Our take
If you’ve never heard of Sonia Braga, you’re in for a ride with this movie. She is, in my opinion, one of the best actresses alive today. In Aquarius, she stars as a 65-year-old trying to keep the home in which she pledged to die. In a quiet, yet stoically powerful performance, she reminds us that identity often intersects with the spaces in which we live.
What it won
Cannes
1 nom
Spirit Awards
1 nom
César Awards
1 nom
The story
Clara, a vibrant former music critic and widow with flowing tresses is the only remaining apartment owner in a beautiful older building targeted for demolition by ruthless luxury high-rise developers. Clara proves to be a force to be reckoned with as she thwarts the builders plans to kick her out of the apartment.
Elsewhere
"Indulgent, occasionally unwieldy, but put together with passion and verve."
— Ian Barr
The details
Streaming arrival
Who picked it
Bilal Zouheir is the founder of A Good Movie to Watch. He is based in the US and a member of the Nevada Film Critics Society. He grew up in Morocco, where he learned English from watching movies. Bilal's work with A Good Movie to Watch is focused on offering an alternative to streaming algorithms, which are often used as commercial tools by streaming services.
"Achieving an uncanny blend of fragile serenity and ferocious intensity, Braga embodies a woman of all seasons: a poised and affectionate grandmother as much as she is a ruthless and sultry warrior."
— Yonca Talu