Review 105min Genre:       Drama, Fantasy, Romance Director:     Andrew Haigh Cast:         Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Claire Foy…and more Writers:     Andrew Haigh and Taichi Yamada -Synopsis- A lonely gay screenwriter begins to develop a bond with an enigmatic neighbour in London while some visits back to his childhood home spark an unexpected reunion with his long-deceased parents, […]

Review 126min Genre:       Drama, Thriller Director:     Hirokazu Kore-eda Cast:         Soya Kurokawa, Sakura Ando, Eita Nagayama…and more Writers:     Yûji Sakamoto -Synopsis- A young Japanese boy’s single mother takes matters into her own hands when his behaviour takes a turn towards the odd and disturbing and she suspects his school life to be the cause, as she […]

Review 151min Genre:       Drama Director:     Steven Spielberg Cast:         Gabriel LaBelle, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano…and more Writers:     Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner -Synopsis- In post war suburban America, a boy with big dreams is beguiled by the magic of the pictures and nurtured by his free-spirited mother to become a storyteller himself, as he […]

Review 98min Genre:       Comedy, Drama Director:     Kenneth Branagh Cast:         Jude Hill, Caitriona Balfe, Jamie Dornan…and more Writers:     Kenneth Branagh -Synopsis- The political tumult, social and cultural change of late 1960’s Britain and Northern Ireland is seen through the eyes of a young boy and his working-class family, as the joy, pain and innocence of […]

Review 115min Genre:       Drama Director:     Lee Isaac Chung Cast:         Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Alan S. Kim…and more Writers:     Lee Isaac Chung -Synopsis- In 1980s rural Arkansas, a young Korean immigrant family toils to make a living in their isolated farmstead and carve out their place in a strange land, while the young son and daughter […]

Review 115min Genre:     Action, Adventure, Family, Fantasy Director:   Niki Caro Cast:       Yifei Liu, Li Gong, Donnie Yen…and more Writers:   Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Elizabeth Martin… and more -Synopsis- Determined to prove her worth in traditional dynastic China, a young woman disguises herself as a boy to take her ailing father’s place when the Emperor’s […]

Review 118min Genre:        Comedy, Drama, Romance Director:      Shannon Murphy Cast:          Eliza Scanlen, Toby Wallace, Ben Mendelsohn…and more Writers:      Rita Kalnejais -Synopsis- The quiet but complex lives of a suburban Australian couple are thrown into turmoil when their cancer-stricken teenage daughter develops a relationship with a local petty criminal and addict, as cracks in the […]

Review 136min Genre:       Comedy, Drama Director:     Judd Apatow Cast:         Pete Davidson, Marisa Tomei, Bill Burr…and more Writers:     Judd Apatow, Pete Davidson and Dave Sirus -Synopsis- Still haunted by the childhood passing of his firefighter hero dad, a twentysomething Staten Islander with no direction and little motivation struggles with the transition into adulthood, living with his […]

Review 134min Genre:       Drama, Romance Director:    Greta Gerwig Cast:         Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson…and more Writers:     Greta Gerwig and Louisa May Alcott -Synopsis- In post civil war Massachusetts, a quartet of different but very close teenage sisters deal with the romantic and emotional growing pains of coming-of-age in their own disparate ways, balancing their […]

Review 102min Genre:       Drama, Thriller, War Director:    Alejandro Landes Cast:         Sofia Buenaventura, Moises Arias, Julianne Nicholson…more Writers:     Alejandro Landes and Alexis Dos Santos -Synopsis- In the remote mountains and jungles of Latin America, a small close-knit colony of armed, ritualistic young commandos lives wild and trains intensely while waiting for orders. But when a hostage […]

Review 169min Genre:       Horror, Thriller Director:    Andy Muschietti Cast:         Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Skarsgård…and more Writers:     Gary Dauberman and Stephen King -Synopsis- Twenty-seven years after escaping the claws of a murderous clown-like demon, tragedy and a fateful call reunites the ‘Losers Club’ in Derry to take a final stand against a resurgent Pennywise and […]

Review 89min Genre:       Comedy Director:    Gene Stupnitsky Cast:         Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, Brady Noon…and more Writers:     Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky -Synopsis- On a quest to replace a broken drone and get to an epic kissing party, a trio of twelve-year-old misfit friends embark on an epic foul-mouthed suburban American journey that’ll turn them […]

Review 117min Genre:     Comedy, Drama, Music Director:  Gurinder Chadha Cast:       Viveik Kalra, Kulvinder Ghir, Nell Williams…and more Writers:   Paul Mayeda Berges, Gurinder Chadha and Sarfraz Manzoor -Synopsis- Struggling to fit in and find his voice in Thatcher’s austere late 1980s Britain, a British-Pakistani teen discovers a melodic beacon of hope to guide him through his […]

Review 102min Genre:       Comedy Director:    Olivia Wilde Cast:         Beanie Feldstein, Kaitlyn Dever, Skyler Gisondo…and more Writers:     Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins… and more -Synopsis- Headed to college after surviving the high school meat-grinder, a couple of academically focused and awkward best friends—determined to have fun and prove they’re more than just brains and conformity—embark […]

Review 114min Genre:       Drama, Music Director:    Brady Corbet Cast:         Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Raffey Cassidy…and more Writers:     Brady Corbet -Synopsis- Formed by tragedy and coming-of-age in extreme circumstances, a New York teenager’s unconventional rise to stardom sees her propelled to the ranks of pop superstar at the turn of this century, as she struggles to […]

Review 93min Genre:       Comedy, Drama Director:    Bo Burnham Cast:         Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton, Luke Prael…and more Writers:     Bo Burnham -Synopsis- On the cusp of full teendom but struggling to get over the line, an outwardly shy and awkward solitary fourteen-year-old toils with the distinct 21st century struggles and timeless tribulations of early adolescence, as she […]

Review 85min Genre:       Drama Director:    Jonah Hill Cast:         Sunny Suljic, Na-kel Smith, Lucas Hedges…and more Writer:      Jonah Hill -Synopsis- It ain’t easy to figure out who you are or want to be at thirteen, but for L.A. teen ‘Stevie’ life is about to get eventful in his mid 90s summer, as he balances a troubled […]

Review 124min Genre:     Comic-book, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Director:  David F. Sandberg Cast:       Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Mark Strong…and more Writers:   Henry Gayden, Darren Lemke, Bill Parker… and more -Synopsis- In and out of foster homes and placed with a quirky new family, a street-smart teenage loner is chosen by an ancient wizard to become […]

Review 108min Genre:     Crime, Drama, Thriller Director:  Sam Levinson Cast:       Odessa Young, Hari Nef, Suki Waterhouse…and more Writer:    Sam Levinson -Synopsis- When modern technology and a voyeuristic culture conspire to destroy the last semblance of privacy in American suburbia, the residents of Salem lose their minds and unleash pure unadulterated mayhem, as a quartet of […]

Review 97min Genre:     Comedy, Drama, Music Director:  Brett Haley Cast:       Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Toni Collette…and more Writers:   Brett Haley and Marc Basch -Synopsis- In a bid to connect with his teenage daughter before she leaves for college, a quirky music-loving widower convinces his girl to finally give their two-piece experimental band a chance, in […]

Review 94min Genre:       Comedy, Drama Director:    Greta Gerwig Cast:         Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts…and more Writer:      Greta Gerwig -Synopsis- The story of a spirited and irrepressible California high school senior, with East coast dreams beyond her station and a strained relationship with her loving but frustrating parents, in this quirky coming-of-age dramedy from indie […]

