Critical Week: Campfire stories

It's the week after the London Critics' Circle Film Awards, so much of my time has been spent wrapping up details and sifting through the photos (I published my annual album on Instagram - in four parts). There were only a few film screenings, and with the cold, wet weather I was happy to stay indoors. The big movie was Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the goofy but enjoyable fourth chapter in the saga of the London singleton so endearingly played by Renee Zellweger, this time alongside romantic foils Chiwetel Ejiofor (above) and Leo Woodall. Plus fabulous scene-stealers like Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson. 

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
September 5
ALL REVIEWS >

Ke Huy Quan is a terrific lead in action comedy Love Hurts, adeptly underplaying the drama while adding wit to the action sequences. The movie is silly, but watchable. Ryan Destiny is fiercely engaging in the boxing biopic The Fire Inside, which is sharper than expected thanks to director Rachel Morrison and writer Barry Jenkins, plus the terrific Brian Tyree Henry in a nuanced variation on the coach role. And Francois Ozon is back with the very French drama When Autumn Comes, which twists and turns through its gently offbeat story, layering personal drama with insinuating intrigue. I also attended the press night for the inventive political play Antigone [on strike] at the Park Theatre.

This coming week, the Avengers are back for Captain America: Brave New World, and I'll also be watching coming-of-age romcom Bonus Track, New York romance Barrio Boy, French drama Holy Cow, Palestinian refugee drama To a Land Unknown and the stage play Miss Brexit at the Omnibus in Clapham.

Critical Week: Walking in a winter wonderland

The holidays are descending upon us, as seen by those out-of-the-office email "gone for Christmas" bouncebacks. But year-end work for film critics is in full swing these days, with a steady stream of awards announcements in the news and best/worst of year pieces beginning to pop up everywhere. In a final flurry of screenings for the year, we had two of this week's big releases: Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel animated in the photoreal style of the 2019 remake and directed, somewhat surprisingly, by Barry Jenkins. It looks great, but the story and tone feel rather awkward, while the songs are oddly unmemorable. But fans will enjoy it. Fans will properly love the sequel Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which rights several wrongs about part 2 with a funnier script and more clowning goofiness centred around Jim Carrey's nutty Robotnik and, this time, his mad-scientist grandpa (also Carrey). Yes it's very silly.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
The Count of Monte-Cristo
Vengeance Most Fowl
Babygirl • The Brutalist
ALL REVIEWS >

Because I'm between voting deadlines, I've taken it a bit easier with the awards contenders this week, only seeing three. I've also needed to spend rather a lot of time readying the London Critics' Circle nominations to be announced. My catch-up movies this week: Andrea Arnold's Bird, a strikingly powerful fable that mixes gritty realism with magical realism, with terrific performances by Barry Keoghan and Nykiya Adams as father and daughter. The Count of Monte-Cristo is a lavish new French adaptation of the classic Dumas novel that, at nearly three hours, feels both epic and snappily paced. It's a real treat. From Denmark, The Girl With the Needle is more demanding, but it's a proper stunner, an involving, intensely moving story about a young woman battling the system. It's shot gorgeously in early 1900s period style (silent movie-style black and white, but with sound).

This coming week I have several films to catch up on, and it will depend on the time available to watch them. Movies on this rather eclectic list include The Day the Earth Blew Up, The End, Love Lies, Ghostlight, The Six Triple Eight, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, 2073, Sugarcane and Robert Zemeckis' Here. Happy Christmas!

Screen: July TV Roundup

I've had a lot to watch over the past few months, as I've been voting in the Dorian TV Awards (winners announced next month). This of course encourages me to watch quite a few things I wouldn't have otherwise seen - then when the nominations came out I have other things to catch up on. Not that I always agree with fellow voters (I haven't included here the shows I gave up on after 1 or 2 episodes). There's been some great television lately, and as the lines continue to blur between cinema and TV there seems to be more than ever to watch... 

Genera+ion

Not quite as loose and honest as We Are Who We Are, this teen drama astutely digs into contemporary attitudes among a group of teens at a Los Angeles high school. The most inventive touch is to replay key moments through the eyes of different characters, revealing a bigger picture about, well, an entire generation. The young cast is so good (particularly Justice Smith, Chase Sui Wonders and Uly Schlesinger) that the scenes involving parents played by the always excellent Martha Plimpton and Sam Trammell feel a bit distracting. It also seems a stretch to try to explain away crippling adolescent angst with parental and societal issues. Teens have always been like this, and the vast majority of us have managed to grow up. (HBO)

The Underground Railroad

Barry Jenkins' ambitious adaptation of Colson Whitehead's novel is often painful to watch, but that's the entire point: it shouldn't be easy to explore US history. Using cleverly surreal elements, the series takes a deep dive into the lingering impact of slavery on American culture. At the centre is the story of Cora (Thuso Mbedu), an escaped slave pursued by the tenacious Ridgeway (Joel Edgerton) and his young sidekick Homer (Chase Dillon). It's often shot in deep shadows that make the imagery annoyingly impenetrable, but most of the show looks spectacular, and the themes are bold and urgent, cutting through our watered-down ideas about the nation's past to provoke some righteous emotion. (Prime)

Loki

By honing in on Tom Hiddleston's god of mischief, this series remains continually watchable, even if it essentially turns into yet another over-egged Marvel-style romp across the multiverse. As it continues, it gets indulgently bombastic and far too pleased with itself, which is rather annoying. But the performances are terrific, anchored by the hugely engaging Hiddleston as a deity forced to briefly consider the idea of mortality. Also terrific are Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Wunmi Mosaku, plus lively Loki variants played by Sophia Di Martino and the always-fabulous Richard E Grant. A more properly stand-alone show would have been even better, mischievously refusing to feed Marvel's ever-expanding franchise. (Disney)

Lisey's Story

Stephen King adapts his own novel into this limited series starring the always riveting Julianne Moore as the wife of a dead novelist (Clive Owen) who found inspiration, and healing from his awful past, in a fantasy underworld. The gimmicky wordplay and supernatural elements tend to steal focus from the much more intriguing story about grief, sibling bonds and menacing fans. But first-rate director Pablo Larrain never loses the character focus, drawing powerfully shaded performances from Moore and her on-screen sisters Jennifer Jason Leigh and Joan Allen. It's their collective story that brings everything to vivid life and makes this far more involving than we expect. (Apple)

The Mosquito Coast

Only taking the title from Paul Theroux's novel, this series abandons the plot to launch an overegged roadtrip-from-hell thriller. Interesting ideas about consumerism and living off the grid are lost in a badly dragged-out story of a family making a life-threatening escape from shifty Feds and murderous criminals. But the superficial action makes it feel pointless. That said, the episodes are finely shot and edited, and the terrific ensemble (Justin Theroux, Melissa George, Gabriel Bateman and Logan Fox as a family on the run) adds nuance to characters who would have been far more interesting if the writers had stuck with the novel's more timely dramatic premise instead of creating yet another vapid action series. (Apple)

Star Wars: The Bad Batch

I haven't seen the other animated Star Wars series, but thought I'd give this one a shot. Even with its sometimes jarringly game-like imagery, it's finely made and has some snappy characters. The pace and tone slow drastically after the thumping first episode, indulging in a heist-of-the-week structure that clumsily attempts to deepen the characters. But as it continues, there are some over-arching relational elements that hold the attention, as this band of scrappy outsiders grapples with the nature of who they are and which side they're on. That makes it more intriguing than engaging. But I'm not sure how much longer I can wait for some meaningful revelations, or something to connect to. (Disney)

The Upshaws

There are some terrific issues woven into the fabric of this sitcom, and a great cast who would be able to bring them meaningfully to light. But the scripts take a lazy comical approach that goes for goofy gags rather than knowing humour, leaving it all feeling oddly simplistic. Anchoring the cast, Mike Epps, Kim Fields and the great Wanda Sykes are excellent as people grappling with a family structure that's far more traditional than the show can bring itself to acknowledge. And a disastrous canned laugh track roars at all of the very worst non-jokes. This could have been a superb comical exploration of a family dealing with its murky past, but it ends up as little more than silliness. (Netflix)

That Damn Michael Che

Saturday Night Live comic Michael Che finds a new way to blend stand-up and sketch comedy with this edgy series that tackles timely issues in an original way. Each episode centres on a theme, usually something that has strong political fallout, and a variety of scenes play out as pitch-black satire, witty spoof or thoughtfully amusing monolog. This approach keeps us ready to laugh, and there are quite a few hilariously barbed gags. And the show also constantly reminds us that these are urgent, knotty issues that require much more than light-hearted thoughts. Che's laconic presence is a very clever counterpoint, and his perspective avoids the usual cliches for something far more complex. (HBO)

