Reviews

A young girl with blonde plaits wearing a yellow jacket holds a blue-eyed furry creature against a rocky backdrop.
Review

The Legend of Ochi review – well-crafted but tame family adventure

by Isaac Feldberg

A shy young girl embarks on a mission to save a mystical creature in Isaiah Saxon's throwback to the days of Amblin greatness.

2
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
A person with facial piercings and dreadlocks, wearing a dark cloak, obscuring their face in shadows.
Review

The Ugly Stepsister review – a mean-spirited Cinderella story

by Hannah Strong

Emilie Blichfeldt takes on medieval beauty standards in this gory reframing of the Brothers Grimm's classic take on Cinderella.

4
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
A person standing in a dimly lit room, wearing a blue robe and holding an object in their hands.
Review

April review – eerily elusive, superbly acted and crafted

by Rafa Sales Ross

Dea Kulumbegashvili’s stark Georgian drama follows an obstetrician who moonlights as an abortionist, as she is accused of interfering with her patients.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Group of young men in school uniforms standing together.
Review

The Penguin Lessons review – think Dead Penguins Society

by David Jenkins

Steve Coogan co-stars with a penguin in this gentle dramedy from Peter Cattaneo that never quite matches up to the true story.

3
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Cluttered interior of a van, with a woman sitting on a couch and a man standing. Varied colours and shapes, with items scattered throughout the space.
Review

Caught by the Tides review – moving, stirring, brilliant

by Esther Rosenfield

Jia Zhangke’s first feature in six years is a sweeping epic anchored by the captivating Zhao Tao, his muse and most frequent collaborator.

4
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
Two men in period attire - one in a blue cap, the other in a cowboy hat - stand next to a vintage car in a rural setting.
Review

Sinners review – links the past and present with music and blood

by Kambole Campbell

Finally free from the Marvel machine, Ryan Coogler delivers the goods and then some with his music-powered, genre-splicing latest.

3
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
Three young men riding on a red tractor in a rural, green landscape.
Review

Holy Cow review – a bittersweet treat

by Alex Hopkins-McQuillan

Louise Courvoisier crafts a moving tale about cheese-making and coming of age, set in the rural French region of Jura.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
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
Bearded man and woman embrace passionately, their faces close together.
Review

The Return review – skirts on the am-dram

by David Jenkins

Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche star as Odysseus and Penelope in Uberto Pasolini's retelling of Homer's epic.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Two soldiers, one in camouflage uniform, equipped with protective gear and holding a weapon, standing indoors.
Review

Warfare review – war, what is it good for?

by Hannah Strong

Alex Garland teams up with Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza for an evocative but empty war film, recreating a catastrophic day in Ramadi based on the memories of Mendoza and his comrades.

2
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect

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