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.

Stage: Crowd-pleasing precision

Drum Tao: The Dream
director Ikuo Fujitaka
performers Taro Harasaki, Junnosuke Kodani, Haruki Kawazu, Kyota Sonoda, Koki Sato, Haruto Mizuno, Takumi Azami, Ryusei Ishida, Daiki Sakai, Shima Sasaki, Ai Anekawa
lighting Ryo Harada • sound Kenichi Horiuchi
Peacock Theatre, London • 11-15.Mar.25 ★★★★

Drum Tao has been touring the world for more than 30 years, only just now finally arriving in London. And it's worth the wait. Their show is a hugely entertaining mix of taiko drumming, dancing and music, performed with a blast of personality as these 11 young performers infuse their athleticism and precision with cheeky wit. Since they're having so much fun, so are we. And they definitely know how to play to the audience, which makes it feel like they bring us up onto the stage with them.

The staging is relatively simple, making the most of spinning shiny backdrops, Matrix-like outfits and clever lighting. There is also of course a dizzying array of drums, accompanied by various flutes, stringed instruments and cymbals. Performers continually switch between the instruments, taking the stage for solo pieces, duets, duels and outrageously lavish numbers in which everyone joins together to create ripples of textures, rhythms, sounds and visual shapes. The patterns are complex, and the thrilling musical synchronicity is both exacting and carefully nuanced.

Movement is demanding and constant, with high-energy choreography that involves acrobatic gymnastics and displays of strength. So it's no wonder that they're all so lean and muscled, and they never break a sweat even though they're constantly in motion. The two women in the troupe get frequent costume changes, which provide some lovely colourful touches, one of the men has a beefy shirtless number, and a group of guys perform an ab-crushing piece that involves remaining in a half sit-up while gripping drums with their toes and pounding on them with huge sticks. These kinds of variations make sure that the show never feels repetitive over two hours.

They also happily play up their personalities, smiling and grandstanding to create impact as individuals within the group. And watching them live allows us to hear some of the more subtle tones in isolation, as they use a full range of methods to create seemingly endless sounds with one stick on one drum. All of this results in a show that's almost overpoweringly upbeat, both because of the nature of the music and the way the sparky performers maintain a connection with the audience. These are astonishingly skilled musicians and dancers. And at a time when we need as much happiness as we can get, their joy is infectious.

For info, SADLER'S WELLS> 

photos by Drum Tao • 11.Mar.25

Stage: A precarious friendship

Dear Martin
by Madeleine Brettingham
director Wiebke Green
with Alex Mugnaioni, Ben Simpson, Amelia Donkor, Edward Judge
set/costumes Kit Hinchliffe
sound Julian Starr • lighting Lucía Sánchez Roldán
Arcola Theatre, Dalston • 5-29.Mar.25 ★★★

A gleefully black comedy, this play by veteran TV writer Madeleine Brettingham centres around an unusual connection between two men who are caught in their own precarious situations. It's very funny, eliciting gut-level laughter largely at the offbeat disparity between these characters. And while the tone is arch, with broad performances and eye-catching staging, there are terrific themes running through the interaction. So even if the play never pushes the themes too far, the audience is provoked to consider friendship from an offbeat perspective.

On a white-on-white studio stage augmented by coloured lights, Dave (Ben Simpson) recites a letter he has written to Martin (Alex Mugnaioni), furious that Martin has been engaging in sexually charged correspondence with his wife, who has a history of adultery. Martin's reply oozes with charm and understanding, so Dave goes to visit him in a high-security mental hospital. And there is a clear spark between them. Over the following months, Martin makes a deal to help Martin fix his marriage if Dave convinces prison officials that Martin has an actual friend. But Martin never reveals why he's locked up.

Inventively staged with scenes that dissolve into each other, allowing characters to interact with each other on a range of witty levels, the story moves with propulsive energy, drawing the audience in deeply. These are hugely engaging characters, each with textures that are endearing, infuriating and hilarious. And they're played with out-sized charisma. Mignaioni makes Martin so magnetic that it's impossible to dislike him, even when we begin to understand his psychopathic tendencies. And Simpson gives Dave a relentless open-faced honesty, like a puppy dog whose only desire is to please. Their chemistry is fascinating, even when it drifts over the top.

Side roles provide context and interest, most notably the variety of characters Amelia Donkor disappears into, from Martin's acerbically sceptical doctor to a prostitute Dave attempts to hire on Martin's advice. And Edward Judge makes an impact as Martin's too-cheerful fellow inmate Ben and also as a journalist who attempts to get to the root of Martin's story. Here's where the writing, directing and acting are at their very best: even as we discover Martin's horrific true nature, he becomes increasingly sympathetic, because we are seeing him through Dave's optimistic eyes.