Review 132min Genre:       Drama, Romance Director:    Luca Guadagnino Cast:         Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg…more Writers:     James Ivory and Andre Aciman -Synopsis- During a 1980s summer in small-town northern Italy, a teenager forms a fraternal relationship with an American grad student and researcher who’s come to stay with his family of academics—but this seasonal bond […]

Review 122min Genre:       Crime, Drama, Romance Directors:   Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza Cast:         Julia Jedlikowska, Gaetano Fernandez, Sabine Timoteo…more Writers:     Fabio Grassadonia, Antonio Piazza, Marco Mancassola -Synopsis- In picturesque rural Northern Sicily, a teenage boy and son of a local Mafia boss-turned-stool pigeon mysteriously disappears, only for his determined young girlfriend to defy the indifference […]

Review 105min Genre:       Drama, Romance Director:    Léa Mysius Cast:         Noée Abita, Juan Cano, Laure Calamy…and more Writers:     Léa Mysius and Paul Guilhaume -Synopsis- When 13-year-old loner ‘Ava’ is hit with the prospect of the impending loss of her eyesight while on a French beachside vacation with her family, the spirited teen decides to accelerate her […]

Review 121min Genre:       Adventure, Drama Director:    Andrew Haigh Cast:         Charlie Plummer, Steve Buscemi, Travis Fimmel…and more Writers:     Andrew Haigh and Willy Vlautin -Synopsis- Teenager ‘Charley Thompson’ is used to living a nomadic life, moving from town-to-town in the Pacific Northwest with his grifter dad, with their latest move giving him the chance to work the […]

Review 97min Genre:       Comedy, Drama Director:    Dave McCary Cast:         Kyle Mooney, Mark Hamill, Ryan Simpkins…and more Writers:     Kyle Mooney and Kevin Costello… and more -Synopsis- James’s life is pretty simple, having grown up in isolation and cultivated an obsession with his beloved kid’s TV show and its star ‘Brigsby Bear’. But when the dark truth […]

Review 135min Genre:       Drama, Horror, Thriller Director:    Andy Muschietti Cast:         Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard…and more Writers:     Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga, Stephen King… and more -Synopsis- When the children of Derry Maine start to mysteriously disappear, a group of 80s teenage outcasts are terrorised and hunted by a supernatural sinister being who takes the […]

In an ongoing effort to help aspiring filmmakers and promote independent films, particularly those struggling with distribution and releases, we periodically feature films in our ‘Indie Spotlight’ series for your consideration. Moon Dogs (2017) 93min Genre:     Comedy, Drama, Music Director:  Philip John Cast:       Jack Parry-Jones, Christy O’Donnell, Tara Lee…and more Writers:   Derek Boyle and Raymond […]

Review 93min Genre:       Drama Director:    Sofia Coppola Cast:         Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst…and more Writers:     Thomas Cullinan, Sofia Coppola, Albert Maltz… and more -Synopsis- When the ladies & girls of an isolated all-female boarding school in the American South take in and care for an injured enemy Union soldier during the American civil war, […]

Review 99min Genre:     Drama, Horror Director:  Julia Ducournau Cast:       Garance Marillier, Ella Rumpf, Rabah Nait Oufella…and more Writer:    Julia Ducournau -Synopsis- A young, French vegetarian veterinary student undergoes an extreme transformation after her formative and alarming college experiences, unleashing disturbing carnal proclivities and a dark penchant for flesh in this stylistic and provocative indie directorial […]

Review 111min Genre:       Drama Director:    Barry Jenkins Cast:         Mahershala Ali, Trevante Rhodes, Naomie Harris…and more Writers:     Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney -Synopsis- Barry Jenkins writes and directs a chronicle of the life of a young gay black man in modern America, as he struggles to come to terms with his sexuality and a rough […]

Review 103min Genre:      Family, Animation, Adventure, Musical Director:   Ron Clements, Don Hall, John Musker… and more Cast:        Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Temuera Morrison…more Writers:    Jared Bush, Ron Clements, Don Hall… and more -Synopsis- Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and newcomer Auli’i Cravalho star in Disney’s animated Polynesian adventure following the exploits of a bold precocious teenager […]

