I knew the clothes would be terrific when I spotted Handbags by… in the opening credits. And it’s the outfits (along with the unintentionally fevered atmosphere) which stretches this film up to two stars. Small town girl turned New York secretary turned Hollywood model Anne Welles is elegant in a yellow maxi dress, a tight… Valley Of The Dolls Read More
Shake it til you make it with the new Poms trailer
“You’re one of us now! Except with higher boobies” says Sheryl to their young cheerleader choreographer. Martha (Diane Keaton), newly arrived at Sun Springs Retirement Community, and new BFF Sheryl (Jacki Weaver), decide to set up a cheerleading squad with some of the other residents – complete with hidden talents and not so hidden aches,… Shake it til you make it with the new Poms trailer Read More
Dumplin’ 3 stars
Willowdean Dickson is a plus-size teenager coming of age in a world of vibrant retro colors and quietly crushing slim privilege. With a band of friends — of varying looks, politics, and life goals — she embarks on a small-town, life-size protest that will likely resonate with anyone who has been too plain for the… Dumplin’ Read More
Colette (London Film Festival) 3.5 stars
I am the real Claudine, the young women of Paris all cry, as Colette’s series of novels about a young French woman hit a nerve. Born Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (she shortens her name later as she starts to create a new identity for herself as the author of her books), she is a woman ahead of… Colette (London Film Festival) Read More
Assassination Nation (London Film Festival) 3.5 stars
Assassination Nation – a noisy, bloody allegory for modern society – may feel like being whacked over the head by a righteously raging My Little Pony, but it’s also hugely entertaining. One of the problems with fighting back against a resurgence like Trump’s is that eventually people just get bored. They know he’s awful already. You… Assassination Nation (London Film Festival) Read More
Director Marcelo Martinessi On Filmmaking In Conservative Paraguay, & The Women Who Inspired Him
Marcelo Martinessi is the writer-director of the award-winning The Heiresses, a story of relationship breakdown set in his native Paraguay – a country which after decades living under a dictatorship is only now starting to develop a film industry. The film won two Silver Bears at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival: Best Actress for Ana… Director Marcelo Martinessi On Filmmaking In Conservative Paraguay, & The Women Who Inspired Him Read More
Tattoo Girls 3.5 stars
“Life is extremely fragile and only given for a certain amount of time” says a young woman who wants to be a mortuary beautician. It’s artifice to make the dead look as near to their living selves as possible, once that spark has gone, and to make life easier for those left behind. You could… Tattoo Girls Read More
Incredibles 2 4 stars
“Done properly, parenting is a heroic act” intones Edna Mode, maker and mender of superhero apparel, and when Edna speaks we should all listen. Incredibles 2 is a film that holds a mirror up to how we live now. There’s the obvious (very obvious – at one point Elastigirl says “”Independence from screen slavery!” as… Incredibles 2 Read More
Ocean’s 8 3.5 stars
I can’t be the only person watching Ocean’s 8 who thought Rose Weil’s flower-covered paniered frock, presumably based on those rich Regency ladies who liked to play at being milkmaids, was the best Met Gala look. Played by Helena Bonham Cartier, I mean Carter, Rose is a washed-up fashion designer known for her Edwardian frills… Ocean’s 8 Read More
A Woman’s Life 4 stars
“What good are the flowers if the fruit does not ripen?” asks Jeanne (Judith Chemla) to herself early on, little knowing that this will pretty much sum up her own existence, 30 years hence. A life not even half-lived, yet alone well-lived. This film from director Stéphane Brizé, based on Guy de Maupassant’s late 19th century… A Woman’s Life Read More
Girls Trip 3.5 stars
“I control my destiny… if I will it, I can have it all” says Ryan, a successful writer and motivational speaker who is about to enter the big league (think Oprah crossed with Martha Stewart) with her new book You Can Have It All. Ryan and her footballer husband are turning themselves into a mega-brand. Which leaves… Girls Trip Read More
The Beguiled 4 stars
The women and girls in The Beguiled are trapped, both by convention and by war. Bustling round their decaying Virginia plantation house, weeds coming through the veranda, ivy snaking up the crumbling columns and dust showing on the skirting boards, the teachers and pupils of Martha Farnsworth’s school have nowhere to go, and no way of going… The Beguiled Read More