Screen: April TV Roundup

There's been a lot of new material on television and streaming lately, so I feel like I've only skimmed the surface. But I've made it through 16 series here. New shows and seasons seem to be released every day at the moment, and I need to keep up simply so I'm ready when voting deadlines hit for TV awards I vote in. I can't see everything, but I try to catch what looks intriguing and /or entertaining - something that can take my mind off the real world. In this roundup, I'm starting with returning shows...

Beef: series 2
This anthology show's new season has an excellent cast and a gripping narrative that builds to a frankly astonishing final episode. Expertly shot and edited, it stars Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny as two couples who get into a tangled mess connected to the exclusive golf club where they work and a new Korean owner (the great Youn Yuh-Jung) who's more than a little shady. The way the interpersonal relationships spiral and weave is breathtaking, with a continual stream of surprises, shifting loyalties and ratcheting tension. In the end, the show has profound things to say about love and loyalty, and also takes a startlingly astute swipe at where the world is right now. (Netflix)

Jury Duty Presents: 
Company Retreat
The astonishing improv comedy is back, this time set around a small family business' getaway at which everyone is an actor except one person who has no idea they're on a sitcom. Like the first season, this is hilariously outrageous television, expertly set up and assembled to hone in on how Anthony responds to the absurd things thrown at him, including several moral dilemmas. So it's funny but also very sharply pointed, commenting on the changing landscape for small companies while also offering provocative "what would you do?" scenarios. This one sometimes feels a bit sillier than the first courtroom series, but it is packed with terrific moments. And as before, the casting is genius. (Prime)

Bridgerton: series 4
Diving back into this colourful period fantasia is such a delight that we never want it to end. So of course Netflix divides the series into chapters to further torment us. Things are both spicy and comforting, as another Bridgerton sibling, wild child Benedict (Luke Thompson), is tamed by the feisty Sophie (Yerin Ha). Meanwhile, there are more antics for Nicola Coughlan's Penelope, Adjoa Andoh's Lady Danbury and Golda Rosheuvel's Queen Charlotte, plus a parallel romance for Lady Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) and her swarthy Lord Marcus (Daniel Francis). There's never much doubt where these plot threads are headed, but this kind of frothy/steamy nonsense is simply delicious. (Netflix) 

Paradise: series 2
This season opens outside the city-in-a-bunker with a superb Graceland-set narrative featuring a new role for Shailene Woodley. Then Sterling K Brown arrives and we're off on a steely cross-country adventure. The show splinters in now-typical second-season style between a sometimes bewildering range of story threads in timelines that inside, outside and before the bunker. The writing feels a little heavy-handed, pushing apocalyptic themes while searching for signs of humanity. But the expanding cast is solid (including puppet-master Julianne Nicholson), and the plotlines are involving enough to keep us hooked. Where this season ends up is properly brain-bending, which bodes well for series 3. (Hulu) 

Fallout: series 2
Carrying on with its various narrative strands, which are even-more fragmented than before, this show is packed with fascinating scenes that seem to exist in isolation, even as some of the threads vaguely begin to merge. With all of this jumping around in both place and time, we are never quite sure which events are happening concurrently with others. But it doesn't really matter yet. This season is largely set around New Vegas, and the nutty mayhem offers particularly strong moments for Ella Purnell, Kyle MacLachlan, Aaron Moten, Moises Arias and of course Walton Goggins. With added Justin Theroux as a pre-apocalypse brainiac and Macauley Culkin as a cos-playing Roman general. (Prime)

Your Friends & Neighbors: series 2
Jon Hamm is back for some more somewhat far fetched criminality, as a wealthy investment manager who turns to robbing his neighbours to make ends meet. His character's relationship with his ex-wife (Amanda Peet) and ex-girlfriend (Olivia Munn) are far more complicated now, as are his friendships and work connections. As a billionaire who moves into the community, James Marsden stirs everything up exponentially, further straining the credibility. But it's entertaining to watch these obscenely privileged people get taken down a peg or two (or more), even if the splintered plot feels a bit deliberately structured simply to make space for another season. (Apple)