BACK FOR MORE

Special: series 2

Ryan O'Connell is back for another series of comical antics as a young gay man with cerebral palsy simply trying to get on with his life like anyone else. But of course everyone else sees his disability before they see him. O'Connell is a terrific writer, never allowing sentimentality to creep in while finding comedy and warmth in a range of prickly interactions. And in the central relationship between Ryan and his mother (the fabulous Jessica Hecht), the show has a big, beating heart. Their warm, meaningful connection adds subtext to the much more challenging storylines involving other side characters. And it also provides even more spark to the show's distinctive and vitally important perspective. (Netflix)

Lupin: part 2

This show is so compulsively watchable that is seems cruel that producers only made five more shows to cap off this first season. Yes, each episode leaves us wanting more, including the final one. Gliding through it all, Omar Sy has an abundance of  charm and intelligence that carries us right past some rather shaky writing (plot holes ahoy!). The twisty narrative is thoroughly riveting, as it offers something much more layered than the usual crime series. Most impressive is that this isn't actually about heists or getting revenge, the two things that seem to be driving the action. It's actually a more human story about connection, justice and making peace with the past. All with a witty literary nod. (Netflix)

Love, Victor: series 2

If anything, the second season of this soapy teen drama is even more simplistic than the first. It's a great show for pre-teens who need to be encouraged that they will one day find a way through difficulties that feel insurmountable. And the writers do take on some topics that other shows shy away from completely, representing a superb range of experiences that relate to sexuality. But it's far too cute and obvious for viewers who are the age of the characters or older. That said, the cast led by Michael Cimino is excellent, and the actors find some nice nuance even in the most obvious plot threads. But frankly, each of them is good enough to take on something more complex and less prudish than this show. (Hulu) 

The Handmaid's Tale: series 4

Feeling a bit truer to the show's original promise, this season both escalates the events and deepens the drama as things take several jaw-dropping twists. Elisabeth Moss is of course excellent as June navigates a terrifying escape and becomes a leader in exile, now fighting the violently misogynist government of Gilead from relative safety in Canada. Plot threads around Yvonne Stahovski, Joseph Fiennes and Ann Dowd feel off-topic, but develop nicely alongside June's much more internalised and emotionally powerful journey, even if vengeance doesn't really suit her. And in June's more righteous rebellion, the show still has some strong bite, offering remarkably strong scenes for Max Minghella and O-T Fagbenle. (Hulu)

Elite: series 4

This outrageously trashy Spanish teen soap returns with another riotously over-the-top season set in a posh private school where there's a massive party every night and a range of serious crimes take place each term. The collision of classes is what makes the show addictive, this time centring on the arrival of a new insanely wealthy family with three trouble-stirring siblings. And there's also a slumming prince to stir up an enjoyable but superfluous romantic sideroad. The writers seemed far more interested in throwing the characters into a wild series of encounters, jealousies and pranks than the overriding mystery, which never quite comes together. But it's shameless, mindless fun. (Netflix)

THIS IS THE END

Pose: series 3

The quality of writing has been uneven ever since the first season, indulging in some simplistic moralising and cliched plot points, plus a lot of rather pushy melodrama. But the hit rate increases with these final episodes, which tackle some big themes with raw emotions. The characters are more robust than ever, played by a top-notch, groundbreaking ensemble with a resonance so intense that they're utterly iconic. Each one feels like a family member, so the issues they face carry a powerful kick. And there are some awesome episodes along the way to the series finale's spectrum of emotions, from political rage to the exhilaration of performing to the pain and guilt of loss. It'll be great to see what Mj Rodriguez, Indya Moore and Dominique Jackson do next. It'll be hard to top this, but here's hoping. (FX)

The Kominsky Method: series 3

After sending off Alan Arkin's Norman in the first episode, Michael Douglas is joined by his old partner in crime Kathleen Turner for a superb final collection of episodes that grapple with family connections, money issues and a range of themes circling around the central idea of growing older and older. Some of the storylines feel a bit superfluous, such as Norman's kids wrangling to get their hands on their inheritance cash. But Paul Reiser is hilarious as the prospective son-in-law who seems like he's all wrong for daughter Mindy (Sarah Baker), but might be just right. And Morgan Freeman makes a hilarious appearance as himself, as does Barry Levinson, who brings a terrific final plot point with him. (Netflix)

NOW WATCHING: Schmigadoon, Physical, Kevin Can F**k Himself, The White Lotus, Dave (2), Never Have I Ever (2), I Think You Should Leave (2).

