Critical Week: Things are heating up

The big awards season screening this week was for James Cameron's sequel Avatar: Fire and Ash, shown to us in all of its 3D glory. It's certainly an epic experience, with eye-catching action and increasingly realistic motion-capture effects. Although the story felt a bit familiar, as if that matters. Michelle Pfeiffer leads the charge as a bedraggled mum in the Christmas comedy Oh. What. Fun., which enjoyably riffs on the full range of holiday comedy classics. There were two animated movies: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants is another frantic and very silly undersea romp, while the Japanese epic Scarlet uses distinctive imagery in its involving underworld twist on Hamlet.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Merrily We Roll Along
It Was Just an Accident
La Grazia • Eternity • Folktales
ALL REVIEWS >

Other awards offerings included Jim Jarmusch's Venice-winning Father Mother Sister Brother, a lovely family-connections triptych with a superior cast including Cate Blanchett and Adam Driver. Fred Hechinger and Sebiye Behtiyar are excellent as young people who fall for each other in the warm, funny, emotional Preparation for the Next Life. Jonathan Majors goes very deep indeed as a bodybuilder in the delayed drama Magazine Dreams, impressively written and directed by Elijah Bymun. There were two documentaries: the chilling Cover-Up profiles journalist Seymour Hersh in a career exposing government misdeeds, while Folktales is a warmly involving look at a Norwegian high school that specialises in dog sledding.

Beyond film, I attended the outrageously lavish premiere of Fallout season 2, attended by the cast and crew (see below). And I also managed to fit in three seasonal stage performances: Ebony Scrooge at Sadler's Wells East, the panto Beauty and the Beast at Charing Cross Theatre and The Great Christmas Feast in West Kensington.

Coming up this next week, I'll be watching Jack O' Connell in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Joel Edgerton in The Plague, Rosamund Pike in Hallow Road, Rose Byrne in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, Josh O'Connor in Rebuilding, plus a live performance of The Fit Prince at King's Head Theatre, and probably a bit more, all before flying out to see my family in California for the holidays.

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Critical Week: I've got a bad feeling

It's been another unusually busy week for this time of year in the screening rooms, with a steady stream, of movies to watch. I'd been hoping to get a break after awards season, but we are powering forward at full speed. So any down time will have to wait. Big releases are screening late these days, with three that are coming out this week: Ayo Edebiri leads the cast of Opus, a blackly comical horror film that isn't very scary. But Edebiri makes it very watchable, as does a scene-chewing John Malkovich. Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender sizzle in the snaky, intelligent thriller Black Bag, which refreshingly isn't about what you think it's about. And Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt lead an offbeat ensemble in The Electric State, a retro sci-fi adventure that's watchable but also forgettable.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Last Breath
Black Bag • Throuple
PERHAPS AVOID:
The Day the Earth Blew Up
ALL REVIEWS >

Other films included the perhaps too-emotional drama The Life of Chuck, with a superb ensemble led by Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan. The Parenting is an amusing meet-the-parents horror pastiche with Brian Cox, Edie Falco and Lisa Kudrow. It's funny and grisly, but never frightening. Infused with music, Throuple is an offbeat indie romance that knowingly bends the rules. And there were two Chinese films: the epic animated sequel Ne Zha 2 is visually dazzling, while the blackly comical thriller Brief History of a Family is riveting and surprising.

There were also two festival films. From South by Southwest, there was the sharply made teen comedy She's the He, and from WatchAUT, I enjoyed the offbeat drama of Peacock, starring the superb Albrecht Schuch. And I also caught two stage shows: Dear Martin at the Arcola Theatre and Drum Tao: The Dream at the Peacock Theatre.

This coming week I'll be watching two films with Pedro Pascal, the adventure Freaky Tales and the comedy-drama The Uninvited, plus Disney's live-action Snow White, Michel Hazanavicius' animated The Most Precious of Cargoes, Alain Guiraudie's Misericordia and the artificial intelligence doc The Thinking Game. In addition, the remake of The Wedding Banquet, starring Bowen Yang, opens BFI Flare film fest on Wednesday.

Screen: December TV Roundup

This roundup is a few months late, as my autumn was sidetracked in all kinds of directions. I have still managed to watch the odd episode of a series here and there, so I've been slowly getting through things, especially in the run-up to the voting deadline for the Golden Globes TV categories (but it's impossible to see everything). As always, television is my therapy, a chance to relax from the more intense work of watching and reviewing films. Still, it's been great to see cinematic ideas and approaches in series this autumn, most notably in the first one here. Starting with new shows...

