Project Hail Mary film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz directed by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Project Hail Mary Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Mar 18, 2026 Directed by: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller Written by: Drew Goddard, Andy Weir Starring: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz The arguments about Awards Season 2026 may still be raging on social media, but Project Hail Mary arrives to start the conversation about next year. It’s the kind of lavish, well-polished, big movie star project that could generate word-of-mouth excitement, bring crowds back to the theater, and leave audiences with an inspiring message of hope and humor that is sorely needed. And that will be awesome, truly. So, I already feel like a cynical jerk for not thinking it’s a masterpiece. Thanks a lot, Ryan Gosling. Actually, it’s pretty damn hard not to love Gosling’s turn here as Dr. Ryland Grace, a molecular biologist who’s teaching middle school science thanks to some of his less-than-peer-approved theories. But when he wakes from an induced coma on a ship in outer space, “Grace” is our last hope for saving Earth from the nasty space dust that is about three decades away from destroying the Sun. How did he get here? And how can a man “who puts the ‘not’ in “astronaut'” hope to succeed all alone? Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller give us those answers, adapting Andy Weir’s best-selling novel with another crowd-pleasing script from Drew Goddard – who also adapted Weir’s The Martian for the screen. And much like The Martian , we’re among the stars with a solitary man who must rely on science to find the solution to survival. But Grace isn’t really alone, once he meets a crab-like alien (voiced by James Ortiz) he calls “Rocky” thanks to an appearance that resembles a strategic stacking of stones. Rocky’s planet is also facing extinction, and the two form a bond that quickly aligns the film as a family-friendly mashup of 2001 and E.T. Gosling’s self-deprecating charm and sharp comic timing are instantly likable, and once Rocky learns some basics of English, the alien’s penchant for inverting certain words and gestures leads to warmly funny exchanges. Lord & Miller (The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs ) bolster the rapport with wondrous IMAX sequences, but can’t completely overcome the feeling that this is all just a little too obvious and cute. Flashbacks to a terrific Sandra Hüller as the impatiently blunt leader of the Hail Mary project give the film some much needed depth, and the mild twist in Act Three pulls the narrative out of the safe zone, albeit too briefly. The Martian suffered from the same calculated, broad brush feel at work here, and thankfully Lord & Miller don’t follow suit and resort to a succession of eye-rollingly precise needle drops. The film’s title could also apply toward winning back those finicky theater-goers. And Project Hail Mary is perfectly suited to be a memorable cinematic experience with mass appeal. It looks great, there’s a charismatic leading man, his little alien buddy, and an easily digestible life lesson. An enjoyable trip to the movies will be had. It just ain’t a trip to deep space. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Don't Say Good Luck film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Sunny Sadler, Melanie Lynskey directed by Julia Hart. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Don't Say Good Luck Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Aug 13, 2026 Directed by: Julia Hart Written by: Laura Hankin, Julia Hart, Jordan Horowitz Starring: Sunny Sadler, Melanie Lynskey There is a sweet, delightfully messy coming-of-age film at the heart of director Julia Hart’s Don’t Say Good Luck . As high school sophomore Sophie (Sunny Sandler) nervously auditions for the school musical, navigating friendship and crush and theatrical nerves, her relationship with her mom takes a hit. What’s refreshing about Don’t Say Good Luck is that each of Sophie’s high school sources of angst takes a back seat to her issues with her mom, rather than vice versa. In your average John Hughes film, troubles at home are the backdrop for our plucky teen hero. Hart, who co-wrote the script with Laura Hankin and Jordan Horowitz, reframes priorities. The film is about Sophie and her mom (Melanie Lynskey). Hart goes so far as to soften the villainous stereotypes Hughes trained us to expect. By rounding out the more minor characters and refocusing attention away from high school angst and toward family relationships, Don’t Say Good Luck abandons the age-old trope that teens are on their own, their parents just don’t understand. It’s nice. Beyond that, it’s often moving. Lynskey is characteristically wonderful, and she and Max Greenfield present a very natural, endearing, weary bond as parents going through something tragic. The chaos of their lives—a busy high schooler, twin boys, a deli they co-own where they both work—feels lived in. Add, in minor supporting roles, the great Bebe Neuwirth and Steve Buscemi, and you’re looking at an impressive ensemble, ostensibly there to buoy Sandler, whose father and mother (Adam and Jackie Sandler) produce. Sunny Sandler does a fine job in the spotlight. She’s fine, like her sister Sadie Sandler was fine in Roommates . She’s probably not strong enough to anchor this film, but she doesn’t sink it, either. Still, there’s a refreshing untidiness about Don’t Say Good Luck that keeps you off kilter and helps the climax hit harder. The film lacks cynicism, believes teenage girls do dumb things but are not dumb people, and sees depth where other films choose not to. It’s an enjoyable high school dramedy, and one that acknowledges its audience’s humanity. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Netflix < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Lost Leonardo film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Gary Salts, Martin Kemp, Doug Pattison directed by Andreas Koefoed. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Lost Leonardo Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Sep 1, 2021 Directed by: Andreas Koefoed Written by: Andreas Koefoed, Andreas Dalsgaard, Christian Kirk Muff Starring: Gary Salts, Martin Kemp, Doug Pattison In 2005, a “sleeper hunter” looking for undervalued art made a pretty good call when he bought a work at a New Orleans auction for $1,175. Twelve years later, that painting sold for a record-setting $450 million. What happened in between is a real-world mystery, one that The Last Leonardo unveils like a globe-trotting thriller to deliver a completely spellbinding ride. Full of amazing discoveries, dangerous despots, faith, doubt, economics and greed, it’s a behind-the-brush account of “the most improbable story in the art market.” Only 15 Da Vinci works were known to exist before that Louisiana find, and none had been discovered for over a century. Could that Big Easy bargain actually be the 16th, an early 1500s work entitled Salvator Mundi (Savior of the World) ? Plenty of important voices in the art world say yes. Others say there’s a better chance of finding aliens landing in your front yard. And some can’t make up their minds about the painting. Oh, and nobody seems to know where it went. Director and co-writer Andreas Koefoed weaves the layers of this tale together with a damn fine sense of artistry himself. He quickly shapes the backstory with a hook irresistible to even an art history novice, then keeps a steady pace of twists and revelations to rival the most delicious true-crime sensations. Koefoed mixes first-person interviews with jet-setting locales, and stylish art restoration technology with political intrigue. His sense of timing is sharp as well, knowing just when to spotlight the accusation that with a question this large and an answer so potentially valuable, “opinions matter more than facts.” Because by the time the film enters its third act, Koefoed’s meticulous approach – paired with the refreshing honesty of many of the players involved – has seamlessly shown how the process moves past art, and even commerce, to settle comfortably on power. And much like the treasures waiting beneath centuries of brushstrokes, the brisk 96 minutes of The Lost Leonardo also manage to transcend the galleries and auction houses to speak more universally on how this global brokerage network flourishes largely out of the spotlight. But don’t be scared off by the whiff of stuffy art house pretension, this is also a damn fine piece of entertainment. I mean, all due respect to GD National Treasure Tom Hanks, but here’s a Da Vinci mystery that’s suitable for framing. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Lilo & Stitch film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Maia Kealoha, Sydney Agudong, Zach Galifianakis directed by Dean Fleischer Camp. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Lilo & Stitch Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: May 23, 2025 Directed by: Dean Fleischer Camp Written by: ChrisKekaniokalani Bright, Mike Van Waes, Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois Starring: Maia Kealoha, Sydney Agudong, Zach Galifianakis As a general rule, I’m no fan of Disney’s live action remakes. Loved Jon Favreau’s 2016 reimagining of The Jungle Book , but not a single reboot since has lived up to the impressive fun of that one, and most just feel like a soulless cash grab. Can Lilo & Stitch , an update of Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders surprise 2002 cultural treasure, meet that high bar? No, but it comes a lot closer than most. Sanders wrote and directed 2024’s beautiful emotional gut-punch The Wild Robot , and the pair is responsible for 2010’s equally brilliant How to Train Your Dragon . Director Dean Fleischer Camp’s update, based on an adapted screenplay by Chris Kekanoikalani Bright and Mike Van Waes, remains true to the original’s themes of outsiders longing for connection. Also, the actual Hawaii is one of the few locations as eye-popping as any animated world. The new Lilo & Stitch is also blessed with a lead who surpasses her animated predecessor in wily spunk and pinchable cheeks. Maia Kealoha’s Lilo, never cloying