High Tides [Knokke Off]: series 1-3
From Belgium, this show wallows in compelling melodrama between wildly wealthy and working class families in a rural seaside town. The first season centred on the teens, then the wonderfully overwrought soap-style stories spread to the parents too. Most of the characters bullheadedly charge through each situation without listening to anyone else, with a storm of alcohol, sex, drugs and violence. Even the few likeable or sympathetic people continually do awful things to each other, mainly because of the barrage of trauma they are all carrying around. But even if it's all faintly ridiculous, it's impossible to look away, partly because the European cast goes for it in ways American actors would never dare. (Netflix) 

S O M E T H I N G   N E W

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
It's nice to see a Star Trek series that is actually trying something new that fits within its remit, even if some of these episodes reach perhaps a bit too far thematically, and the direction is sometimes shockingly inept. Set in the officer training school, the show features a collection of hot young cadets who improbably find themselves in a momentously urgent situation every single week. But because their teachers include Holly Hunter, Robert Picardo, Tig Notaro and Gina Yashere, plus Paul Giamatti as a recurring baddie, the show also has wonderfully offhanded gravitas. And students Sandro Rosta, Karim Diane, Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins and Bella Shepard have star-making presence. (Paramount)

Bait
Riz Ahmed created and stars in this comedy about a British actor with Pakistani heritage who auditions to play James Bond, setting off a barrage of online hatred from all sides (is he too Asian or a sell-out?), and unfiltered excitement from his colourful friends and family. Ahmed is extraordinary in the meta-role, finding all kinds of layers as his character becomes increasingly unlikeable but somehow holds on to our sympathy. Sheeba Chadda is especially strong as his mother, and Guz Khan and Aasiya Shah add wonderful layers as his cousin and sister. There are also terrific guest roles for Himesh Patel, Nabhaan Rizwan, Rafe Spall and even a wonderfully absurd turn from Patrick Stewart. (Prime)

The Madison
A TV series about grief may seem like it'll be heavy-going, but writer Taylor Sheridan includes plenty of brittle humour and a riveting focal performance by Michelle Pfeiffer as a woman dealing with loss while trying to manage her messy adult daughters (Beau Garrett and Elle Chapman). The expansive Montana scenery is another key character here, and Sheridan weaves in several powerful narrative kicks over the course of six intensely emotive episodes. A side role for Rebecca Spence is complex and engaging. And there are meaty male characters too for Kurt Russell, Patrick J Adams, Ben Schnetzer, Kevin Zegers and Matthew Fox. It may get a bit mopey, but it's well worth a look. (Paramount)

Rooster
Steve Carell ably anchors this warm-hearted comedy in which he plays a blockbuster novelist (the title refers to his repeating lead character) who takes a job teaching at the university where his estranged daughter (Charly Clive) works. Their relationship is fun to watch, even if both of the characters are sometimes hard to like. They share rather complex broken-marriage issues (with Connie Britton and Phil Dunster as their respective exes), which add layers of connection to the spiralling silliness. And everything is grounded by the astute writing and earthy performances. Terrific support from Danielle Deadwyler and John C McGinley in roles that will benefit from more development in series 2. (HBO)

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast
From Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee comes another riotously astute Irish comedy, although this one is rather a lot darker, mixing the jagged humour with thriller elements as three old friends (Roisin Gallagher, Sinead Keenan and Caoilfhionn Dunne) reunite 20 years after a traumatic event to solve a mystery centred around their fourth classmate (Natasha O'Keeffe). Snappy dialog and hilarious characters keep us chuckling even as things get increasingly nasty. The plot veers in directions that are contrived, absurd and properly punchy. And there are terrific roles for Darragh Hand (as a dreamy garda), MobLand's Emmet J Scanlan and the always fantastic Bronagh Gallagher and Michelle Fairley. (Netflix)