Disclaimer
Who would have thought that a pitch-black battle of wits between Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline was what we always wanted on TV? Turns out that was gifted Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron, who put together this ripping dramatic thriller about grappling with past decisions and present-day accusations. Offbeat and unexpected, it continually flips the tables on its characters, with powerhouse performances from Blanchett and Kline, plus Sacha Baron Cohen, Leslie Manville and Kodi Smit-McPhee. With unusual nuance, the actors bring out dark themes in ways that are powerfully provocative. (Apple)

A Man on the Inside
Ted Danson reteams with The Good Place creator Michael Schur for this ingeniously designed comedy mystery based on the terrific 2020 Chilean documentary The Mole Agent. Danson is on top form as a man who goes undercover in a San Francisco retirement home to investigate a robbery. Residents are wonderfully played by veterans like Sally Struthers, Margaret Avery, Veronica Cartwright, Susan Ruttan, Stephen McKinley Henderson and John Getz. Cleverly, the show remains consistently funny and astute, while refusing to shy away from some surprisingly moving moments. (Netflix)

The Perfect Couple
A sudsy mystery set around a fabulously wealthy family in Nantucket, this show delights the audience with a series of snaky relationships between relatives. Essentially White Lotus Lite, the writing is never quite as surprising or tricky as it thinks it is, as everything is fairly obvious from the start. But the jagged editing makes sure that there are some great surprises along the way, and terrific scenes for the ensemble of terrific actors led by Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber as parents who aren't as oblivious as they seem to be. And the story's messier edges are rather good fun. (Netflix)

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
In this third season of Ryan Murphy's anthology series, the notorious Menendez case provides plenty of juicy tabloid-style nastiness to hold the attention. And the central performances from Nicholas Alexander Chavez and especially Cooper Koch as the troubled siblings make it riveting. Stir in edgy turns from Javier Bardem and Chloe Sevigny as their (probably) abusive parents, Ari Graynor as their tenacious lawyer and Nathan Lane as too-involved novelist Dominic Dunne. It's a clever look at the questions between the lines, leaving us with a lot to talk about. (Netflix)

Agatha All Along
Kathryn Hahn gets her own Marvel spin-off with this sequel to WandaVision, as the witch Agatha meets a teen (Joe Locke in a nice break from Heartstopper) who holds a very dark secret. As they set off down the Witch's Road with a group of rivals including Aubrey Plaza and Patti LuPone, the plotting becomes a bit knotted and dense, but there's a light sense of humour that keeps the show fizzing along entertainingly. Indeed, the mischievous performances make sure that all of the witchy nonsense isn't as impenetrable as it feels. (Disney)

Kaos
Sunny and sparky, this energetic series puts Greek gods in the modern world, threatening the balance between their encampment on Mount Olympus, the humans on Earth and the residents of the Underworld. First a warning: this is one of those series that sets up something huge, then only delivers it in the final seconds of the final episode, leaving it all hanging on a potential second season, which sadly isn't happening. That said, it's a lot of fun to watch this talented cast play with the material, including Jeff Goldblum, Janet McTeer, Cliff Curtis, David Thewlis and especially Nabhaan Rizwan. (Netflix)

Time Bandits
Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement adapted Terry Gilliam's sublime classic film into this scrappy series, considerably altering the premise to make everything much murkier. Strangely, the characters feel under-written and not particularly funny, especially the roles Waititi and Clement gave themselves (the Supreme Being and Pure Evil). Most surprising is how unsophisticated this feels, like a cheaply made children's TV show. Lisa Kudrow is enjoyable as the leader of a group marauding through time, and others have their moments. But it never quite grabs hold, and won't be back for another season. (Apple)

W E L C O M E   B A C K

Only Murders in the Building: series 4
Hilariously continuing to play with its premise, this series gets more intricate with each season. And this time our trio of podcasters (Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez) has been pulled into the sphere of a blithely shifty Hollywood producer (Molly Shannon) who wants to make a movie about them starring Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis and Eva Longoria. Cue their hilarious pastiche performances from them and a crowded cast of big-name stars. Through it all, a murder propels them into another messy whodunit that twists and turns with each nutty episode. (Hulu)

Heartstopper: series 3
Things get a bit more intense in this season, as one of the main story threads centres on how Nick (Kit Connor) struggles to help Charlie (Joe Locke) get help to deal with his eating disorder. The issue is never simplified, so it gets genuinely dark along the way, and this adds a shadow over most of the other plotlines as well. So while this more serious edge kind of undermines the show's usual sweetness, it also allows it to grow up a bit and tackle something important and relatable. And the production and performances are terrific as always, with a superb role for Hayley Atwell. (Netflix)

Frasier: series 2
For its second season, this legacy series continues to complicate its inter-relationships, bringing back some favourite characters (most notably Peri Gilpin) while adding some depth to the new ones who have been introduced this time around. At the centre, Kelsey Grammer shines as the oblivious egomaniac shrink with a heart of gold. While Niles' absence is still sorely felt, as is any reference to Frasier's earlier life in Boston, the writing is sharp enough to keep us laughing. And the connections between these people are warm and involving, and funny too. (Paramount)

A N D   S O   I T   E N D S

Somebody Somewhere: series 3
Frankly, this is heaven in a television series, upending all of the usual sitcom cliches to depict the relationships between a group of almost staggeringly real people. At the centre is Bridget Everett's Sam, who still hasn't quite found her place amid her feisty sister (Mary Catherine Garrison) and goofy best friend (Jeff Hiller). So she can't see why a hulking new neighbour (Olafur Darri Olafsson) could like her as much as she likes him. Like a balm for the soul, this show makes you laugh, sigh and cry ugly tears of joy. And it reminds us how important it is to find our people. (Max)

The Umbrella Academy: series 4
For their final season, this makeshift bunch of siblings is trying to get back to their original timeline. Yes, multiverse nonsense abounds, as does yet another reality-ending plot. As tiring as that is, there's enough interest in the characters to keep us watching. They are also well-played by an ensemble that has grown very tight over the run of this series, and over these six rather annoyingly fragmented episodes they get to wrap up their various stories. It also helps to have Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman on hand as the antagonists. (Netflix)

Unstable: series 2
Rob Lowe is back as the nutty tech boss who is still navigating his relationship with his adult son (played by Rob's son John Owen Lowe). The whole show feels a bit too carefully constructed as a wacky workplace sitcom, but there are funny moments along the way, thanks to a cast that isn't afraid to look ridiculous. Both owes are terrific, and their good-natured banter is thoroughly entertaining, especially when augmented by the up-for-it supporting cast. Perhaps with a little more forward momentum, this show might have caught on with viewers and then returned for more. (Netflix)

Elite: series 8
For the last season of this Spanish show set in a prestigious private school, the writers have gone even darker than usual, as almost everyone is now indulging in some sort of criminality, often involving violence that's unusually grim. That said, the storylines are as sexy as always, even if the direction has a new coyness to it that throws the camp soapiness and lurid lustiness out of balance. This means that the actors have to scramble to keep their characters grounded in any sense of reality. But it just about works, and we'll miss this nutty, lusty, grisly mess when it's gone. (Netflix)

Snowpiercer:
series 4
Returning for its final season after a long break, this high-concept futuristic thriller immediately throws logic out the window. A fractured structure never quite makes sense, while characters have jolting personality shifts, most notably Daveed Diggs' leader Layton, who thoughtlessly jeopardises everyone with a personal quest. But then, none of the plot threads serves the characters very well, and the splintered approach keeps anything from gaining momentum, as it were. It's all so choppy, and such a bit let-down after the intelligent first three seasons, that I didn't make it to the end. (AMC)

GUILTY PLEASURES: The Great British Bake-Off, Strictly Come Dancing, Queer Eye, Drag Race (UK, Global All-Stars, Canada vs the World), The Circle, Selling Sunset.

NOW WATCHING (OR INTENDING TO): Squid Game 2, What We Do in the Shadows 6, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, Dexter: Original Sin, Black Doves, The Madness, The Day of the Jackal, Landman, The Sticky, Laid.

COMING SOON: The White Lotus 3, Severance 2, Zero Day, Prime Target, The Traitors 3.

Previous roundup: AUGUST 2024 > 

Critical Week: Generations

Awards season is cranking up for anyone who votes in these things, and yet there are still regular releases opening in cinemas that I need to cover, So the week was a combination of films aimed at very different audiences. As for cinema releases, there was the latest film directed by 94-year-old Clint Eastwood, the old-fashioned dramatic thriller Juror #2, starring Nicholas Hoult, and Toni Collette. It's slow and not nearly as complex as it looks, but enjoyably gripping. Hugh Grant is excellent as the charming-but-shifty villain in Heretic, a rather simplistic horror film that's livened up by deeper theological questions. And Liam Neeson's latest action movie is Absolution, a surprisingly thoughtful meditation on mortality and redemption.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
A Real Pain • Emilia Perez
Anora • Super/Man
Home Sweet Home: Where Evil Lives
ALL REVIEWS >

There were also a few more films that showed at the London Film Festival. Pharrell Williams uses Lego animation to tell his life story in Piece by Piece, an uplifting and delightfully original concoction packed with hilarious gags and lots of great music. Cate Blanchett leads the ensemble cast of Rumours, a nutty satire about G7 leaders lost in the woods. The film is a bit lost itself. From Hong Kong, The Last Dance is a beautifully well-made comedy about the tension between tradition and progress. From Britain, Secrets of a Wallaby Boy is a very scrappy hand-made comedy about a delivery boy. And there were two docs: Christopher Reeve is the focus of the fascinating, moving Super/Man, which has some important things to say about curiosity and compassion, and How to Build a Truth Engine is a fascinatingly detailed exploration of the spread of fake news.

As the big movies keep coming, this coming week I'll be watching Paul Mescal in Gladiator II, the adventure comedy sequel Paddington in Peru, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in Wicked Part 1, Dwayne Johnson in Red One, Emma Corrin in Nosferatu and the FrightFest Halloween comedy Time Travel Is Dangerous.

Fringe: BriTANicK - Huge Davies - Apricity

Yes, I'm back in Edinburgh for a week of the Fringe, watching lots of shows and enjoying the buzz of the city. Here are my first three, plus my cinematic Critical Week. Much more to come...

BriTANicK: Dummy

with Brian McElhaney, Nick Kocher

Pleasance Courtyard, Above • Fringe, 2024 ★★★★★

Even if they're big time writers and performers, Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher return to Edinburgh with a new show that turns their previous masterclass (Feb 2023 review) inside out and upside down. This is a staggeringly smart and funny concoction, sketch comedy that spirals and dovetails hilariously into an enormous meta-joke. So even if it kicks off in the usual formulation, with Brian as the nice-guy alongside outrageous and deeply wrong best pal Nick, things quickly begin to turn surreal.

The script begins to shift after Nick confesses his addiction to puppet porn. This show has a sponsor that sells things like "attention from your father 30 years ago", leading to a series of wildly inventive time-twisting gags that are peppered right to the end of the show. Along the way, they interact with the disembodied voice of their director Riley, who appears to be a toddler. And each scene plays on ideas of people being controlled by someone else in a variety of laugh-out-loud ways.

Expertly performed in a way that makes it feel improvised and surprising, the show is a terrific mix of stand-up, sketch comedy and slapstick clownery, with moments that are silly, dreamlike and sometimes rather dark. And where it goes is inspired, exploring ideas about ambition, nature and nurture in ways that are both amusing and sharply pointed. As all of the gags begin to collide in the final stretch, it's impossible not to feel like we've been played by experts. And it's also impossible to imagine quite what they will come up with next.

 details: BRITANIK • 8.Aug.24

Huge Davies: Album For My Ancestors (Dead)

Pleasance Courtyard, Upstairs • Fringe 2024 ★★★★

Quite possibly the most miserable comic at the Fringe, Huge Davies is so relentlessly bleak and tetchy that he keeps the audience in the palm of his hand, taking us through various goofy songs that spiral into raucous rants or demonic chants. He continually notes that this is the worst crowd he's ever played to ("Why aren't you clapping?"), moaning if even one person doesn't join in ("I feel like I'm doing all the work up here"). It's ridiculous, and very funny.

With a keyboard strapped to him, he plays the show as if everything is going wrong, from his tech guy Alec's missed cues to an issue with a section of the keyboard that plays bullet shots instead of notes. Songs range from an account of his poor childhood to a profane ditty about a hot tub and a number passed down through generations of ancestors about trying to maintain an empty seat next to him on the train. Each of these evoke pop culture references that have been warped through his own distinct worldview, often diving in a bit too deeply into big hot-potato topics.

Songs circle around family members, and Davies presents them with deadpan wit underscored with flickers of emotion. He draws knowingly on his Asian heritage throughout the show, noting pointedly that he's the only Asian in the room. "I thought white people would like this," he says about his Friends-based riff. And in the comments about his family, moving and resonant elements undercut the otherwise unhinged and downright abrasive flourishes. In the end we almost feel like we've been assaulted, and yet we leave with a smile.

details: HUGE DAVIES • 8.Aug.24

Apricity

by Casus Creations

Assembly George Square Gardens, Palais du Variété • Fringe 2024 ★★★★

Lyrical and expressive, Apricity is a mix of acrobatics and dance that's unusual because there are no "ta da!" moments; the performers never ask for applause, instead transitioning smoothly into their next piece. So this is a strikingly beautiful show that looks almost effortless but features jaw-dropping feats of strength and balance. And there's an emotional undercurrent created with moody music and open-handed facial expressions, which makes it absolutely magnetic. 

From Australia, this five-person crew features three women and two men of various sizes, but each of them lift others and are lifted themselves higher and higher until they literally touch the ceiling of the spiegeltent. Their fluidity is often astonishing as they transition inventively through whole series of moves without pausing, shifting weight from person to person imperceptibly to a create seamless whole made up of five very gifted parts. 

Along the way there are eye-catching aerial routines with a ring and a rope, a cheeky interaction with a hoop, some playful tumbling and a climactic piece in which they walk on lanterns before building increasingly high towers and throwing shapes atop them. It flows so smoothly that the audience applauds whenever we can, but most of the time we are almost hypnotised by the astounding strength and skill, all delivered with a sense of wonder that reminds us that these performers love what they do. And it's infectious. 

details: APRICITY • 9.Aug.24

For info, EDINBURGH FRINGE >

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C R I T I C A L  W E E K

I only had two film screenings this week: the oddly conceived videogame action comedy Borderlands, with a great cast grappling with a ramshackle script, and the superbly uplifting true-life drama Radical with Eugenio Derbez. I also saw the colourful stage musical Frankie Goes to Bollywood and watched lots of FrightFest movies, which I'll cover when the festival is on at the end of the month. This coming week, I will watch Alien: Romulus in a cinema and more FrightFest movies, but mainly I'll be attending shows at the Edinburgh Fringe.

BFI Flare: Be yourself tonight

One of my favourite festivals each year, the 38th edition of the British Film Institute's Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival kicked off last night with the European premiere of Layla. Over the next 10 days, BFI Southbank is transformed into a lively space with a range of events, club nights and conversations alongside screenings of some of the most diverse movies on earth. Many of these films are impossible to see anywhere else, so I always look forward to discoveries. And it's also fun to reconnect with the gang of "Flare Friends" who gather annually to celebrate this important aspect of the industry. Here's the first collection of highlights, with my usual Critical Week report down below...

Layla
dir-scr Amrou Al-Kadhi; with Bilal Hasna, Louis Greatorex 24/UK ****
With wonderfully loose authenticity, this breezy British drama hones in on the often contradictory nature of being human. Writer-director Amrou Al-Kadhi refreshingly resists creating characters who are easy to pigeon-hole, and the situations don't resolve themselves in the tidy ways we have grown to expect on-screen. Instead, the film has some strong things to say about how our self-image is a key factor in our work and relationships. And even more importantly, it's a relentlessly charming movie.

The Summer With Carmen
dir Zacharias Mavroeidis; with Yorgos Tsiantoulas, Andreas Labropoulos 23/Gr ****
An astutely written and directed meta comedy about the nature of filmmaking, this Greek film playfully pokes fun at both itself and low-budget queer movies. Multiple layers of narrative feed together inventively to explore family relationships, friendships, romance, lust and even pet ownership for a group of 30-something guys. And as it knowingly grapples with issues of loyalty and masculinity, the film is warm, funny and very sexy... FULL REVIEW >

Silver Haze
dir-scr Sacha Polak; with Vicky Knight, Esme Creed-Miles 23/UK **.
Beautifully shot like an artful fly-on-the-wall doc and played with remarkable authenticity by a fresh cast, this film is watchable as an observant slice of life. Writer-director Sacha Polak captures the rhythms of British working class situations with plenty of energy, although the plot is so slim that this could have been an effective 20-minute short. There's also a problem with the naturalistic dialog, which is difficult to hear... FULL REVIEW >

Calls From Moscow
dir Luis Alejandro Yero; with Dariel Diaz, Daryl Acuna 23/Cub ****
Shot fly-on-the-wall style, this sharply well-made film follows the lives of four young Cuban men who are living in limbo in wintry Moscow. They have travelled there with hopes of bettering life for themselves and their families back home by hopefully moving into the European Union. But they're stuck here without documents, and being queer in Russia isn't easy. Filmmaker Luis Alejandro Yero takes an unusually artful approach, revealing inner feelings  through overheard conversations, music and silence.

Chasing Chasing Amy
dir Sav Rodgers; with Sav Rodgers, Kevin Smith 23/US ***.
Kevin Smith's 1997 comedy Chasing Amy stars Ben Affleck as a comic writer who falls in love with a lesbian played by Joey Lauren Adams. It's been considered problematic for its gender politics, but filmmaker Sav Rodgers found it inspiring because of its honest depiction of openly queer people. So he made this documentary both to say thank you and to understand why the movie generated so much controversy... FULL REVIEW >

Full reviews will be linked on Shadows' BFI FLARE PAGE >

For festival information, BFI FLARE >

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C R I T I C A L  W E E K

Outside the festival, I also watched Sydney Sweeney as a nun in the delightfully gruesome and camp horror thriller Immaculate; Bill Skarsgard in the mayhem-packed hyperviolent action comedy Boy Kills World; Cate Blanchett as a nun in the gorgeous, powerfully involving Aussie drama The New Boy; Caleb Landry Jones in Luc Besson's enjoyably bonkers but somewhat empty thriller Dogman; Emile Hirsch in the rather messy a psychological thriller State of Consciousness; and the complex, delightful queer romance Glitter & Doom. Live on-stage, there was the gifted New York City Ballet at Sadler's Wells, pointed drama Blue at Seven Dials Playhouse, and Company Wayne McGregor's fascinating Autobiography at Sadler's Wells.

Coming up this week are the blockbuster sequel Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Australian drama Limbo, Irish drama Baltimore. On stage at Sadler's Wells, there's UniVerse, a second Wayne McGregor show, as well as the medieval re-enactment performance Assembly Hall.

