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Don’t forget the full stop. Emma is my least favourite of Jane Austen’s novels (other than the superlative adaptation Clueless (1995). This remake by Autumn de Wilde is nicely staged with beautiful sets, clothes and a humorous thread of caricature and it mostly surmounts the biggest challenge of the story – that the eponymous character is not very likeable. Continue reading
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This autobiographical meditation on trauma, fame and rehab, written by actor Shia LaBeouf and directed by documentarian Alma Har’el, is surprisingly gentle and engaging. Continue reading
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Having just watched Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Crashing (2016) (available on Netflix), I am now a big fan of her vulnerable, heartfelt comedy. The two seasons of her TV show Fleabag (2016-17) are on my to-watch-list, delayed only by the need to purchase them. It seemed apt to see the one person show that began Fleabag’s story and thank goodness for Cinema Nova for screening National Theatre live versions of hit shows, including this one. Continue reading
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Like a sweet, golden, flaky pastry served with a bitter coffee, Maryam Touzani’s Adam is full of warmth, sorrow and satisfaction. Continue reading
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The 80s weren’t a great time for female characters in teen cinema. Continue reading
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This understated and enigmatic drama by Nanako Hirose is surprisingly meditative and captivating, although occasionally frustrating and ultimately unsatisfying. Continue reading
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“The hardest thing in life is letting go of those you hold dear. After that, everything is easy.” Continue reading
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This is a tough film to watch. Lina Wertmüller’s caustic satire can’t help but discomfit an audience fooled by its initial comedy. Continue reading
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A black and white oddity, this restored copy of the 1990 film by American Nietzchka Keene is known primarily as singer Björk’s first feature film. Continue reading
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It’s hard not to leave this sparse and atmospheric Peruvian drama feeling desolate. Likened to Roma (2018) for its lush black-and-white cinematography and focus on an indigenous woman in central America, it is profoundly moving but a more fragmented and opaque experience. Continue reading
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