COMING SOON: Mr Corman, Nine Perfect Strangers, Ted Lasso (2).

The Best of 2018: 38th Shadows Awards

These are films I saw in 2018, regardless of their release dates. All were seen by public audiences in cinemas - either on general release, specialty screenings or at festivals, during the past 12 months. These were especially difficult lists to narrow down!

A far more extensive version of this is on the website at 38TH SHADOWS AWARDS, for those who can't get enough of this sort of thing: longer lists, many more categories, trivia-o-rama.

My top film this year is not only a bracingly ripping true story, but it captures and confronts the current cultural mood with skill and invention. It's also a wonderful return to fighting form for filmmaker Spike Lee, who last won my best film prize in 1989 for Do the Right Thing.

BEST FILM:

1. BlacKkKlansman (Spike Lee)
2. Cold War (Pawel Pawlikowski)
3. The Favourite (Yorgos Lanthimos)
4. If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins)
5. Generation Wealth (Lauren Greenfield)
6. Capernaum (Nadine Labaki)
7. We the Animals (Jeremiah Zagar)
8. Colette (Wash Westmoreland)
9. Shoplifters (Hirokazu Koreeda)
10. Sofia (Meryem Benm'Barek)

DIRECTOR:

1. Pawel Pawlikowski (Cold War)
2. Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman)
3. Ari Aster (Hereditary)
4. Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk)
5. Nadine Labaki (Capernaum)
6. Bart Layton (American Animals)
7. Chloe Zhao (The Rider)
8. Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite)
9. Jeremiah Zagar (We the Animals)
10. Meryem Benm'Barek (Sofia)

WRITER:

1. Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk)
2. Pawel Pawlikowski, Janusz Glowacki (Cold War)
3. Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland, Rebecca Lenkiewicz (Colette)
4. Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara (The Favourite)
5. Daniel Kokotajlo (Apostasy)
6. Bart Layton (American Animals)
7. Alfonso Cuaron (Roma)
8. Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs (Blindspotting)
9. Alex Garland (Annihilation)
10. Madeleine Sami, Jackie van Beek (The Breaker Upperers)

ACTRESS:

1. Olivia Colman (The Favourite)
2. Joanna Kulig (Cold War)
3. Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place, Mary Poppins Returns)
4. Agnes Jaoui (I Got Life!)
5. Eva Melander (Border)
6. Toni Collette (Hereditary, Hearts Beat Loud, Madame)
7. Anna Brun (The Heiresses)
8. Natalie Portman (Vox Lux, Annihilation)
9. Claire Foy (Unsane, First Man)
10. Rosamund Pike (A Private War, Beirut, Entebbe)

ACTOR:

1. Michael B Jordan (Black Panther, Creed II, Fahrenheit 451)
2. Brady Landreau (The Rider)
3. Rupert Everett (The Happy Prince)
4. Tomasz Kot (Cold War)
5. Marcello Fonte (Dogman)
6. John David Washington (BlacKkKlansman, Monsters and Men)
7. Zain Al Rafeea (Capernaum)
8. Steve Carell (Beautiful Boy, Vice, Welcome to Marwen)
9. Alex Lawther (Freak Show, Ghost Stories)
10. Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

1. Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk)
2. Florence Pugh (Outlaw King)
3. Millicent Simmonds (A Quiet Place)
4. Sarah Perles (Sofia)
5. Cynthia Erivo (Widows, Bad Times at the El Royale)
6. Sissy Spacek (The Old Man & the Gun)
7. Danai Gurira (Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War)
8. Sakura Ando (Shoplifters)
9. Molly Wright (Apostasy)
10. Elizabeth Debicki (Widows, The Cloverfield Paradox)

SUPPORTING ACTOR:

1. Brian Tyree Henry (Widows, If Beale Street Could Talk, White Boy Rick, Hotel Artemis)
2. Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Outlaw King)
3. Daniel Kaluuya (Black Panther, Widows)
4. Timothee Chalamet (Beautiful Boy)
5. Nicholas Hoult (The Favourite)
6. Jonah Hill (Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot)
7. Richard E Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
8. Noah Jupe (A Quiet Place, That Good Night)
9. Barry Keoghan (Black '47, American Animals)
10. Jude Law (Vox Lux, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald)

WORST FILM:

1. Mile 22 (Peter Berg)
2. The Strangers: Prey at Night (Johannes Roberts)
3. Truth or Dare (Jeff Wadlow)
4. Midnight Sun (Scott Speer)
5. Fifty Shades Freed (James Foley)
6. Life Itself (Dan Fogelman)
7. Strangeways Here We Come (Chris Green)
8. The 15:17 to Paris (Clint Eastwood)
9. Venom (Ruben Fleischer)
10. Action Point (Tim Kirkby)

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N O N - F I L M   D I V I S I O N

TV SERIES:

1. Pose (FX)
2. Schitt's Creek (CBN)
3. Fleabag (BBC)
4. Everything Sucks! (Netflix)
5. Killing Eve (BBC)
6. The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (Prime)
7. Patrick Melrose (Showtime)
8. A Very English Scandal (BBC)
9. Atlanta (FX)
10. Trust (FX)

SINGLE:

1. This Is America (Childish Gambino)
2. Nothing Breaks Like a Heart (Mark Ronson & Miley Cyrus)
3. One Kiss (Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa)
4. Shallow (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper)
5. Promises (Sam Smith & Calvin Harris)
6. Happier (Marshmello & Bastille)
7. Make Me Feel (Janelle Monae)
8. Better Now (Post Malone)
9. Ruin My Life (Zara Larsson)
10. This Is Me (Keala Settle)

LFF: Do a little dance

The 62nd London Film Festival is wrapping up with a continuing parade of red carpet gala screenings and various celebrity talks and workshops. It's a pretty busy collection of venues from BFI Southbank into Leicester Square and beyond, and this weekend will see a final flurry of activity. Although on Saturday the festival may be upstaged by the People's Vote march, demanding that the British public has a say in Brexit. We'll see how that goes. In the meantime, here are some more highlights...

The Favourite
dir Yorgos Lanthimos; with Olivia Colman, Emma Stone 18/Ire ****
A fiendishly witty script and blazing performances brings this historical piece to riotous life as it delves into the political machinations of the British royal household. Anchored by riveting, awards-worthy lead performances by Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz, the film looks terrific thanks to Yorgos Lanthimos' offbeat direction and Robbie Ryan's inventive cinematography.

If Beale Street Could Talk
dir-scr Barry Jenkins; with KiKi Layne, Stephan James 18/US *****
Barry Jenkins follows up Moonlight with an adaptation of the James Baldwin novel that's both deeply gorgeous and righteously furious. It's a gently romantic drama with a fiercely topical core, so while its staggeringly beautiful filmmaking tantalises our eyes and emotions, the film is also stirring something darker and deeper about the deep-seated injustice in American society... FULL REVIEW >

Assassination Nation
dir-scr Sam Levinson; with Odessa Young, Suki Waterhouse 18/US ***.
Full-speed from the opening shot, this riotously satirical action-horror veers dangerously close to becoming a Purge movie. But it's fiercely present-day, as writer-director Sam Levinson gives the film such a short attention span that split screens are often required to cram everything onto the screen. This makes it a kinetic, relentless thrill ride, even if it at times feels a little too viciously pointed... FULL REVIEW >

The White Crow
dir Ralph Fiennes; with Oleg Ivenko, Adele Exarchopoulos 18/UK ***
This biopic of Rudolf Nureyev is beautifully shot and acted, but it's both too specific and overly fragmented, which makes it difficult to engage with. David Hare's script has an oddly choppy structure that removes all momentum from the plot by jumping unnecessarily between periods, and it glosses over some important elements. Still, Ralph Fiennes' stylish direction keeps it watchable, and the climactic sequence is tensely riveting.

Benjamin
dir-scr Simon Amstell; with Colin Morgan, Phenix Brossard 18/UK ***
With a central character who is deeply annoying, this scruffy British comedy struggles to keep the audience on its side. It meanders through a loose, rather goofy story that continually threatens to erupt into a feel-good romance, but the tone is more bitter than it is sweet. There are plenty of terrific moments to keep the viewer entertained, even if the film never quite engages on any other level.

Shadow
dir Zhang Yimou; with Deng Chao, Sun Li 18/Chn ****
Chinese filmmaker Zhang is back with another staggeringly beautiful historical saga packed with complex characters and a story that twists and turns right to the brilliant final shot. With costumes and settings that are simply stunning, the film has its own distinct visual sensibility, which brings the central themes into focus. It's a powerfully involving tale of love, betrayal, revenge and retribution... FULL REVIEW >

May the Devil Take You
dir-scr Timo Tjahjanto; with Chelsea Islan, Pevita Pearce 18/Ina ***
Riotously grisly, this inventive Indonesian horror plays with a variety of nasty elements that work together to produce a gonzo freak-out. So it's a bit frustrating that the movie doesn't make much sense, and especially that it has no subtext to make it memorable. But as a masterclass in effective ways to stage violent suspense, it's a treat... FULL REVIEW >

31st Flare: Make an opening move

The 31st edition of the British Film Institute's Flare: London LGBT Film Festival kicked off on Thursday night with the world premiere of the BBC drama Against the Law, produced to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Sexual Offences Act. It's a powerfully cinematic movie that deserves to be seen on the big screen, as it includes documentary clips of men who lived through the events depicted from the 1950s, starring Richard Gadd and Daniel Mays (above).

Against the Law
dir Fergus O'Brien; with Daniel Mays, Richard Gadd 17/UK **** (world premiere)
An inventive blending of period drama and talking head documentary, this pointed film is beautifully edited to make the most of both strands. Each feeds into the other with a powerful sense of momentum, giving the final scenes a proper emotional kick. And there's also a sense of timeliness, as the story recounts events from 60 years ago that would change British law about homosexuality a decade later. And the events still resonate loudly today.

After Louie
dir Vincent Gagliostro; with Alan Cumming, Zachary Booth 17/US ***. (world premiere)
Big ideas circle around this earthy drama set among New York artists. The characters are bright and engaging, even as they are deeply flawed, and the talky script takes an unexpectedly honest approach to hot potato topics, exploring how nostalgia for the gay rights movement of the 1990s might not be the healthiest way to move forward. It's perhaps too deliberately provocative to be properly moving, but Alan Cumming delivers a beautifully complex central performance.

Taekwondo
dir-scr Marco Berger; with Gabriel Epstein, Lucas Papa 16/Arg ***. 
Essentially a mash-up of writer-director Marco Berger's Hawaii and producer-codirector Martin Farina's Fulboy, this film places nine athletic young men in an isolated house for a sweltering summer getaway and observes the physicality between them. There's a hint of a plot between two of the guys, and a few traits emerge here and there, but the movie is basically a tactile, tantalising tease that pays off only in the final moments... FULL REVIEW >

B E S T   O F   T H E   Y E A R

Moonlight
dir-scr Barry Jenkins; with Trevante Rhodes, Andre Holland 16/US ****.
With its intimate approach and deeply resonant themes, this film gets under the skin right from the start, putting us in the shoes of the lead character at three points in his life. His journey to self-discovery is difficult, partly because he is painfully withdrawn due to his tough life experiences. And what this movie has to say is so important that it deserves all the the attention and awards it gets... FULL REVIEW >

It's Only the End of the World
dir-scr Xavier Dolan; with Gaspard Ulliel, Vincent Cassel 16/Can *****
Few filmmakers are as bold as 27-year-old Canadian Xavier Dolan, who regularly takes on family relationships using bravura filmmaking that brings out unexpected, unfiltered emotions. This film, based on a play by Jean-Luc Lagarce, is a staggering dissection of the dynamic between parents, children and siblings. It's heightened to the point that it's often painful to watch, but it's also urgent, honest and essential... FULL REVIEW >

Critical Week: Oscar pulls a switcheroo

The 89th Academy Awards ended with a major upset on Sunday night, as Moonlight won the Best Picture Oscar over seemingly set-in-stone favourite La La Land, which had scooped up almost everything in its path during awards season. And it was made even more memorable when this important triumph was so badly botched by officials from PwC, who gave the wrong envelope to presenters Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty (a 50th anniversary Bonnie & Clyde reunion), who announced La La Land. And it took two long minutes to correct the error. Watching this unfold live was simply astonishing, one of the most jaw-dropping moments in Oscar history. It definitely overshadowed just how amazing Moonlight's win is.

