Critical Week: Nothing but a smile

As a critic, movies come at me at random, so it's very odd when a pattern emerges. This past week, for example, I saw two Belgian movies that were populated by people who were completely naked. And neither was about sex. Set in a naturist campground, Patrick is a quirky black comedy with a compelling mystery at its centre. And it features a global star in Jemaine Clement (above with non-nudist Hannah Hoekstra). Bare documents the production of a dance piece for 11 naked men from auditions to the premiere. It's a striking look at masculinity, including strength, weakness, diversity and unity. But you have to be relaxed about watching naked bodies on screen.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
WolfWalkers • Ammonite
No Hard Feelings • The Climb
 I Am Greta • Bare 
FULL REVIEWS >

Otherwise, the movies this week were the usual eclectic bunch - once Raindance ended on Sunday. There were two family-friendly films: David and Jacqui Morris' eye-catching new take on A Christmas Carol that uses Dickens' text faithfully, accompanied by an ambitious mix of dance and theatricality with an all-star voice cast; and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run is the latest adventure for that undersea gang of idiots, silly and also very funny (with added Keanu). There was some rude comedy in the gently engaging Malin Akerman comedy Chick Fight. And from Germany, the moving romance No Hard Feelings has a lot to say about the refugee experience.

Coming up this next week, films to watch include Aubrey Plaza in the drama Black Bear, Gary Oldman in the biopic Mank, Travis Fimmel in the heist comedy Finding Steve McQueen, the Jackie Chan action thriller Vanguard, the Romanian journalism drama Collective and the Shane MacGowan doc Crock of Gold.