This is a fascinating exploration of what motivates us to make connections with other people, especially those moments when friendships emerge where we least expect them. These ideas add an involving emotional undercurrent to the production, which bristles with visual and verbal energy, including wry moments that involve the audience. And the story is punctuated by inventively edgy moments of drama, humour and intrigue. The overall tone feels rather smug, pleased with each clever turn of phrase or snappy visual beat. But it's also thoroughly entertaining.

For info, ARCOLA THEATRE >

photos by Charlie Flint • 7.Mar.25

Critical Week: The winner takes it all

Staying up all night in London to watch the Oscars is a tradition for film fans, who are recognisable the next day by their dazed expressions. The show offered several highlights, including that opening number featuring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo offering soaring renditions of Wizard of Oz, The Wiz and Wicked belters. The night was a terrific celebration of independent filmmaking, with big love for Anora, for which Sean Baker won a record 4 Academy Awards for a single movie. Other memorable elements included Morgan Freeman's beautiful eulogy for Gene Hackman, Isabella Rossellini honouring David Lynch by wearing a blue velvet dress and bringing Laura Dern as her date, and the powerful appearance of the No Other Land filmmakers as they accepted Best Documentary.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Day of the Fight • Mickey 17
Ernest Cole: Lost & Found
ALL REVIEWS >

I also watched some movies this week, including Robert Pattinson in Bong Joon Ho's Mickey 17, a comical sci-fi adventure that's actually remarkably warm. John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush are on fine form in creeky Kiwi horror The Rule of Jenny Pen; Bruce LaBruce is back with The Visitor, yet another provocative, nutty and remarkably inventive satire; the hyperactive animated adventure Giants of La Mancha is enjoyably silly. There were two documentaries: Ernest Cole: Lost and Found is a riveting, urgent portrait of the South African photographer, while the artful Riefenstahl tells the story of the controversial German filmmaker. I also saw Wayne McGregor's Deepstaria at Sadler's Wells.

This coming week I'll be watching Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender in Black Bag, Ayo Edebiri in Opus, Brian Cox in The Parenting, the comedy She's the He, Chinese thriller Brief History of a Family and Peacock at the opening of WatchAut, the Austrian Film Festival. There are also two stage shows: Dear Martin at the Arcola Theatre and Drum Tao: The Dream at the Peacock Theatre.

Out on a Limb: Oscar picks & Predictions

Once again, here are how I think things will go Sunday night at the 97th Academy Awards. This is one of the least predictable Oscar races in recent memory, with multiple categories too close to call. And I do love surprises and upsets! A couple of my notes here are risky, but here we are...

PICTURE
Will win: Conclave
Serious contender: Anora
Should win: A Complete Unknown

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
Will/should win: I'm Still Here
Dark horse: Emilia Perez

ANIMATED FEATURE
Will win: Flow
Should win: The Wild Robot

DOCUMENTARY
Will/should win: No Other Land
Dark horse: Porcelain War

DIRECTING
Will win: Sean Baker - Anora
Serious contender: Brady Corbet - The Brutalist
Should win: Coralie Fargeat - The Substance

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Will/should win: A Real Pain - Jesse Eisenberg
Serious contender: Anora - Sean Baker

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Will win: Conclave - Peter Straughan
Should win: Sing Sing - Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Will win: Demi Moore - The Substance
Serious contender: Mikey Madison - Anora
Should win/dark horse: Fernanda Torres - I'm Still Here

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Will win: Timothee Chalamet - A Complete Unknown
Serious contender: Adrien Brody - The Brutalist
Should win: Colman Domingo - Sing Sing

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Will/should win: Zoe Saldaña - Emilia Perez

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Will/should win: Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain

FILM EDITING
Will win: Conclave - Nick Emerson
Should win: Anora - Sean Baker

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Will/should win: The Brutalist - Lol Crawley

ORIGINAL SCORE
Will win: The Brutalist - Daniel Blumberg
Should win: The Wild Robot - Kris Bowers
Dark horse: Emilia Perez - Clement Ducol and Camille

ORIGINAL SONG
Will/should win: El Mal - Emilia Perez - Clement Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Will/should win: The Brutalist - Judy Becker, Patricia Cuccia
Dark horse: Conclave - Suzie Davies, Cynthia Sleiter
[Winner: Wicked: Part I - Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales]

COSTUME DESIGN
Will win: Wicked: Part I - Paul Tazewell
Should win: A Complete Unknown - Arianne Phillips

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Will/should win: The Substance - Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stephanie Guillon, Marilyne Scarselli

VISUAL EFFECTS
Will/should win: Dune: Part Two - Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, Gerd Nefzer
Dark horse: Wicked - Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, David Shirk, Paul Corbould