There were hints early on that the expected La La Land sweep wasn't going to happen, as awards were handed out to Hacksaw Ridge, Arrival, Fantastic Beasts and even Suicide Squad before La La Land won its first statuette. In the end, La La Land won 6 awards to Moonlight's 3. Other than Best Picture, there were no real upsets. Speeches were terrific, with pointed political jabs and lots of wonderfully emotional moments.

Jimmy Kimmel did a solid job as host, maintaining his jokes all the way through the ceremony (something few hosts manage). He also gave his continual mocking of Trump a jokey tone. Some of his bits didn't really work (the tour bus) and others were recycled (mean tweets), but his dry approach was very funny, and the ongoing banter with Matt Damon genuinely hilarious.

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Before leaving Los Angeles, I managed to catch up with Get Out, Jordan Peele's superbly original horror drama - witty, scary and very clever. And back in London I headed to a screening of the strikingly original superhero thriller Logan, Hugh Jackman's last outing as Wolverine. On the plane in between, I revisited one of my all-time favourites, Mel Brooks' classic Blazing Saddles, which still makes me laugh uncontrollably.

Coming up this week, we have screenings of the new mega-blockbuster Kong: Skull Island, Kristen Stewart in Personal Shopper, Stephen Fry's Hippopotamus, the Argentine drama Bromance, and the dark romance Fair Haven, to start with.

LFF 2: Looking for trouble

The 60th London Film Festival demonstrated its size today with a blinding array of screenings all over the city. And in the press zone, our screenings were all overcrowded, vividly showing that (1) the festival has too many movies, (2) the wildly popular films are being screened too few times, and (3) there are too many journalists and industry professionals who need to see them. But then, this is a massive festival that's covered all over the world. It may not feature many proper world premieres, but it's bringing the best of the premiere festivals to an audience that's clamouring for more of this kind of programming. Some highlights from Thursday...

American Honey
dir-scr Andrea Arnold; with Sasha Lane, Shia LaBeouf 16/UK **. 
Filmmaker Andrea Arnold astutely slices through American youth culture with this meandering road trip, which is gorgeously photographed by Robbie Ryan and played with bracing honesty by its fresh-faced cast (pictured above). But with so little structure to the plot, the extended running time feels at least an hour too long. Especially since the events stop making logical sense and the characters stubbornly refuse to take their own internal journeys.

La La Land
dir-scr Damien Chazelle; with Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone 16/US ****.
This colourful musical about Los Angeles is both a celebration and a cautionary tale about the city of dreams. Its buoyant tone and fizzy performances make it a delight from start to finish, even when things turn rather dark along the way. Writer-director Damien Chazelle proves that Whiplash was no fluke: this is a bravura display of pure cinematic joy. FULL REVIEW >

King Cobra
dir-scr Justin Kelly; with Garrett Clayton, Christian Slater 16/US ***
Based on an outrageous true story, this film grips the audience with its colourful characters and unpredictable situations. But the script struggles to find a point of view, which means that it's not easy to identify with anyone on-screen, so it's difficult to find the emotional core to what happens. A more focussed dramatic approach might have made a better film, but this is still a riveting story.

Moonlight
dir-scr Barry Jenkins; with Trevante Rhodes, Andre Holland 16/US ****
With its intimate approach and deeply resonant themes, this film gets under the skin right from the start, putting us in the shoes of the lead character at three points in his life. His journey to self-discovery is difficult, partly because he is painfully withdrawn due to his tough life experiences. And what this movie has to say is so important that it deserves all the the attention and awards it gets.

Mirzya
dir Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra; with Harshvardhan Kapoor, Saiyami Kher 16/Ind ***
Infused with music and history, this bold Bollywood epic parallels a modern story of forbidden love against a mythological romance. The settings and design work are stunning, with frequent cutaways to elaborately choreographed songs. So even if it all feels somewhat corny for Western audiences, the grand scale keeps it entertaining. FULL REVIEW >

And along with La La Land, there were two films I saw in Venice screening today in London: Francois Ozon's terrific post-war drama Frantz and Stephane Brize's deconstructed 19th century drama A Woman's Life.