In my quest to reach an undesirable level of cinema pretentiousness, I chose to buy seven tickets to the Virginia Film Festival, totaling around $135. Some people have asked me, “Sam, why are you spending so much money on movies? Don’t you have anything better to do?” My answer is a resounding no.
After school on Thursday, I rushed to my car to drive to UVA’s Culbreth Theater, eager to see “No Other Choice,” the latest from auteur Park Chan-Wook, director of masterpieces like “Oldboy” and “The Handmaiden.” The theater was sold out, and I found myself stuck between two young cinephiles doomscrolling Letterboxd while older patrons of the arts found their seats. “No Other Choice” tells the story of a man who loses his job, and in the process, loses his morals and sanity, taking control of the workforce with direct action. Park’s clever satire criticizes capitalism and the way it pits people against each other, and it’s coupled with a stellar performance by Lee Byung-hun. While not as violent as his previous works, “No Other Choice” goes to some dark places, cementing itself as one of the year’s most entertaining films, while containing deep commentary on modern issues. 5/5
I walked back into the Culbreth the next day to catch my most anticipated movie of the year. “Sentimental Value,” Joachim Trier’s follow up to the stellar “The Worst Person in the World,” follows a family as they unpack the intergenerational trauma that exists at their house. Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgard deliver career best performances, carrying the subtlety and emotional baggage needed for these complexly written characters. Trier’s meta and stylish approach to cinematography and screenwriting are a delight to behold, illuminating him as one of the best contemporary filmmakers. “The Worst Person in the World” walked so “Sentimental Value” could run, marking it as one of the greatest films of the year and the decade. 5/5
Immediately after the credits of “Sentimental Value” rolled, I hopped back in my car to catch a screening of “The Plague” at the Violet Crown. I had low expectations for this one, and unfortunately it failed to deliver even on those. Following an outsider as he tries to understand the social dynamics of his summer camp, “The Plague” never reaches the scare nor emotional heights needed for a film advertised as a coming-of-age body horror. The film entirely features child performances, save for a brief Joel Edgerton appearance, and while these kids are giving it their all, the script cannot support them. The interesting sound and cinematography gave me a bit of pause while watching, but I could not shake the boredom that was enveloping me. 2/5
My weekend of cinema continued with “The Secret Agent,” the winner of the Best Director and Best Actor prizes at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. Led by a tour-de-force level performance by Wagner Moura, this Brazilian feature contains some of the sharpest editing and sense of place this year. Moura plays an academic ostracized by the oppressive government who has to hide in plain sight. This film contains some great music and dialogue with an expected but satisfying ending. “The Secret Agent” surprised me, delivering one of the greatest cultural cinematic moments for Brazil and an entertaining time at the movies. 4.5/5
Chugging along, it came time for the centerpiece feature of the festival, “Train Dreams.” The stuffy Paramount Theatre was sold out and a certain buzz encapsulated the room; this movie was highly anticipated by its audience. The cinematography is the key takeaway here. The quiet, almost poetic tone of the film is charming and melancholic, but can feel tiring at times. Joel Edgerton plays a frontiersman who experiences a tragedy and must recoup his life. Featuring strong support from Felicity Jones and William H. Macy, “Train Dreams” has all the components needed for a fantastic film, but the script does some damage here. Mostly sans dialogue, the film contains only two or three emotional, dialogue heavy moments, and those feel underserved following the rest of the film, which is so void of speaking. Ultimately, “Train Dreams” is still a good movie; it just is not great. 3.5/5
Sunday was the final day of the Virginia Film Festival, and I was pretty tired. After over twelve hours of movie watching, I was starting to question whether even a cinephile like me could bear to watch two more movies. Returning to the Violet Crown, I passed significantly fewer people than in days past. “Mirrors No. 3,” the most obscure film I saw, was a delight. After a woman and her boyfriend crash their car, the woman is taken in by a local lady, but something is not what it seems. A modern Hitchcockian suspense thriller, “Mirrors No. 3” carries a certain subtlety refreshing to the thriller genre while still having the same surprising plot beats needed for a film in this genre. German director Christian Petzold is a sight to behold, his control of the camera is impressive. The only thing keeping “Mirrors No. 3” from greatness is its small scale and relative predictability. Still, my jaded mind could not help but enjoy “Mirrors No. 3.” 3.5/5
Weeks prior to the festival, I finally watched the stunning “Breathless” by Jean Luc-Godard in preparation for “Nouvelle Vague,” the latest from Richard Linklater, one of my favorite directors. A biopic following Jean Luc-Godard’s debut picture, “Nouvelle Vague” is an ode to cinema’s past while displaying the same quippy, Linklater-esque dialogue I have come to love. The French New Wave is depicted as the most influential era of cinema, and after watching “Nouvelle Vague,” I can’t deny I was charmed and inspired to pick up a camera. 4/5
Every cinephile’s dream is attending a festival, and after the Virginia Film Festival, I can check that goal off my bucket list. All the money spent on tickets and gas was worth it to see the most acclaimed films of 2025 early. If you ever get the chance, support the Virginia Film Festival and the arts. It’s well worth your while.