A Year in Shadows: Vol 38

There was a full set of 52 covers for 2022, featuring the following films in order: Licorice Pizza, Scream, Nightmare Alley, Parallel Mothers, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Death on the Nile, Uncharted, The Duke, Ali & Ava, The Batman, Deep Water, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, The Lost City, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Downton Abbey: A New Era, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Benediction, Top Gun: Maverick, Men, Jurassic World: Dominion, Lightyear, Elvis, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Thor: Love and Thunder, The Railway Children Return, Where the Crawdads Sing, DC League of Super-Pets, Bullet Train, Nope, The Feast, Beast, Tar, Don't Worry Darling, Blonde, Ticket to Paradise, The Woman King, Lyle Lyle Crocodile, The Banshees of Inisherin, Triangle of Sadness, Living, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, The Menu, Bones and All, Glass Onion, Empire of Light, Avatar: The Way of Water, Babylon and Corsage. The Oscar cover was the only one not tied to a specific film.

Trivia alert!

Most crowded: 14 for The Menu, and 13 each for Death on the Nile and Licorice Pizza. 

On the most covers: Cate Blanchett (one solo, one shared); Ana de Armas (one solo, one shared); Letitia Wright (two shared); Bradley Cooper (two shared, one drawn); and Keke Palmer (two shared, one as an animated character).

Getting one cover all their own: Jessie Buckley, Austin Butler, Nicolas Cage, Diego Calva, Jessica Chastain, Olivia Colman, Tom Cruise, Benedict Cumberbatch, Annes Elwy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Holland, Vicky Krieps, Jack Lowdon, Bill Nighy, Brad Pitt and Chris Pratt.

Sharing one cover with one or more other people: Paul Adelstein, Ben Affleck, Jenny Agutter, Adeel Akhtar, Sheila Atim, Angela Bassett, Tom Bateman, Dave Bautista, Vanessa Bayer, Javier Bardem, Annette Bening, Vicki Berlin, Reed Birney, Kenneth Branagh, Russell Brand, Jim Broadbent, Tachel Brosnahan, Sandra Bullock, Zlatko Buric, Warren Burke, Neve Campbell, Aimee Carrero, Jim Carrey, Arturo Castro, Timothee Chalamet, Hong Chau, Jemaine Clement, Madelyn Cline, George Clooney, Michaela Coel, Courteney Cox, Daniel Craig, Penelope Cruz, Jamie Lee Curtis, Willem Dafoe, Hugh Dancy, Viola Davis, Dolly De Leon, Charlbi Dean, Harris Dickinson, Daveed Diggs, Michelle Dockery, Winston Duke, John Early, Idris Elba, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Colin Farrell, Ali Fazal, Winslow Fegley, Ralph Fiennes, Dan Fogler, Dawn FrenchGal Gadot, Brendan Gleeson, Danai Gurira, Kathryn Hahn, Alana Haim, Iyana Halley, Armie Hammer, Woody Harrelson, Kevin Hart, Jessica Henwick, Cooper Hoffman, Nicholas Hoult, Stephanie Hsu, Kate Hudson, Tenoch Huerta, Robert James-Collier, Jameela Jamil, Leah Jeffries, Dwayne Johnson, Daniel Kaluuya, John Krasinski, Zoe Kravitz,  Jude Law, John Leguizamo, Rose Leslie, Judith Light, Phyllis Logan, Diego Luna, Natasha Lyonne,  Emma Mackey, Thuso Mbedu, Scoot McNairy, Janet McTeer, Helen Mirren, Janelle Monae, Edward Norton, Lupita Nyong'o, Leslie Odom Jr, Sophie Okonedo, Robert Pattinson, Sean Penn, Brandon Perea, Dascha Polanco, Florence Pugh, Ke Huy Quan, Eddie Redmayne, Keanu Reeves, Julia Roberts, Claire Rushbrook, Taylor Russell, Zoe Saldana, Jennifer Saunders, Milena Smit, Maggie Smith, Sheridan Smith, Taylor John Smith, Mark St Cyr, Harry Styles, Channing Tatum, Anya Taylor-Joy, Callum Turner, Tom Waits, Christoph Waltz,  Jessica Williams, Penelope Wilton, Sam Worthington, Constance Wu, Rob Yang and Michelle Yeoh (note that a few names from crowded covers are missing).

As an animated character they voiced: Steve Carell, Chris Evans, Shawn Mendes, Colleen O'Shaughnessey,  Ben Schwartz, Peter Sohn, Dale Soules and Taika Waititi.

And there were four drafts of covers that weren't used, bumped out by shifting tides of release dates and press screenings. Here they are: The 355 (Jan), Confess Fletch (Sep), Athena (Sep) and Aisha (Nov).

Venezia79: And the winners are...

