Contributions from Trevor Johnston | Little White Lies

Contributor Trevor Johnston

Woman in jumper on phone in office.
Review

Plan 75

by Trevor Johnston

Chie Hayakawa’s dystopi­an dra­ma about a gov­ern­ment-spon­sored euthana­sia pro­gramme is affect­ing, but leaves key ques­tions unexplored.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Portrait of a bearded man in a suit with glasses, surrounded by swirling patterns.
Interviews

Tony Kushner: ‘Close Encounters had a huge influence on me’

by Trevor Johnston

The sage of mod­ern Amer­i­can the­atre on his tran­si­tion to becom­ing Steven Spielberg’s trusty screen­writ­ing wingman.
Two middle-aged Asian women in business attire, one with a pensive expression, the other with her arm around her.
Review

In Front of Your Face

by Trevor Johnston

A South Kore­an ex-pat returns to her home­land and recon­nects with old acquain­tances in Hong Sang-soo’s mag­i­cal, melan­choly drama.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
Group of people swimming in a clear, blue ocean.
Review

Futura

by Trevor Johnston

Alice Rohrwach­er, Pietro Mar­cel­lo and Francesco Mun­zi offer an illu­mi­nat­ing por­tray­al of Ital­ian youth in the midst of glob­al uncertainty.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Man in green waistcoat and brown suit jacket, seated on ornate stairs against red autumn foliage backdrop.
In Praise Of

What Price Hollywood: The Story of A Star is Born

by Trevor Johnston

George Cukor’s sub­lime take on star­dom ranks among Judy Garland’s best work, but its pro­duc­tion was mired in turmoil.
A woman with blonde hair wearing a floral print dress, standing in a garden setting with trees and buildings in the background.
Review

Three Floors

by Trevor Johnston

Nan­ni Moret­ti grap­ples with the thorny top­ic of misog­y­ny in his adap­ta­tion of Eshkol Nevo’s 2015 novel.

3
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Two people, a man and a woman, having a conversation in a dimly lit setting with city lights visible through a window.
Review

Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy

by Trevor Johnston

The Japan­ese mas­ter deliv­ers his sec­ond smash hit of the year with a series of vignettes on human relationships.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Stylised portrait of a man with short dark hair and a beard, against a bright pink background.
Interviews

Ryūsuke Hamaguchi: ‘I’ve shot lot of stuff in cars because of Godard’

by Trevor Johnston

The Japan­ese direc­tor explains how he trans­formed a Muraka­mi short sto­ry into the inti­mate emo­tion­al epic, Dri­ve My Car.
A woman in a long, lace wedding dress standing against a blurred, colourful background.
Review

New Order

by Trevor Johnston

Michel Franco’s but­ton-push­ing dra­ma sees Mexico’s super-rich get their come­up­pance in spec­tac­u­lar­ly vio­lent fashion.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Elderly man in hat and scarf, surrounded by small birds, detailed illustrated portrait
Interviews

Elia Suleiman: ‘I was a street kid who became a bum – but a thinking bum’

by Trevor Johnston

The Pales­tin­ian film­mak­er dis­cuss­es his new film It Must Be Heav­en and find­ing humour in human displacement.
Rugged landscape with military vehicle, concrete structure, and armed personnel on a remote desert scene.
Review

Notturno

by Trevor Johnston

This cap­ti­vat­ing docu-rever­ie from Gian­fran­co Rosi reveals the after­ef­fects of war on peo­ple in the Mid­dle East.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
An elderly man with a long beard embracing a young woman on a foggy, rural road.
Review

A White, White Day

by Trevor Johnston

A police chief’s sus­pi­cion turns into an obses­sion in this chilly Ice­landic dra­ma from Hlynur Palmason.

4
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect