In 1980, a group of environmental activists, scientists, policymakers, lawyers, and other professionals gathered in St. Petersburg, Florida, for a conference with a mandate from Congress to draft a statement on how to address the effects of carbon dioxide emissions on the climate. This conference is one microcosm of Nathaniel Rich’s 2019 non-fiction book, Losing Earth, but it’s the focus of Tom McCarthy’s new film, A Statement. Based on Rich’s book and the meeting transcripts, McCarthy penned the screenplay with Thomas Bidegain and Noé Debré. What’s ironic, however, is that although the film takes its title from the meeting’s objective, A Statement itself feels much more like a dialogue. Furthermore, its urgent subject matter is likely to spark conversations among moviegoers.

With The Debut, Jesse Eisenberg proves he’s a filmmaker who’s only growing sharper, funnier, and more confident with each project. His third feature film might just be his best one yet. It’s a delightful, wildly hilarious, and irresistibly charming musical comedy bolstered by phenomenal performances from Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti. It’s like a cross between a Woody Allen movie and Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan (2010). I’m aware that probably sounds preposterous, but somehow it works, and this is coming from someone who isn’t even a fan of Woody Allen movies. At its core, The Debut is a quirky character study about the desire to be seen and how artistic passion can spiral into self-destructive obsession.