Vladimir
Straining for that wry Fleabag-style to-camera vibe, this comedy-drama instead becomes rather arch as Rachel Weisz's English professor narrates her own fantastical crush on her new colleague Vladimir, played with offhanded dreaminess by Leo Woodall. Complications include her husband (John Slattery), their open marriage and accusations against him of sexual impropriety. And then there's Vladimir's wife (Jessica Henwick), who ends up in the thick of it as well. Where the story goes is foreshadowed right from the start, so it's not hugely surprising. But the show manages to drum up some terrific lustiness, highlighting female sexuality in an unusually complex way. (Netflix)

Crap Happens [Kacken an der Havel]
From Germany, this cartoonish comedy is relentlessly silly, with one of those plots in which everything continually goes wrong at the worst possible time. Amid the amusing stupidity, there are quite a few genuinely witty gags, plus some pointed satire about both German society and the global music industry, as the plot centres on loser Toni (Anton Schneider) dealing with both his big break to become a rap star and the discovery that he has a teen son (Sky Arndt). While the performances are deliberately way over the top, there are moments of real emotion that keep us watching. And one of the most enjoyably ridiculous touches is a running gag about the 1998 classic Armageddon. (Netflix)

J U S T   F O R   V A R I E T Y

The Muppet Show
With just one half-hour episode, this proves to be the show we need right now. Even 50 years later, the format feels fresh and engaging, with Kermit, Piggy and friends spiralling into their own delightful brand of chaos as they try to revive their theatre show. Guest star Sabrina Carpenter offers plenty of musical and comical fun, with added goofy cameos from Maya Rudolph and Seth Rogen as themselves. It's such an engaging mix of songs, sketches and generally silly mayhem that we can't help but fall in love with these characters all over again. And the all new cast of Muppet performers beautifully captures the souls of these iconic characters. Surely this proves that we need more of this. (Disney)

Saturday Night Live UK
While the original version is in the midst of its 51st season, a UK clone has taken to the airwaves slightly earlier on Saturday nights from London. The fresh cast of comics is very strong, diving headlong into the topical silliness, with the usual collection of sketches that are alternately inspired or oddly flat-footed. But the cheeky energy keeps things afloat. The most notable emerging star is Jack Shep, who has an innate gift for characterisations, from Princess Diana to the former Prince Andrew. The odd thing about the show is how it already feels like it's been around for too long. More variation from the US formula could help make this feel like something new. So let's hope it develops its own personality. (Sky)

GUILTY PLEASURES: The Traitors Ireland, Celebrity Race Across the World, Britain's Got Talent.

NOW WATCHING: Big Mistakes, The Testaments, Euphoria 3, Hacks 5, The Boys 5, Scrubs 8.

COMING SOON: Half Man, Margot's Got Money Problems, Man on Fire, The House of the Spirits, Alpha Males 4.

Previous roundup: FEBRUARY 2026 > 

Critical Week: At the movies

I saw fewer films this week for a variety of reasons, including extended celebrations of my birthday and a two-day trip to Brighton to visit a friend. It was nice to take a break from the screen and catch some (intermittent) sunshine for a change. But I was glad to be back in cinemas for a couple of high-profile press screenings. Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren star in the crowd-pleasing true story The Duke, which is perhaps fizzier than it should be, but audiences will love it. And Scarlett Johansson is back for her long-awaited lead role in Black Widow, an action movie livened up by deeper-than-expected filmmaking and performances. Florence Pugh particularly shines alongside Johansson, plus scene-stealers David Harbour and Rachel Weisz.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Martin Eden • Black Widow
The Truffle Hunters • The Surrogate
ALL REVIEWS >

More offbeat films included the horror thriller Son, an unnerving exploration of maternal excess that keeps us tense but struggles to stick the landing, and the Spanish romance Carmen & Lola, an involving and remarkably authentic story set in Madrid's Roma subculture. There was also the short film collection Upon Her Lips: Heartbeats, with eight mini-dramas exploring angles on female attraction.

