FILMS from AFAR

Basque drama 20,000 Species of Bees (20.000 Especies de Abejas) marks the opening film of the Zinemira section at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, which kicks off today in the Basque city in northern Spain and runs through Sept. 30. Species was one of three finalists to represent Spain in this year’s International Oscar category. That came after the film won top prizes at the Spanish Film Festival of Málaga last spring and its star, Sofía Otero, took home the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at the Berlinale. Just 8 years old at the time, she was the youngest person ever to earn this honor. The distinction was deserved. Otero is the contemplative, curious, perceptive heart of this tremendous film, alongside Patricia López Arnaiz, who plays her mother Ane. Otero’s character, known alternately as Aitor, Coco and Lucía, feels instinctually that she was born in the wrong body. She is a girl, though she wasn’t born one. Unable to voice this clearly, she spends the waning days of summer surrounded by mostly female relatives in her mother’s Basque village trying to make sense of her truth. Read the full review on AWFJ.org. Images courtesy of B Team Pictures.

Few films manage to keep such a strong hold on your attention with so few spoken words. Chalk that up to a riveting performance by Kaitlyn Dever, on screen for the entirety of No One Will Save You, as well as to a tightly constructed story. Hints at Brynn's past, her social isolation, and her anxiety are sprinkled throughout the first act but not explained until the third. Alienated herself, living alone in a big farmhouse with remnants of those no longer with her, Brynn is the perfect victim in the right setting for a horror film. But she doesn't go without a fight, offering some heart-pounding hide-and-seek sequences. With the camera right up close on her face, and often just her eyes, Dever's Brynn goes through every emotion possible in the film's tense 93 minutes. The aliens aren't particularly scary or original in appearance until they start bending and folding into spider-like shapes, and Brynn manages to kill a few in inventive ways. To compensate for the lack of speaking, the film's impressive sound design and editing hones in on Brynn's heavy breathing and grunts, weird noises coming from the aliens, and contrasts between uneasy silence and acoustic jump-starts. Read the full review at Common Sense Media Images courtesy of Hulu

This moody biopic deserves attention, both for its award-worthy central performance by García Bernal and for its sensitive handling of a unique cultural tradition. García Bernal plays Cassandro with a subtlety and sincerity that contrasts poignantly with the theatrics of his "exótico" character in the wrestling ring. His touching devotion to his mother, his impossible love for a married man, his father's rejection, and his disparaged sexuality in a "macho" culture are all scripted, directed, and acted with great delicacy. The film tries to cover perhaps too much time, shrinking Cassandro's successful rise into montages, which short-shrift the uniqueness of his popularity. You walk away with more a feeling than an understanding (for that, a 2018 documentary on the celebrity can fill in the blanks). Viewers may be drawn to the film because of singer Bad Bunny's small role, but he's on-screen very little. The more memorable secondary characters are played by de la Rosa as his depressed mother and especially Castillo as his repressed lover. But the camera stays almost exclusively on García Bernal, who goes back and forth between a modest son still living with his mother and an increasingly confident and flamboyant stage persona. The intentionally dark lighting and melancholy instrumental theme suggest a darkness perhaps symbolic of the aspects of Saúl's life that must stay hidden or obscured. This works to underscore how different he feels (and is treated) as Cassandro, who swaggers to the ring accompanied by borderland-inspired disco tunes, and works the crowd for laughs with clownish choreography, stage make-up, and costumes -- all of which the production spectacularly recreates. Read the full review on Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Amazon Prime.

An entertaining behind-the-scenes look at a football player at the height of his career, this documentary benefits from its access and has enough human interest to appeal even to non-football fans. The key to Kelce is that it's the story of Jason Kelce as a son, brother, husband, and father, not just as the popular Eagles center. For that, director Don Argott was able to spend time with Kelce and his extended family. Sure, it's a flattering portrayal (you never know what's left on the editing room floor), but the access allows for insights like how he met his wife on Tinder and then fell asleep on their first date, or how he and his brother Travis's parents were effectively separated for years but continued living under the same roof to raise the boys. The camera is in the hotel room when Kelce returns home after his team's Super Bowl defeat. The 2022-23 season was a big one for Kelce: he considered retirement, helped bring his team to the Super Bowl (where he faced off against his brother's team), launched a popular podcast with his brother, and welcomed a new baby. The will-he-or-won't-he-retire set-up of the documentary won't pay off for anyone who follows Kelce's career (ironically, the less you know about Kelce and football in general, the more suspenseful this film will be). Either way, it's still interesting to see the emotion and reservations that went into his decision, especially knowing it's still coming down the pipeline. An especially unique scene shows him at a table with a group of retired Eagles players talking sincerely about the highlights and lowlights of retirement. Likewise, his tearful coming-to-terms in a final scene, admitting that the daily challenges of football provide the fire that "keeps you alive," holds lessons for us all. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Amazon Prime Video.