I saw 43 films at the 79th Venice Film Festival, spread across the various selections, including Competition, Out of Competition, Venice Days, Horizons and International Critics Week. One of my favourites was the documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, which won the Golden Lion for director Laura Poitras (above). Here are the other big winners, followed by my favourites from the festival and then a report on my first proper foray into virtual reality...

A W A R D   W I N N E R S

• 
  Golden Lion: All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
• Silver Lion: Saint Omer
• Special Jury Prize: No Bears
• Director: Luca Guadagnino - Bones and All
• Screenwriter: Martin McDonagh - The Banshees of Inisherin
• Actress: Cate Banchett - Tár
• Actor: Colin Farrell - The Banshees of Inisherin
• Young Actor: Taylor Russell - Bones and All
• Debut Film: Alice Diop - Saint Omer
• Queer Lion: Skin Deep
• Audience Award: Nezouh
• Horizons: World War III
• Venice Days: Blue Jean
• International Critics Week: Eismayer
• Fipresci Prize: Argentina, 1985

M Y   B E S T   O F   F E S T

1. 
   No Bears (Jafar Panahi, Iran)
2. The Banshees of Inisherin (Martin McDonagh, Ireland)
3. Athena (Romain Gavras, France)
4. Blonde (Andrew Dominik, US)
5. Skin Deep (Alex Schaad, Germany)
6. Tár (Todd Field, US)
7. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (Laura Poitras, US)
8. Blue Jean (Georgia Oakley, UK)
9. On the Fringe (Juan Diego Botto, Spain)
10. The Damned Don't Cry (Fyzal Boulifa, Morocco)

The next 10: When the Waves Are Gone (Philippines); Call of God (Kyrgyzstan); Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy (US); Argentina, 1985 (Argentina); Immensity (Italy); Anhell69 (Colombia); Bones and All (US); Wolf and Dog (Portugal); Ordinary Failures (Czech Republic); Dreamin' Wild (US).

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V E N I C E   I M M E R S I V E

This was by first real experience with virtual reality on a festival level, and it's great to see how far the technology has come. It still has a way to go, mainly in making headsets less intrusive and the imagery crisper. I'd also love to see more narrative projects, but I'm sure those will come. Here's what I saw on the Venezia79 Immersive Island, in order...

Alex Honnold:
The Soloist VR

dir Jonathan Griffith; with Alex Honnold, Nicolas Hojac 22/UK 60m

The technology behind this film is almost as impressive as the seriously supernatural skills of Honnold (Free Solo) as he free-solo climbs a series of insane rock faces in Yosemite, the Dolomites and the French Alps. The camera seems to hang just off the cliff with him, allowing us to look 360 degrees: straight up and down, and also to take in the glorious views. In between the climbs we get to know Honnold as he chats to a journalist and prepares with fellow climber Hojac. So this is a brisk hour, packed with spectacular footage, and definitely not for anyone afraid of heights.

Dazzle: A Re-assembly of Bodies

dir Ruth Gibson, Bruno Martelli, Alexa Pollmann, Bine Roth; with Harry Alexander, Hannah Burfield, Emily Coates, Ruth Gibson, Axelle De Groote, Francesca Orlando, Alice Tatge 22/UK 45m 

Mixing live performance with a virtual experience, this ambitious project puts the audience amid cast members. On arrival we're assigned a role, and I was put in an observational one, sitting on the side watching, which was a bit dull as I wanted the fill experience. In front of me were two dancers in mo-cap suits and two audience members in VR gear with screens that showed the virtual environment they were engaged with. Hopefully next time I get a chance to get more involved. 

All Unsaved Progress Will Be Lost

dir Melanie Courtinat 22/Fr 10m

Using written quotes from people who were told to leave their homes after the Chernobyl incident, this animated virtual reality piece glides through a futuristic landscape under which a meadow of colourful wildflowers wave in the breeze. Up above are what look like concrete overpasses and rising tower blocks. The quotes refer to displacement, clinging to memories in specific places and ultimately to heading out to create a new world. Even immersed in this environment, watching this is a bit passive, but it's packed with pointed moments.

Space Explorers: The ISS Experience - Spacewalkers

dir Felix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphael; with Akihiko Hoshide, Andrew Morgan, Christina Koch, Jessica Meir, Megan McArthur, Luca Parmitano, Oleg Ivanovich Skripochka, Thomas Pesquet 22/Can 10m

Lajeunesse and Raphael sent a 360-degree virtual rig to the International Space Station and, for this experience, attached it to the extending arms outside. The effect is like simply floating in space, between the station and the earth, while astronauts do a series of repairs. Not only is this a fascinatingly detailed glimpse at the exterior of the station (complete with a Spacex capsule docked there), but it's a magnificent way to see how it feels to stare down at our planet, with the sun and moon appearing around the horizons.