This coming week I'll be watching Ewan McGregor in The Birthday Cake, Robert De Niro in The Comeback Trail, Karen Gillen in Gunpowder Milkshake, the award-winning French comedy Bye Bye Morons, the horror mystery The Boy Behind the Door and the Danish thriller Shorta.

39th London Critics' Circle Film Awards: words and pics...

Yes, it was time for the London film critics to hold their annual gala red carpet event. And for the seventh year, I was the chair of the organising committee, which meant that I was involved in every aspect of the day's events. The 39th London Critics' Circle Film Awards, presented by Dover Street Entertainment at The May Fair Hotel, had a distinct tone this year - awash in diversity almost any way you looked at it. We had fewer high-wattage Hollywood stars, but we made up for that with humour, energy and some properly talented guests in attendance. It was a great celebration of film - and a fantastic party. Here are some photos to help tell the story...

Pedro Almodóvar was awarded our top honour, the Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film. Tamsin Greig (left), who starred in the West End production of his classic Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, presented the award to him. At right, Critics' Circle Film Section Chair Anna Smith and I stand on either side of the evening's host, the fabulous British comic Judi Love.

Left to right: Richard E Grant accepts Supporting Actor for Can You Ever Forgive Me; writer-director Michael Pearce wins Breakthrough Filmmaker for Beast; producer Nicolas Celis accepts Film of the Year for Roma.

Pawel Pawlikowski's gorgeous Cold War won both Foreign-Language Film and the Technical Achievement Award for Lukasz Zal's cinematography; Rupert Everett sent his friend and costar Emily Watson to pick up his award for British/Irish Actor for The Happy Prince; Yorgos Lanthimos collects the prize for British/Irish Film of the Year for The Favourite.

One of my jobs was to chase down video thank yous from winners unable to be present (I knew the winners before anyone else). Both of these were shot in dressing rooms: Olivia Colman was on set filming The Crown and gave a witty thank you for Actress of the Year in The Favourite, and Ethan Hawke is in a play on Broadway, and made some clever, thoughtful observations as he collected Actor of the Year for First Reformed.

Alfonso Cuaron sent a video greeting as he won Director of the Year for Roma, while Agnès Varda spoke for herself and co-director JR to accept Documentary of the Year for Faces Places.

Rachel Weisz spoke from her kitchen to accept Supporting Actress for The Favourite, while Jessie Buckley was also stuck on-set on Sunday, offering a heartfelt thank you for British/Irish Actress in Beast, and hoping she'd finish early enough to come join the party (sadly, she couldn't).

Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara were on-hand to collect their award for Screenwriters of the Year for The Favourite, as were director Lara Zeidan and producer John Giordano, who won Short Film of the Year for Three Centimetres.

Molly Wright was wonderfully surprised when she won Young Performer of the Year for Apostasy (she also helped read out our nominations when they were announced last month); her director Daniel Kokotajlo was a nominee for Breakthrough Filmmaker; while Liv Hill was up for Young Performer for The Little Stranger.

Fionn Whitehead was nominated for Young Performer for the second year running, this time for The Children Act; Anya Taylor-Joy was also up for that award for her work in Thoroughbreds; and writer-director Deborah Haywood was up for Breakthrough for Pin Cushion. (She was one of three women we nominated for directing, along with Debra Granik and Lynne Ramsay in the Director category.)

Other guests included Gonzalo Maza, screenwriter of Foreign-Language Film nominee A Fantastic Woman; actress Muna Utaru (The Keeping Room); and filmmakers and diversity activists Hannah and Jake Graf.

I have spent the last six months working on this event, and it has completely taken over my life over the last six weeks (with a bit of a breather when all the publicists' offices closed over the holidays!). After we have a debrief and work out what we can do even better next year, we'll be able to forget about all the chaos until it begins cranking up again next summer. The 2020 event will be our 40th anniversary, so I think we need to plan something unexpected.

