The Zone of Interest
The Zone of Interest – Set during WWII in Germany, this film follows a high-ranking Nazi officer who not only oversees what’s going on at Auschwitz, he lives right next door to it, his backyard only separated by a high brick wall. His wife and children have garden parties and play in the pool as we hear trains arrive with more people at the concentration camp. Nazis bark out orders, screams are heard and gunshots ring out as selections are made, then dark smoke plumes out of the gas ovens, but the German family doesn't even seem to notice. A chillingly different view of the Holocaust, this is a film you won’t be able to forget. 106 minutes
Dumb Money — Led by Keith Gill (Paul Dano), a.k.a. Roaring Kitty, small-time investors put their money into GameStop, a stock that the experts predict will fail. Hedge fund managers like Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogen) bet billions that it will. But as more and more people follow Roaring Kitty and watch his portfolio climbs into millions of dollars, they follow, pushing the stock up. With incredible performances by all and a heart-stopping plot as the hedge fund managers push back, this is a must watch. Based on a true story. 104 minutes.
Four Daughters — Raising her four daughters on her own, and coming from a family of all girls, Tunisian mother Olfa Hamrouni has had to be tough in a country where women’s lives mean little. Her two eldest daughters — Ghofrane, 16, and Rahma, 15 — leave home in 2015 to join ISIL, which breaks the hearts of Olfa and her two youngest daughters, Eya, then 10 and Tayssir, then 12. An actress plays Olfa at times when recounting the story is too difficult, and two look-alike actresses play the older sisters in telling a story that shows the difficult position Arab women are placed in. 107 minutes
Seagrass — Judith (Ally Maki) and Steve (Luke Roberts) are the parents of two adorable young daughters (Nyha Breitkreuz and Remy Marthaller). The entire family goes on a retreat that offers couples counseling. It’s unclear what their problem is, but Judith is extremely cold to Luke and neglectful of their children, which leads the entire family to become unhappy and puts the children in danger. The performances are wonderful; the children play their roles beautifully and the cinematography frames the retreat in gorgeous tones. However, it's frustrating to watch play out as it becomes clear Judith is hell-bent on destroying her marriage and the emotional and physical well-being of her children. 115 minutes
Bloom — A woman (Jodi Balfour) buys a plant for her roommate/girlfriend, only to find out her lover has moved out without any advance notice. Suffering from heartbreak, the woman neglects the plant, only to find that her neglect affects not only the plant’s health, but her own. 10 minutes ~Alexandra Heilbron