Releases from 2023

2.3.24 Full Time isn’t a scathing critique of capitalist life in Paris, nor is it overtly critical of the strikes, but it’s still an impressive drama with an Uncut Gems-esque energy which illuminates the lives of women experiencing ‘the triple shift’. As Julie, Laure Calamy has a youthful vibrancy and delivers great bursts of energy […]

14.3.24 The nostalgia of youth; the crippling awkwardness of growing up. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret captures it all in a heartwarming and relatable way which impressed me greatly. It’s a coming-of-age tale that stands out amongst recent similar releases, thanks to its honest and non-condescending portrayal of the trials and tribulations of

23.2.23 Subtle yet powerful, but far from melodramatic, Women Talking bottles feminist outrage into a wooden cabin, and then allows the voices within it to be wholeheartedly expressed. It’s dialogue-driven, contemplative and timely. I admit I wasn’t fully entertained by it, but it is certainly a film to be admired. I think the main star

6.7.23 A shapeshifting multicoloured blast of nostalgia, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem may have one of the most annoyingly long titles of any film I can think of, but in a year of fantastic animation features, it still manages to stand out due to its meticulous style remixed with vibrant doodles, entertaining voice-cast, and

25.8.23 A reminder that injustices should never be forgotten, Till retrospects a dark day in American history with painful honesty, in an attempt to provoke blood-boiling fury. Most memorably, it features an impressively stoic and emphatic performance from Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till, the mother of the desperately tragic Emmett Till. Snubbed at the Oscars

27.12.23 Theatre Camp is a comedy that celebrates the passion and talent of drama enthusiasts and performers, both familiar actors and an impressively energetic young cast. Reminiscent of Christopher Guest mockumentaries like Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman, it follows a summer theatre camp and all the drama, shenanigans, and humiliating moments that come

28.9.23 A chocolate box highlight reel of Wes Anderson’s most famed works, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is a brisk 40-minute tale told in his signature style. Though compact, its imaginative premise satisfies as a bitesize adventure, although I do admit to daydreaming during the film that it would be better as a West

11.3.23 The Whale isn’t as controversial as the noise surrounding it suggests. It boils down to being an effective but stagey family drama, with Brendan Fraser’s powerhouse performance taking centre stage. Despite there being more to admire in the film than simply Fraser’s portrayal of an obese and reclusive English teacher, such as the performances

26.2.23 I fucking loved The Father, mainly due to Anthony Hopkins’ phenomenal performance, as well as the sublime manipulation of the film’s interior set, which left me second-guessing reality for most of the duration. In comparison, The Son is an enjoyable follow-up (or quasi-prequel), and although it lacks any comparably exciting plot devices, it has

18.2.24 I can proudly say that Ken Loach was one of those directors alongside David Fincher, Terence Davies and Stanley Kubrick that turned me from a casual moviegoer to a rabid cinema lover. His best works strike the perfect balance between capturing the character and humour of English culture against a usual gritty background, saturated