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 >

Critical Week: Yes, mother

London-based critics had two traumatic female-centred dramas this week to consider. First up was the trashy melodramatic thriller Unforgettable, featuring a wonderfully nasty mother-daughter relationship between Katherine Heigl and Cheryl Ladd (above), plus Rosario Dawson as the innocent woman caught in the mayhem. Terrible, but a lot of fun. Meanwhile, Rachel Weisz and Sam Claflin star in a remake of My Cousin Rachel, based on the Daphne Du Maurier novel about a suspicious 19th century woman who might be manipulating her way into a fortune. (Comments on the film itself are embargoed until closer to the release date in June.)

A little further afield, this week I was able to catch up with Werner Herzog's strangely offbeat drama Salt and Fire, about corporate greed and natural disasters in Bolivia. It has an intriguing central role for Michael Shannon, and at least gets you thinking. And then there's the documentary David Lynch: The Art Life, tracing the iconic filmmaker's pre-cinematic inspiration in his own words, with some added slightly overwrought filmmaking from the trio of directors who made this doc.

This coming week we have screenings of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, the acclaimed Russian film The Student and something called Detour. I also have quite a few screener discs to catch up on.

Critical Week: Inconceivable

Some personal comments are required this morning. I stayed up most of last night watching election results roll in from my home country, in disbelief at how it progressed: the majority of US voters have officially said that it's ok to be a white supremacist, a person who assaults women, or someone who hates people based on their gender, economic status, sexuality or ethnicity. This is a vote for hatred, division and inequality that effectively ends centuries of diplomacy and social progress. Although how that plays out is yet to be scene. After the banks crushed the world economy nearly 10 years ago, I knew a revolution was coming, but I never saw it going this way. In just the past few months, for example, voters in the Philippines have affirmed government-condoned vigilante violence and Colombia's people voted against peace there, plus of course the UK's referendum on the European Union, which has tripled the incidence of hate crimes across Britain. Anti-migrant sentiment is rife all over the world, even though every single bit of evidence points to immigrants as adding to society, never draining it. But then facts and compassion don't matter any more. My slim hope is that the rhetoric of the campaign season will be replaced by something more positive and rational. But I won't put my head in the sand.

So back to movies! It's perhaps appropriate that the biggest movie screened to London-based critics this week was Denial, a razor-sharp true drama starring Rachel Weisz, Timothy Spall and Tom Wilkinson about a Holocaust denier challenged in a London court. It's powerfully well-made, and a riveting film. Lighter fare included the amusing, enjoyable backstage Broadway musical-comedy Opening Night, starring Topher Grace and Anne Heche; the multi-strand holiday comedy Shared Rooms, a slightly clunky film with some nice touches; and the quietly moving Canadian indigenous drama Fire Song. And there was also the opening movie at the London Korean Film Festival (3-27 Nov)...

The Truth Beneath
dir-scr Lee Kyoung-mi; with Son Ye-jin, Kim Ju-hyuk 16/Kor ***.
Korean filmmaker Lee Yyoung-mi takes an unusual approach to the usual mystery thriller, getting under the skin of her central character while bringing out the inherent corruption in politics. The result is a tangled story that twists and turns, but keeps its focus on the internal shifts in attitude rather than the big surprises. And there are plenty of those. So even if the filmmaking is sometimes deliberately tricky, this is a slick, sharp and thoroughly gripping drama.

Coming up this week, I have the Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Ewan McGregor's directing debut American Pastoral, Miles Teller in Bleed for This and the Argentine drama Esteros. There are also awards-consideration screenings of Warren Beatty's Howard Hughes romance Rules Don't Apply and Joel Edgerton in the civil rights drama Loving.

Venezia 73: Swept away on day 1

Greetings from the end of Day 1 at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival. This is my first time at this festival - and my first visit in Venice itself (although I was born in Venice, California, if that counts for anything). I'm staying here on the Lido, not far from the Palazzo, Casino and other rather fabulous venues, but my life consists of attending unglamorous press screenings and scrabbling around for food (there are no cafes nearby) and wifi (which seems like a luxury). Today's films included the festival opener, and I spotted Emma Stone on the red carpet...

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 joy 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.

