“The Perfect Neighbor” is currently the No. 1 movie on Netflix, according to the platform’s public ranking system.
The acclaimed documentary from Emmy-winning director Geeta Gandbhir examines the consequences of Stand Your Ground laws by recounting the tragic events that led to the death of Ajike “AJ” Owens — a Black woman in Florida who was shot and killed by her neighbor, Susan Lorincz, a white woman, in 2023 after a long-standing neighborhood dispute.
Gandbhir’s documentary, which won the Best Directing Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, was pieced together mostly using police bodycam footage that documented two year’s worth of interactions between law enforcement and Lorincz, who made frequent complaints about kids playing near her home.
The deadly tragedy that inspired the film happened on June 2, 2023, after Lorincz allegedly threw a roller skate at Owens’ 10-year-old son as he played in a neighboring yard. When Owens heard of the incident from her kids, she went over to Lorincz’s house and demanded she come outside. That’s when Lorincz fired a single shot through her front door, claiming self-defense, and killed Owens. In 2024, Lorincz was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the fatal shooting.
Of what encouraged Gandbhir to make the documentary, she told IndieWire, “These crimes unfortunately happen like every week. You get gun violence, but you only see the aftermath. You never get to see the community as they were before, in such detail. And again, police body camera footage is for people of color: it’s a violent tool of the state, right? It’s often used to criminalize us, dehumanize us. It’s used for surveillance. It’s used to protect the police. But I wanted to subvert that.”
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“40 Acres” is a top movie on Hulu right now.
The apocalyptic thriller centers on a former soldier (Danielle Deadwyler) and her family, The Freemans, who have been surviving on an isolated farm mostly unbothered after a series of plagues and wars has left society in ruins. However, when a vicious militia arrives to take their land, the family must make one last stand to defend what’s theirs.
Starring alongside Deadwyler are Michael Greyeyes, Kataem O’Connor, Milcania Diaz-Rojas and Leenah Robinson.
“The Alabama Solution” is among the top trending movies on HBO Max right now.
The documentary, directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman, offers an inside look at one of America’s deadliest prison systems, as the incarcerated men there, using contraband cell phone footage, expose a cover-up of their inhumane conditions, brutal treatment and injustice.
“John Candy: I Like Me” is currently one of the top movies on Prime Video.
The documentary, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, explores the life, career and loss of one of Hollywood’s most beloved comedic stars from those who knew Candy best, using never-before-seen archival footage and interviews to recall his story.
If you’re looking for other movies to watch this fall, check out our latest What We’re Watching blog.
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