For an excellent companion to the wonderful portrait of tween girlhood that is Scrapper, check out the sadly underseen and woefully underappreciated I Kill Giants, which got only the most minuscule of releases in 2018. This is not a fantasy movie. It’s a drama about how its thrillingly weird protagonist, 12-year-old Barbara, uses fantasy to cope with her fears and anxieties. We have no doubt that there are no actual giants for her to kill, despite all her intense research and preparation for this task. But we are as totally enrapt in Barbara’s obsession as she is, and share her joy in it, and in the confidence boost that comes from feeling strong in body, mind, and spirit. Like Scrapper, this is a smart portrait of a child’s emotional turmoil. (Read my 2018 review.)
US: rent/buy on Prime and Apple TV
UK: stream on Netflix; rent/buy on Prime and Apple TV
See I Kill Giants at Letterboxd for more viewing options.
