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Shadows on the Wall

quote unquote People want me to to mine deep soul searching. But I just want to do something sweet.
— COLMAN DOMINGO

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Good One


Observant, cleverly pointed father-daughter hiking trip in the woods


Things Like This


Snappy, offbeat New York romcom is observant and engaging


The Wedding Banquet


Silly but strongly nuanced comedy inspired by Ang Lee's 1993 classic


Summer of 69


Funny, observant coming-of-age comedy is gleefully smutty


The Surfer


Nicolas Cage descends into full-on nuttiness in wonderfully florid thriller


Motel Destino


Visceral, sharply well-made Brazilian drama is lurid and involving

film news
Tilda in the woods
23.MAY: Swinton
will star in Lowery's "otherworldly psychological thriller" Death in Her Hands
===================
Washington, Pattinson & Edgar-Jones lead Here Comes the Flood
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Ramsay, Young, Coon in HARMONIA
Johansson joins Gray's PAPER TIGER
Harrison, Close, Hawke to SUNRISE
Jackson & Green in JUST PLAY DEAD
Anderson, Einbinder go to CAMP
Depp & Elordi lead OUTER DARK
De Armas joins Cruise's DEEPER
MORE >>

Michelle operates
16.MAY: Yeoh
will star in Sethi's thriller The Surgeon, about a retired doctor with action skills.
===================
Johnson will produce and likely star in fitness programme drama Ripped
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Madison joins Dunst for REPTILIA
Waddingham & Elba in CLOUDS
Jonsson & Hoffman take WALK
Stan & Woodall on RAINBOW FARM
Connor, Poulter, Rios in RAPTURE
Moore to Bargatze's BREADWINNER
Broderick & Ruck reteam for BEST
MORE >>

Penelope in Bunker
9.May: Cruz and Bardem
will team up on-screen once again for Zeller's architect drama Bunker
===================
Hemsworth will play submarine commander in Subversion thriller
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Zegler & Tomei lead SHE GETS IT
James for BAD LIEUTENANT: TOKYO
Abela & Galitzine in RETURN thriller
Gadot leads post-war action RUIN
Pearson in ELEPHANT MAN remake
Hall, Bernal, Rapace for END OF IT
Sewell, Goldwyn, Theroux join SPY
MORE >>

box office

coming soon

===================
23 May:
LILO & STITCH
THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
===================
30 May:
KARATE KID: LEGENDS
THE SALT PATH
TORNADO
MIDNIGHT IN PHOENIX
THE ASTRONAUT LOVERS
===================
6 Jun:
MOUNTAINHEAD
THE LIFE OF CHUCK
BALLERINA
DANGEROUS ANIMALS
===================
13 Jun:
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
SHADOW FORCE
MATERIALISTS
JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE
===================
20 Jun:
ELIO
28 YEARS LATER
BRIDE HARD
MORE >>

Recently published reviews:
THE UNINVITED
MIDNIGHT IN PHOENIX
MOST PEOPLE DIE ON SUNDAYS
THINGS LIKE THIS
HENRY JOHNSON
SUMMER OF 69
MOTEL DESTINO
PARTHENOPE
WHERE DRAGONS LIVE
ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOUR
TWO TO ONE
TORNADO
THE LIFE OF CHUCK
GOOD ONE
THE SALT PATH
THE ACCOUNTANT 2
SWIMMING HOME
JULIE KEEPS QUIET
TREADING WATER
THE UGLY STEPSISTER
LAVENDER MEN
WIND, TIDE & OAR
THE EXTRAORDINARY MISS FLOWER
RIEFENSTAHL

stage & more

May TV Roundup

SCREEN The White Lotus 3, Hacks 4, Adolescence, The Four Seasons, The Studio, Mid-Century Modern, more...


We need one-star hotels

STAGE
Barney Norris' British Blood Wedding at Omnibus Clapham until 24th May...


Dancing with death

STAGE
Neil LaBute's How to Fight Loneliness at the Park Theatre until 24th May...


Stumble on something witty

STAGE
Plied & Prejudice riotously spins Jane Austen at The Vaults until 18th July...


A good heart

DANCE
Adult-oriented fairy tale Snow White: The Sacrifice at Sadler's Wells East...


A party on wheels

DANCE
Celebrating rebellious youth with Skatepark at Sadler's Wells East...


Lockdown diaries

STAGE
James McDermott's pandemic drama Jab at Park Theatre until 26th April...


March TV Roundup

SCREEN The Residence, Paradise, Prime Target, Squid Game, Shrinking, Black Doves, Industry and more...

39th BFI Flare Film Fest
A great LGBTQIA+ season in London


Reach for the stars

DANCE
Rachid Ouramdane's Outsider is smooth and thrilling at Sadler's Wells...


Birds of a feather

DANCE
Jules Cunningham's Crow / Pigeons explores challenges at Sadler's East...


