By Jason Osiason

A Real Pain is an intimate, shattering exploration of personal and historical trauma, set against the solemn, powerful backdrop of a Holocaust tour. The film follows two cousins, played with remarkable depth by Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg, as they confront the unhealed scars in their family histories and unravel layers of grief that transcend generations. The narrative is both a journey and an unraveling, weaving a complex tapestry of shared memories, personal loss, and the heavy weight of history, offering a piercing reflection on what it means to heal in the face of an unrelenting past.

Culkin’s performance is nothing short of breathtaking—a masterclass in blending raw emotional depth with effortless charisma. He dives into his character with such intensity, moving seamlessly between the pain, chaos, and frailty beneath the surface. His portrayal of grief, wrapped in fragile intensity, is devastating yet unrestrained, making every interaction feel both charged and profoundly vulnerable. The way Culkin inhabits the role allows you to feel the weight of inherited trauma and the tenuous strength it takes to mend fractured relationships in the shadow of unimaginable suffering.

There’s a quiet power in the film’s incompleteness, in its ability to leave space for the unresolved, mirroring the painful, open-ended nature of true reconciliation. By focusing on memory and the often painful journey toward understanding, A Real Pain refuses to let go of the viewer, offering a profound emotional experience that lingers long after. With huge heart and emotional weight, Culkin delivers one of the defining performances of the year. This film, with Culkin at its core, doesn’t just tell a story; it makes you feel every heartbeat, every ache, and every fractured piece of connection, all against the crushing backdrop of shared history. [A-]

Between the Temples offers a richly textured Jewish American comedy that explores themes of grief and love through its sharply drawn characters, portrayed by Schwartzman and Kane. The film cleverly uses humor and discomfort to navigate the complexities of mourning and connection, setting much of its action around a tumultuous Shabbat dinner.

We love a great Jewish American discomfort comedy, and this film delivers with Schwartzman and Kane firing on all cylinders as two mourning souls finding solace in each other. Schwartzman plays Ben Gottlieb, a cantor who has lost his voice and faith after his wife’s death. His journey of self-discovery is catalyzed by Carla O’Connor, his former grade school music teacher and now an elderly Bat Mitzvah student, played with endearing charm by Kane. Their dynamic brings warmth and depth to the narrative, creating a poignant and humorous exploration of healing.

The blend of Jewish humor and the authentic portrayal of Jewish cultural practices makes the film both entertaining, from foreskin jokes to piercingly insightful moments. With characters like the doting yet overbearing mother, the meddling Rabbi Bruce, and the rabbi’s daughter Gabby, who adds complexity as Ben’s love interest, the film paints a rich tapestry of life’s absurdities and intimacies It’s a celebration of life captured with wit and sensitivity, highlighted by a memorable Shabbat dinner from hell. The authentic portrayal of Jewish culture and the exploration of personal grief through humor and discomfort make Between the Temples a compelling and heartwarming watch. [A-]

Presence sees Steven Soderbergh applying a fresh technical twist to the paranormal genre, telling a ghost story through the voyeuristic perspective of the ghost itself. The use of a handheld camera technique adds a layer of intimacy and immediacy, capturing the spectral and the mundane with equal effectiveness. The story centers on the Payne family, who move into a suburban home and are soon haunted by a presence. The domineering mother, Rebecca portrayed by Lucy Liu, and her husband Chris face their own struggles, while their teenage daughter Chloe, grieving her best friend’s death, senses the haunting first. The film slowly reveals the family’s unraveling as the presence’s influence grows.

Soderbergh proves again a master of his craft, making a simple yet effective technical change to the paranormal formula by telling a familial ghost story from the voyeuristic point of view of the spirit. The handheld camera is used so intelligently, it adds a sense of immediacy and intimacy that draws the audience into both the spectral and mundane aspects of the story.

The film resists conventional storytelling tropes, offering instead a nuanced look at familial relationships and the unseen forces that shape them. By focusing on the ghost’s perspective, Soderbergh creates a unique narrative that explores how these unseen forces affect the living, all while maintaining a gripping and eerie atmosphere. Presence is a testament to Soderbergh’s ability to reinvent filmic forms while delivering compelling and accessible narratives. His skill in resisting every conventional urge is evident, crafting a story that is both innovative and deeply human. [B+]

Didi is a poignant exploration of adolescence, a 2008-set coming of age that delves into themes of shame and self-discovery during a young Asian boy’s formative years. It is especially rich with cultural references from the era, such as AIM and MySpace, which enhance its authentic feel.

Director Sean Wang crafts a narrative that is both tender and insightful, capturing the complexities of growing up with a nuanced understanding of cultural identity and personal growth. Chris Wang, the young protagonist, navigates the summer before high school, dealing with friendships, family dynamics, and the struggles of fitting in. His interactions with his mother, sister, and friends provide a heartfelt look into the pressures and joys of adolescence.

This beautiful story, filled with meaningful and nostalgic references, poignantly delves into the aspect of shame during a young Asian boy’s adolescence, capturing this life stage in its most tender, complex, and awkward form. Sean Wang is set to be one of our next great humanist filmmakers! [B]

Will & Harper is a heartwarming documentary that chronicles the powerful friendship between legendary comedian Will Ferrell and SNL writer Harper Steele. The documentary captures their journey across various landscapes, filled with genuine laughs, heartbreak, and everything in between, creating an authentic portrayal that doesn’t feel staged for the camera. The genuine chemistry between Ferrell and Steele infuses the film with intimacy and authenticity, making it a profound exploration of friendship and identity.

At its core, Will & Harper shines with its sincere depiction of companionship and the transformative power of acceptance and love. As these two friends embark on a road trip to heal their personal traumas, they leave an intensely emotional and lasting impression. Remarkably, it exceeds expectations, delivering a depth and poignancy that will leave audiences unexpectedly moved, revealing that celebrities in their personal lives face the same personal struggles and human experiences as you and I. [B]