Before filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton swung from the New York City skyscrapers with Spider-Man, he directed one of the seminal independent films of the 2010s.
Short Term 12, the stone-cold masterpiece and Cretton's second feature, introduced the wider film world to his titanic talent with this devastating character study at a troubled teens group home. The film has the power to strike your spine with the icy voltage of Boreas and simultaneously melt your heart down like it's fallen into Mount Doom.
Cretton's work with its young ensemble remains legendary: this film showcased the explosive careers of multiple Oscar winners in Brie Larsen and Rami Malek and other actors you can't imagine movies and television without (LaKeith Stanfield, Kaitlyn
Dever, Stephanie Beatriz, John Gallagher, Jr.) It's one of the most stacked casts of the decade; imagine the movies without all of these major talents? Cretton's film served as a vital stepping stone for all.
It's hard to manage such gentle devastation like Cretton did in his second film, how to provide such pathos while still gripping your every sense with the harsh realities of the life it depicts. It's a genuine testament to Cretton's talents on the page and behind the camera that he navigated this one like he did to such a special, special place. While, selfishly, you hope Cretton can find this groove in his career again, he's now operating on the biggest stage possible. Like Larson before him, he's firmly in the Marvel machine and working on the biggest canvas possible.
It all goes back to Short Term 12, however. If you can find a way to squeeze this one in before you see Spider-Man: Brand New Day, get it done. It's streaming on multiple platforms (Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, PLEX, Fandango, Sling TV). It's one of the best movies of its class and one you'll never forget.
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This article originally appeared on For The Win: You MUST watch this 1 movie before 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'