This charming romance seems to give a nod to rom coms of the 90s, like Notting Hill or Four Weddings and a Funeral, while remaining entirely contemporary. Love at First Sight also offers one of the more positive portrayals out there of intelligent and mature Gen Z college students. With a near permanent smile and wry delivery, Richardson (The White Lotus) is a delight as Hadley. Hardy (Bohemian Rhapsody) gives a gentle performance as a high-achieving math nerd but also a vulnerable and gentlemanly romantic interest. Stunning Jamil (The Good Place) strikes a comic tone as narrator and chameleonic fairy godmother in a role that could have come across as hokey or heavy-handed in less poised hands. Based on a popular YA novel, the story also benefits from its locations – JFK airport, a trans-Atlantic flight, and romantic locales in London. Not since Say Anything has there been such a tender fear-of-flying scene on an airplane. Another near-kiss moment by the lavatories is made additionally evocative by an acoustic version of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” accompanying it. There are a couple of plot twists that keep you guessing, though it’s pretty clear from the start that the two leads have found a soul mate, which only makes you root for them more. Director Caswill resists the temptation to make this a cat-and-mouse affair, allowing the star-crossed lovers to dig deeper than first attraction in a short amount of time. Images courtesy of Netflix.

Benefitting from a well-structured script and understated directing and acting, this film molds an expectedly flattering underdog tale while resisting the fawning romanticism of some biopics. Based on the subject's own autobiography, A Million Miles Away is obviously complimentary of its subject, cherry-picking, condensing, and glossing over life details. But it manages to avoid idealization or overt nostalgia. For example, when young Hernández starts playing with a cob of corn, he fashions it into a rocket, so the corn represents a future built out of a past, not a romanticization of migrant work or a Mexican homestead. The story briskly introduces its characters to get us to Hernández's adulthood, which is assembled into parts based on his father's "five ingredients for success." It wasn't a necessary structure, but -- much like the corn and a somewhat magical theme involving migrating butterflies -- it adds to the tale's tone and meaning. Peña embodies the future astronaut as a regular guy in a performance built around the idea of humility. His slightly pudgy and soft demeanor contributes, though it would seem he should have gotten stronger and thinner during his years of training. As his wife Adela, Salazar gives a memorably likable performance, and their relationship feels real in its tenderness. This telling wants to focus on how Hernández's unique success was built not just on his own tenacity but also on the sacrifices and support of those around him. A recurring visual theme shows groups of extended family members gathering around individuals, in celebration or in sadness, into hugging circles. The act and repeated image convey more about the significance of family and community than any dialogue could. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Amazon Prime Video.

An intentionally tear-jerking tale about a vivacious young woman's untimely terminal illness, this film finds its footing only once the illness is discovered. Before that, Sitting in Bars with Cake's first 25-ish minutes come across as a comedy without any real depth or purpose, just beautiful people having fun. The film has some other inconsistencies, like an underused star (Bette Midler) and secondary characters with no definition (are the ladies in the friend group even given names? In contrast, Livingston's fix-it dad, who can't fix his daughter, is a more meaningful presence). Cutting down on that first quarter could have shortened the film, allowing the latter half room to breathe rather than drag. Having said that, A'zion and especially Shahidi deliver skilled performances as the film's two leads. A'zion's Corinne reacts to her diagnosis the way many people might want to -- by marching forward and pretending everything's normal. This makes her occasional breakdowns more upsetting. A'zion captures and offers a couple of brutally honest lines about how it feels to be "a sick person," someone everyone feels bad for and whose job becomes accepting people's charity because it makes them feel better. Gorgeous Shahidi, who also executive produced the film, imbues Jane with a quiet but believable strength and wisdom. She's the real heart of the story. The film is inspired by real-life events (and a cookbook), but the characters and chronologies have been changed for maximum effect. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Amazon Prime Video.

