Mesquite Buckaroo (1939)

An enchanted school for young heroes and villains brings the battle between good and evil in this fantasy movie.

For those tranquil houses with white fences, what is happening behind every closed door?

It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a film that is jarring within the first five minutes. Being at the edge of my seat from the very beginning made me feel both excited and frightened for what was to come, and it did not disappoint. Led strongly by Jennifer Lawrence as Grace, a woman trapped in the “American dream”, this film shows that society tells us what should make us happy. Many critics describe Die My Love as being about post-partem depression, but it is so much more. After moving to a secluded home with her husband Jackson, Grace finds herself in the throes of motherhood. Feeling isolated in her physical environment and her romantic relationship, Grace suffers psychologically. Lawrence brings a sense of rawness and humor to the screen that is often uncomfortable. Robert Pattinson adds to the discomfort as her loving, yet lost husband Jackson, who cares about his wife but does not know how to help her. Lynne Ramsay has presented a film that forces us to look at the realness of life, and what happens when the promise of what should make you whole fails.

The cultural insensitivity of 'Slumberland' is discreet, and can be easily overlooked in CGI extravaganza. 

This list was made with the intention of celebrating comedic craft and a love of seeing more women of colour and newcomers on the scene.

Life may find a way, but is it worth testing its fierceness and how far it will go?