The Light Between Oceans
dir-scr Derek Cianfrance; with Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander 16/NZ ***
Fans of sweeping romantic epics will enjoy this florid love story, its emotive performances and picturesque scenery. Those who find tortured melodrama just a touch exhausting will find it a bit of a chore to sit through. But it’s beautifully made and well-acted by a fine cast. An even if it doesn’t have much to say thematically, there’s at least some intriguing moral twistiness. (That's Vikander and Fassbender, above.)

Heartstone [Hjartasteinn]
dir-scr Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson; with Baldur Einarsson Blaer Hinriksson 16/Ice ***., 
Dark and sometimes very grim, this Icelandic teen drama tackles a serious topic in an intensely personal way. Set in a rural area, the small community ramps up the emotions to the breaking point, pulling the audience into the story with serious force.

I'll add to this blog as I get the chance, and upload reviews to the site when possible. Tomorrow's films are Denis Villeneuve's Arrival, Alice Lowe's Prevenge, Gabriele Muccino's L'Estate Addosso and the Filipino drama Pamilya Ordinaryo.

LFF 10: See the world

The gang from Youth lined up on the red carpet last night at the London Film Festival: Paul Dano, Harvey Keitel, Paloma Faith, Rachel Weisz, Michael Caine and director Paolo Sorrentino. I had a slightly slower day today - just two films and a night off at the theatre! Here are a few more highlights...

Dheepan
dir Jacques Audiard; with Jesuthasan Antonythasan, Kalieaswari Srinivasan 15/Fr ***
With a powerfully topical subject, this drama both grapples with big issues and gives in to some oddly slanted politics that seem to convey a rather lopsided message. It's strikingly well made, with a solid cast and a sometimes startling realism. But filmmaker Jacques Audiard seems to get caught up in both the violence and the unrealistic dreams of refugees.

Taxi Tehran 
dir Jafar Panahi; with Jafar Panahi, Hana, Omid 15/Irn *****
Banned Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi continues to make sharply clever films that manage to just fit within the rules of his sentence (this is his third). Once again cleverly exploring the nature of filmmaking itself, this film also offers a strikingly earthy, funny exploration of Iranian culture. And human nature.

Gold Coast 
dir Daniel Dencik; with Jakob Oftebro, Danica Curcic 15/Den **.
Beautiful landscapes and an artful, almost experimental approach make the most of this rather pointed drama about colonial Europeans in Africa. Packed with big ideas about how humans bend the laws of nature at their peril, the film is ambitious but also self-important and morally simplistic. And the way the story is told eliminates any opportunity for either narrative kick or emotional resonance.

Chemsex
dir William Fairman, Max Gogarty; with David Stuart, Matt Spike 15/UK ****
An unblinking exploration of one of London's more disturbing drug scenes, this documentary plays on both fascination and distaste for sexual activities that go against the flow. It sometimes feels sensationalised, veering perilously close to Reefer Madness territory, but the issue is real. And what it has to say about both addiction and sexuality is hugely important.

Screen Talk:
Todd Haynes

The filmmaker sat down with festival director Clare Stewart to talk about his work in front of an audience of 450 gripped cineastes. The conversation was extremely literate, as Haynes went into his thought processes, methods and experiences while making Superstar, Poison, Safe, Velvet Goldmine, Far From Heaven, I'm Not There, Mildred Pearce and Carol. He discussed running themes (illness, isolation, societal demands) and recurring actresses - he clearly adores both Julianne Moore and Cate Blanchett and offered intriguing insights into the different ways they work. 

LFF 9: Don't be shy

Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett were the stars of last night's red carpet premiere of Carol, and Blanchett will be out again on Saturday for the premiere of Truth and to be honoured with the BFI Fellowship at this year's London Film Festival. Tonight's red carpet stars include Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz and Paul Dano for Paolo Sorrentino's Youth, and Agyness Deyn, Peter Mullan and Kevin Guthrie for Terence Davies' Sunset Song. Here are a more highlights...