Some 3,754 women and girls were murdered in Mexico last year alone, averaging out to around 10 women killed every day, according to Mexico’s National Public Security System. That’s in addition to the 1,000 to nearly 3,000 women and girls reported missing each year in the country, according to human rights organization IMDHD. It’s no wonder filmmakers in Mexico, particularly women, are taking up this topic through their art. Recent examples include Teodora Mihai’s La Civil and Tatiana Huezo’s Prayers for the Stolen (Noche de Fuego), both of which premiered at Cannes. Like these two films, Natalia López Gallardo’s 2022 Berlinale Silver Bear winner Robe of Gems (Manto de Gemas) turns on the efforts of women to protect their loved ones from pervasive violence around them. Full review available at AWFJ.org. Images courtesy of Santa Cine.

This investigative documentary details more than a century of alleged and documented mismanagement and sexual abuse that affected tens of thousands of boys and men. Scouts Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America is broken into segments that detail abuse, investigate the organization's response, consider the inadequacy of the ongoing legal handling of the situation, and allow survivors to talk about the long-lasting impact of childhood abuse on their lives. One of the main talking heads is Michael Johnson, former director of youth protection for the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and a key whistleblower about the organization's mishandling of rampant abuse. Director Knappenberger was smart to put Johnson, a stellar spokesperson who is both likable and believable, at the heart of his film. Many of the interviewees, all men except one, break into tears while talking to Knappenberger. Victims suggest that finally revealing what happened to them (and feeling not alone in it) is cathartic. The film smartly ends on that note, but the hour and a half before this is very tough, with graphic descriptions of physical abuse and emotional trauma, shocking cover-ups, and troubling connections to other public scandals. You hear the director's voice regularly, so he might have introduced himself and his motivation for undertaking this particular topic. One other minor critique -- the film often cuts to other images during interviews, including meaningful pictures of sources from the past, clipped news articles, and nighttime campsite footage that sets an eerie tone. But there are also frequent cuts to BSA buildings that start to feel repetitive. The many first-hand sources who stepped up to share their perspectives here were enough on their own, and the film deftly manages not to feel cloying or sensationalist. Considering the more than 82,000 alleged victims reported, theirs are only a small part of this story. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Netflix.

If the creators of this film had spent as much time developing their characters as planning the interactive features, it would have benefited the final product. As it stands, there's some novelty in making life decisions for a person, as you get to do in Choose Love. But it's hard to care much one way or the other for these one-dimensional characters. What's more, some of the decisions feel life-altering (which man to choose!) while others are downright meaningless (pose silly, serious, or sexy for a photo?). Marano does what she can with the role and continues to grow her screen presence as a leading lady. Her suitors are all handsome and pleasant, with Jogia especially playful as the rock star. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Netflix.

This 2015 film is a smooth, well-acted, and emotionally moving story. Brotherly Love shows how a cycle of poverty and violence (the characters' neighborhood is described as "at war") can sidetrack the lives of even the most promising young people. The film has earned comparisons to Boyz n the Hood. "The hood has a way of knocking you off your square," says one wise older character. Brotherly Love is about a specific place, but it functions as a character drama, with the real focus not on what happens on the streets but rather how it impacts individuals, families, and communities. Palmer's voiceover, set at the start to R&B in the background, creates an intimate tone for the story, putting the viewer there with her. Despite their surroundings, the teenage characters in the film still have a certain innocence about them -- they just want to live their lives, go to school, have crushes, explore their potential, and grow up. You want this for them, and the tension in the film comes from the fear that something will stop them, including their own actions. Palmer and Hill were great casting choices to embody the teen twins playing at being tough, having faced too much trauma for their age, but also still just kids. It would have been good to include more scenes of them training, to show the "hard work" they've both supposedly put into their talents. Hardrict portrays June as necessarily hardened -- he was a kid just yesterday, too -- but also vulnerable, with a conscience, and pinning his hopes on his talented brother to lift the whole family up. Gray's small role as the haggard mom is memorable. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Netflix.

Though fans of the prequel might appreciate the return of this oddball quartet, the sequel lacks the novelty or the unpredictable humor of its predecessor. Vacation Friends 2 isn't for those easily offended -- by its crass content or its lazy storytelling. The film tries to repeat the formula in a different setting, bringing in the new character of Kyla's dad (a smarmy Buscemi) and bringing along a favorite from the earlier film -- hotel host Maurilio (Gentefied's Santos, one of the best parts about the movie). Maurilio's presence doesn't make any sense, but then neither does much else here. There are some laughs to be had, and with more ingenuity, a third installment could get back to the unexpected charm of the concept's original characters. Otherwise, vacation elsewhere. Read the full review at Common Sense Media. Images courtesy of Hulu.