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Welcome back to Worth the Watch!

There are few things that restore your faith in humanity as much as engaging in the arts with a lively audience does. I was reminded of this over the last 10 days, during the 52nd annual Seattle International Film Festival. Honestly, it’s my favorite time of the year to live in Seattle. Getting to watch unreleased movies early, chat with other cinephiles, and eat chocolate covered popcorn!? Yes please.

What better way to mourn the end of this year’s festival than by sharing with you the top five movies from SIFF that are absolutely worth watching. No spoilers, of course! Let’s get into it!

The Invite is the latest and strongest addition to a newish sub-genre of movies that I’ll call Comedies Unpacking the Fantasy and Fallout of Non-Monogamy. Like Splitsville and Follies, two of my favorites from recent years that expertly fall into the category.

This quick-witted chamber dramedy hilariously examines the resentments at the heart of many modern, sexless marriages. At SIFF, this film is in the “New American Cinema” category, and that really is the best way to think about it. It’s a classic story (based on the Spanish film The People Upstairs), retold through a fresh new lens that resonates with modern American audiences.

At the post-screening Q&A hosted by Wilde, we learned how much of the film was improvised on set. Norton invented Hawk's backstory on the day, which allowed for a genuine emotional reaction from Wilde that is caught on film, and Cruz insisted that her character sing Sade to Joe in that one scene.

To hear why the film is dedicated to Diane Keaton—and other tidbits about the film—watch our exclusive interview with director and star Olivia Wilde.

From the visionary mind of Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You), this bonkers sci-fi satire blends crime, dreamlike chase sequences, and commentary on the exploitation at the root of the fashion industry. Plus, a soul-sucking demon played by LaKeith Stanfield!

The top comment on the trailer reads: "Nice to see that someone remembers that colours exist!!!" I totally agree. Sometimes movies try hard to keep things grounded in reality when they would be better off doing the opposite. I Love Boosters leans into the surreal, which is why it’s so refreshing. It’s a filmmaker at the top of his game using the medium to its fullest potential—saturated set pieces, costumes that could walk a Paris runway, a soundtrack that rips, and live-action woven with stop motion animation in a way you rarely see.

It was a treat to watch this film at the historic Paramount Theater with director Boots Riley in attendance.

One of the sharpest, most thought-provoking modern explorations of religious conviction and the impact it can have on a family. Sundays takes a common story we’ve seen before—a family’s overbearing religious beliefs pushing a child away—and flips it on its head.

At the heart of the film is a question: How can you be certain that a religious conviction is a genuine message from God, and not something else? Especially if the person having the religious experience isn’t even an adult yet.

It’s clear that Ainara’s family is supportive of her exploration of her newfound religious curiosities, but the tension stems from the finality of her desire. Becoming a nun is a major life-changing decision. The vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience require immense sacrifice, particularly for Aniara, who lost her mother at a young age and has yet to experience many of the milestones that typically shape early adulthood, including romantic love.

From her family’s perspective, Aniara is vulnerable, and there’s still so much for her to experience before making a decision of that scale. From Aniara’s perspective, she loves God, she is genuinely happy with the sisters, and she is ready to make the commitment.

As someone who's gone on my own personal religious journey and seen how much my religious beliefs have shifted since I was 17, Sundays deeply resonated with me. The themes were explored with care and nuance, leaving me contemplating for days.

The film won five awards at the Goya Awards—Spain’s equivalent of the Oscars—including Best Film, Director, Actress, and Original Screenplay.

Many of the early reviews are calling this a “Coen-esque thriller”, an apt comparison given the film’s Midwest-inspired dark comedy and the crime plot, where each bad decision sends everything further off the rails.

Judy Greer is a beloved actress who has played supporting roles in some of the most legendary movies of the last two decades. But almost never is she the star. Heck, she wrote a whole book (I Don't Know What You Know Me From: My Life as a Co-Star) about it! Seeing her as the lead is what made Chili Finger such a breath of fresh air.

I would be remiss not to mention the hilarious dynamics between Bryan Cranston and John Goodman as two retired best friends. They truly made me laugh out loud.

The release date has not yet been announced, but the directors made it clear that the film will be hitting theaters very soon.

John Boorman had the opportunity of a lifetime to direct the highly-anticipated, big-budget sequel to The Exorcist. Unfortunately, it bombed so hard it almost ended his career.

—Mike Flanagan

Boorman and the Devil reshaped how I thought about The Heretic and recontextualized its importance in film history. Through thoughtful interviews from industry insiders, fellow directors, and Boorman himself, the doc highlights the importance of taking creative risks as a filmmaker, even when the nature of the industry makes failure the most likely outcome.

John Farrar went to film school, spent a few years as an editor, then accidentally built an audience online by sharing his passion for cinema. He covers film and TV for Pix Media, interviews the people behind some of your favorite shows and movies, and has never once successfully talked himself out of buying a movie ticket.

Currently watching: DTF St. Louis