An official selection of the Fantasia Film Festival

The Premise: A withdrawn and curious 17-year-old Chinese immigrant apparently named Baby falls for a delinquent tough named Fox who stole from her. Together they push the bounds of their dismal lives and try to imagine some sort of escape from what seems like hopelessness.

The Verdict: One hundred percent a strange film, neither Baby nor Fox are eloquent or approachable. Neither strikes us as particularly likable, but that’s sort of the point. Though their backgrounds are different, they recognize in each other the same lack of belonging, their otherness in the world, but this doesn’t make them soulmates. Their relationship is intense, steamy, and stormy. I didn’t exactly like this, but I did admire its spare honesty and its willingness to annihilate our concept of teen comedy.

Director: Jesse Dvorak

Starring: Zita Bai, Helen Sun, Vas Provatakis, Boni Mata, Troy Musil

Plays virtually at the Fantasia Film Festival August 11-13