January Picks for Hoopla’s Movie Club

The Annihilation of Fish (1999) 

Poinsettia (Lynn Redgrave) is a lonely woman whose heart was broken by her former lover, the long-dead composer Puccini. Fish (James Earl Jones) is a Jamaican widower newly released from a mental institution who literally wrestles his demons. Despite their differences and personal burdens, the two form a deep connection when they meet in a Los Angeles boarding house. 

When the film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in 1999 prior to its public release, it was given a bad review from Variety, leading to the film being shelved. That means this 1999 film has never been available for public viewing—until 2025. This newly restored, long-awaited motion picture is from distributor Kino Lorber and Milestone Films.

Killer of Sheep (1978) 

Stan (Henry Gayle Sanders), an overworked slaughterhouse employee, drifts away from his wife, children, and sense of self while he and his neighbors fight simply to make ends meet. Only the children, leaping across rooftops, experience real freedom. Burnett’s film captures everyday Black life with rare honesty, blending lyrical imagery with a stark, neorealist, documentary-like style that offers both nuance and powerful simplicity. 

This beautiful film was not released until 30 years after it was first shown in 1978 at the Whitney Museum of American Art as Burnett’s UCLA film-school thesis.

My Brother’s Wedding (1983) 

Pierce Mundy (Everett Silas) toils in his parents’ South-Central dry cleaners, facing a future with few options and friends lost to prison or death. As his best friend returns from jail and his brother plans a wedding, Pierce struggles to balance obligations while discovering what he truly wants. 

In 1983, after months of filming, Charles Burnett submitted a rough cut of My Brother’s Wedding to his producers. Instead of allowing him to complete the edit, they rushed it to a New York festival, where a mixed New York Times review deterred distributors. The film went unreleased—a setback Armond White called “a catastrophic blow to the development of American popular culture.” 

Harold and Maude (1971) 

Which is more memorable, the relationship between Harold (Bud Cort) and Maude (Ruth Gordon) or the Cat Stevens soundtrack? This cult classic is just about the most unlikely love story you’ll ever see on film—and also one of the most moving. Available January 1. 

Benny & Joon (1993) 

Benny (Aidan Quinn) cares for his mentally ill sister, Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson), and reluctantly welcomes the eccentric Sam (Johnny Depp) into their home at her request. When Joon and Sam develop a romantic relationship, Benny intervenes, sparking conflict that drives Joon to run away, ultimately revealing her deeper emotional and personal needs that Sam alone cannot meet. 

The Station Agent (2003) 

Solitary train enthusiast Finbar McBride (Peter Dinklage) finds his life upended when his boss dies and leaves him a New Jersey railroad depot. After moving to the small town, he forms unlikely friendships with outgoing food vendor Joe Oramas (Bobby Cannavale) and troubled artist Olivia Harris (Patricia Clarkson).

Lars and the Real Girl (2007) 

Lars Lindstrom (Ryan Gosling), an awkward young man in a small town, brings home the girl of his dreams—who is actually an inflatable doll. Seeking a romantic connection rather than a physical one, Lars wins the town’s support, despite his brother’s doubts and his sister-in-law’s concern.