Youth
dir Paolo Sorrentino; with Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel 15/Italy ****
Gorgeously shot in a spectacular setting and edited with cheeky energy, this atmospheric film has a rather freeform plot exploring age and mortality from unexpected angles. But the characters are so witty and offbeat that they can't help but hold the attention, and writer-director Paolo Sorrentino plays engagingly with artistic ambition and romantic passion to keep the film utterly riveting.

Sunset Song 
dir Terence Davies, with Agyness Deyn, Peter Mullan 15/UK ****
Adapted from Lewis Grassic Gibbon's classic 1932 novel, this is a wrenchingly beautiful look at life in rural Scotland, crafted with real artistry by Terence Davies. The film has an unusually period tone, keeping everything bracingly realistic while observing events from a darkly personal perspective.

Closet Monster 
dir Stephen Dunn; with Connor Jessup, Aaron Abrams 15/Can ***.
Filmmaker Stephen Dunn takes a strikingly introspective look into the life of a young boy who feels like his life is spiralling out of control. Beautifully shot and edited, the film mixes artfully stylised flights of fancy with earthy themes that cut to the heart of big issues like bullying and self-loathing. But more than that, this is a thoughtful exploration of someone learning to accept his sexuality.

Ratter
dir Branden Kramer; with Ashley Benson, Matt McGorry 15/US **
Yet another gimmicky found-footage style movie, this feels more like a polemic about the dangers of webcams than a thriller with a cogent story. While it's slick and unnerving, filmmaker Branden Kramer seems so intrigued by his idea that he completely forgets to establish proper characters or situations. It looks cool and has some solid freak-outs, but never seems to have a point.

LFF 7: Run for your life

The London Film Festival is now fully in its stride, dazzling audiences with the best films from the year's festivals while keeping the journalists hopping with an intense schedule of press screenings (I am seeing three or four films a day, others are seeing five or six). Somewhere I'm sure there's something festive happening, but I haven't really spotted it, aside from a press drinks hour the other night at Picturehouse Central's gorgeous new members' bar. And most of the films have been great, including these four...

The Lobster
dir Yorgos Lanthimos; with Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz 15/Ire ****
Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth) makes his English-language debut with this blackly comical satire about how society pressures us into relationships. It's telling and complex, and it feels like two movies mashed together, plus a very dark coda. But an up-for-it-cast brings out layers of meaning while keeping us laughing brittlely... MORE >;

The Lady in the Van

dir Nicholas Hytner; with Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings 15/UK ****

Alan Bennett adapts his own memoir for the big screen, cleverly playing with the idea that he is writing his own story. Yes, a homeless woman really did live in a van in his driveway for 15 years. And since the great Maggie Smith plays her on-screen, the film is not only entertaining, but its message has a spiky bite. 

The Wave [Bølgen]
dir Roar Uthaug; with Kristoffer Joner, Ane Dahl Torp 15/Nor ****
Structured exactly like a classic disaster movie, this Norwegian dramatic thriller is particularly well-made, with vivid characters and a believable sense of the science behind it. The premise is a picturesque fjord that has long been at risk of a mountainside collapse, which would trigger a devastating tsunami. And in this solidly crafted, only slightly corny movie, an entire village's day has come.

The Endless River
dir Oliver Hermanus; with Nicolas Duvauchelle, Crystal-Donna Roberts 15/SA ****
A harrowing drama about the cycle of violence in South Africa, this film certainly isn't easy to watch as it continually challenges the viewer's preconceptions. Dark and tough, it's evocative and simply gorgeous to watch, even though the story is relentlessly painful. Filmmaker Hermanus finds real resonance using period-style touches in a present-day story. Although it somewhat heavy and over-serious for some viewers.

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C R I T I C A L   W E E K

I only had a few of non-LFF screenings this week, including a very late press screening for Guillermo Del Toro's visually ravishing but otherwise disappointing Crimson Peak; the nutty British werewolf thriller Howl; the offbeat Argentine road movie Jess & James; and the acrobatic documentary Grazing the Sky, which is a must see for fans of physical movement. I have a glut of LFF films to come, and won't be back in non-festival mode until after this coming week.