Monster

Monster, the latest film from prolific Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, is a gripping mystery thriller, constantly redefining itself as one story is told three times, from three perspectives. The question is: who is the titular Monster? The answer is always shifting, and Kore-eda’s talent for emotionally destroying his audiences makes for an extremely affecting watch. Monster won Best Screenplay at Cannes for a reason, it is as thrilling as it is empathetic, and touches on everything from queerness to motherhood, bullying to friendship, with excellent performances, especially from the two young leads. Monster is best approached with as little information about it as possible so I’ll refrain from excitedly spoiling everything about this masterpiece – but it will change you and stick with you for days afterwards, don’t miss it!

Daniel Kallin