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SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE: A TEENAGE HOLY WAR plays like a mirror to a very specific moment in American pop-religious culture: the height of evangelical youth movements in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The second season of the docuseries, which began with an unflinching look at the Duggar family and the IBLP, now turns its attention to Teen Mania Ministries—once a towering presence in youth ministry and the force behind Acquire the Fire, one of the largest Christian stadium events in U.S. history.

FUTRA DAYS is one of those films that’s difficult to dismiss entirely, even if you’re checking your watch by the halfway point. Writer-director Ryan David builds an intriguing premise—a man given the chance to travel through time to preview the outcome of a potential relationship—and then slowly drains it of urgency by focusing less on the sci-fi elements and more on the glacial tension between its characters.

THE BEARDED GIRL may sound like the setup for something whimsical, but what it delivers instead is a stripped-down, emotionally honest coming-of-age story about the weight of legacy, the longing for normalcy, and the cost of pretending to be something you’re not—even if that something was working just fine for everyone else.

AJ GOES TO THE DOG PARK is the kind of film where you're either in on the joke or you're the punchline. And if you can’t laugh at a man dramatically reacting to the closure of a dog park like it’s a national emergency, this may not be your kind of weird. But for those who can appreciate a proudly clunky, oddball comedy stitched together with more heart than budget, it’s a strangely enjoyable ride through the surreal suburbs of suburban malaise.

Romantic comedies love to ask whether love conquers all, but GHOSTED flips the question: What if the thing standing in the way of love is you? Built on the very real frustrations of dating in the digital era, this indie rom-com makes space for humor, heartbreak, and self-discovery, without losing the charm that defines the genre. While the film embraces some familiar tropes, it balances them with a refreshing honesty and emotional payoff that sticks. Don’t get me wrong, this is a very British, very romcom film, but there’s something to it, there’s a heart beneath it all that’s hard to explain.

There’s a kind of horror that’s born not from monsters or ghosts, but from the absurdity of our obsessions. HEADCASE doesn’t just see that—it dives into it face first and comes back smiling. In just a handful of minutes, director Spencer Zimmerman delivers a viciously smart short that takes on influencer culture with the kind of unflinching creativity you don’t often see in projects about the world of false idols. It’s funny, unsettling, and bizarre in all the right ways—and the final act transforms the experience into something far bigger than its runtime suggests.

When a live performance DVD turns a first-time listener into a loyal follower, it’s not just good—it’s something special. That’s exactly what happened with THE BAND OF HEATHENS - LIVE AT ROCKPALAST 2009, a concert film that doesn’t just showcase musical talent—it makes a case for why this band should’ve been on your radar years ago. This 2009 set, now released on DVD/CD by MVD and Made In Germany Music, is more than just a blast from the past; it’s a lightning bolt of Americana that crackles with electricity.

MONSTER ISLAND isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel—it’s paying tribute to it. The latest Shudder original leans hard into the legacy of mid-century monster movies, echoing everything from CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON to ISLAND OF TERROR. But beneath its nostalgic overlay lies a modern sheen: slick cinematography, multifaceted performances, and a cultural lens that gives the familiar premise just enough of a twist to keep it interesting.

Kino Lorber’s 4K release of DANGER: DIABOLIK reminds us just how much style can accomplish when story takes a backseat. Originally released in 1968 and now restored with Dolby Vision and HDR from a 4K scan of the original negative, this chaos-fueled caper has only gained more swagger. It's a heady dose of Euro pulp sleaze, campy charm, and swinging ‘60s energy. You’re not here for realism—you're here for lasers, gas, vinyl jumpsuits, and a masked criminal who steals gold because he can.

THE WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL is a gentle but deeply moving story about unexpected connection, purpose, and the wildness we welcome into our lives when we least expect it. Director Judy Irving crafts an intimate portrait of Mark Bittner, a former street musician who, without trying, finds his calling among a flock of wild parrots living in San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill neighborhood.

SHANE is the Western that launched a thousand tropes—but resisted being trapped by any of them. George Stevens’ 1953 epic transcends shootouts and spurs; it's a sweeping, deeply human drama about violence, belonging, and the pain of exile masquerading as heroism. This was one of the films I watched on my journey through the book ‘1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die’ prior to completing the book, I wasn’t much of a fan of westerns, SHANE helped me to see that you can’t judge a genre by your expectations.

Paul Vecchiali’s ROSA LA ROSE, FILLE PUBLIQUE paints a portrait of life on the margins—romantic, theatrical, and unflinchingly real. Set in Paris in the 1980s, the film centers on Rosa, a sex worker who’s beloved in her corner of the city. She’s confident, joyful, and in control—until the fantasy she lives in begins to unravel after locking eyes with a stranger across a dance floor.

You think you know where it's going—until you don't. TRAVEL PLANS is the kind of short film that weaponizes brevity, using its compact runtime not to rush through a narrative but to unearth discomfort. It's about what’s said but what’s never spoken aloud. Marking the directorial debut of Zoey Sidwell, this film is sharp, quiet, and deeply unsettling in all the right ways.

There's a cold, detached rage simmering beneath the surface of THE BEAST TO DIE, a film that doesn't ask for sympathy but dares you to sit with discomfort. With its gritty 80s Tokyo setting, hypnotic anarchy, and a lead performance that lingers with you, this Japanese thriller has been restored for the first time in HD by Radiance Films—and the result is a time capsule of despair that feels alarmingly contemporary.

With its six-minute runtime and nonstop unapologetic chaos, LE TOUR DE CANADA doesn't just wink at stereotypes—it barrels straight through them on two wheels. This proudly weird and artistically stylized short from director John Hollands careens across Canada in a frenzy of rear projection, archival oddities, animated mayhem, bravado, and fish decapitation. And yes, it is every bit as strange—and strangely endearing—as that sounds.