Review 110min Genre:       Drama, Romance Director:    James Schamus Cast:         Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon, Tracy Letts…and more Writer:      Philip Roth and James Schamus -Synopsis- An American 1950s period drama adaptation of the Philip Roth novel set during the Korean War; following a Jewish teenager and his existential struggles with the world around him and the consequences […]

110min Genre:      Drama Director:   Mijke de Jong Cast:        Nora El Koussour, Ilias Addab…and more Writers:    Jan Eilander and Mijke de Jong -Synopsis- Living in modern-day Amsterdam, “Layla” is a smart and stubborn but angry and resentful Dutch-born Muslim teenager, whose devotion to Islam puts her on a path towards radicalisation; only for her ideals to […]

163min Genre:       Drama Director:    Andrea Arnold Cast:         Sasha Lane, Shia LaBeouf, Riley Keough…and more Writer:      Andrea Arnold -Synopsis- 18-year-old Southern girl “Star” seems destined for a life of struggle in the poverty-stricken American heartland, when a chance encounter turns into a new life on the road with a ragtag group of youngsters, becoming the newest […]

Review 103min Genre:      Animation, Drama, Family, Mystery Director:   Hiromasa Yonebayashi Cast:        Sara Takatsuki, Kasumi Arimura, Susumu Terajima…and more Writers:    Joan G. Robinson, Keiko Niwa, Masashi Ando… and more -Synopsis- A demure, socially anxious and emotionally detached teenage girl is sent on a Japanese countryside stay with relatives by her adoptive mother; only to be drawn […]

Review 106min Genre:       Comedy, Drama, Music, Romance Director:    John Carney Cast:         Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Jack Reynor, Lucy Boynton…and more Writer:      John Carney -Synopsis- In 1980s recession-hit Ireland, a teenager rebels against society’s norms and escapes family strife by forming a “New-Romantic” band to impress a girl in an 80s coming-of-age musical comedy from the director of […]

Review 117min Genre:      Comedy Director:   Richard Linklater Cast:        Blake Jenner, Glen Powell, Zoey Deutch…and more Writer:     Richard Linklater -Synopsis- Writer/director Richard Linklater gives the early 1980s American college experience his ‘Dazed and Confused’ treatment in this free-spirited coming-of-age college comedy, following the fortunes of baseball-playing frat boys as they navigate the perilous waters of college […]

In an ongoing effort to help aspiring filmmakers and promote independent films, particularly those struggling with distribution and releases, we periodically feature films in our “Indie Spotlight” series for your consideration. Ping Pong Summer (2014) (English Language) 82min Genre:     Comedy Director:  Michael Tully Cast:       Marcello Conte, Judah Friedlander, Susan Sarandon…and more Writer:    Michael Tully -Synopsis- […]

Review 103min Genre:      Comedy, Drama Director:   Rick Famuyiwa Cast:        Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons…and more Writer:      Rick Famuyiwa A trio of high-school geeks trying to survive on the streets and “hoods” of southern Los Angeles get caught in a web of drug and gang activity after a chance encounter at a party, as they […]

Review 90min Genre:      Documentary, Drama, Fact-based Director:   Crystal Moselle Cast:        Bhagavan Angulo, Govinda Angulo, Jagadisa Angulo…more Country:   USA Documentary recounting the remarkable story of the Angulo brothers, a large group of teenage siblings who use their obsession with movies to connect to the outside world after being confined to a small New York apartment for […]

166min Genre:    Drama Director: Richard Linklater Cast:      Ellar Coltrane, Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette…and more Writers:  Richard Linklater Writer/Director Richard Linklater (Before Sunrise, School of Rock) brings us an ultra-realistic coming of age drama following a 6 year-old boy over a 12 year period and showing the trials and tribulations of a seemingly typical 21st century American […]