LWLies Recommends | Little White Lies

LWLies Recommends

Blonde woman with curly hair embracing a dark-haired person, their faces close together, eyes closed.
Review

Other People’s Children

by David Jenkins

Vir­ginie Efi­ra deliv­ers a sub­lime per­for­mance as a jour­nal­ist who devel­ops a strong bond with her boyfriend’s daugh­ter in Rebec­ca Zlo­towski’s roman­tic dramedy.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two people sitting on a garden bench, conversing in an outdoor setting with trees and plants in the background.
Review

Rye Lane

by Cheyenne Bart-Stewart

Raine Allen-Miller’s love let­ter to Peck­ham is a wel­come addi­tion to the British rom-com canon, with stand­out per­for­mances from Vivian Oparah and David Jonsson.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Young girl in denim dungarees with arms raised against wooden wall.
Review

Pearl

by David Jenkins

Ti West pays homage in The Wiz­ard of Oz in the pre­quel to his throw­back slash­er X – but Mia Goth real­ly makes this one sing.

2
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
A group of musicians performing on stage, with guitars, drums, and a man singing into a microphone. The stage is dimly lit with red and white lighting, creating a dramatic and intense atmosphere.
Review

Meet Me in the Bathroom

by Ed Gibbs

New York’s pre‑9/​11 music scene is revis­it­ed in this suit­ably lo-fi doc­u­men­tary from the mak­ers of Shut Up and Play the Hits.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two young people embracing at sunset in a field.
Review

Close

by Hannah Strong

The dis­so­lu­tion of a tight friend­ship and a sub­se­quent tragedy have a pro­found impact on the life of 13-year-old Léo in Lukas Dhon­t’s poignant drama.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two dancers performing a dramatic dance routine on stage, with the male dancer supporting the female dancer as she arches her back. The scene is dark with dramatic lighting, emphasising the movement and emotion of the performance.
Review

Creature

by Lillian Crawford

Asif Kapadia’s col­lab­o­ra­tion with chore­o­g­ra­ph­er Akram Khan expert­ly man­i­fests Michael Powell’s dream of a fea­ture-length bal­let film.

4
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
A woman in sunglasses, a light blue top, and beige trousers, carrying a brown leather bag, standing outdoors on a pathway.
Review

The Strays

by Anton Bitel

A woman who has worked hard to hide her past finds she can’t run from it for­ev­er in Nathaniel Martel­lo-White’s assured debut.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
A man in a workroom using a sewing machine, surrounded by colourful spools of thread and other sewing equipment.
Review

Broker

by Charles Bramesco

Hirokazu Koreeda’s lat­est tale of found fam­i­lies focus­es on an ille­gal South Kore­an adop­tion scheme, run by two grifters with hearts of gold.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
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
Group of people sitting around a table in a dimly lit room.
Review

Women Talking

by Lillian Crawford

A group of women in a remote Men­non­ite colony meet in secret in Sarah Pol­ley’s mov­ing adap­ta­tion of Miri­am Toews’ novel.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect