Critical Week: And they called it puppy love

It's been another busy week in awards season, with screenings every night and lots of films to watch at home on links during the day. I also somehow have to find time to write about them all. It was great to catch up with festival breakout hit Pillion, Harry Lighton's offbeat romance starring Harry Melling (above) and Alexander Skarsgard. It's notorious for its dominant-submissive sexuality, but is actually a rather sweet and moving drama. By far the biggest movie was the European premiere of Wicked: For Good and I got to meet Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, along with director Jon Chu, at a reception before the screening. Unsurprisingly, the film is spectacular, much darker and more emotional than the first part. I also saw two gorgeous animated adventures: In Your Dreams is a fabulously colourful trip into the imagination, and Arco skilfully uses hand-drawn style anime to tell a pointed story from the future.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
In Your Dreams
Arco • Jay Kelly
Night of the Juggler
ALL REVIEWS >

At another starry awards screening, Kate Winslet presented her directing debut Goodbye June, alongside costars Toni Collette, Timothy Spall, Andrea Riseborough and Johnny Flynn, plus gifted young screenwriter Joe Anders (who happens to be Winslet's son). It's a funny and moving ensemble film. The Broadway cast of Merrily We Roll Along, including Tony winners Daniel Dadciffe and Jonathan Groff, features in a superbly filmed stage performance of Stephen Sondheim's powerful exploration of art and friendship. 

A bit further afield, Tom Blyth stars in the perhaps too-snappy investment banking comedy Bull Run. Jorma Tommila is back for the entertaining and outrageously grisly Finnish action sequel Sisu: Road to Revenge. The Danish drama Sauna is a darkly thoughtful romance. Hong Kong drama Valley of the Shadow of Death, explores grief and redemption in an involving faith-based story. From Argentina, 300 Letters deconstructs a romance in ways that are sexy, funny and moving. And I finally caught up with the breakout animated hit KPop Demon Hunters, which is a lot of bright-hued fun, packed with great music. On top of all of that, I attended the seriously epic UK premiere of the first episode of Stranger Things season 5.

Coming up this next week, I plan to watch Timothee Chalamet in Marty Supreme, Amanda Seyfried in The Testament of Ann Lee, Nicolas Cage in The Carpenter's Son, Emma Mackey in Ella McCay, June Squibb in Eleanor the Great, British-Nigerian drama My Father's Shadow, Iraqi drama The President's Cake, French drama Nino and Taiwanese drama Left-Handed Girl, plus a premiere screening of Landman season 2.

Screen: August TV Roundup

This is TV awards season, so I've had more series than usual to keep up with, trying to make a fair assessment on my ballot for the Dorian Awards (Golden Globes TV voting will be in November). But it's a lot, especially as so many shows have unnecessarily long episodes. But there have been some very good shows lately - I'll start with my favourites of the last couple of months...

The Bear: series 3
Bold and riveting, this intense drama continues to be classified as a comedy, perhaps due to its snappy characters. These are often outrageously messy people who struggle to communicate as they work together to run a fine-dining restaurant in Chicago. Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bacharach are as bracing as always, surrounded by an ace ensemble. It's a rare show that continually catches us off guard with surprising details. Episode 6, directed by Edebiri and starring Liza Colon-Zayas, might be one of my favourite half-hours of TV ever. (Hulu)

One Day
Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod are excellent in this complex adaptation of the beloved novel, with each episode set on the same day in the following year. Their characters Dexter and Emma are an oddball couple, but they have a strong connection that creates a vivid friendship. The highs are light and funny, and the lows are powerfully emotional, sometimes downright devastating. Yes, there are quite a few tear-inducing moments, largely because the writing, acting and direction are so astute. It's a properly involving show with strong underlying resonance. (Netflix)

Shōgun
Lavishly produced on an epic scale, this is a beautiful adaptation of James Clavell's novel about an Englishman in 1600 Japan. The storytelling may sometimes feel dense, but it is packed with riveting details about the inner workings of the culture. Cosmo Jarvis is excellent in the focal role, holding his own opposite magnetic stars like Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano and Anna Sawai. The quality of the sets, costumes and historical detail is astounding, and the story is utterly riveting as it builds to a series of astonishingly grotesque battle sequences. This is exceptional television. (Hulu)

