Here are Cinephile Corner’s 10 recommendations for movies like Blue Moon:
Maestro
Bradley Cooper‘s Maestro, on paper, sings a seductive aria. A biopic of the iconic composer Leonard Bernstein, it promises a kaleidoscope of artistic genius, turbulent love affairs, and the intoxicating swirl of New York City’s cultural elite. Yet, the movie that stumbles onto the screen feels more like a rehearsal gone awry, leaving audiences with a bittersweet longing for the unplayed potential.
A Complete Unknown
As a Minnesotan, I feel almost obligated to enjoy A Complete Unknown, the movie that chronicles Bob Dylan’s rise to stardom while exploring his strained relationship with music and the people who helped shape his career. Dylan is undeniably one of the most famous musicians of all time—and certainly one of the most iconic figures to emerge from the land of 10,000 lakes.
The Brutalist
Throughout December, expect to see many outlets anoint Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist as the best film of 2024. It’s epic. It’s wildly accomplished. And it knows it. The movie’s operatic opening crescendos into a visually striking image of the Statue of Liberty flipped upside down—an arresting symbol that mirrors the film’s poster. It’s the kind of bold, declarative start that announces a filmmaker fully in command of their craft.
Maria
Pablo Larraín’s Maria aims to close out his “Important Women” trilogy (Jackie and Spencer) with the same air of refinement and introspection that defined his earlier works. This time, the focus is on opera icon Maria Callas, exploring her final years leading up to her untimely death at 53. While the film mirrors Larraín’s usual penchant for lavish production and psychological dissection, Maria struggles to fully realize its potential, often feeling like a hollow echo of his earlier movies.
Babylon
Damien Chazelle announces himself as the antichrist with Babylon – a film focused on the fake it til you make it side of the industry, and Chazelle might just be faking it after all. I’ll be tossing and turning in my head for months about whether he deserves the ending that he presents, because he’s having his cake and eating it to with that final montage, but at least along the way he also throws it up and laughs at you for thinking he’d do anything else. I love it.
Priscilla
Priscilla is a journey that, while not shattering the boundaries of Sofia Coppola‘s established repertoire, undoubtedly captivates with its remarkable performances and intimate storytelling. Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi shine as the tumultuous Priscilla and Elvis Presley.
The Fabelmans
The Fabelmans, Steven Spielberg’s latest movie, effectively mines through his childhood to examine his love for film. A complex set of ideas mixed in a way only the master filmmaker could pull together.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button introduces us to David Fincher in a seemingly softer, more empathetic guise. The movie is a sincere detour to the filmmaker’s career, one that is interesting to look back on years later. Brad Pitt delivers a performance that transcends technological constraints and unlikely subject matter.
Elvis
Despite stylizing the hell out of his newest movie, Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis is a colossal misfire that seems off from the jump. Told through the eyes of his manager, Elvis feels more like airing out dirty laundry than it does an honest biopic.
Inside Llewyn Davis
Inside Llewyn Davis is indeed a masterpiece of nuanced character study, where the Coen brothers bring their signature blend of dark humor, existential despair, and offbeat storytelling into a film that feels as emotionally resonant as it is stylistically unique. It’s a film that pulls no punches in portraying the painful, humbling reality of an artist struggling against not just the world, but also his own shortcomings. Llewyn Davis (played perfectly by Oscar Isaac) may be a man adrift, emotionally wounded by the loss of his partner, selfish and hard to like, yet he is also profoundly human, filled with raw talent and unfulfilled potential.
READ MORE: Blue Moon (2025)
