Justin Chang

Justin Chang says the captivating new drama, "The Disciple," is one of the best movies he's seen this year. The film won the best screenplay prize at last year's Venice International Film Festival. It tells the story of a young man from Mumbai who aspires to be a great classical Indian singer.

Film critic Justin Chang says the new film "strikes an exquisite balance between deadpan humor and acute despair, offset by the faintest glimmer of hope."

The brutal and mesmerizing new film takes place in South Africa in 1981, where 16-year-old Nicholas is coming to grips with his homosexuality in an environment that couldn't be more hostile to it.