Contributions from Michael Leader | Little White Lies

Contributor Michael Leader

Two people embracing on stage, a woman with long dark hair holding a man with curly hair and a guitar.
Review

One to One: John & Yoko review – another day, another Beatle doc

by Michael Leader

Mac­don­ald and Rice-Edwards immerse in the famous pow­er couple’s lives in NY, but this estate-approved doc strug­gles to deliv­er intrigu­ing insight.

3
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
A man with long brown hair lying on the rocky ground, looking pensive. Muted tones of grey, brown, and black dominate the image.
Review

Starve Acre review – all texture and no teeth

by Michael Leader

Matt Smith and Morfy­dd Clark play a cou­ple who move to an iso­lat­ed York­shire Dales estate in Daniel Kokotajlo’s folk horror.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Three young men in dark leather jackets and sunglasses, sitting on a vintage car, each holding a guitar.
Interviews

Iain Softley: ‘I had this idea in my mind, “What would the story be if these weren’t The Beatles?”’

by Michael Leader

As Sam Mendes gears up to make his behe­moth Bea­t­les biopic, the direc­tor of 1994 ear­ly-Bea­t­les dra­ma Back­beat reflects on the sto­ry of Stu­art Sut­cliffe – the Bea­t­le who wasn’t.
Cartoon interior of a cluttered room with a smiling ghost-like character reading a newspaper, surrounded by household items and furniture.
Review

Robot Dreams review – a wordless wonder

by Michael Leader

A dog cre­ates a robot friend for him­self in Pablo Berg­er’s intri­cate, amaz­ing silent animation.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Animated characters: a plumber in red overalls, a princess in a red dress, and a mushroom-shaped creature.
Review

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

by Michael Leader

Nin­ten­do and Illu­mi­na­tion team up to give every­one’s favourite fic­tion­al plumber an ani­mat­ed makeover, with soul­less results.

3
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Cluttered domestic scene with miscellaneous objects and storage boxes on a wooden surface.
Review

Marcel the Shell with Shoes on

by Michael Leader

A sen­tient shell sets out to find his fam­i­ly with help from a doc­u­men­tary film­mak­er in Dean Fleis­ch­er-Cam­p’s effort­less­ly charm­ing fea­ture debut.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Four young musicians performing on stage, two playing electric guitars and one playing a bass guitar, in a black and white image.
Review

The Velvet Underground

by Michael Leader

Todd Haynes directs this defin­i­tive chron­i­cle of the fabled avant-garde rock group, tak­ing in every­thing from doo wop to pop art.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Four young musicians performing on stage, two playing electric guitars and one playing a bass guitar, in a black and white image.
Festivals

The Velvet Underground – first-look review

by Michael Leader

Todd Haynes’ first doc­u­men­tary takes a thrilling, cau­tious­ly ambiva­lent look at the NY art-rock demigods.
Two men in suits engaged in physical altercation on city street.
Review

The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil

by Michael Leader

Fists and bul­lets fly in this amped-up, con­sis­tent­ly enter­tain­ing action thriller from Korea’s Lee Won-tae.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Two men in suits engaged in physical altercation on city street.
Festivals

The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil – first look review

by Michael Leader

A wel­come dose of crooked cops and vio­lent crims spices up the dying days of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.
Monochrome image of a person drinking from a bottle
Festivals

The Lighthouse – first look review

by Michael Leader

Robert Pat­tin­son and Willem Dafoe are on top form in Robert Eggers’ stark mar­itime nightmare.
A human face with eyes closed and mouth open, shrouded in darkness and shadows.
Review

Lords of Chaos

by Michael Leader

Jonas Åkerlund attempts to debunk the var­i­ous myths sur­round­ing the Nor­we­gian Black Met­al scene.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect