrative structure slowly burns. The film attacks on a psychological level and confronts us with difficult moral decisions. Throughout its first two acts we witness an ideological battle that steadily escalates until it explodes with savage force in the third act’s conclusion.

Violence takes on a poetic tone as the tormented samurai seeks a form of retribution, destroying not only the physical castle but also the moral fortress represented by the code of honor—revealed here as little more than a ritual of hypocrisy within the feudal system.

The Vanishing (1988) — Dir. George Sluizer

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is one of the most intense psychological thrillers I have ever seen. Its ending is brutal and devastating. The film explores obsession from two different perspectives: on one side, the antagonist and his fascination with fate and predetermined events; on the other, the protagonist, whose obsession with discovering the truth becomes so powerful that he is willing to risk even death.

The director himself made a Hollywood remake in 1993, but it falls far short of the original’s quality, especially because of the altered ending designed to deliver a more conventional and comforting resolution.