On the wall of teenager James’s bedroom is a vision board.

Anything Helps by Max DeFalco – It’s terminal
Cinema will always have a place for degrading cringe comedy.

Dirty Towel (2024) by Callie Carpinteri – Stain remover
“Popping your cherry,” “losing your V-card,” “getting deflowered”

Verbal Diarrhea (2025) – Dance like everybody’s watching
When we have HD cameras in our pockets at all times and a dozen platforms on which to distribute whatever footage we choose to film, it’s easy to use filmed footage — once so expensive and limiting to create — to tell whatever kind of stories we want.

Robotica (2024) by Isabella Ivos – The machine never stops
One of the cruel ironies of the 21st century

True Affection (2025) by Wale Matuluko – Lagos diaries
True Affection opens with an image of Sewa (Funmbi Toye) in a wedding veil, shot in gorgeous monochrome, completely surrounded by a black background.

Seeking Engagement (2025) by Jacob Halpren – Down on one knee
The word “engagement” is a funny one

Welcome to The New Cinephile
Hello, and welcome to The New Cinephile, a review journal for microbudget, independent, and student films.