The Wasteland List: 35th Annual Philadelphia Film Festival Day 4
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 4
Viva Carmen! (2026)
Are audiences ready for yet another rendition of Georges Bizet’s classic opera? Carmen is a beloved show and director Sebastien Laudenbach repurposes it and replants it in a fresh setting. The first thing you will notice is the gorgeous animation. This unique approach leverages sketched drawings with rich and gorgeous colors with a painted atmosphere. Viva Carmen focuses on two young people (a 13-year-old Salva and 20-year-old Carmen) as they navigate a looming sense of death over our titular character. A band of street misfits are the focus in this version of the story which is loose and a bit clunky. The revitalized music, the gorgeous animation, and a strong group of voice performers make this fresh take come to life so vividly on the big screen.
Tender Loving Care (2026)
What does legendary filmmaker Mike Leigh have up his sleeve for his big swan song? Yet again, Leigh crafts a naturalistic and deeply human story that hits all the right notes. This is a film about aging and the weighty effects on family. It is also a film about civil servants who are beaten down every day despite just trying to help society. Tender Loving Care is anchored by a quartet of characters who all come to life so vividly and authentically on screen. Kate O’Flynn is Amy who has been dropped by her partner of five years and moves back in with her best friend, Alice Bailey Johnson’s Rosie. There are a pair of quirky ladies who are both lovely and quite hilarious. Their chemistry is electric, making for a genuinely funny experience. But through the struggles of Amy’s parents (portrayed by Marion Bailey and Paul Jesson), the film takes a weightier turn with dementia slowly degrading one of these loving partners. The film is deep and rich in themes but is also a film that delivers a large amount of laughs and tears. The filmmaking is refined, which is just the lovely cherry on top of this beautifully charming film.
Fjord (2026)
Does Cristian Mungia continue to challenge audiences with his latest effort Fjord? Mungia has outdone himself with his most challenging and ambiguous film to date. Fjord does not make a single second of its two-and-a-half-hour runtime easy. The filmmaking is crisp, dynamic, and subtle. Mungia is not interested in flash as he creates a wholly engrossing and stark experience. The stark and haunting Norwegian landscape makes for a cold and imposing setting for this drama. The film highlights a variety of conflicts with the anti-religious sentiments of Northern Europe taking center stage as well as anti-immigrant sentiments. On the surface, this seems to be a pro-religious experience with a clear hatred for the government. But the subtly allows plenty of layers to reveal themselves along the way. The strictly religious and detached father is not portrayed to be a hero or good man. There is a clear fear by Sebastian Stan’s character of how the exterior forces in Norway (including the neighbor girl who deeply loves his daughter) are causing a “bad influence” on his children. Stan and Renate Reinsve are both incredible with their subtly affecting performances. This is a film that will deeply frustrate you and will get a rise out of you (in the most purposeful and impactful way). Mungia threads in so many layers and ideas into this drama which makes for an incredibly rich and haunting experience. Fjord is just as worthwhile as it is challenging.
Behemoth! (2026)
Who doesn’t love the art of film scoring? Tony Gilroy delivers one of the most creative and charming films for the awards season. Pedro Pascal portrays Alex Serian, who is an extremely talented and flawed musician who comes from a third-generation musical artist. His whole family performed on film scores or created them and Alex finds himself back in Los Angeles to do the same as his mother is dying. But this is just the tip of the iceberg in Gilroy’s film. There might be elements that feel a little overly unbelievable, but the narrative is filled with conflict, drama, and passion. The use of score is impressive as the action of the film is intercut with Alex’s film orchestra performing impressive film scores (composed by a team of nine composers including some of the best working today). Pascal delivers one of the best performances of his career with plenty of charm and emotion. Where the story takes Alex allows for plenty of drama as well as hilarious moments. There are plenty of laughs along the way but also thrills and tears. The supporting cast is stacked with memorable turns by Eva Victor, Will Arnett, Olivia Wilde, Hank Azaria, and more. The film is mysterious regarding its purpose and when it finally reveals itself, there is so much emotional catharsis that you will be remembering this engrossing experience for a long time to come.
Josephine (2026)
What would witnessing a rape do to a second-grade girl? That is the harrowing basis for Beth de Araujo’s new thriller. Josephine tells the story of Mason Reeves titular young girl who witnesses a brutal rape in the woods and must process this horrible experience while attempting to be a witness in court. De Araujo takes a bold visual approach by delivering many moments in the film from the POV of young Josephine. The act is presented in such a disconcerting and visceral manner. The intimate and engrossing presentation of the film makes the experience feel so much more intense and unnerving. The choice to have the rapist appear randomly in Josephine’s personal space delivers plenty of horrifying and unnerving moments throughout the film. Reeves delivers such a powerful and dynamic performance for a child actor. Channing Tatum delivers arguably the best performance of his career. At times intense, vulnerable, loving, and terrifying, Tatum delivers powerful range. Gemma Chan delivers quite a powerful turn as well. This is going to be a film that will shake you to the core with such a biting commentary on how society navigates rape and gender dynamics.
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