Laughing through the pain

STAGE
Nick Hyde's Double Act at Southwark Playhouse until 5th April...

===================
DANCE: Merce Cunningham Forever
INTERVIEW: Summer With Carmen
STAGE: Drum Tao: Dream, Peacock
STAGE: Dear Martin at the Arcola
DANCE: Wayne McGregor's Deepstaria
STAGE: Trash! at the Peacock
STAGE: The Gift at Park Theatre
DANCE: Pina Bausch's Vollmond
STAGE: Antigone [on strike] at Park
STAGE: Miss Brexit at Omnibus
STAGE: Glamrou at Soho Theatre
STAGE: Copla at The Other Palace
DEC TV: Disclaimer, Monsters, Murders
SHADOWS AWARDS: Best/worst of '24
STAGE: Riches & Kearns as Ball & Boe
STAGE: Potted Panto at Wilton's
DANCE: Exit Above at Sadler's Wells
DANCE: Stories at the Peacock
COMEDY: Larry Dean's Dodger on tour
STAGE: Filibuster at Jackson's Lane
INTERVIEW: The Wild Robot team
COMEDY: Paly & Jay's Roadshow
MORE >>

now showing

The Uninvited


A terrific cast grapples with big issues in blackly comical Hollywood drama


Henry Johnson


Provocative David Mamet drama with Shia LaBeouf & Evan Jonigkeit


Riefenstahl


Fascinating doc about acclaimed but controversial German filmmaker


Another Simple Favor


Enjoyably silly-violent sequel with Anna Kendrick & Blake Lively in Capri


Parthenope


The latest sumptuously gorgeous Italian odyssey from Paolo Sorrentino


Two to One


Sparky German reunification comedy with Sandra Huller and Max Reimelt


Lavender Men


Stage adaptation explores personal identity through historical fantasy


Most People Die on Sundays


Offbeat comedy-drama from Argentina is warm and engaging


The Accountant 2


Action buddy-comedy sequel with Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal


The Ugly Stepsister


Gleefully grotesque Norwegian body-horror spin on the Cinderella fairy tale


The Trouble With Jessica


Offbeat film has a strong cast but an odd mix of slapstick and dark drama


Swimming Home


Mopey but still fascinating Greece-set drama with Christopher Abbott


April


From Georgia this indulgent film has
a story that ripples with urgency


Dying Briefly


From Mexico, this low-key dance school drama is strongly visual

===================
THE AMATEUR G20
THE RETURN
THAT THEY MAY FACE THE RISING...
ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
MR BURTON
WILLIAM TELL
SEBASTIAN
WHEN AUTUMN FALLS
RESTLESS
NOVOCAINE
A WORKING MAN
THE END
SNOW WHITE
THE ALTO KNIGHTS
NE ZHA 2
SANTOSH
BRIEF HISTORY OF A FAMILY
MORE >>

recommended

Thunderbolts*


Enjoyably character-based Marvel action with Florence Pugh and friends


The Extraordinary Miss
Flower

Warm and original musical doc follows a woman's secret love life


Where Dragons Live


Offbeat, engaging British doc about a middle-class family's personal history


Treading Water


Immersive and powerfully moving British drama about starting over


Julie Keeps Quiet


From Belgium, this dark tennis-school drama takes a teen's eye view


Wind, Tide & Oar


Delightfully entertaining doc about sailors who refuse to use engines


Warfare


Almost overwhelmingly immersive battle film with a terrific young cast


Sinners


Bold, entertaining 1930s thriller from Ryan Coogler and Michael B Jordan


The Penguin Lessons


Warm and witty true story about an Englishman in 1976 Argentina


Freaky Tales


1980s style multi-strand underdog fantasy is snappy and stylish


Dreamin’ Wild


Finally in the UK, this Emerson Bros biopic is beautifully assembled


Grand Tour


Miguel Gomes' glorious tour of Asia packs a strong emotional kick


Holy Cow


Sharp, snappy French drama about a young man who's forced to grow up

===================
FOUR MOTHERS
THE MOST PRECIOUS OF CARGOES
TIME TRAVEL IS DANGEROUS
MISERICORDIA
VIET AND NAM
LAYLA
FLOW
BLACK BAG
THE THINKING GAME
MICKEY 17
THE SUMMER WITH CARMEN
DAY OF THE FIGHT
THROUPLE
PEACOCK
ERNEST COLE: LOST AND FOUND
MORE >>

R E V I E W S   |   N E W S   |   F E S T I V A L   |   A W A R D S   |   Q & A   |   A B O U T   |   T A L K B A C K

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF,
COOK & BOTTLE-WASHER
Rich Cline

MEMBER / VOTER
London Critics' Circle
Golden Globes
Galeca
Fipresci
Online Film Critics Society

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--------------------

Rich Cline also covers film for
BBC Radio, Movies1 and others
. . . and he's available for work.



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