© 2026 The Couch Critic
Two monkeys embark on a mission from an unlivable earth. They are the last hope, and as their shuttle lifts off it’s not even clear they’ll make it. They set their sights on a lush green planet galaxies away. The last hope for monkey-kind. A rocky landing, everything up in smoke. The monkeys were not sure who would be living here, and they certainly didn’t expect dodo birds. One question remains, can apes and birds live in harmony?
Photographer Pauly V. navigates life with chronic illness through Eco-experimental film photography.
Pablo, a pet bird, lives a long, monotonous, and consistent ten years. After his death, his owner reevaluates the pair’s connection, as she experiences true grief for the first time.
oosely inspired by the Baba Yaga folktale, With Iron Teeth follows Sam, a young woman who works at senior center by day and scams the elderly at night. But one fateful evening, Sam and her new hookup Emerald learn that stealing from the wrong old lady has terrifying consequences.
18-year-old Ellie is preparing for a big step in her life, to leave her parents' house to study, but fear holds her back and drowns her. The step for Ellie is taken by her childhood imaginary friend, a fish, reminding her of the reason she must move forward. Ellie hesitates but the next step, the realization of the truth and the acceptance of her adult self, is a one-way street.
When the low-key Alkis follows his much more outgoing best friend Sofia to a university dance party, it seems like this might be the night their relationship will develop into something more than friendship. Until, at least, Alkis' unexpected encounter with the enigmatic, provocative Sini puts an end to these expectations and leads the two friends to a rift. But what seems like a bitter ending is only the first step towards a hedonistic, psychedelic and violent evening...
A generation of lesbians who’ve had to rely on chosen family reflect on the work their community has done to age in place on the North Fork of Long Island.
Three individuals enter a temple to summon the Yoruba Orishas through ritual, music, and dance. As colonial influence reshapes spiritual practice, these traditions begin to shift. Over time, the rituals are altered and Westernized, losing their original form. What once connected them to the divine begins to fade.
Hamar's most dangerous man tells the forgotten story about a young man from Hamar who during world war II becomes one of the town's biggest traitors. He is among the Germans' most valuable Norwegian helpers in the county, and gains a reputation as a ruthless and brutal torturer, but also a calculated and cunning agent. He's outcast and hated by the local community, and the resistance make several attempts to take him down.
Sam Dothro, an up-and-coming comedian in his mid-20s, is preparing for his very first comedy special when tragedy strikes. His best friend, Adam Beckman, passes away suddenly, and the grief causes Sam to lose what makes him funny. Now, on the eve of the big special show, Sam must reconcile with the memory of Adam to move forward and become funny once again.
The Boy chooses between comfort or growth.
The documentary "Noiseman" presents a middle-aged man, Aurilios Koukoutsis, who owns a record store and is involved in DJing. In the documentary we learn his story but at the same time it becomes clear that he is one of the few people who have reached almost sixty and continue to do their hobby and what they love despite family obligations, financial difficulties, etc. In the documentary we see him and a regular friend of his unfolding their stories regarding the store, Aurilios talking to us directly about his life and a night of action as a DJ.
A young rower is pushed beyond his limits by an ambitious new coxswain.
The 10th anniversary of “Rise Goji” brings us the 5th feature film by acclaimed director Luis Duran.
A young man records video diaries for therapy, trying to make sense of a past he can’t fully remember. But as he reviews the footage, he begins to notice something unsettling.. What starts as a quiet attempt at healing turns into a slow unraveling, as he realizes a presence has been with him far longer than he thought… and may have never left.
Mai Gang, the father of the filmmaker, starts making a map, which over the weeks invades the floor of the family living room. The itinerary of his clandestine escape from Communist China to Hong Kong in the seventies resurfaces. From the making of a homemade buoy to sea swimming techniques, this film offers a unique survival guide.
