The Secret Agent — A Brilliant Genre-Juggler

The Secret Agent — A Brilliant Genre-Juggler

Mar 14, 2026 | | , , , ,

The sheer range of influence and ideas chopped into the easy, if epic, drawl of The Secret Agent should make it unwieldy. Through the murky subject and often the bright colours and oversaturation, Mendonça Filho creates a superbly paced crime but mostly human epic that manages to both undulate and build, not least thanks to Moura’s stunning performance.

A superb and intelligent thriller that will hopefully further the influence of Brazilian cinema and its scintillating trips into the country’s past.

Wuthering Heights — The Quickie And The Dead

Wuthering Heights — The Quickie And The Dead

Feb 13, 2026 | | , , , ,

If you’re going to crush the characters of a classic novel down, you may as well embrace the melodrama. Fennell crafts a stunning, unreal, wholly watchable romantic tragedy, recast as a dark fairy tale. It’s a memorable, sex-obsessed vision, even if it’s more blunt innuendo than erotic romp.

This adaptation isn’t interested in the haunting implications of Brontë’s work—the ghosts, metaphorical or literal, are severed with nihilistic glee. This Wuthering Heights is all about id—and that raging, impetuous, ill-thought-out lust unsurprisingly ends up being more about death than love. It may not be utterly shallow, but it’s selective. It may look stunning, but it’s a quickie.

Is This Thing On? — An Exquisite Re-falling In Love Film

Is This Thing On? — An Exquisite Re-falling In Love Film

Jan 26, 2026 | | , ,

Sterling stuff to re-line the heart: the re-falling in love film. Smartly developed from John Bishop’s biography, Arnett has unlocked a story that allows him to throw off some of his comedic baggage and shine as a not-so-comic comic. With Dern sparkling opposite him, the pair are simply a joy to watch.

While he delivers a bizarrely enjoyable cameo, it’s Cooper’s further development as a director that may be the film’s main legacy. His skill in drawing out the characters and balancing the sheer reality of the situation is remarkable and almost easy to miss. Is This Thing On? will likely prove to be a jewel in his glittering career. No pressure.

Hamnet — All The Stage’s Their World

Hamnet — All The Stage’s Their World

Jan 20, 2026 | | , , , ,

Hamnet excels in so many ways and is a beautiful study of both happiness and grief. There’s no doubt it’s a cut above a standard adaptation, with so many parts spinning and humming to perfection, not least when the camera is trained on an iridescent Buckley.

With Zhao and Żal’s incredible techniques bringing a stagey story to screen in endlessly inventive and effective ways for the most part, it’s a great shame that it’s on the stage that it comes unstuck.

Rental Family — A Dreamy Stroll Through White Lies

Rental Family — A Dreamy Stroll Through White Lies

Jan 15, 2026 | | , , ,

Wicked: For Good understands the assignment and more than justifies splitting the musical in half. It’s worth leaning into the tornado of turns and manipulation, where well-staged hints of the Wizard of Oz support a film that’s ultimately about friendship and hope. You should be stretching credulity with an Ozian movie like this, and it more than rewards with a digital, physical, musical oasis. Universal will surely be looking to see how they can extend the universe, and why not? Wicked has put the Oz back into Christmoz.

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair — Streamlined Revenge

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair — Streamlined Revenge

Dec 7, 2025 | | , , ,

Wicked: For Good understands the assignment and more than justifies splitting the musical in half. It’s worth leaning into the tornado of turns and manipulation, where well-staged hints of the Wizard of Oz support a film that’s ultimately about friendship and hope. You should be stretching credulity with an Ozian movie like this, and it more than rewards with a digital, physical, musical oasis. Universal will surely be looking to see how they can extend the universe, and why not? Wicked has put the Oz back into Christmoz.

Wicked for Good — Sticking The Landing

Wicked for Good — Sticking The Landing

Dec 5, 2025 | | , ,

Wicked: For Good understands the assignment and more than justifies splitting the musical in half. It’s worth leaning into the tornado of turns and manipulation, where well-staged hints of the Wizard of Oz support a film that’s ultimately about friendship and hope. You should be stretching credulity with an Ozian movie like this, and it more than rewards with a digital, physical, musical oasis. Universal will surely be looking to see how they can extend the universe, and why not? Wicked has put the Oz back into Christmoz.

Superman — Waiting To Soar

Superman — Waiting To Soar

Jul 11, 2025 | | , ,

The DCU begins with a competent, universe-building adventure that’s big on heart but short on tangible threat. Bright and beautiful, Superman feels like stepping into comic books and is an excellent sign that Gunn can create a unified world that brings the best of the medium to the screen. The trade-off is the world-building that has scuppered many a shared universe early on and doesn’t give us enough of Big Blue.