Space Explorers: The ISS Experience - Unite

dir Felix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphael; with Christina Koch, Andrew Morgan, Jessica Meir, Luca Parmitano, Hazzaa Almansoori, Alexey Nikolaevich Ovchinin, Oleg Ivanovich Skripochka, Aleksandr Alexandrovich, Skvortsov 22/Can 35m

This time, Lajeunesse and Raphael's camera rig is inside the station, as various astronauts and cosmonauts interact with each other, go about their business, enjoy leisure time and show the viewer around the remarkably cluttered station. How they live and work is riveting to see so up-close and personal, as they share their own thoughts and feelings. And the coming and going of various crew members adds to the atmosphere, giving us a glimpse of the camaraderie and playfulness of these scientific experts who are still in awe when they look down on the Earth from above.

Eggscape

dir German Heller; scr German Heller, Federico Heller, Jorge Tereso 22/Arg 10m

Finally, I thought I'd attempt one of the game experiences, and this one looked particularly intriguing, as the physical site contains a series of tiny sets built with a witty attention to detail. And once you put on the VR headset, they come to life with augmented reality. You control a little egg who collects capsules while dodging obstacles, fighting monsters and trying not to fall off the sets and splat on the floor. It's colourfully animated, wildly inventive and absolutely hilarious. Thankfully they also give you infinite lives so you can make it to the exhilarating ending.

I still have a lot of writing to do, but full reviews of the films will be linked at Shadows VENICE FILM FESTIVAL page as soon as possible.

Venezia79: New horizons

After 24 hours in Italy, I'm finding my rhythms here. This year I'm commuting across the lagoon each day, which is a lovely way to start and end the day. And I'm remembering the fun of lurking in the crowd at the red carpet to see the super glammed-up stars (yesterday was Julianne Moore, Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, Don Cheadle, Jodie Turner-Smith and more). Yes, its Day 2 and the 79th Venice Film Festival is fully underway, with plenty of public glitz while journalists quietly scurry around out of sight. Some more highlights...

Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths

dir Alejandro G Inarritu; with Daniel Giménez Cacho, Griselda Siciliani 22/Mex ***

If anything, this film makes it clear that nobody says "no" to Alejandro G Inarritu. It would be hard to imagine a more indulgent, rambling, throw-everything-at-the-screen kind of movie if you tried. But this also isn't a filmmaker you can easily dismiss, as each sequence is skilfully laced with moments of visual brilliance, thematic provocations and darkly emotional honesty. Channelling Fellini at his most flamboyant, Inarritu pours a lot of personal and artistic energy into this epic, although a leaner, earthier approach would have been more effective.

Tár
dir-scr Todd Field; with Cate Blanchett, Nina Hoss 22/US ****
Overstuffed as it is, this epic drama spends pretty much its entire extended running time poking the audience with various sticks. So watching the film is frequently exhilarating. There is so much to think about swirling through the dense dialog and drama that we begin to wonder what writer-director Todd Field is saying here, apart from the obvious commentary about how personal actions and public reactions can combine in a toxic brew in this social media age. And there’s no denying that Cate Blanchett delivers a jaw-dropping performance.

Padre Pio
dir Abel Ferrara; with Shia LaBeouf, Cristina Chiriac 22/It ***
Shot in striking locations under the glaring sun, while also delving into the tortured visions of a pious man, this certainly isn't your usual biopic about a saint. But then it's directed and cowritten by Abel Ferrara, who always refuses to play by the rules. It looks amazing, and overflows with big themes and fascinating people, but the story gets a bit lost. Strongly textured naturalistic performances add some weight, but the subdued pace and anecdotal structure are tricky to engage with. And it's more intriguing for its depiction of a historical event.

Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy

dir-scr Nancy Buirski; with Jon Voight, Brenda Vaccaro 22/US  ****
This fascinating documentary places the 1969 classic Midnight Cowboy into its social context, offering unexpected insight though a wide range of connections. Filmmaker Nancy Buirski weaves together a wonderful variety of film clips to paint a picture of a movie that managed to strike a nerve at just the right time, both in the Hollywood industry and the culture at large. It's also great to revisit the making of such an iconic film as told firsthand in the words of people who were in the cast and crew.

The Fabulous Ones [Le Favolose]
dir Roberta Torre; with Porpora Marcasciano, Nicole De Leo 22/It ***.
With a wonderfully cheeky tone, this meandering Italian documentary-drama is a joyful exploration of connections between a group of middle-aged Italian trans women. It's a warm, honest film that reflects a varied range of feelings and experiences. Beautifully shot and edited, the movie is assembled artistically by director-cowriter Roberta Torre, revealing a wonderfully matter-of-fact affection for these colourful people who refuse to be normal, so instead they are fabulous. 

Full reviews will be linked at Shadows VENICE FILM FESTIVAL page, eventually!