or false, allows the film the sense of childlike chaos that helps it transcend the artificiality of the story. The tale itself—about a cute, fuzzy, dangerous, alien scientific experiment crash landed in an undeveloped spot of Hawaii, chased by its creator as well as American intelligence, who’s taken in as a rescue dog by a lonely orphan—remains mainly true to the original. Live action Stitch is at least as much fun as animated Stitch, although the moments of physical connection—hugs, pets, kisses on the nose–look off. But the joy between Lilo and Stitch is as vibrantly real as ever. The balance of the cast—Sydney Agudong as Lilo’s frazzled older sister Nani, Zach Galifianakis as bumbling evil genius Jumba, Billy Magnussen as Earth fanboy Pleakley, among others—fully commit to the bit. They make the fun spots funnier and the emotional beats heart-tuggier. The biggest let down is the updated script, which can’t match the original in terms of the delightfully, delicately human writing. But the contrast between the alien and natural world makes this a natural fit for the leap to live action, and the charming lawlessness of the story is as much fun today as it was in 2002. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Emilia Perez film review by UK film critic Jack Salvadori. Starring Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofia Gascon, Selena Gomez directed by Jacques Audiard. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Emilia Perez Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jack Salvadori | Posted on: May 19, 2024 Directed by: Jacques Audiard Written by: Jacques Audiard Starring: Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofia Gascon, Selena Gomez Emilia Perez is a film like no other. French auteur Jacques Audiard goes crazy, and brings to the screen a pop opera that never loses its rhythm and constantly amazes and surprises, as you never can tell what’s going to happen next. In other words, a cinematic wonder. The empowering musical, set in Mexico, revolves around three female characters, the frustrated and undervalued lawyer Rita (Zoe Saldaña), a merciless drug lord Manitas (Karla Sofia Gascon), and his wife (Selena Gomez). Remember when Tony Soprano decides to go to a shrink, and his weakness might cost him dearly? Well, Manitas takes his secret one step further: he wants to become a woman. Metamorphosis is at the heart of the picture, as while the golden-toothed cartel begins his transition to the fairer sex, the film also changes genre, pirouetting into melodrama, action, and comedy, without a single faux pas. All of this without ever forgetting its lyrical nature, showcasing an array of ear-worms accompanied by mesmerising choreographies, and captured by a fluid camera that seems to dance along its cast. Worth a mention is the Busby Berkeley inspired number “Vaginoplastìa”, I trust it gives you an idea without spoiling too much. Once transitioned thanks to Rita’s guidance and support, Manitas becomes the titular character, but Emilia Perez’s evolution is only beginning. Despite its absurd narrative, Audiard never judges or ridicules the delicate and intimate themes he deals with. He doesn’t simplify the characters’ psychologies, managing to forge charming emotional and somehow relatable layers. This is also possible since some details are directly inspired by the lead actor’s personal experience, who, drug kingpin aside, went through the same hardships of abandoning his former masculine identity while trying not to lose custody of his children. Emilia Perez is a lot of things, but eventually they can be summed up by a passionate quest of love and redemption. Finally something fresh, and by clocking a 9 minute standing ovation at its premiere, Cannes might have already found this year’s Palm d’Or. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jack Salvadori Film Festival < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Last Word film review by UK film critic Joe Beck. Starring John Kapelos, Barbara Niven, Tom Katsis, Carole White directed by Kate Johnston. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Last Word Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Joe Beck | Posted on: Sep 4, 2023 Directed by: Kate Johnston Written by: Jan Miller Corran Starring: John Kapelos, Barbara Niven, Tom Katsis, Carole White In recent years we have seen a stage play filmed and put to film to exhilarating effect. That play, or rather broadway musical is, of course, ‘Hamilton’, which brought thrills and electrified a whole new audience when it landed on Disney Plus at the peak of the Covid pandemic in 2020. ‘The Last Word’ is another stage play put to film, however, this time, perhaps because it is not a broadway musical, it feels a far more stagnant concept, one which inspires boredom instead of invention. ‘The Last Word’ begun life as a stage production in Los Angeles in 2019, with the film the recorded closing night performance of the play. And the film is just that, a precise recording of the closing night performance, filmed from a stagnant camera above the audience. This nullifies any real direction from Kate Johnston, and limits any