by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport and Editor in Chief

As we near the end of the year, there will be much chatter about must-watch motion pictures. As I combed my letterboxd for some of my 2024 favorites, I came across these three diamonds in the rough that I feel need to be talked about. Each film is unique and offers a thoughtful tale that has managed to stick with me after the hundreds of films I have peeped this year. Two of them may not have distribution yet, but I implore you to add them to your watchlist. Don’t let this trio of cinematic gems fly under the radar.

Crocodile Tears
Written and Directed by Tumpal Tampubolon
Starring Yusuf Mahardika, Marissa Anita, and Zulfa Maharani
Runtime 1 hour and 38 minutes
Language Spoken: Indonesian
World Premiere at TIFF, still looking for distribution

“But you have me.”

Until I watched the Tumpal Tampubolon’s feature debut, Crocodile Tears never did I ever think I would witness a more overbearing mother put to celluloid than Mother Bates.

Mama (Marissa Anita) and son, Johan (Yusuf Mahardikda) operate a crocodile park and are inseparable from dawn to dusk. The duo partake in most daily rituals together, from meals and house chores to feeding the crocs. They even share a bed at night. Everything changes when Johan meets Arumi (Zulfa Maharani), a young woman in their nearby village. Johan is smitten with his new acquaintance, which causes Mama to spiral into a frenzy and essentially have a nervous breakdown.

I watch a lot of films and Crocodile Tears is unlike anything I have seen before. During my film festival adventures this season, one of the main issues with a lot of the flicks I watched was runtime. Several films suffered from bloated stories that inevitably caused me to feel fatigued by the time the credits hit the screen. This was not the case with Crocodile Tears. Clocking in at slightly over ninety minutes, I found myself gripped from start to finish. Going in, I expected the plot to be a bit odd given the suffocating parent aspect. What I was not prepared for was the psychological torment that she would cause her son. The setting alone of this picture is fascinating, but the script is truly what makes Crocodile Tears a must-watch. Upon digging a bit further into the story itself, I learned that the phrase “crocodile tears” is in reference to a false display of remorse, often by a person that acts cruelly towards another. This came about due to the belief that when crocodiles eat their prey, they cry. It would later be discovered that the act of shedding tears was done simply to lubricate their eyes. Learning about this, took the movie to a whole other level for me when putting the relationship of the mother and son into perspective. Given that it is so well written, superbly acted, and has an interesting subject, it is hard to believe this film is still seeking distribution.

Kill The Jockey (El Jockey)
Directed by Luis Ortega
Written by Fabian Casas, Luis Ortega and Rodolfo Palacios
Starring Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Úrsula Corberó, and Daniel Giménez Cacho
Runtime 1 hour and 36 minutes
Language Spoken: Spanish
Watched at TIFF, still looking for US distribution

“I will lock you in a box so that we can all stay calm.”

I went into the screening of Kill The Jockey completely cold, not knowing a lick about it, and I left the theater reeling. Remo (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart) is a self-destructive jockey that can’t seem to lay off the booze and ketonal (a drug often given to horses for inflammation). After he suffers a horrific accident on the track due to his damaging behavior, he winds up in the hospital with serious head injuries. Inescapably, the blows to his skull cause Remo to uncover suppressed feelings about his true self. He entered the facility as what many would perceive as a man and exits as a woman, donning a fur coat, handbag, and makeup, Remo sets off on a series of misadventures while being chased by a gaggle of mobsters.

The premise of this film was such a breath of fresh air and while being truly original is also completely absurd. I have seen it described as a comedy, however my feeling is that it leans into the black comedy genre more than anything. This story takes the viewer on an emotional roller coaster filled with unexpected thrills. One of my favorite aspects of the picture, beyond the quirky plot, was the overall look and feel. This movie is dripping with style from the characters themselves, to the production design, and wardrobes, which is not unlike previous pictures from Luis Ortega such as El Angel. My hope is that Kill The Jockey finds distribution in the US sooner than later, as I truly believe your eyeballs are gonna love it.

The Friend
Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel
Written by Scott MecGehee, David Siegel (screenplay), and Sigrid Nunez (book)
Starring Naomi Watts, Bill Murray, and Constance Wu
Runtime 2 hours
Watched at TIFF, acquired by Bleecker Street and set to release in early 2025

“How do you explain death to a dog?”

It has been a little over a year since I said goodbye to my pal, Li’l Foxie and not a day goes by that I don’t think about her. The grief that overtook me immediately following her passing was unlike anything I have ever experienced in my life. I felt more than gutted. It was as if she took a piece of me with her. Animals, specifically pets, are often too good for this world. They crawl into our hearts and take permanent home, never truly leaving, even after they depart this mortal coil. The Friend explores what happens when a pet experiences a loss.

After Walter (Bill Murray) suddenly passes away, his beloved Great Dane Apollo is overcome with misery. When a former friend of Walter’s, Iris (Naomi Watts), learns that Walter has left the dog to her via his will, the duo find an unexpected friendship while their lives are being turned upside down. Given that Iris lives in a tiny one bedroom apartment in Manhattan, her new roommate might as well be a horse. In addition to the constraints of her living quarters, there is also the issue of the building’s strict no pet policy. Together, Apollo and Iris grapple with their heartbreak, sadness, and the ordeal that is known as moving on.

I did not find this screenplay to be particularly well written and in fact would not recommend making the trek to the cinema for it. However, with it having a release in early 2025, I think it makes it the perfect candidate for streaming while getting over a winter cold. Even though I did not buy into the story completely due to some mishandling of some rather heavy subject matters, I still found myself charmed by the relationship Iris had with Apollo.