Week In, Week Out

Emma. (2020): You know me by now, I’m a sucker for Jane Austen. Emma was the gap in my Austen cinematic resume, and thankfully I’ve waited until this latest re-imagining to enjoy it. It’s not the bravest adaptation you’ve ever seen, but it does everything exceptionally well. The lush visuals complement a strong cast, led… Read more

Uncut Gems (2019): The Safdie brothers are officially the directing duo to get excited about. Not everyone’s cup of tea though, that’s for sure. Similarly to Heaven Knows What and Good Time, their last two movies, Uncut Gems is a nerve-wrecking ride, that will bludgeon you emotionally. It takes no hostages and constantly defies your… Read more

Love, Antosha (2019): The death of Anton Yelchin was a real shock at the time, not only because a young person died at the age of 27, but also because of the absolutely bizarre manner of his death. Love, Antosha unveils an incredibly complex guy, who ultimately left an enduring legacy in spite of his… Read more

1917 (2019): It seems a lock by now, that 1917 is going to win big at the Oscars. I was weary about yet another war movie, but Sam Mendes’s latest proved a pleasant surprise. You’ve probably heard about the (fake) single-shot appearance the movie provides, an inspired artistic choice, that just swallows you up. Sure,… Read more

Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling (2018):  In The Zen Diaries, the title really delivers, you get a portrait of someone as if reading their most intimate thoughts. Just a guy trying to put some order into his life, someone who literally learned how to be funny, for whom it didn’t all come easily. There’s a… Read more

The Irishman (2019): It wasn’t easy to get 3.5 hours together to watch Scorsese’s latest in one sitting, but I guess that’s what the holidays are for. The captivating tale of Jimmy Hoffa’s demise is worth the runtime – that’s if it wasn’t enough for you to watch De Niro, Pacino and Pesci regardless of… Read more

Knives Out (2019): If you’re an Agatha Christie fan, this flick written and directed by Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper and Star Wars VIII) is an absolute treat. With a deliciously over-the-top performance from Daniel Craig as ingenue private detective Benoit Blanc, it’s a whodunit with a twist – the viewer finds out the would-be-murderer early… Read more

Shoplifters (2018): There are so many things to like about Hirokazu Koreeda’s 2018 family drama that I don’t even know where to begin. If you’ve seen any of Koreeda’s films, you’ll be familiar with the manner in which he dissects Japanese society and class with a focus on the family unit. In some way, Shoplifters… Read more

The Farewell (2019): There’s nothing like a good meal of family contrivances. In this much praised movie, a US-based Chinese family needs to return home in order to deal with the impending death of their grandmother/mother. The “trick” is that nobody plans to tell said grandmother that she only has a few weeks left to… Read more

Doubles Vies (2018): Pretentious movies stick to me like flies to…cake, so it’s no wonder this talky French flick about books, technology and relationships tickled my fancy. I quite enjoyed Assayas’s previous two movies, Personal Shopper (2016) and Clouds of Sils Maria (2014), but Double Vies is a different adventure altogether. Fast paced, cerebral, yet… Read more

Life (2017): I reviewed Life when it was released two and half years ago, but have been mysteriously drawn to it ever since, in spite of my harsh rating at the time (5/10). For the most part, I stand by my first impression, that the movie is a missed opportunity, in spite of it’s good… Read more