filmmaking prowess that could be displayed. This staleness makes the film, or rather the play, far less exciting, as, though they may want us to feel as though we are, we are not part of the audience, and so cannot feel that live theatre experience. This is a particular shame because what is actually shown on stage is bold and interesting, feeling like a bizarre mix of Henrik Ibsen and Woody Allen, two of the finest writers to grace stage and screen respectively, despite questionable personalities and beliefs. The Ibsen comparison, though perhaps tenuous, comes from the plays depiction of a troubled marriage, and the effect which death and such can have on this relationship, though ‘The Last Word’ has a male protagonist, rather than the usual Ibsen heroine. The link to Woody Allen is again tenuous, though perhaps less so, with the film focusing on a writer, a struggling writer, and how his work is intertwined with his love, all in a setting which could easily be the interior of a glossy Manhattan apartment. The play, which is written by Jan Miller Corran, tells the story of Brett Harper (John Kapelos), a previously successful award winning novelist, and his struggle to complete the final chapter of his book, a role which has always been anonymously undertaken by his late wife Jillian (Barbara Niven). Struggling, Brett begins seeing his dead wife, who chastises him for his infidelity and failures throughout their marriage, as well as how Brett handled her death. All the while his intrusive neighbours Fred (Tom Katsis) and Madge (Carole White) attempt in vain to help Brett move on from his wife’s passing and get back on with his life. Corran’s script is strong, with fast zippy dialogue that brings the best out of the impressive cast of actors, whilst also broaching topics of what love and marriage mean, and crucially how to move on from the death of a loved one. ‘The Last Word’ is a good play with a good film adaptation just waiting to happen. However, this attempt to bring the play to screen via a direct recording falls flat as a result of the uninspired direction and uninventive camerawork. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Joe Beck Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Blood is Thicker film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Jeanine Bartel, Melissa Skirboll directed by Melissa Skirboll. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Blood is Thicker Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Jan 12, 2025 Directed by: Melissa Skirboll Written by: Melissa Skirboll Starring: Jeanine Bartel, Melissa Skirboll A short drama written and directed by Melissa Skirboll and starring herself and Jeanine Bartel. Jessie (Bartel) and Shana (Skirboll) are sisters and Jessie invited Shana to her New York City apartment for a meal, just the two of them. The two of them have not been in regular contact for a while and this is an opportunity to catch up. After a pleasant beginning, the atmosphere becomes dramatic as Jessie accuses her older sibling of being distant, having lost contact with her and their troubled mother. A home meal that turns into an argument about commitments. This film does a great job in creating drama and exploring the two protagonists. Jessie's accusations regarding her sister's behaviour are what creates the plot and moves the story forward. It becomes evident rather early that the main reason Jessie invited Shana to her home was not for a friendly chat but to make her understand that for a long time she has been ignoring her and their mother, who seems to have a mental disorder. Shana claims that she disappeared because she was been busy with work and her personal life, however Jessie refuses to accept that as an excuse and repeatedly tries to convince her to become more committed to her sister and her mother. There is a lot of drama and heavy emotions and a surprise plot twist and Louis Robert King's score adds to the atmosphere with the piano melodies. Skirboll also worked on the editing and does a good job witht the dissolve technique. However, there is a brief sequence during a tense monologue by Jessie that utilises dissolve and the result feels awkward. A simple cut would probably had been better. Other than that, this short is fine. Both Bartel and Skirboll deliver amazing performances. As mentioned, Bartel's character is the one who creates the plot with her perspective regarding her sister's failure to keep in touch with her loved ones. A restaurant manager, Jessie has been looking after her mother, despite having a busy schedule and she is upset that her sibling has not followed her example and intends to change that by making her see the errors of her ways. Shana is naive and stubborn, insisting that she is not to blame for anything. Perhaps the main theme is acknowledging priorities, especially when it comes to family values, stating that people should do their best not to lose contact with loved ones. The film also focuses on self-reflection, regrets, reminiscing about the past and understanding one's mistakes. A dramatic story about a woman who is massively disappointed that her sister has drifted away. The acting is strong and the screenplay succeeds in keeping the story intriguing and exploring the characters. Plus, the clever revelation at the end moves the atmosphere towards thriller territory. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Watch movie trailers for films coming out in May 2020. A selection of awesome movies, watch a trailer now. May Movie Trailers As well as our unique Film Reviews , we also like to showcase the most exciting movie trailers from this year's upcoming theatrical releases. On this page, you can find a small selection of trailers for films coming out in May 2020, from your sci-fi thrillers and gangster movies to superhero blockbusters and documentaries. Please note these movie trailers sometimes contain spoilers or may give you unreasonable expectations as to the quality of the full film. We take absolutely no responsibility whatsoever as to whether these trailers are appropriate to your sensibilities. If you have a hankering for movies off the mainstream slate, take a look at our other movie trailers pages for shorts and indie cinema. You can find these by looking under the Movie Trailers drop down in the navigation. There you will find some of our favourite trailers from filmmakers around the globe, doing our utmost to support indie films. Make sure you FOLLOW us on Facebook and Twitter, where we promote the latest movie trailers and film reviews. Black Widow Movie Trailer Scoob! Movie Trailer Back to MOVIE TRAILERS

Love, Barbara film review by UK film critic Amber Jackson. Starring Florrie Burke directed by Brydie O'Connor. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Love, Barbara Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Amber Jackson | Posted on: Mar 21, 2023 Directed by: Brydie O'Connor Written by: Brydie O'Connor, Florrie Burke Starring: Florrie Burke Love, Barbara explores the insurmountable legacy of pioneering lesbian experimental filmmaker, Barbara Hammer, through the lens of her partner of over thirty years. Having only passed away in 2019, Hammer was renowned for being one of the pioneers of lesbian cinema and hugely influenced subsequent LGBTQ+ cinema and filmmakers alike. Directed by Brydie O'Connor, this short is a homage to the life and love of this iconic trailblazing figure and the positive impact that she made to queer cinema, told through interviews with the love of her life, Florrie Burke. Like a love letter, Florrie recounts Hammer’s beautiful films and exceptional vision of the world. “As lesbians, we need to have a new way of talking - we can’t just adapt the voice of patriarchal language.” - Barbara Hammer The short begins with plenty of archival footage of both Hammer and her work, some of which has been unseen until this point. It is wonderful and also emotional for Florrie to hear her partner’s voice and see her on screen, particularly in footage that she is only now viewing for the first time. She speaks on the power of Hammer’s filmography and how she sought to replace the male gaze with the beauty of women and women’s bodies. She made films, wall art and installations, as well as performances, all dedicated to womanhood and often lesbian womanhood. Florrie speaks to Hammer’s desire to create collaborative and engaging environments through her work and have women support each other as part of her creations. It is a beautiful and overwhelming legacy that Florrie has been entrusted with, as she manages the archives that Hammer herself constructed before her death. This short is excellently constructed in that it pays tribute to this archive of lesbian film, as well as remembering Hammer’s legacy as a lesbian filmmaker herself. From the perspective of Florrie being interviewed, this film captures her reminiscing fondly over an incredible life’s work, yet also viewing unreleased work of Hammer’s for the first time. It is a deeply moving and powerful consideration of filmic history, as well as the reality of aging without one’s partner. Barbara and Florrie’s personal love story was ‘one for the ages’, as they supported each other in life through the strength of their partnership. Although painful, Florrie shares her personal insight into the woman behind the camera and her real life love. This is a gracious and beautiful insight into Barbara Hammer’s life and legacy as it offers a new side to a filmmaker permanently immortalised on screen. Viewers will not be able to stop themselves smiling at this film and for that reason alone, it is worth seeing. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Amber Jackson Short Film, Documentary, Film Festival, LGBTQ+ < All Reviews Next Film Review >

