Here are Cinephile Corner’s 10 recommendations for movies like Regretting You:
Materialists
Materialists feels like a transitional work. It shows Celine Song experimenting with scale, ensemble dynamics, and new narrative textures—but it lacks the intimacy and precision that defined her first film. It’s a movie with moments that flirt with those same highs in small doses, but one that ultimately falls short. Still, it leaves me hopeful: the emotional territory Song wants to chart is rare in contemporary cinema, and while Materialists stumbles, it’s a sign that she’s aiming high. Her best films are likely still ahead.
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.
Saltburn
Emerald Fennell‘s sophomore movie, Saltburn, emerges from the rubble of her polarizing debut, Promising Young Woman, with a cast that elevates the material despite its endlessly convoluted and plainly put narrative. This comedy-drama-thriller hybrid film weaves a perplexing tale of obsession, deception, and tragedy within the confines of the aristocratic Catton family’s titular estate.
Anatomy of a Fall
In Justine Triet‘s hands, the courtroom becomes a darkly comic battleground, where the stakes are life and death, but the weapons are wit. Anatomy of a Fall is as much a legal thriller as it is a front-row seat to the most outrageous courtroom circus you’ll see in 2023.
Don’t Worry Darling
While it’s easy to point fingers and blame the film’s issues on just a few individuals, Don’t Worry Darling, at its core, is flawed. A meandering story can’t be saved by Florence Pugh and Harry Styles.
Mothers’ Instinct
Mothers’ Instinct is a movie that aims high with its premise and powerhouse lead performances but ultimately collapses under the weight of its messy script and tonal inconsistency. Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway do their best to inject life into their roles, delivering performances that are often the only salvageable element in a film that can’t decide what it wants to be. Despite their efforts, the film’s narrative twists and genre shifts leave it feeling disjointed, hollow, and increasingly absurd as it progresses.
Leave the World Behind
Sam Esmail, renowned for his work on Mr. Robot, returns to feature filmmaking with Leave the World Behind, a star-studded drama delivered straight to Netflix that operates as an apocalyptic mystery thriller. Boasting a cast of A-listers like Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali, and the promising up-and-comer Myha’la, the film carries the weight of its cast’s reputation but, unfortunately, doesn’t quite live up to expectations.
Holland
Holland feels like a half-baked thriller with a solid premise but a lackluster execution. Mimi Cave’s Fresh had a bold, distinctive style, whereas Holland feels like a retread of better films with similar narratives. Nicole Kidman stars alongside Matthew Macfadyen and Gael García Bernal.
Last Night in Soho
Few directors are as defined by their style as Edgar Wright, and Last Night in Soho is a movie that thrives when it fully embraces that signature flair. From its bold lighting choices and meticulously curated soundtrack to the seamless fusion of past and present, this film is an exercise in aesthetic precision. Starring Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy, it’s a visually dazzling, nostalgia-drenched psychological thriller that starts strong but ultimately falters in its final act.
Past Lives
Celine Song‘s Past Lives is a revelation, despite a growing skepticism that romance movies are dead in the current streaming era. Every bit of emotion and rekindling romance is only strengthened by a nuanced approach to script and perfect casting. A real highlight of 2023.
