The film mines a lot of clichés but manages to do something a little different with them, blending traditional elements of children’s fiction with a distinctly 21st Century sensibility.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The film mines a lot of clichés but manages to do something a little different with them, blending traditional elements of children’s fiction with a distinctly 21st Century sensibility.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The delight of the drama stems from the well crafted characters, while its heft hinges on toxicity that may not be immediately obvious.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The delight of the drama stems from the well crafted characters, while its heft hinges on toxicity that may not be immediately obvious.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

A perfect example of just how much the stars of a film can elevate mediocre material by the strength of their performances.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

A perfect example of just how much the stars of a film can elevate mediocre material by the strength of their performances.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Huppert's lines feel stiff from the get-go, predicting a vague narrative limited by a purposefully strange dialogue.

~ Sergiu Inizian -

Huppert's lines feel stiff from the get-go, predicting a vague narrative limited by a purposefully strange dialogue.

~ Sergiu Inizian -

Reaches touching heights as it follows the marked son of a dead sicario from childhood to young adulthood.

~ Jeremy Mathews -

Reaches touching heights as it follows the marked son of a dead sicario from childhood to young adulthood.

~ Jeremy Mathews -

Brutal, bloody and enriched with a specific dark humour.

~ Marija Lukarevska -

Brutal, bloody and enriched with a specific dark humour.

~ Marija Lukarevska -

Through it all is a common thread of authenticity and of women opening up about things and feelings they are rarely asked to scrutinise.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Through it all is a common thread of authenticity and of women opening up about things and feelings they are rarely asked to scrutinise.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

This playfully filmed coming-of-age narrative never loses its empathetic eye.

~ Sergiu Inizian -

This playfully filmed coming-of-age narrative never loses its empathetic eye.

~ Sergiu Inizian -

Grittily compelling

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Grittily compelling

~ Amber Wilkinson -

The writing is sharp and succinct.

~ Richard Mowe -

The writing is sharp and succinct.

~ Richard Mowe -

Almodóvar goes all out with the delights fashion has to offer, bright colours, the joy of transformation - because it is never too late for sartorial metamorphosis.

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

Almodóvar goes all out with the delights fashion has to offer, bright colours, the joy of transformation - because it is never too late for sartorial metamorphosis.

~ Anne-Katrin Titze -

It’s quickly apparent that entering prison means becoming part of the collective body that is the prisoner population, with the choreographed movements that accompany the songs reinforcing the sense of synchronicity.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

It’s quickly apparent that entering prison means becoming part of the collective body that is the prisoner population, with the choreographed movements that accompany the songs reinforcing the sense of synchronicity.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Lanthimos skillfully transforms this lustful carnival into a coming-of-age drama, emphasising the protagonist's mastery of sexuality as a connotation of her mental evolution.

~ Levan Tskhovrebadze -

Lanthimos skillfully transforms this lustful carnival into a coming-of-age drama, emphasising the protagonist's mastery of sexuality as a connotation of her mental evolution.

~ Levan Tskhovrebadze -

Hunter delivers a riveting central performance, her silence speaking for a myriad women whose stories have been overlooked by history.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Hunter delivers a riveting central performance, her silence speaking for a myriad women whose stories have been overlooked by history.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Carreira shows how quiet desperation can be eroding

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Carreira shows how quiet desperation can be eroding

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Simply put, the viewer is constantly tempted to attribute the character’s old man’s ramblings both to the author of the source novel and to the filmmaker adapting it.

~ Marko Stojiljkovic -

Simply put, the viewer is constantly tempted to attribute the character’s old man’s ramblings both to the author of the source novel and to the filmmaker adapting it.

~ Marko Stojiljkovic -

Elliot time and again marries darkness and light, sweetness with sour to create a satisfying emotional umami.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Elliot time and again marries darkness and light, sweetness with sour to create a satisfying emotional umami.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

It is described simply as “A Fable”, but there is nothing simple about this over-ambitious allegorical sprawl.

~ Richard Mowe -

It is described simply as “A Fable”, but there is nothing simple about this over-ambitious allegorical sprawl.

~ Richard Mowe -

The two siblings bond and the disparate threads of their relationship prove immensely touching as they ruminate on the lost years and chances.

~ Richard Mowe -

The two siblings bond and the disparate threads of their relationship prove immensely touching as they ruminate on the lost years and chances.

~ Richard Mowe -

Coppola has style, but sometimes employs too much of it.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Coppola has style, but sometimes employs too much of it.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

It tells what could be a goofy story, about awkward teenagers obsessed with a TV series called The Pink Opaque, but portrays it as an ominous, nightmarish mindfuck.

~ Jeremy Mathews -

It tells what could be a goofy story, about awkward teenagers obsessed with a TV series called The Pink Opaque, but portrays it as an ominous, nightmarish mindfuck.

~ Jeremy Mathews -

With elements that are sadly all too recognisable, the familiar story is elevated by the strength of the performances and the decent pace and no-nonsense approach adopted by Bollaín.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

With elements that are sadly all too recognisable, the familiar story is elevated by the strength of the performances and the decent pace and no-nonsense approach adopted by Bollaín.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Much of this is played for whimsical comedy, although there are some barbs where you might not expect them.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Much of this is played for whimsical comedy, although there are some barbs where you might not expect them.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

This is a tactile retelling, inviting us to imagine the sticky feel of Coca-Cola on hot skin in the sun or the heat of a sheepskin coat and the love that goes with it being passed from mum to daughter ahead of a trip abroad.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

This is a tactile retelling, inviting us to imagine the sticky feel of Coca-Cola on hot skin in the sun or the heat of a sheepskin coat and the love that goes with it being passed from mum to daughter ahead of a trip abroad.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Small children reciting old rhymes is surely one of the oldest tricks in the book for generating atmosphere but Ataka51 employ it with the smoothness of a tried and tested magician.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Small children reciting old rhymes is surely one of the oldest tricks in the book for generating atmosphere but Ataka51 employ it with the smoothness of a tried and tested magician.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

It’s funny to begin with, watching Pansy rant with no filter, sharing her negative thoughts on everything from baby clothes with pockets to sofa salespeople, but gradually we realise just how close to the edge she is.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

It’s funny to begin with, watching Pansy rant with no filter, sharing her negative thoughts on everything from baby clothes with pockets to sofa salespeople, but gradually we realise just how close to the edge she is.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

It’s ironic that a film about a family who have built a perfect facsimile of a life for themselves should feel so overly constructed itself

~ Amber Wilkinson -

It’s ironic that a film about a family who have built a perfect facsimile of a life for themselves should feel so overly constructed itself

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Audiard has assembled a remarkable team of actors

~ Richard Mowe -

Audiard has assembled a remarkable team of actors

~ Richard Mowe -

Vigorously covering all bases, Diop cuts elegantly to give each position ample space.

~ Sunil Chauhan -

Vigorously covering all bases, Diop cuts elegantly to give each position ample space.

~ Sunil Chauhan -

Director Edward Berger and his director of photography Stephane Fontaine have made every frame art.

~ Andrew Robertson -

Director Edward Berger and his director of photography Stephane Fontaine have made every frame art.

~ Andrew Robertson -

Amid all the deprivation Arnold, as is her style, uncovers elements that lift the action out of the ordinary and into the realms of fantasy and magical realism.

~ Richard Mowe -

Amid all the deprivation Arnold, as is her style, uncovers elements that lift the action out of the ordinary and into the realms of fantasy and magical realism.

~ Richard Mowe -

What isn't untrue is that Anora is brilliant.

~ Andrew Robertson -

What isn't untrue is that Anora is brilliant.

~ Andrew Robertson -

It’s fitting for a film set in the “City of Dreams” and that is concerned with life’s illusions and how we navigate them as it is about the here and now.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

It’s fitting for a film set in the “City of Dreams” and that is concerned with life’s illusions and how we navigate them as it is about the here and now.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

It’s the acting that carries it, and naturally Farahani, one of the finest talents of her generation, does not disappoint.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Subtle observations about the racism that underpins this superficially idyllic society pepper a film which repeatedly forces its hero to question his assumptions.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The film concludes with what is probably the most influential special effect in the history of cinema.

~ Donald Munro -

Bethmann understands the situation well, but her closeness to the teenager and the personal character that the film takes on as a result is something else.

~ Jennie Kermode -

So carefully balanced is this that the film could almost have emerged as a romcom, and it’s that possibility, that clash between the absurdity that cinema has taught us to expect and the bitterness of real life, that makes it so effective.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Through the lens of the men’s romance, Onir takes in a good deal more, exploring the complex realities behind assumptions of prejudice and the myriad factors that go into making each of us who we are.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Throughout the film there is a sense of play, and even as the story evolves to take on darker material, something of that lightness, that happy-go-lucky quality remains.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The film hinges on amazing vocal work by Lalama.

~ Jennie Kermode -

There’s a genuine unpredictability to Honey Bunch, both structurally and thematically.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Where the episodes work is when they have a driving, kinetic energy about them. When they don't it's repetitious loop.

~ Donald Munro -

The film, directed by feature debutant Shaun Dozier, retains the density of dialogue you might expect from a stage play but, by leaning into the theatrical nature of the proceedings, Dozier is in some ways able to make this into a virtue.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

A very effective piece of low budget storytelling.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Coogan is well cast in this tricky role, moving easily from humour to heartbreak..

~ Jennie Kermode -

Manizha Bakhtari may not be a household name but after watching Natalie Halla’s documentary you’re likely to think she ought to be.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Sung’s own camera plays tricks, placing objects too close in the foreground so that parts of an image are out of focus, like an incomplete memory.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The concept, narrative, dialogue, cinematography and action sequences are elements of Scanners that can't be faulted.

~ Donald Munro -

The film hangs on Pemberton’s performance, and he imbues Doug with a sweetness that makes us feel for him despite his deeply misguided actions.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The screenplay written by the filmmaker and Andrea Piva is a proper masterwork, from the basic plotting to the intelligent, insightful dialogue.

~ Marko Stojiljkovic -

From the start, there is something different about this film.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Despite the anger at the unfairness of what has gone before, this is ultimately a warm-hearted, life-affirming film.

~ Jennie Kermode -

The delight of the drama stems from the well crafted characters, while its heft hinges on toxicity that may not be immediately obvious.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

A very effective piece of low budget storytelling.

~ Jennie Kermode -

Writer/director Sandhya Suri - who has a documentary background - is keen to show that everyone plays their part in the prejudices and corruption of the legal system.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Once again, Guiraudie proves himself the master of setting up a mystery by the means of perfect script economy that functions strictly on “need to know” basis.

~ Marko Stojiljkovic -

The director shows how it’s not just Julie’s tennis skills that have been groomed by the coach but large aspects of her life.

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Cat’s viewpoint predominates, and Zilbalodis has an acute understanding of how the world looks from its point of view, of what catches its attention and how its body follows instinctively.

~ Jennie Kermode -

It’s ironic that a film about a family who have built a perfect facsimile of a life for themselves should feel so overly constructed itself

~ Amber Wilkinson -

Lin and Sun studiously maintain the enigma around Shuo so that we are left guessing as to whether he’s just a disadvantaged teen trying to make his way in the world or a cuckoo in the nest.

~ Amber Wilkinson -