CineCrossroads: F1, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Howl’s Moving Castle

Movie of the Week — F1 (2025)
Joseph Kosinski’s latest premiere has sparked plenty of debate. On the one hand, the story leans heavily on familiar clichés, and Brad Pitt once again plays the charming, laid-back guy who seems to get away with everything. Hans Zimmer’s score is restrained but not especially memorable. Yet all of that fades when the real star of the film takes over — the races.

Kosinski masterfully recreates the thrill of the track, with the camera swooping alongside roaring cars or showing the action through a driver’s eyes, pinning the audience to their seats. Thanks to Claudio Miranda’s dynamic cinematography and meticulous detail, every race feels like a self-contained drama. The plot may be predictable, but the sheer energy and spectacle more than make up for it.

Classic Pick — One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
Miloš Forman’s adaptation of Ken Kesey’s novel has long been a classic, and nearly fifty years later it has not lost its bite. The story follows Randle McMurphy, played by Jack Nicholson, a man who pretends to be insane to avoid prison and soon clashes with the tyrannical Nurse Ratched, portrayed by Louise Fletcher.

The film balances raw drama with dark comedy and at its heart explores freedom, humanity, and resistance against oppressive systems. It won the “Big Five” Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay, securing its place as one of cinema’s greatest achievements. This is a masterpiece that never grows old.

Family Choice — Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

One of Hayao Miyazaki’s most romantic films, based on Diana Wynne Jones’s novel, Howl’s Moving Castle tells the story of Sophie, cursed to live as an old woman, and the mysterious wizard Howl, bound to a demon for power. Their meeting sparks a journey of self-discovery, courage, and love, set against the backdrop of a war tearing their world apart.

Though steeped in Japanese philosophy, the film unfolds in European-inspired landscapes, with lush animation, breathtaking scenery, and, of course, the enchanting moving castle itself. At its heart, it’s about love as a force that overcomes fear and even the heaviest of curses. Both a fairytale for children and a deeply resonant story for adults, it’s a film that invites you to find hope again.

Earlier, it was reported that Netflix released the second season of Wednesday, bringing back Jenna Ortega as the sharp-tongued heroine.