The Wasteland List: 35th Annual Philadelphia Film Festival Day 3
How often do you sit there thinking about what to watch? You might have an endless watchlist that keeps piling up (I certainly have one myself). Sometimes you are just in the mood for a type of film or a certain filmmaker or actor and want to take yourself into a deep dive. As someone who watches so many movies, I have people asking me for recommendations all the time. One of the best feelings as a cinephile is recommending a film and that person loves it. Take this wealth of cinematic knowledge and experience and enjoy some recommendations on me. Genre. Subgenre. Filmmaker. Actor. Composer. Writer. Genre. Story. Trope. Cliché. Any other cinematic elements or them. Here is The Wasteland List:
35th Annual Philadelphia Film Festival Day 3
Iron Boy (2026)
How much trouble can a lack of balance cause? That is the core to Iron Boy, a new French animated film by director Louis Clichy. The animation is a gorgeous, hand-drawn style that boasts plenty of personality (colorful and textured for sure). From a clever and hilarious opening scene involving school photos, we understand the ever-present challenge of balance that our protagonist must face. Clichy balances effective humor with poignant emotion in this beautiful coming-of-age story. There are layers to Cristophe’s journey with his orthopedic brace on to straighten his posture. The strongest element is the evolving dynamic between him and his overbearing father (a father-son tale with plenty of depth). The story deepens with the potential of Cristophe’s family losing their farm as well. Inject a little bit of young romance with a charming and roguish girl and you have yourself a layered, affecting cinematic experience that will hopefully get animation awards consideration.
Big Phan (2026)
Who is the greatest mascot in the history of sports? No debate…it is the Philly Phanatic. This strange bird creature from the Galapagos Islands and the experiments of Charles Darwin (you heard that right!) is one of the most recognizable and beloved figures in all Philadelphia sports. Director Hoag Kepner did not have a ton of funds to create this documentary (and you can tell at times) and there is a safe structure to the storytelling but that is quickly forgotten when the vibes and joy of this experience wash over you. This might seem strange but one of the funniest films this year is a documentary (and we aren’t even talking about Nathan Fielder’s You Can See Everything). The magnetic personas and comedic genius of David Raymond (the original Phanatic) and Tom Burgoyne (the Phanatic for the last 30 years) are undeniable. The archival footage of classic Phanatic shenanigans, the anecdotes told so playfully by Raymond and Burgoyne, and some electric personalities in the commentary crews and you have plenty of hilarity along the way. The likes of Phillies’ Legends John Kruk and Jimmy Rollins just might be funniest. Informative, moving, and at times thematically heavy, Big Phan is a wonderful documentary experience for all the Philly sports fans, general sports fans, or just anyone looking for a good story.
All of a Sudden (2026)
Does Ryusuke Hamaguchi deliver again with his three-hour sixteen-minute drama? All of a Sudden is an impressive feat of filmmaking with an epic runtime and deeply intimate story. A tale of two women (Virginie Efira’s Marie-Lou and Tao Okamoto’s Mari) who meet by chance and develop a connection that is undeniable. A story of a powerful friendship (or maybe more…that is certainly left in the air to sometimes frustrating measures) that brings two women stuck in their own situations. Marie-Lou’s story is more plot-driven and the thematic core of the film as she runs a nursing home where she is attempting to transition to a more human-focused approach to much pushback by the nurses and the financial backers. Mari is a creative genius whose life is coming to a near sudden end due to terminal cancer. One fateful night shows a compelling and engrossing dynamic growing between them and Hamaguchi injects plenty of thematic elements naturally intertwined in the dialogue. The two performances from Efira and Okamoto are beautiful, rich, and powerful as they both deliver some intense humanity to the film and their chemistry together is so magnetic that the 196 minutes of runtime move by so elegantly. Beautifully shot (the rich colors and precise blocking for sure), Hamaguchi found a profound film that earns most of that runtime (ever engaging but not always necessary).
La Bola Negra (2026)
Is La Bola Negra that big queer cinematic epic that cinema has been waiting for? This epic film spans three timelines (and one flashback) that paints a striking mosaic of homosexuality throughout Spanish culture and time. Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo deliver a cinematic experience that has the scale of classic awards darlings like Ben-Hur and The English Patient. The cinematography is bold in the way it captures the big danger and desolation of war while finding the intimate moments between characters that are pregnant with emotion. The score is downright powerful, and the music is leveraged to impressive levels as plenty of emotions are conveyed through this towering film. Don’t all three threads feel equally compelling, with the present day one taking long to find its footing and significance, but the sum of these parts makes for a sprawling tale. The thematic work is rich and powerful as this film will make you process the century long struggle. The leads each bring emotion and humanity to their roles which anchors the film. Penelope Cruz also shows up and tears the house down with her elegance and sexual magnetism. One of the boldest and grandest of films out of the festival, this just might get plenty of attention this awards season.
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