Contributions from David Jenkins | Little White Lies

Contributor David Jenkins

Young person standing in a cluttered bookshop, looking pensive.
Review

On Falling review – Solidly-made slice of Loachian miserablism

by David Jenkins

The dire lot of a low-paid fac­to­ry work­er is the sub­ject of this rig­or­ous if hard­ly rev­e­la­to­ry char­ac­ter study from debut direc­tor Lau­ra Carreira.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
A man embraces a woman tenderly against a desolate, windswept landscape.
Festivals

Tornado – first-look review

by David Jenkins

John ​“Slow West” Maclean returns with a Samu­rai-inspired heist thriller set in the Eng­lish wilds – the eccen­tric results are mixed.
A group of three people - an elderly couple sitting on a bench and a middle-aged man standing next to them, all looking towards the camera. A "Litter Free Beach £1000 Fine" sign is visible in the background.
Review

I Am Martin Parr review – a one-sided artist portrait

by David Jenkins

An unapolo­getic hagiog­ra­phy of the famed British pho­tog­ra­ph­er whose work chron­i­cles work­ing class leisure time.

3
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Cartoon character with a hat and oversized eyes pointing at a snail in the foreground.
Review

Memoir of a Snail – a stop-motion marvel with a dark heart

by David Jenkins

The life of a snail-fix­at­ed lon­er plays out as a series of dis­as­ters in this stri­dent­ly emo­tion­al ani­mat­ed fea­ture from Aus­tralian film­mak­er, Adam Elliot.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Two men, one with a beard and hat, using a laser measurement tool to take a reading.
Review

The Fire Inside review – a sporting biog that lacks originality

by David Jenkins

Rachel Mor­ri­son directs a script by Bar­ry Jenk­ins with this sad­ly-under­whelm­ing under­dog box­ing biopic of Cla­res­sa ​“T‑Rex” Shields.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
A close-up of a woman's face, blurred and distorted, with a serious expression.
Festivals

Interview: Cate Blanchett and Matty Sidle

by David Jenkins

With already count­less strings to her act­ing bow, Cate Blanchett adds yet one more by star­ring in Mat­ty Sidle’s exper­i­men­tal com­ic short, Bozo Over Roses.
Two people riding a motorcycle, wearing helmets, in an urban setting.
Festivals

Guo Run – first-look review

by David Jenkins

The pain and con­fu­sion of mis­car­riage is pre­sent­ed with brac­ing clar­i­ty in Li Dongmei’s impres­sive char­ac­ter study.
Two people embracing in a forest, the woman smiling with her eyes closed as the man holds her close.
Festivals

First Person Plural – first-look review

by David Jenkins

A bour­geois cou­ple expe­ri­ence the nox­ious effects of a vac­cine in this gor­geous, sur­re­al study of cor­rupt­ed minds and bodies.
Outdoor patio with reclined lounge chairs, fenced area, and person working on construction.
Festivals

Vitrival – first-look review

by David Jenkins

This absorb­ing and care­ful­ly-craft­ed chron­i­cle of a quaint Bel­gian vil­lage crum­bling to pieces is 2025 breakout.
Illustration of a woman with curly hair wearing a dress, standing with her hands clasped in front of her against a dark background.
In Heaven Everything Is Fine

Eraserhead and the Lady in the Radiator

by David Jenkins

In our trib­ute to the works and worlds of David Lynch, David Jenk­ins reflects on his most spir­i­tu­al film.