3 Best Movies to Watch From OBB Pictures

Staff & contributors
Mountain Queen isn’t just a movie about a professional mountain climber, although Lhakpa Sherpa is certainly impressive as she trudges through the deathly terrain of Everest (and at 50 years old at that!). It’s also the heartbreaking story of a broken family in repair. Sherpa reveals shocking details about her abusive husband, fellow climber Gheorghe Dijmărescu, and we see how it’s affected her two daughters, one of which is so hurt, she can’t bring herself to speak to her mother. The main thread of the movie is her 10th attempt to scale the tallest peak in the world, but Director Lucy Walker smartly intercuts this with tales of Sherpa’s own life—a laborious obstacle on its own—rightfully framing Sherpa as the strong woman that she is.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Lhakpa Sonam Sherpa, Shiny Dijmarescu, Sunny Dijmarescu

Director: Lucy Walker

Rating: R

What does a highly successful 20-year-old musician have to say about life and the industry? As we learn from Laroi, a lot apparently. Throughout this film, which documents his rapid rise from hopeful Aussie to international star, Laroi shares observations that are at turns earnest, endearing, and self-aware. Unfortunately, these likable traits aren’t enough to make Kids Are Growing Up staple viewing beyond Laroi’s fanbase. If you’re not part of the club, you might find it hard to grasp the necessity of this production at all. Though pleasantly intimate and amusingly animated, there is nothing innovative nor insightful about it. The Australian leg of his origin story seems to have been largely skipped, as are some parts of his musical process. And though it's the most interesting part about him, the documentary doesn't focus too much on him being a prodigy. Laroi is talented to be sure, but this documentary seems like a premature attempt at capturing him in his presumed prime. As a result, the filmmakers betray a lack of confidence in Laroi's future, even though it's clear it'll burn brighter than ever.

Genre: Documentary, Music

Actor: Juice WRLD, Justin Bieber, Katarina Demetriades, Lil Bibby, Omer Fedi, Post Malone, The Kid LAROI

Director: Michael D. Ratner

Rating: R

Child Star feels like it’s two movies clumsily stitched into one. On the one hand, it’s a straightforward documentary about the history of child actors. There are talking heads of experts explaining things like the Coogan Law, also known as the California Child Actor's Bill, as well as interviews with children who dream of being famous one day. These latter interviews are precious and heartbreaking, and they make the documentary’s advocacy feel more urgent and real. On the other hand, it’s a documentary about Demi Lovato and her famous friend's trauma dumping over coffee. I’m not saying these parts are less watchable than the others. In fact, I appreciate the celebrities’ willingness to unpack the traumatic parts of their childhood—Drew Barrymore, in particular, seemed to have it incredibly tough. But there’s just too much ground for a feature-length film to cover. This is all on top of Demi’s own catharthic confrontation with her past, which she hashes out with her friends and family. As a result, it feels like the film is merely scratching the surface of the important issues it brings up.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Alyson Stoner, Ariana Grande, Chris Columbus, Christina Ricci, Dallas Lovato, Daniel Radcliffe, Demi Lovato, Drew Barrymore, Ellen DeGeneres, Emma Watson, Hilary Duff, Jackie Coogan, JoJo Siwa, Kenan Thompson, Macaulay Culkin, Madison De La Garza, Miley Cyrus, Oprah Winfrey, Raven-Symoné, Rupert Grint, Selena Gomez, Shirley Temple, Zendaya

Director: Demi Lovato, Nicola B. Marsh

Rating: R