A look at the best films to get excited about right now.
Moss
You might have recognised the face (and bod) of Mitchell Slaggert swaggering down the catwalk for Moschino last month. He’s also fronted campaigns for Calvin Klein underwear and Versace (casual), so he might be the last person in the world you’d expect to see brooding away in an artsy indie flick, but there you go. Scouted for the role by casting/film director Daniel Peddle, Mitchell plays a young man living on the fringes of a small town in America, dealing with the death of his mother and a fraught relationship with his father. Moody and atmospheric – languid views for a lazy day.
Moss came out on 6 July
Skate Kitchen
There’s been no shortage recently of stellar young actors (The Florida Project, Moonlight to name a few), and Skate Kitchen welcomes yet another brood of ever-charismatic, energetic teens to our screens. The best part? The cast are a real all-girl skate collective (of the titular name) based in New York. The film follows Skate Kitchen founding member Rachelle Vinberg who stars as the lead Camille, an introverted teen whose life changes when she befriends a group of skateboarders.
Skate Kitchen will be released on 10 August
Night Comes On
Winner of this year’s Sundance Next Innovator Prize, Jordan Spiro’s drama follows a teen, who upon being released from juvenile detention, sets out with her 10-year-old sister to avenge their mother’s death. Delicately crafted through a strong female gaze, and with disarming performances and a poignant look at the US foster system, this is one to clamp your eyes on, pronto.
Night Comes On will be released on 3 August
The Favourite
Duck-racing, orange pelting and a “mad” queen. Yorgos Lanthimos has previously helmed brilliantly strange flicks such as The Lobster and The Killing Of A Sacred Deer, so it’s always a bit of a gamble of utter weirdness when sitting down for one of his features. Starring Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult and Joe Alwyn, the film will be the director’s unique spin on the secret relationship between Queen Anne and her advisor Sarah Churchill. It may be history, but expect the unexpected.
The Favourite will be released 1 January
What Will People Say
By all appearances, Nisha is a regular 16-year-old living in Norway. But the Pakistani teen is kidnapped and sent back to Islamabad when she goes against her family’s traditions. Partly inspired by the experiences of second-time director Iram Haq, the film looks at community, family and culture with an empathetic eye. Big moves from up-and-comer Maria Mozhdah (Misha).