The Women and the Murderer: Made by Women for Women
In The Women and the Murderer, directors Mona Achache and Patricia Tourancheau center women—the very demographic true crime is designed to appeal to.

Three friends, Maro, Shpera and Yuri are unemployed and hardly make ends meet. They have complicated and hysterical relationships with the people closest to them. They seem to have emigrated from their families and their country. Provoked by a mysterious telephone call, they set out on a journey, filled with the hope to change their lives.
In The Women and the Murderer, directors Mona Achache and Patricia Tourancheau center women—the very demographic true crime is designed to appeal to.
We have a long way to go with LGBT representation in film, especially when it comes to LGBT characters of color and trans characters.
A lonely little Hawaiian girl and her mischievous blue alien friend form a bond that heals both of their hearts, as well as ours. This live action version adds emotional nuances—notably in the sisters’ dynamic—while preserving the charm of the original.
As this critic continues to look back at some of this Summer's films I have taken in, I would be remiss if I didn't mention one of the most overall unsettling trends in Hollywood over the last several years.....sequels, reboots, and remakes. Look, I am all for seeing more than one film for certain originals that made a splash, ie: "Jurassic Park", "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Transformers", etc.
Rather than focusing on the bleak, cynical aspects of life post-pandemic, the focus is optimistic and hopeful.
In My Octopus Teacher, documentary filmmaker Craig Foster models healthy masculinity by showing us a trusting, gentle, and emotionally fulfilling bond with an octopus.