The hollow feminism of “empowering” Hollywood thrillers
From Don’t Worry Darling to Promising Young Woman, a recent wave of purportedly feminist films have shallow, simplistic messages.
ByFilm reviews
Explore the world of cinema with our selection of film reviews, providing in-depth analysis, thoughtful critiques, and captivating insights into the latest releases and timeless classics.
The Lost King: a sly, subversive take on the discovery of Richard III
Sally Hawkins and Steve Coogan star in Stephen Frears’ witty dramatisation of the monarch’s extraction from a Leicester car park.
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Don’t Worry Darling is a derivative let-down
Olivia Wilde’s film about an idyllic 1950s community reflects modern anxieties but has little new to say.
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How Jean-Luc Godard changed cinema
The pioneering French New Wave director has died at the age of 91. It is impossible to overestimate the breadth,…
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David Cronenberg, master of body horror, returns with Crimes of the Future
It’s been 20 years since he dabbled in gore, but the award-winning director is back at the operating table.
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The Forgiven is a tough and unrelenting film noir
Starring Ralph Fiennes and Jessica Chastain, this film has been both critically admired and rounded on as a repellent display…
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Antonio Banderas and the art of self-parody
In Official Competition, a sharp satire of arthouse cinema, the actor plays a version of himself for laughs.
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Jordan Peele’s Nope blends the political and the cinematic
In the award-winning director’s new sci-fi horror there are too many meanings to be absorbed in just one viewing.
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The return of the road-trip movie
Hit the Road and Joyride both have a long-distance car ride at their centre – but one takes a route…
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Where the Crawdads Sing is a lesson in how not to adapt a bestselling novel
The film version of Delia Owens’s novel incorporates many genres: misery memoir, courtroom mystery, romance. None is executed with distinction
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Netflix’s The Gray Man is a dire example of movie-making by algorithm
The service’s most expensive film yet is blatantly tailored to suit streaming viewers’ boredom, impatience and desire for familiar faces.
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Brian and Charles: a witty robot bromance
David Earl softens his abrasive comedy alter-ego in a novel mockumentary full of visual gags and inspired touches.
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Emma Thompson’s new film is an absurd view of what a middle-aged woman’s life is worth
In Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Nancy says that paying for sex has been her only adventure in life.…
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Ninja Thyberg: “Instead of trying to erase the bad porn, I was like, ‘We need to do good porn!’”
The Swedish director of Pleasure was an anti-porn activist – until she saw how sex workers valued their “erotic capital”.
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My Name is Leon: a horribly preachy drama
This BBC film about a child dealing with racism in 1980s Birmingham promises real-world lessons but delivers saccharine platitudes.
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All My Friends Hate Me: a sharp swipe at class that doesn’t quite land a killer blow
Andrew Gaynord’s crisply British comedy takes the rural antics of Withnail & I and adds a horrific twist.
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Bergman Island seems intolerably meta – but it’s not just for cinephiles
Mia Hansen-Løve’s latest work is delightful and persuasive, and leaves you feeling better for having seen it.
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Alex Garland’s Men is a thesis on misogyny, masquerading as a movie
The film’s 100 minute run time feels a whole lot longer with just the one idea behind it.
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The meaning of Taxi Driver
Impressions on re-watching Martin Scorsese’s classic 1976 film.
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The Quiet Girl is an artfully muted masterpiece
With his remarkable film about a timid child sent to live with relatives in rural Ireland, Colm Bairéad provides a…
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