2024 Movie
Dir. Weston Razooli · France, United States of America · English
A whimsical, if a bit uneven, neo-fairytale of rare childhood charm
There’s a certain magic in childhood that makes you see the world with bright eyes– every small task is an exciting quest, not weighed down by budgeting, lack of control, and worry. Riddle of Fire captures that magic on 16 mm film, transforming buying a blueberry pie into a whimsical, chaotic adventure involving covens, witches, and huntsmen in modern day forms, echoing a fairytale with vintage 20th century trappings. It’s certainly nostalgic, but it’s created through stylistic choices instead of constant references on older media franchises. While it does lose some momentum in certain moments, Riddle of Fire is such a charming feature debut.
Three mischievous children embark on a woodland odyssey when their mother sends them on an errand.
"Razooli clearly has ambition and imagination, and this simple but sweet fairytale is an exuberant adventure with charm to spare."
— Hannah Strong
"Weston Razooli's retro-styled debut is a patchy but sincere tween adventure film following a group of kids on a surreal mission to procure a blueberry pie in exchange for the password of their parents’ smart TV."
— Adam Nayman
To play a long awaited video game, brothers Jodie and Hazel, along with their friend Alice, embark on a journey to obtain her favorite blueberry pie.
The yellow-green tint. It’s like Moonrise Kingdom, but this time in Wyoming instead of New England.
How adorable.
Cannes
1 nom
Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.
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