It’s February, and the Oscars are just around the corner. This month’s selections feature one of the top contenders for best picture: Killers of the Flower Moon. Martin Scorsese’s latest is based upon a true and harrowing story, with performances that garnered well-earned nominations for Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro. Though the film has stiff competition, I won’t be surprised if Scorsese’s epic takes home the prize. The rest of this month’s selections include a hidden gem you may have missed this past year and a children’s classic that’s just as good as the day it came out in 2003.
True Detective: Night Country
2024, Dir. Issa López
Max – TV-MA – Drama/Mystery
If you’re looking for some gripping television, you’re in luck. True Detective: Night Country premiered on Max this past January. Set in rural Alaska, the story follows Chief Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Trooper Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) as they uncover a mysterious and disturbing case. Much like the first season of this anthology series, the latest installment grapples with spiritual questions that leave you questioning the reality of its characters. As Danvers and Navarro descend deeper into the mystery, you’ll find yourself hooked to this eerie, unsettling drama.
School of Rock
2003, Dir. Richard Linklater
Netflix – PG-13 – Comedy
This 2003 rock comedy has distinguished itself as a real masterpiece over the years. Written by Mike White (who went onto create smash hit The White Lotus), the movie follows musician Dewey Finn. Desperate for some rent money and kicked out of his band, Dewey poses as his roommate Ned Schneebly and takes on his substitute teaching gig. The rest is (rock) history. Jack Black gives a career-defining performance as Mr. Schneebly, and all the students in the musically gifted class are unforgettable as well. No matter how many times you’ve seen this movie, you’ll be rooting for the School of Rock to win the battle of the bands.
You Hurt My Feelings
2023, Dir. Nicole Holofcener
Hulu – R – Romantic Comedy
You Hurt My Feelings is an unsentimental yet surprisingly poignant romantic comedy. When writer Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) overhears her husband (Tobias Menzies) share that he doesn’t like her latest book, she is heartbroken. Though it may seem small, the revelation prompts a reckoning within their seemingly perfect marriage. Should you tell your partner everything, or is it best to leave some things unsaid? Nicole Holofcener’s movie explores this question and more with a sense of humor and a healthy dose of compassion.
Killers of the Flower Moon
2023, Dir. Martin Scorsese
Apple TV+ – R – Historical Drama
Martin Scorsese is one of the great filmmakers of our time, and his latest continues to solidify that status. The film is an adaptation of journalist David Grann’s nonfiction novel Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. Both the film and the original novel delve into the murders of Osage Nation tribal members, which occurred after the discovery of oil on the Osage Nation’s land. With many vying for the wealth that the Osage Nation was rightfully owed, inheritors of the oil headrights were targeted in a grim plot comprised of corruption and horrific betrayals. Lily Gladstone plays Mollie Burkhart, a woman hellbent on uncovering the truth no matter how painful. Gladstone makes the film, as she plays the role with a quiet yet steadfast tenacity. Though its runtime may be a little intimidating (the movie clocks in at a little under 3 and a half hours), you’ll find the story earns every minute.