XX+XY - BFI Flare film review by UK film critic Amber Jackson. Starring Hyun-Ho Ahn, Woo-Sung Choi, Ji-in Kim directed by Soh-Yoon Lee. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS XX+XY - BFI Flare Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Amber Jackson | Posted on: Mar 21, 2023 Directed by: Soh-Yoon Lee Written by: Sung-Yeun Hong Starring: Hyun-Ho Ahn, Woo-Sung Choi, Ji-in Kim A light-hearted and incredibly sweet coming-of-age story, XX+XY is a Korean feature-length film about an intersex teenager who must navigate the trials and tribulations of adolescence. Whilst there is a deeply relatable insight into the awkwardness and pubescent dilemmas, the film demonstrates to the viewer how protagonist Jay (they/them) has a more difficult time joining a new school as an intersex person. With the support of childhood best friend, Sera, and a growing new friendship with popular boy, Wooram, this trio become embroiled in an intense love triangle. Much like any other teen comedy-drama, but with plenty of unique twists, this is a fresh and funny uplifting film that provides much positive intersex representation. With classic protagonist narration and animated cartoons to help drive the story, we are introduced to Jay, who is the loveliest protagonist and a very reliable narrator. They are able to take clear ownership over their narrative and guide the viewer through each scene with agency and insight into how they experience daily life. They, along with Sera and Wooram, are portrayed brilliantly on screen with equal parts comedic and moving dialogue that is not too cheesy, but is instead rather powerful. Jay is immediately accepted into the student body and is popular with everyone and delights in being included. It is refreshing to see a high school film open to exploring both sexuality and gender binaries in a positive and affirming way. Jay’s family, too, is open and a very progressive unit which is a very positive change to see a LGBTQIA+ character unaffected by familial trauma and instead is celebrated and vibrantly accepted by both family and friends. Despite moments where key characters doubt themselves, ultimately teenage struggles are handled delicately and with sensitivity and without consequence. Despite overwhelmingly good support from their family, the viewer begins to realise that Jay is experiencing plenty of inner turmoil. Not only have they started high-school and are experiencing the stresses of a typical teenager, but they are also handling physical changes like puberty and menstruation for the first time. The film very gently handles these moments from the perspective of an intersex person and how Jay feels as though they must make a choice at some stage to live either as male or as female. These binary distinctions provide the main source of conflict throughout XX+XY and the issues are explored in an easily accessible way for its audience, as well as highlighting the experiences of young intersex people. Being very well filmed, this film looks very light and bright on camera and every character is followed closely. What is prevalent throughout are the uncomfortable and upsetting moments that Jay experiences because they are intersex and the camera really examines this. The film focuses on them feeling as though it is impossible to ‘choose their preferred gender,’ which is handled like a type of gender dysphoria. There are many honest discussions within the film concerning sexuality, gender identity and gender expression without conflating them. What is refreshing about the angle that XX+XY takes is that every theme is handled completely openly and honestly, but without resorting to shame. It is a wonderfully positive and educational perspective from the perspective of somebody intersex. Jay’s journey through high school feels like a very real-to-life experience, with many of their classmates able to be themselves and act like typical teenagers. There are plenty of laugh out loud and uncomfortable moments, yet also scenes that express real tenderness and kindness. Through this, however, the film is able to comment on a lack of awareness about intersex people, as well as the dangers of internet trolling and bullying. Through this type of exposure, XX+XY is able to show that no one should be forced to live within gender binaries and can exist by their own definition. XX+XY has all of the innocence of adolescence whilst also pointing to actual situations and struggles that LGBTQIA people handle on a daily basis. Screenwriter Sung-Yeun Hong has included the perfect balance between comedy and drama into Jay’s storyline and each scene feels real and emotive, as well as providing heart-wrenching character arcs. It successfully raises awareness of gender assumptions and the importance of community and safety. If you like shows like Heartstopper and Sex Education, or if you are a fan of K-dramas, then this is the film for you. To find out more about The Stroll and other films featured at BFI Flare 2023, see the BFI website or read more of our BFI Flare coverage at www.ukfilmreview.co.uk Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Amber Jackson Indie Feature Film, World Cinema, Film Festival, LGBTQ+ < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Infinite Storm film review by UK film critic George Wolf. Starring Naomi Watts directed by Malgorzata Szumowska. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Infinite Storm Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: George Wolf | Posted on: Mar 23, 2022 Directed by: Malgorzata Szumowska Written by: Joshua Rollins Starring: Naomi Watts Just last month, The Desperate Hour showcased Naomi Watts in an almost one woman show. Infinite Storm adds a few more cast members, and this time Watts isn’t just figuratively carrying a film on her back, she’s literally carrying another human. Based on the true life adventure that found search and rescue climber Pam Bales trying to descend New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington before a storm hits, the film leans heavily on Watts to make a rescue infinitely more emotional. On her way down the mountain in Oct. 2010, Bales encountered a lone climber she called “John” (Billy Howle) immobile and unprepared for the bitter cold and biting, 50 mph winds. Risking her own life, Bales’s extensive training was often rebuffed by the uncooperative John as she tried to get them both safely home. First-time screenwriter Joshua Rollins adapts Ty Gagne’s New Hampshire Union Leader article with added layers of sympathy designed to quicken our emotional attachment. Pam’s chosen to ignore the weather forecast and climb because it’s the anniversary of something traumatic in her life, and climbing “is cheaper than therapy.” This isn’t a documentary, so bulking up the narrative is a smart play by Rollins and director Malgorzata Szumowska (whose excellent The Other Lamb was woefully underseen). Szumowska employs onscreen digital timekeeping to keep the pressure on, while deftly weaving Pam’s flashbacks into the harrowing, well-crafted set pieces filmed in the Slovenian Alps (cheaper than N.H.). Yes, we do eventually get to the source of Pam’s trauma, but the reveal is just slightly askew from what we’re expecting, which is welcome. Watts again proves she’s more than capable of handling a film’s heavy lifting. She’s rugged throughout the physicality that’s required, and effortlessly human within the ordeal. Pam may not understand why John is acting the way he is, but her commitment never feels false or convenient. And even if John is sometimes unresponsive, Watts has someone to talk to this time, helping Pam’s expressed inner thoughts feel more organic. The common challenge for adventure films like this is to make an individual experience speak in universal terms. Watts pushes Infinite Storm past some by-the-numbers moments for a worthy reflection on struggle and healing. Not to mention the value of a dry pair of socks. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic George Wolf Theatrical Release < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Rita film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Giuliana Santa Cruz, Alejandra Vásquez, Àngela Quevedo directed by Jayro Bustamante. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Rita Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Nov 21, 2024 Directed by: Jayro Bustamante Written by: Jayro Bustamante Starring: Giuliana Santa Cruz, Alejandra Vásquez, Àngela Quevedo In 2019, filmmaker Jayro Bustamante traced a history of state-sanctioned horrors exacted on Guatemalan women with his superb supernatural tale, La Llorona . With his follow up, he mines far more current history to uncover troublingly similar horrors. Rita is a fairy tale told from the perspective of the titular 13-year-old (Giuliana Santa Cruz). As Rita tells us in the beginning, her story—like any fairy tale—is true, but it didn’t happen exactly this way. Remanded to a state-run institution for girls, Rita describes the palace she believed would be her sanctuary, but it was run by ogres and witches. The girls in the shelter are divided into cliques, each with its own costume. The fairies are very young; the dogs are wild and muzzled; bunnies are pregnant. There are also princesses and star lights. Rita is an angel. It’s one way in which Bustamante—like the world at large—defiles images of innocence linked with girlhood. But the filmmaker never veers from his protagonist’s perspective, and to her, the inmates are mystical creatures, each type with its own power, each transcendent no matter the evil. The young cast, exclusively newcomers, impresses with every character’s unseasoned choice, every child’s brutish and childlike reaction. Their wisdom feels unforced, never the product of a screenwriter needing to provide exposition. Santa Cruz is stoic, her character interior, while Alejandra Vásquez’s Bebé is charmingly blunt, Ángela Quevedo’s Sulmy is tenderly optimistic and Isabel Aidana’s La Terca is protective and gruff. No one’s fully dimensional, but fairy tale characters never are. Bustamante’s dialog blends childlike inexperience with tragic notes of experience in ways that feel right at home in this polluted playground. Because Bustamante’s film never leaves the grimy physical reality of Rita’s world, Rita leans closer to Issa Lopéz’s Tigers Are Not Afraid than del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth , but all three recognize the toll of systemic oppression on the most vulnerable and powerless. Rita , though it barely qualifies as true horror, is a tough watch, especially because it is based on true events. It’s moving and debilitating at the same time, but it’s a beautiful and powerful work. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Digital / DVD Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >