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 Shadows off the beaten pathIndies, foreign, docs and shorts...
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DON'T LOOK BACK IN ANGER |
STAMPTOWN |
SUPER NATURE
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| See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL | Last update 9.Sep.26 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Don’t Look Back in Anger Review by Rich Cline | 
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 dir Will Lovelace, Dylan Southern scr Steven Knight prd Sam Bridger, Guy Heeley with Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher, Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs, Gem Archer, Andy Bell, Anais Gallagher, Lennon Gallagher, Sonny Gallagher, Gene Gallagher, Donovan Gallagher release UK/US 11.Sep.26 26/UK Sony 2h02  Now streaming... |
 After Oasis loudly broke up in 2009, launching a 2025 world tour was big news. Fans and the media waited impatiently to see if brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher could appear on-stage together after not speaking for 15 years. This energetic documentary recounts the process with sparky attention to detail, celebrating the band, the music and the global fanbase. And of course the power of forgiveness. An opening montage recounts how Oasis was formed in 1991, became the biggest band in the world five years later then imploded after a fight between Noel and Liam in 2009. Noel admits that he can't forgive people; Liam says he never apologises for anything. Still, Noel and the band begin rehearsals in 2025 for a comeback tour, and Liam turns up. This account is mixed with archival footage and new interviews with the brothers separately and together. The film continues to cover their tour to Cardiff, then Manchester, Brazil, Korea and America. Shot and edited cinematically, with very big sound in the exhilarating concert scenes, there are several surprising elements here. Commentary by Noel and Liam continually adds insight, especially as it reveals the deep respect they have for each other. Both are remarkably self-aware through all of this, Noel the songwriter and Liam the performer, and they care a lot in their own way. Now older, they also see through different eyes, coming to terms with their age but also overwhelmed by how fans have stuck with them to the point that a new generation also finds resonance in their songs. Soaring shots of the undulating stadium crowds dominate the film, and various segments split off to follow fans in various countries. The brothers see this tour as a chance to fix the band's narrative. And both are emotionally taken aback by how much the songs, and the band itself, mean to people. In that sense, the film feels like a rebranding exercise, relentlessly upbeat even as it addresses darker themes. Both Noel and Liam say they want to help people escape, providing songs that elevate them. And it's hard to argue with that as we see how their fans react to their iconic belters. The wall of sound coming from the band is like a massive hug. Yes, it's all rather overpoweringly rhapsodic, leading to an over-pointed message about the importance of true forgiveness. But these brothers reversed their estrangement without a word, becoming closer than ever. And perhaps what helps most is that they now readily acknowledge that they're "full of shit".
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Stamptown Review by Rich Cline | 
MUST  SEE
LONDON 2024 EDINBURGE FRINGE 2026 Now streaming...
|  I've seen Stamptown live in London and Edinburgh, and nothing on earth compares to it. This team puts together a mind-bogglingly entertaining show that's different every night, so this Netflix special can only offer a taste of their unique explosion of anarchy. Yes, it proves how impossible it is to catch lightning in a bottle. Still, this show is huge, with an infections sense of artistic joy and body positivity. Expert clown-comic-dancer Zach Zucker plays his alter-ego host Jack Tucker with a barrage of perfectly timed bad jokes, off-the-cuff zingers and physical pratfalls. The show always feels like it is slightly out of his control, heading for a cliff. On this particularly frenzied night, the special guest star is Neil Patrick Harris, who repeatedly pops up in hilariously unexpected moments. And the main guest performers are gifted singer-provocateur Jordan Gray, quick-change circus act Daredevil Chicken, profoundly silly high-vis guy Viggo Venn and Courtney Pauroso as riotous sexbot Vanessa 5000. It can't have been easy to capture this show on-camera, and there are some dodgy editing choices along the way, including montages and sped-up imagery. But the show is packed with great material, such as inventive standup variations from expert comics who are terrific at cracking the format apart to create something new. And Stamptown regulars are on-hand too, including Erin the stage manager, Cory the beer chugger, engaging silent clown Chad and roller-skating agent of chaos Dylan. All of this comes together in a storm of mayhem that piles verbal and physical gags on top of each other, creating a mess on stage while heading for a staggering climax. Aside from the audacious craziness on display, each act has a knowing point to make about social norms and personal freedom. Even the nudity isn't for shock value; it's genuinely funny and meaningful. So even if this filmed version feels a bit less free-flying, it's still both wildly entertaining and surprisingly important.
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| Super Nature Review by Rich Cline |
|  dir Ed Sayers prd Rebecca Wolff, Ed Sayers, Beth Allan with Ed Sayers, Roger Batteault, Ami Vitale, Maya Gabeira, Jimmy Lemara, Karan Suri Talwar, Tom Merilion, Zacharia Mutai, Zoya Buckmire, Simran Ankokkar, Ollie Birt, Pedro Montero release UK 4.Sep.26 25/UK BFI 1h22  Now streaming...
|  Using vintage Super 8 cameras, director Ed Sayers connected with 40 people around the world to document local nature on land, underwater and in the air. The silent, grainy footage is spectacular, seen through various viewpoints to capture raw glimpses of living creatures in their habitats. This optimistic film asks us to notice life around us and find creative ways to reverse the damage to our environment. With his half-century old camera, Sayers started this project by filming seals on a Norfolk beach, intrigued by Super 8's unique ability to capture close-up detail. Inspired by French nature photographer Roger Batteault, he challenges people around the globe to film the creatures around them. We see a breathaking range of animals in gorgeous locations, including rhinos in Kenya, quails in Joshua Tree, whales in Patagonia, geese above France, sea dragons in a Tasmania reef, caterpillars, kangaroos, starfish, ibex and blue-footed boobies. There's also a volcanic eruption, flooded villages and frighteningly active war zone. Footage is presented beyond full-frame, with fuzzy edges and glimpses of the frames above and below, plus a rather distracting sprocket flicker. The beautiful imagery is accompanied by voices in 11 languages, speaking about how filming on celluloid makes them feel closer to nature. They observe fascinating details relevant to their own cultures and situations. And in most cases, there's a second camera filming them in extraordinary environments. The wondrous variety of settings and creatures is mesmerising. All of this is edited together with a lovely fluidity by Sayers, with a subtly evocative score by Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres. Sayers adds hopeful voiceover commentary to find connective themes. And along the way, it's observed that throwaway moments for us are major incidents for these animals. Cameras also capture several species that are under threat from human activity and climate change. While there's no doubt that Super 8 imagery has a striking richness, with texture that makes it feel unusually authentic, the fact is that we could observe the world like this with the cameras on our phones, if we could be bothered to do so. Maybe nature itself can reset something instinctual in our brains.
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See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL © 2026 by Rich Cline, Shadows
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