The Wasteland List: 35th Annual Philadelphia Film Festival Day 9
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 9
Boatbuilders (2026)
How much can you get out of building a boat for a documentary? Filmmaker Luke Lorentzen delivers quite a compelling documentary about boat building with the Maine-based Boatbuilders. You have a 56-foot boat that needs to be crafted. The team at Brooklin Boat Yard is up for the takes. The way the film captures their teamwork, their build model, and the tensions that arise are quite fascinating and compelling. There is plenty of dramatic tension along the way as they attempt to make this giant mission work. The film also navigates the disconnect between the rich, white-collar folks commissioning these boats and the hardworking, blue-collar types. Along with those thematic layers, Lorentzen delivers an engaging visual experience as well. You get to see all the little details of this boatbuilding process along with sharp visualizations that are crisp and impactful.
14th (2026)
Are you ready to get riled up thinking about the state of our country? Filmmaker Ava DuVernay follows up her previous constitutional documentary work with 14th, a detailed exploration of the five articles in this incredibly important and game-changing Amendment. This new Netflix documentary certainly has the weight and significance for a big-time documentary to make a splash. The actual execution of the film is quite uneven though. The beginning of the film is quite clunky as it treats the audience like children while overexplaining some common knowledge regarding American history. The film hits its gears with some engaging commentators and a well-structured and visualized breakdown of the Amendment and the systematic destruction of its efficacy by the Trump administration. There are some elements of the film that are incredibly frustrating though. Some of the commentators are blocked in framing in such strange and off-putting ways. Then you have the garish AI usage of bringing historic photos to life (for some apparent reason). 14th is a solid experience for a message that is incredibly important.
Coward (2026)
There’s plenty of room for war films with gay romance this fall movie season, right? Belgian director Lukas Dhont explores a World War I set war drama that focuses on the connection of two young men. The connection is palpable and there is quite a spark that Dhont crafts throughout the film. From a visual standpoint, Coward is a striking and intimate experience that is full of tension and texture. Cinematographer Frank van den Eeden delivers a visual experience that balances tenderness with intimacy. But this war film does not shy away from the darker edge and brutality of war. The narrative that Dhont crafted is a bit overly loose and lacking structure. There are also some elements of the film that could have been trimmed down which would have improved a flawed and flabby experience. The duo of Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne is the lasting spark that elevates the experience due to their powerful chemistry together.
Bitter Christmas (2026)
Does Pedro Almodovar have another winner up his sleeve? Bitter Christmas just might be one of the most metacontextual and personal experiences of Almodovar’s career. This drama works on multiple levels with a compelling framed narrative. You have a writer/director, Raul, who is attempting to craft the first film in the last five years of his career. But the lengths he takes to deliver the best script possible as it puts him at odds with his longtime confidant. Bitter Christmas explores the ethics of drawing artistic inspiration from real people. Raul’s script comes to life as filmmaker Elsa is navigating the grief of losing her mother while trying to save her relationship with her firefighter/stripper boyfriend, the marriage of her friend Patricia, and save the life of her friend Natalia who is in so much pain. The cast of the film is quite the ensemble of talents with Barbara Lennie leading the way with a compelling and layered turn as Elsa. Along with a strong cast and poignant themes, Almodovar recreates the striking visual palette that has made him so popular in the past. All the outfits are especially and will have space to experiment and explore.
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