SOUND
Will win: Dune: Part Two - Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill
Should win: The Wild Robot - Randy Thom, Brian Chumney, Gary A Rizzo, Leff Lefferts

Dance: Into the void

Company Wayne McGregor
Deepstaria
director-choreographer-designer Wayne McGregor
dancers Rebecca Bassett-Graham, Naia Bautista, Kevin Beyer, Salvatore De Simone, Chia-Yu Hsu, Hannah Joseph, Jasiah Marshall, Jayla O’Connell, Mariano Zamora Gonzaléz
lighting Theresa Baumgartner
sound Nicolas Becker and LEXX
set Benjamin Males • costumes Ilaria Martello 
Sadler's Wells, London • 27.Feb-2.Mar.25 ★★★★

Taking its name from a genus of jellyfish, Deepstaria is a meditation on humanity's fascination with endless voids like the deep sea and outer space. Wayne McGregor gives his seriously impressive dancers demanding choreography that creates the impression of floating in weightlessness. And the set is a high-tech visual wonder, with inky blacks, dazzling lights and an audio mix that seems to send music and sounds right into our bones. It's an extraordinary experience for the audience, even if it's so intensely serious that emotional resonance feels just out of reach.

The dancers perform the otherworldly moves with unusual fluidity, seemingly floating as they stretch and spin around the stage. While there are a few sections featuring the entire nine-person company, much of this programme features solos and duets, plus a couple of intensely powerful trios. Each performer gets their moment to shine brightly. Movement is big, full-bodied and expressive, and the interaction is laced with subtle touches as dancers come together, sometimes echoing, competing or challenging each other. The highlight is an extended duet between two men that beautifully plays with balance and connection.

All of this takes place on a bare stage that is flooded with always moving lights, creating what looks like currents in the dancers' movements. The set may be made using Vantablack Vision, the light-absorbing coating that is used in telescopes, but it is thoroughly illuminated with lights that refract through constantly swirling mist. This adds to the sense of weightlessness and provides a couple of stunning moments, from a piercing light that breathes straight into our eyes to a shimmering rainfall effect that looks like magic.

Designed to make the most of the dancers' athleticism and physical grace, the costumes shift through the show, from black briefs to paper-thin sweats to tunics that are made from a translucent material called Japanese organza, which seems to drift in slow motion. They are transformed using coloured lighting, which maintains the show's continual shifting nature, as the movement switches from light and sweeping to sharply pointed, between solo numbers and communal pieces.

All of this is simply gorgeous to look at, performed with precision by the gifted dancers, while the complex sound mix is what guides us through a sense of emotional tonality. Intriguingly, this layered audio is programmed through the artificial-intelligence technology Bronze, which adds the unpredictability of live performance and could possibly be something live performers take exception to. But its visceral impact is undeniable.

For details, SADLER'S WELLS >

photos by Ravi Deepres • 27.Feb.25

Critical Week: A star is born

As we approach Oscar weekend, there is always a flurry of activity in trying to predict the possible winners. And it's great that this year's race seems much more up in the air than usual. So I'm rooting for some surprises (and I'll post predictions as usual on Saturday). Meanwhile, there have been more new movies to watch, including the finely produced British biopic Mr Burton, which recounts the early days of Richard Burton (played by Harry Lawtey, above) and his English teacher mentor Philip Burton (Toby Jones). Another British true story is set off the Scottish coast: Last Breath is a taut thriller adaptation of the nailbiting 2019 documentary about deep-sea divers (Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu and Finn Cole) caught in a terrifying situation. 

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
The Last Showgirl • Chang'An
The Summer With Carmen
My Dead Friend Zoe
Superboys of Maleagon
ALL REVIEWS >

Taking on the finale of Homer's Odyssey (and perhaps offering a preview for Christopher Nolan's forthcoming epic), The Return stars Ralph Fiennes as Odysseus, arriving home in Ithaca to find chaos presided over by his faithful wife Penelope (Juliette Binoche). It's rivetingly played and a bit stagey. One of Them Days is a very silly but strongly engaging comedy starring Keke Palmer and SZA as best pals on a momentous day in their Los Angeles neighbourhood. Bruno Dumont's The Empire is a wacky alien invasion thriller disguised as an edgy social satire, set in an offbeat French seaside village. And the Georgian drama April follows a doctor on her illicit rounds with audacious visual and thematic style and bizarrely indulgent flourishes.

This coming week I'll be watching Robert Pattinson in Mickey 17, John Lithgow in The Rule of Jenny Pen, Bruce LaBruce's new film The Visitor, the drama Throuple, the animated adventure Giants of La Mancha and the documentary Riefenstahl.