Priscilla is the newest film from Sofia Coppola, adapted from Priscilla Presley’s 1985 book Elvis and Me which premiered at the 80th Venice Film Festival. The film follows Priscilla from her early teenage years where her path first crosses with the world-famous singer, spanning their relationship until their divorce in the early 70s. Playing the …
Premiering at this year’s Venice Film Festival, Ferrari is the latest film from Michael Mann. Starring Adam Driver, Penelope Cruz and Shailene Woodley, the screenplay is adapted from Brock Yates’ book ‘Enzo Ferrari: The Man and the Machine‘. Following a time of financial and personal insecurity in the car manufacturer’s life, the film opens to …
The vampire has long been used as a sexual awakening metaphor, and Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (aka Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant) is no different, yet manages to put a charming new spin on the idea in this Canadian comedy-drama. The film opens with young vampire Sasha, yet to come into her fangs, …
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Poor Things sees Emma Stone reunite with Yorgos Lanthimos for a sexual awakening odyssey story, as a Frankenstein’s monster-like creature crafted from a grown woman and the brain of an infant. Stone shows her range effortlessly, gliding through the film from baby brain to fully formed adult as she matures. Her partnership with Lanthimos appears …
Finalmente l’albe (Finally Dawn) is a 2023 period drama premiering at this year’s Venice Film Festival. Starring Rebecca Antonaci and Lily James, it follows a young Italian woman who finds herself on a night-long adventure with glamorous starlet Josephine Esperanto (James). There have been plenty of stories over the years that follow the lives of …
Reviewing Barbie has turned out to be an incredibly difficult challenge. Why? Because much like Barbie herself, Barbie is everything. Greta Gerwig (alongside co-writer Noah Baumbach) has somehow managed to blend wit, vulnerability, challenges of motherhood, gender politics, mermaids, horses and hand-holding CEOs (with a healthy dash of consumerism) into one of the most fun, …
2022 has been an odd year for film, or maybe it’s just me that’s changed. I’ve taken a sort of unplanned sabbatical from film criticism, instead just seeing what I want, when I feel like it. This has led to some great first time watches of old missed films, but it’s also dried up my access …
L’Événement (aka Happening) is a 2021 French film set in the 1960s centred around young student Anne, who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. Unable to access a legal abortion (abortion remained illegal in France until 1975), Anne is left to beg doctors to help, try to find help amongst friends and at times turn to dangerous …
Halloween Kills is the long-awaited sequel to David Gordon Green’s 2018 Halloween. Premiering at Venice Film Festival last night, Green has returned with writing partner Danny McBride as well as newcomer Scott Teems (Jeff Fradley co-wrote the 2018 instalment with the pair). Also returning are Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer and Andi Matichak as the …
Ryan Reynolds video game adventure film Free Guy finally hits the big screens after a series of delays. The film follows Reynolds as Guy, an NPC (non playable character) who finds his life changed when he passes a sunglass-wearing (real player) woman humming Mariah Carey. This sets off a chain of events as he teams …
I discovered Superstore the week I moved out of my childhood home for the final time. I had the house to myself and was packing up my belongings in the living room when I stumbled across an episode on ITV2 (Manager’s Conference). Within a couple of minutes, I was hooked, and suddenly I wanted to …
I feel like I have been waiting a really long time to write this review. But nowhere near as long as us poor Brits have been waiting for the release of this film. Promising Young Woman finally arrives in the UK today via Sky. If you managed to avoid any and all spoilers over this …
The wait is finally over, after what feels like eons since the US release, Run finally arrived on UK shores via Netflix on the 2nd April. Was it worth the wait? Teenager Chloe (Kiera Allen) lives at home with caring mother Diane (Sarah Paulson). Chloe is driven and independent, but due to a myriad of …
The Mauritanian is a slow procedural drama that at times can be incredibly slow, but this pace feels earned when the shocking developments in the film arrive. A defense attorney and her associate (Jodie Foster and Shailene Woodley respectively) investigate the case of a suspected 9/11 terrorist imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Throughout their investigation, …
When Valentina moves to a new town with her mother, she has the normal worries any teenager would – wanting her freedom and to make friends. But as a transgender teen in Brazil, she risks facing significant challenges and stigmas within her school and local communities if she cannot get her absent father to sign …
Set in the summer of 1994 as they prepare to leave for various colleges, Gene and his group of theatre-loving friends gather for one more sleepover party. Whilst Gene, played by Nick Pugliese, is our lead and we see the evening through his eyes, it’s a true ensemble piece that works because of the pure …