The Sympathizer
With director Park Chan-wook's visual flair, this story has both a large scale of geography and history and quirk-filled characters who are massively entertaining to watch. Hoa Xuande is terrific in the lead role as the Captain, a communist spy during the Vietnam War who is hiding as a refugee in California. His reality is incredibly nuanced, from his on-off girlfriend Sofia (a fantastic Sandra Oh) to the various Americans (all played by a scene-stealing Robert Downey Jr) wh keep an eye on him. When he ends up on a film set shooting a Vietnam War movie, the film's expert meta-storytelling really soars. (Max) 

Sugar
With sleek and stylish direction from Fernando Meirelles, this centres around a strikingly cinematic performance from Colin Farrell in the title role as a private eye looking for a missing heiress. The snaky and splintered storytelling weaves in classic movies that flicker through Sugar's mind. So while the case itself is the usual twisty, nasty messiness, there are surprising character layers. And several set-pieces are thrillingly well staged and played, even if it's sometimes over-heightened. First-rate support from Amy Ryan, Nate Corddry, Alex Hernandez and others. Earns extra points for short episodes. (Apple) 

C R O W D  -  P L E A S E R S

The Boys: series 4
Continuing the outrageousness, this show doubles down on its razor-sharp political satire, as the vicious patriots leave a trail of destruction behind them but have never been more beloved by the public, whom they manipulate with the media. Meanwhile, the scrappy "boys" trying to take them down struggle to stay together while facing mind-boggling setbacks. Stakes get steadily higher as the action unfolds, adding strong subtext to lively characters played by Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Erin Moriarty and especially Anthony Starr, even more unapologetic this season as the absolutely vile Homelander. (Prime)

The Acolyte
Breaking free from the main Star Wars narrative, this prequel is set a century before The Phantom Menace, a fascinating female-based story from the Jedi heyday. It's an intriguing premise, but characters are written so specifically that there's little room for actors to add personal tweaks, so it feels a bit concocted. It's entertaining thanks to lead actors Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung-jae, while Dafne Keen and especially Manny Jacinto stand out in complex roles. But the structure feels indulgent, especially with extended repetitive flashbacks that overstate plot points and mythology. (Disney)

Fallout
Based on a videogame, this action fantasy is packed with outrageous effects and nutty details. Set in an alternate reality two centuries after nukes destroyed a wacky 1960s-style America, the show follows three figures across a desert that used to be Los Angeles: a plucky but naive young woman (Ella Purnell) who grew up in an underground bunker, a nervous young soldier (Aaron Moten) who works for a warmonger and a vicious 200-year-old mutant cowboy (Walton Goggins) with shadowy motivations. There's enough going on here to keep pretty much everyone entertained. (Prime)

Interview With the Vampire: series 1-2
Gothic and almost painfully theatrical, this show is both overwrought and camp, merrily indulging in ghastly violence while shying away from the sexuality that oozes through the characters. This is the epic tale of three vampires, starting in early 20th century New Orleans as the snaky Lestat (Sam Reid) creates companion Louis (Jacob Anderson) and then teen Claudia (Bailey Bass/Delainey Hayles). And it shifts up a gear in the second season set in 1950s Paris. The push and pull between these three makes this compelling viewing, even with so much absurd melodrama. (AMC)

My Lady Jane
Playfully revising history, this fizzy comedy tells the story of Jane Grey, Britain's queen for only nine days before Bloody Mary deposed (and beheaded) her. In this fantasy version, conflicts emerge due do opposing opinions about people who can transform into animals. King Edward (Jordan Peters) seemingly dies, Jane (Emily Bader) is crowned, and Mary (Kate O'Flynn) plots against her with her advisor/sex slave Seymour (Dominic Cooper). Anna Chancellor steals the show as Jane's manipulative mother, and the romantic plotlines are engaging. But it's very silly, and is set up for more. (Prime)

That 90s Show: series 2a
As goofy and genuinely hilarious as ever, this next-generation show continues to maintain its high energy levels even as it observes a group of teens just sitting around and coming up with ways they can get into trouble. And grandparents Kitty and Red (Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith) are still moaning about their own issues. But all of this is very funny indeed, refreshingly willing to take on some edgier ideas about sex and drugs without needing to get deliberately rude. It's a thoroughly enjoyable mix of witty dialog and rousing nostalgia. (Netflix) 

Single, Out: series 2
From Australia, this snappy show continues the escapades of Adam (Will Hutchins) as he navigates his new life as an out gay man in Melbourne, including his relationships with boyfriend Gabe (Jake Hyde) and various friends and family members. Adam is a likeable guy whose highs and lows are easy to identify with. And everyone around him is hilariously ridiculous, with their own antics at work and a variety of inter-connections. The show's still loose and breezy, but it's also a lot sexier this season, playing energetically with the lustiness these young people are learning to express. (Cinephobia)

S T A R   P O W E R

The Curse
This story about a couple (Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder) trying to change their community for the better is squirm-inducing, because it challenges viewers about what's correct. Transgressions come in all sizes, from throwaway comments to deliberate deception, as this duo creates eco-homes and jobs for the unemployed while making a reality show with a producer (Benny Safdie) whose morals are rather slippery. The many observations are fascinating, although the episodes are too long, which makes them feel indulgent. Still, the sheer originality and daring make this worth a look. (Showtime)

The Regime
This is a camp, bonkers satire about political manoeuvring in a fictional middle-European nation. Kate Winslet is fabulous as the self-centred leader, with ace support from Mathias Schoenaerts and Andrea Riseborough (plus a fabulous Hugh Grant). At its core, this is a pointed depiction of how people who think they're smart can be so easily manipulated. It's rather absurd that Winslet's Elena maintains power when literally everyone is against her. But the coup episodes are genuinely heart-stopping. And the show says clever things about political wrangling and the reach of history. (Max)

Expats
Thoughtful and intriguing, this swirling series spins between three intertwined foreigners in Hong Kong after a young child goes missing. Nicole Kidman leads a fine cast, bringing understated steeliness to the frazzled mother, although like all of the characters she becomes difficult to sympathise with. Only a few people on-screen are remotely kind. It's impressive that the writers properly go for it, revealing dark insecurities and entitlement of wealthy migrants as well as the vulnerabilities of less well-off people caught in their orbits. But the show feels drawn-out and somewhat indulgent. (Prime)

Fantasmas
Julio Torres' boundless imagination is on full display in this fanciful show in which he plays a goofy variation on himself in fantastical settings that are packed with wildly inventive supporting characters. A steady stream of great cameos includes producer Emma Stone, Tilda Swinton, Bowen Yang, Paul Dano, Steve Buscemi and Dylan O'Brien. The way Torres tells stories is endearing, funny and constantly surprising. So while the central plot about a missing earring is a bit absurd, the hand-made approach to sumptuous visual effects makes this well worth watching. (Max)

GUILTY PLEASURES: Drag Race All Stars (9), The Boyfriend, Don't Hate the Player.

NOW WATCHING: Time Bandits, Lady in the Lake, Decameron, Snowpiercer (4), Sausage Party: Foodtopia.

COMING SOON: Only Murders in the Building (4), Heartstopper (3), The Umbrella Academy (4), Kaos, Agatha All Along.

Previous roundup: JUNE 2024 >

AFI Fest: True stories

Travelling home to visit friends and family, it's helpful that I was born in Los Angeles! Not only does this offer a chance to escape to the sunshine during London's drearier seasons, but I can also catch up on film industry stuff while I'm out here. This trip coincided with AFI Fest, which is held at the Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard, so I booked in to see five films (there were about 15 that I wanted to see!). Four of them had cast and crew Q&As, and as three of the films are based on true stories, the real people participated as well, which added huge emotions to the screenings. Photos are on the Insta feed (see below). Here are some comments, with full reviews to come...

Society of the Snow [La Sociedad de la Nieve]

dir JA Bayona; with Enzo Vogrincic, Agustin Pardella 23/Sp ****
Taking on another momentous true story (see The Impossible), Spanish filmmaker JA Bayona finds a visceral, authentically immersive path through a retelling of the 1972 plane crash that stranded Uruguayan rugby players high in the Chilean Andes. Through a series of harrowing events, the film pulls the audience into the emotional complexity of a situation far beyond what we can imagine. It’s bracingly involving, riveting and ultimately cathartic.

Me Captain
[Io Capitano]

dir Matteo Garrone; with Seydou Sarr, Moustapha Fall 23/It ****.

Taking a bracingly naturalistic approach, Italian filmmaker Matteo Garrone traces the immigrant journey from West Africa to Europe, drawing details and perspective from real-life experiences. Intensely personal, the film finds global resonance in its specific story of a 16-year-old whose innate hopefulness is beaten and battered but never extinguished over the course of an astonishing odyssey. This gives the film a soaring humanity.

Lee

dir Ellen Kuras; with Kate Winslet, Josh O'Connor 23/UK ***.

Noted photographer Lee Miller is the subject of this detailed biopic, which centres on a pivotal period in time to deliver an emotional punch. Director Ellen Kuras approaches the story skilfully, finding clever resonance in several intense set-pieces, even if the script is never particularly ambitious with the material. And Kate Winslet delivers another powerfully invested performance as a complex woman who plotted her own course through life.

Memory

dir-scr Michel Franco; with Jessica Chastain, Peter Sarsgaard 23/US ****

Enormous issues ripple through this warm, complex romantic drama, adding unusual depth of feeling as characters confront the past and future. Mexican filmmaker Michel Franco never takes the easy route through the material, cutting in and out of scenes with an edgy style that leaves space for questions and contemplation. It’s unusually vibrant storytelling, rooted in the way experience and memory define our sense of identity, and not always in the most helpful way.

Evil Does Not Exist

dir-scr Ryusuke Hamaguchi; with Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa 23/Jpn ****

Both beautiful and challenging, this Japanese drama cleverly draws the audience in with an astute eye for details and characters that are hilariously deadpan in their interaction. Expanding on the evocative music of Eiko Ishibashi, writer-director Ryusuke Hamaguchi observes scenes with skill and insight, drawing out deeper meanings without us even realising it. So while the film feels somewhat enigmatic, it gets under the skin and lingers.

Also screened at AFI Fest and previously reviewed: ALL OF US STRANGERS (Haigh, UK); FINGERNAILS (Nikou, US); TIGER STRIPES (Eu, Mys); TOTEM (Aviles, Mex); MAESTRO (Cooper, US); THE BIKERIDERS (Nichols, US); 20,000 SPECIES OF BEES (Urresola, Sp); SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD (Hints, Est); ANSELM (Wenders, Ger).

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C R I T I C A L   W E E  K

There aren't many films on general release here that I'm interested in, and I prefer to spend time with my friends and family rather than watching screening links. So these are the only five movies I've seen all week, and I have no plans to watch anything in the coming week either. But you never know - I think Alexander Payne's The Holdovers might be on somewhere...

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Critical Week: Feeling grinchy

As movies get increasingly heartwarming, it can be a challenge to ward off that inner Scrooge. Thankfully I have been watching quite a few more disturbing arthouse movies alongside the more warmly emotional wide-audience titles. And then there's A Man Called Otto, the engaging forthcoming Tom Hanks comedy that's a sentimental remake of the much edgier Swedish hit A Man Called Ove. Blockbuster sequel Avatar: The Way of Water also adds an undercurrent of emotion to its visually stunning action violence, as James Cameron creates another epic that entertains on various levels. 

BEST FILMS OUT NOW:
Rimini • The Silent Twins • Lynch/Oz
She Said • Matilda the Musical • Nanny
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
ALL REVIEWS >

More offbeat movies contending for awards included, appropriately, the UK's international film entry Winners, an enjoyable romp set about an Oscar statuette that takes its own mini-adventure in rural Iran. Ulrich Seidl's Rimini is a riveting pitch-black comedy about a desperate has-been singer in an off-season seaside resort town. Lukas Dhont's moving drama Close traces a pre-teen's harsh coming-of-age through the disruption of his relationship with his best friend. The hugely involving Polish odyssey EO follows a loveable donkey on an incredible journey that's sweet, challenging and often scary. And last year's crowd-pleasing Oscar nominee Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom is set in a gorgeous isolated corner of Bhutan. And outside awards contention were two indie titles: the Italian comedy-drama Marscapone, a warmly intimate look at maintaining your identity within a relationship, and American drama Peridot, an intriguingly loose portrait of a street hustler.

There are still a lot of movies to catch up with as year-end voting deadlines approach, including Will Smith in Emancipation, Lea Seydoux in One Find Morning, Toni Collette in The Estate, Christian Bale in The Pale Blue Eye, the animated adventure The Amazing Maurice, the war epic All Quiet on the Western Front and the David Bowie doc Moonage Daydream.

Critical Week: Silent running

It's been another eclectic week at the movies, with a couple of terrific in-cinema screenings alongside other films I watched on screener links at home. And I've also had several stage shows to watch as well, which I'm also reviewing here. Easily the best film I saw this week was the Irish drama The Quiet Girl, anchored by a remarkable performance from newcomer Catherine Clinch (above). It's a beautifully understated story told through perceptions and emotions rather than plot. A real stunner. Virtually the opposite was the mega-blockbuster Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which is consistently entertaining thanks to a terrific cast and lots of whizzy visuals. But even though director Sam Raimi stirs in some comedy and horror, it feels oddly aimless.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
The Swimmer • Eleven Days in May
PERHAPS AVOID:
Escape the Field
ALL REVIEWS > 

A bit further afield, I watched the rather simple-minded thriller Escape the Field, about a group of people who find themselves in a cornfield and must solve puzzles to get out alive. It's violent and nasty and never surprising at all. The Danish-made but Norway-set Wild Men is a fascinating black comedy about masculinity, with all kinds of emotional, social and action textures woven in. From Iran, Atabai is a complex portrait of a man who returns to his small hometown for a revelatory journey of self-discovery. And the documentary Eleven Days in May, narrated by Kate Winslet, is the harrowing but urgently important account of more than 60 children killed by Israeli bombs in Palestine over a brief period a year ago.

Coming up this next week, I have a mix of press screenings in cinemas and online, including Eugenio Derbez in The Valet, Caleb Landry Jones in Nitram, the comedy thriller Emergency, the British comedy All My Friends Hate Me, the military drama Foxhole and the Chinese animation blockbuster Boonie Bears: Back to Earth.

Screen: June TV roundup

There's been rather a lot to watch lately on episodic television, handily filling in some free time between watching movies. These are the shows I've followed over the last month or so, and another handful of series are coming to a close in the next few weeks. Basically, there's always something to watch...

Mare of Easttown
Skilfully written by Brad Ingelsby and directed by Craig Zobel, this murder mystery is much more about its small-town Pennsylvania community than the convolutions of the murder/kidnapping case(s). At the centre, Kate Winslet delivers another textured powerhouse performance as a local police detective whose life seems is not so quietly unravelling. She's absolutely riveting: engaging, tenacious, compelling and, as an actor, generously allowing ace costars like Jean Smart, Evan Peters, Angourie Rice and Guy Pearce to steal their scenes. Best of all is that it doesn't matter whodunit: this is a story about resilience, connection and healing. It's rare to see a TV show produced at this level of quality across the board; this is essential viewing. (Sky)

Hacks
The fantastic Jean Smart continues to subvert every genre on television, triumphing in a range of dramatic roles (see Watchmen and Mare of Easttown). And now she reminds us that she's a queen of comedy too with a storming, scene-chomping role as a veteran Joan Rivers-style Las Vegas stand-up. She's so good that you hardly notice that the cast around her are experts as well. Co-lead Hannah Einbinder is solid in an oddly thankless role, but others are more likeable, most notably Carl Clemons-Hopkins. Meanwhile, Smart continually surprises us with her on-point delivery of devastating punchlines. And the writers keep quite a lot going on in this show, with emotional undercurrents and sharp commentary about show business. (HBO)

Halston
Ewan McGregor is terrific in this glossy series about the iconic American designer who rose to fame in the 1970s and then vanished in the 1980s. It's beautifully produced, creating intriguing characters with seriously spiky interaction. And it certainly never shies away from the darker angles of the story, including Halston's turbulent relationships, rampant drug use and a stubborn streak that ultimately cost him the right to use his name. It's perhaps a bit slick and flashy, focussing on the glamorous highs rather than the emotional lows, and rushing through his final years. But there are a few grittier sequences, from outrageous arguments to wrenching grief, that make it resonate. (Netflix)

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
A lot more like standard Marvel fare than WandaVision, this series features the usual witty banter, too-dense plotting and outrageously over-produced action. I was tempted by stars Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan and especially Wyatt Russell, playing against type as the new Captain America. The actors kept me watching to the end, even when the writing had me rolling my eyes with frustration. There are some intriguing plot elements, but everything is so painfully obvious, quick to violence and ludicrously momentous that it might have worked better as a spoof. And even the adjusted title at the end is wrong: clearly it should be Captain America and the White Wolf. Still, fans will eat it up. (Disney)

Girls5eva
From the makers of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, this comedy has the same absurd, lightning-fast sense of humour as it follows the four surviving members of a girl band who are making a comeback attempt at 40. This quartet is superbly written and played (by Sara Bareilles, Busy Philipps, Renee Elise Goldsberry and Paula Pell), with a constant stream of riotous gags. And big-name cameos adds witty touches, including producer Tina Fey as Dolly Parton. Thankfully, the silliness is grounded in knowingly funny observations on everything from the vicious music industry to the perils of ageing, with pointed nods to themes relating to gender and sexuality. (Peacock)

Jupiter's Legacy
Based on a comic by Mark Millar (Kick-Ass/Kingsman), this darkly shaded superhero series has similarities with The Boys, but isn't quite as deliberately nasty. The central conflict is fascinating, pitting traditional rule-based morality against today's more reactionary ethics. Although the writers never really take this anywhere. And while the cast is strong across the board, no one emerges as a vivid central figure to rally around. The most interesting people (like Andrew Horton's loyal son Brandon) are oddly sidelined in favour of less nuanced characters (like Josh Duhamel's self-righteous patriarch). More adventurous writing might make this better in seasons to come. (Netflix)

Frank of Ireland 
Almost infuriatingly bonkers, this Dublin comedy starring Gleeson brothers Brian and Domhnall is far too cartoonish to properly engage with. But it's very funny as these chucklehead buddies embark on a series of crazy antics centring on family, girls and their community. Nothing much grabs hold as all of the characters are noisy, over-the-top nutcases, led by the painfully dim and self-involved Frank (Brian) and his even dopier best pal Doofus (Domhnall). Frank's mother Mary (Pom Boyd) is just as ridiculously obtuse, while the only vaguely sensible person is Aine (Greene), as she's desperately trying to escape Frank's orbit. You would too. (C4)

Invincible
With a Scooby-Doo tone and a premise similar to The Boys, this adult-aimed animated series is funny, violent and exhilarating. The animation is generic but eye-catching, while the voice cast is extraordinary, featuring the powerhouse likes of Steven Yeun, JK Simmons, Sandra Oh, Mahershala Ali, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells and Mark Hamill, for starters. They make even the smaller side characters burst with personality. The story of father-and-son superheroes has plenty of wrinkles and textures to it, bringing out much bigger themes about the nature of humanity through recognisable relationship issues. And the writers have room to get much more daring (more queerness, less blood) in future seasons. (Netflix)

Why Are You Like This
This politically incorrect comedy from Melbourne takes a few episodes to find its footing, and then it's over (there are only six half-hour instalments). The three self-absorbed 20-somethings at the centre are very difficult to like at first, but actors Naomi Higgins, Olivia Junkeer and Wil King find ways to deepen them in a series of rather pathetic attempts to get on with their lives. The main problem is that they blame everyone and everything for their own problems, causing misery everywhere they go. But their antics are also rather endearing, and the themes deepen over the course of this season. (Netflix)

Paradise City 
A bit of a mess, this cheesily written soap set in the hard-rock music industry has a wide array of characters, many of whom are superfluous, and lots of arch storytelling touches, including supernatural wackiness with camp angel and demon figures. More problematic is a strong undercurrent of misogyny in both the imagery and male-centred plot points (even when a woman is involved, it's all about the man). There isn't an unsubtle moment on the screen, but it's still watchable simply because of the intriguing premise and full-on approach. Also, the rock-n-roll vibe is strong, and the lead actors are solid even when their characters are strangely inconsistent. (Prime)

BACK FOR MORE

This Time: series 2
Alan Partridge is back for another hilarious season of painfully well-observed awkwardness. Steve Coogan plays this role so effortlessly (and so unapologetically) that he has become a part of Britain's national culture over three decades. Coogan's understanding of this character is so deep that it provides laughs at every level, from big slapstick silliness to riotously witty details (watch his field reports carefully). It's almost shocking that Alan can still be so enjoyably squirm-inducing after all these years. And this particular incarnation of him also offers a wonderfully fresh pastiche of glib TV news-chat shows. (BBC)

Everything's Gonna Be Okay: series 2 
Josh Thomas is a talented guy, but his character in this sitcom (a young guy who has become guardian of his teen sisters) is so insufferable that he's difficult to believe, especially in the self-involved way he mistreats his ridiculously gorgeous and nice boyfriend (Adam Faison). And he's only able to see problems faced by his sisters (Maeve Press and Kayla Cromer) as part of his own story. The offbeat approach makes the show watchable, especially with characters who refuse to fit into the usual boxes. But it's very difficult to engage with Nicholas on any level. (Freeform) 

The Neighbor: series 2 [El Vecino]
The goofy residents of a Madrid apartment block are back, as Javier (Quim Gutierrez) now has to share his superpowers with ex-girlfriend Lola (Clara Lago). There's also a global threat from some sort of reptilian race, and a galactic civil servant (Javier Botet) struggling to make sense of what's happening amongst these idiots. These eight brisk episodes are very easy to watch, eliciting a lot of smiles and a few solid laughs as they skewer corrupt politicians and messy relationships. But there isn't much else to it, and the broadened cast leaves the central characters feeling thinner than before. But the cliffhanger finale promises more to come. (Netflix)

Lucifer: series 5b
This nutty season wraps up with a few oddly tame episodes that are too plot-heavy to allow us to enjoy the gleefully ridiculous antics of the sexy characters. Even the murder-of-the-week storylines are part of a bigger narrative arc that pushes everyone toward a major confrontation, leaving Lucifer (the increasingly over-the-top Tom Ellis) in a whole new place. For a show that's basically just mindless fun, these episodes feel rushed and serious, and they also feature even more of this series' trademark fragmented conversations in which characters neither listen nor say what they truly think. Although any show that adds Dennis Haysbert to its cast (as God no less) is worth a look. (Netflix)

IT'S ALL OVER

Younger: series 7
This dopey sitcom (in which the situation never provided much comedy) is finally wrapping up the scrambled romantic lives of its characters. It's become increasingly saccharine season by season, while the actors look like they've been severely nipped and tucked, except star Sutton Foster, who's now styled as a 50-year-old for some reason (after pretending to be in her 20s for the years). But all of the actors are hugely watchable, including Hilary Duff, Nico Tortorella, Debi Mazer and the great Miriam Shor, who sadly only occasionally skypes in this season. So I've decided to stick it out, even though the writers are clearly determined to offer the wrong happy ending. (MTV)

Shameless: series 11 
This epic comedy-drama wrapped up its run with 12 momentous episodes, as the extended Gallagher family finally faces up to the gentrifying forces in South Chicago, and Frank (the awesome William H Macy) begins to suffer alcohol-induced dementia. It's a clever way to bring things to a close, playing on the characters' quirks to push them in new directions and force some big decisions. And while the show's wilder impulses have been tamed somewhat over the years, each of these colourful characters gets to go out with a bang. And some well-earned emotion too. (Showtime)

CATCHING UP

The Queen's Gambit 
I put off watching this because, well, chess and drugs. But when I had a bit of time, I quickly realised why the whole world was caught up in the series. It's bracingly well-written and beautifully directed with some seriously clever flourishes. And it features yet another stellar performance from Anya Taylor-Joy, plus a terrific cast of fellow Brits. I particularly loved the clever way chess comes to life on-screen, without ever getting bogged down in the details. And the personal odyssey Beth takes through the narrative arc is properly epic, and very moving too. (Netflix)

I GIVE UP

Dad Stop Embarrassing Me • About 10 minutes into the first episode it's clear that this is a turkey slathered with inane dialog and awkwardly insulting slapstick. The cast (led by Jamie Foxx) is promising, but it feels like like one of those painfully unfunny SNL sketches that just won't end. (Netflix)

Cinema Toast • This anthology series starts with a great idea: re-editing public domain film footage with a new soundtrack to tell different stories. Each episode takes nuttiness to the extreme in a way that's experimental rather than entertaining. Far too indulgent. (Showtime)

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NOW WATCHING: The Underground Railroad, The Mosquito Coast, The Upshaws, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Special (2), Pose (3), The Handmaid's Tale (4), Younger (7).

LOOKING FORWARD: Blindspotting, Physical, Kevin Can F**k Himself, Dave (2), Lupin (2), Love Victor (2), The Kominsky Method (3), Master of None (3), Elite (5).

LFF: Make history

Well, that was a first and hopefully a last as well: the 64th BFI London Film Festival was an almost entirely virtual event, with a few in-person screenings just to keep the atmosphere alive for the lucky few who managed to get tickets. For me it was an intense two weeks of watching movies at home on my computer - but they're some of my favourites so far this year. Going through this makes me long even more for a time when things can return to normal, even if that's hard to imagine at the moment. Will the world still even exist a year from now? The signs aren't good, but there's still some hope. Here are my last two highlights, plus my best of the fest...

Ammonite

dir-scr Francis Lee; with Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan 20/UK ****

With a remarkable attention to detail, this beautifully observed drama recounts an unexpected relationship that crosses various boundaries in 19th century England. Writer-director Francis Lee takes an elemental approach, underscoring a low-key narrative with passion, earth and grit. At its core, this may be a moving love story, but it also carries with it a range of ideas that are strongly resonant nearly two centuries later... FULL REVIEW >

Lovers Rock

dir Steve McQueen; with Amarah-Jae St Aubyn, Micheal Ward 20/UK ****

Bristling with energy and colour, this 1980-set drama unfolds to the beats of the eponymous musical genre. Without a pushy narrative, this is pure cinematic bliss, a blast of happiness in a safe space away from the racism and riots in the streets. Steve McQueen, with cowriter Courttia Newland and ace cinematographer Shabier Kirchner, skilfully depicts one Saturday night, and into Sunday morning, when the world belongs to hopeful youth... FULL REVIEW >

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M Y   B E S T   O F   T H E   F E S T

1. 
   Mangrove
2. Nomadland
3. After Love
4. One Night in Miami...
5. Notturno
6. Never Gonna Snow Again
7. The Salt in Our Waters
8. Time
9. Ammonite
10. The Reason I Jump

Special mention: Lovers Rock, Another Round, Possessor, Limbo, African Apocalypse, David Byrne's American Utopia, The Painter and the Thief, Supernova, I Am Samuel, Wolfwalkers. 

ALL REVIEWS >

NB. My anchor page for the LFF is HERE and full reviews are all linked there, with winners of the audience awards to come soon.