Wonder Watchlist

The end of the year is always packed with great films; mixed within are award darlings, spooky season releases, and endless lists of streaming exclusives. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of movies, letting many praiseworthy films slip through our fingers. From remakes to Palme d’Or winners, fall releases have for the most part lived up to their hype. It’s nearly impossible to review every single film that releases within the year, but here are a few that are worthy of highlighting, from indie darlings to international thrillers, and everything in between.

If any of these films spark your interest, add them to your watchlist!

It Was Just An Accident – Dir. Jafar Panahi

Synopsis: “In Iran, a man bumps into the man he believes to be his former torturer. However, faced with this person who fiercely denies having been his tormentor, doubt sets in.”

Admittedly, It Was Just An Accident is my film experience with Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, and I cannot wait to get into more of his work. Winning 2025’s Palme d’Or makes complete sense, as this film is a thriller that even up until its final moments doesn’t let the audience relax. It will be tough for any film this year to match the unease and effectiveness of the film scene in It Was Just An Accident. It’s enough to make the back of your neck hot with fear and make the hairs on your arms rise.

Shot shortly after Panahi’s prison release and filmed in secret without approval, he gives a voice to those who he served a sentence with that are still locked away. How sounds, smells, and images can be the only identifying factors for those who loom over us with power. And how catching a glimpse, or hearing a noise, and even taking in a scent can transport people back to traumatizing moments in their lives. As a group of individuals come together to identify a man whom they believe is responsible for their past and present pains, Panahi gives audiences a moral question to weigh. Making it one of the most compelling and lingering films of the entire year.

Rating: 4.5/5

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle – Dir. Michelle Garza Cervera

Synopsis: “An upscale suburban mom brings a new nanny, Polly Murphy, into her home, only to discover she is not the person she claims to be.”

As someone who hadn’t seen the original The Hand That Rocks The Cradle prior to seeing 2025’s newest remake by Michelle Garza Cervera. So going into her newest film of the same name, I was looking forward to having no preconceived ideas on what the film would be. It’s got an interesting premise with the twisted babysitter paired with a reserved successful career mom who is desperate for some kind of help within her household. But the film is painfully average in all aspects outside of its main performances.

What carried this film to the finish line are Maika Monroe as Polly Murphy and Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Caitlin Morales. They do a lot of heavy lifting within their roles to elevate a script that is completely uneven. Showing Polly as a demented caretaker with little motivation until far too long into the film leaves the film’s pacing all over the place. Focusing on her personal life, especially her being a lesbian, is heavy-handed and leads to moments that are more awkward than anything. Never truly exploring the connection between Polly and Caitlin, with their shared love of women, and using it as a focus for jealousy is more head-scratching than anything.

Rating: 2.5/5

Little Miss Sociopath – Dir. Miv Evans

Synopsis: “A downtrodden daughter and her delusional boyfriend hatch a scheme to get rich quickly that involves fraud and a possible jail term.”

Dark comedies are a hit or miss for me, but Evans has an ability to take Little Miss Sociopath and make it relatable. Focusing on the life of Clementine (Jenny Tran) as she goes to work at a pharmacy, and her home life that is anything but ideal. Showing a beautiful young woman who is chained to her aging father and her totally unpleasant stepmother. Something everyone will have to deal with someday is life without their parents, and in Clementine’s case, her mundane life spirals further when she and her coworker Adam (Brendan Michael Coughlin) cook up a get-rich scheme to pull one over on old folks.

It’s got similar story beats to 2020’s I Care A Lot with its ideas on how to swindle old men and women out of their money. Evans, who also wrote the film, struggles to amplify the film’s strengths, especially with some of the personalities that the would-be victims have. Choosing to focus more on Clementine and her relationship with Adam, losing the darkness of the tone that mostly comes across as a straight-up comedy more than anything. But the film is worth a couple of laughs along with its lively color grading, and features some great music from Michigan native artist, Tetra.

Rating: 3/5

Vampire Zombies…From Space! – Dir. Michael Stasko

Synopsis: “From the depths of space, Dracula has devised his most dastardly plan yet; turning the residents of the small town of Marlow into his personal army of vampire zombies. A motley crew consisting of a grizzled detective, a skeptical rookie cop, a chain-smoking greaser, and a determined young woman band together to save the world.”

If you ever wanted a film that is a mixture of Spaceballs and the aesthetics of the 1950s, then this film is exactly for you. Filled with raunchy humor and beautiful black-and-white coloring while poking fun at just about anyone imaginable. It’s a rather straightforward premise: a small town has been haunted by zombie vampires that cause odd scenarios to pop up around town, mainly targeting a family, but quickly spreading as Dracula is given commands from other high-ranking vampires such as Nosferatu.

While the film has plenty of humorous moments, it begins to get repetitive rather quickly. The film has Lloyd Kaufman play a public masturbator who frequently pops up during the movie. A funny gag, but done one too many times, among other jokes. It’s an impressive indie feature from Statsko that shows his promise as a director and, most importantly, features gnarly practical effects that are the real star of the show.

Rating: 3/5

With spooky season coming to a close, some of these might not be on your radar, but there’s always next year! Happy movie watching, subscribe for more reviews.