Close review | Lukas Dhont finds his empathy
Lukas Dhont’s new film Close examines the pain of guilt, forgiveness and friendships through the eyes of a young boy.
Article Type: Reviews
Creed III review | Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut treads familiar ground
★★★☆☆
Actor Michael B. Jordan makes his directorial debut with Creed III which brings back Adonis Creed. Read our review of the boxing sequel.
Ateez at The O2 review | The Fellowship: Break The Wall brings deserved hysteria
★★★★☆ It's easy to see why Ateez are one of South Korea's biggest exports, even if it's all rather unnerving. Read our Ateez review below.
Poets in Vogue is looking in the wrong direction - where are Ted Hughes's trousers?
★★☆☆☆ A National Poetry Library exhibit, Poets in Vogue, showcases seven female poets' fashion and poetry, featuring Sylvia Plath's skirt. While celebrating female poets is essential, why focus on their clothing? And why only scrutinise women's outfits?
Unforgotten | Can ITV’s hit series triumph with a new cast?
Sarah Kennedy gives us her verdict on the first episode of the new series of Unforgotten and that cast change.
Yungblud at OVO Arena Wembley review | You can knock his rock n’ roll credentials, but never his love for the fans
★★★☆☆
As part of a tour of seven arenas around the UK, Yungblud took to the stage at a sold-out OVO Arena Wembley. Emily Swingle went along.
The Last of Us | Episode 7 review: Left Behind
Episode 7 of The Last of Us brings to life the popular DLC from the game, Left Behind. We get a peek into Ellie’s life before she met Joel.
Gravel & Gold review | Dierks Bentley makes long-awaited return
★★★★☆ Dierks Bentley is back doing what he does best: hitting that accessible spot between the mainstream and the traditional. Or, as he puts it, “it might be gravel but it feels like gold”.
We Have A Ghost review | David Harbour plays dead
★★☆☆☆
In Netflix’s family-friendly adventure We Have A Ghost, David Harbour plays a ghost who goes viral. Read our review.
Cracker Island review | Gorillaz go for quality over quantity with firecracker features
★★★★☆
Cracker Island sees the additions of Bad Bunny, Stevie Knicks and Tame Impala; but unlike recent Gorillaz albums, it uses these features sparingly, and to greater effect.
Cocaine Bear review | Elizabeth Banks’ horror-comedy is an addictive trip
★★★★☆
Cocaine Bear takes its basic premise from a true story but extends it to exhilarating highs. Read our review of the viral sensation.
Joyland review | Groundbreaking Pakistani trans movie challenges tradition
★★★★☆ In Saim Sadiq's debut feature film Joyland, Pakistani society is in a state of transition, and its characters struggle with their identities and desires.
Missing review | Screenlife sequel benefits from a wonderful Storm Reid
★★★☆☆
Missing is a taut thriller that rarely lets go, but suffers from the confinement of its chosen form. Read our review.
Broker review | Korean road trippers with babies to sell
★★★☆☆ A pair of South Korean baby traffickers journey through the picturesque coastal Busan region. Despite formulaic elements, a lively cast and stunning cinematography make it a compelling watch. Read our Broker review.
What's Love Got To Do With It? | Review
★★☆☆☆
Lily James and Shazad Latif star in What’s Love Got To Do With It? which unfortunately lacks both romance and comedy.
Medea review | Sophie Okonedo dazzles amid unnecessary clutter
Sophie Okonedo stars as the titular woman out for revenge in Dominic Cooke's new staging of Medea, playing now at the @sohoplace theatre. Here's our review:
The Last of Us | Episode 6 review: Kin
Recovering from the aftermath of episode 5, Joel and Ellie finally reach Tommy’s and have a moment to breathe in episode 6.
Glow review | Deeply soulful offerings from UK multi-hyphenate Wesley Joseph
★★★★☆
Walsall-raised, London-based Wesley Joseph lays down his marker as one of the UK’s brightest emerging talents on Glow, a project that’s more pensive than previous releases.
The Son review | A reasonably affecting family melodrama
★★★☆☆
High-flying businessman Peter (Hugh Jackman) struggles to get through to his son Nicholas (Zen McGrath) in Florian Zeller’s family drama, The Son.
Trustfall review | Pink’s new album is an oddball mix of styles
★★★☆☆
Pink's Trustfall is a strange, eclectic mix of styles and influences, but Pink’s voice remains impressive.
The Point review | Alan Fletcher is a quietly confident wordsmith
★★★★☆ Alan Fletcher (Dr Karl Kennedy from Neighbours) releases his debut Americana album featuring soft, sad musings on relationships and everyday domesticities. Read our The Point review.
Optical Delusion review | Electronic stalwarts Orbital explore our dystopian world
★★★☆☆
Orbital enlist more features than usual on Optical Delusion, to ponder our post-pandemic world. Whilst an impressive tenth album, it doesn’t continuously dazzle.
Sharper review | Julianne Moore excels in Benjamin Caron’s thriller
★★☆☆☆
AppleTV+’s new film Sharper, starring Julianne Moore, is a twisty thriller from director Benjamin Caron. Read our review.
Beyond The Streets London review at the Saatchi Gallery
★★★★★ The Saatchi Gallery’s new exhibition, Beyond The Streets, is massive. In both scale and scope, the display dwarfs any street art exhibition the UK has hosted before, spanning the breadth of the subculture on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond.
The Inspection review | Elegance Bratton’s military drama lacks nuance
★★★☆☆ Based on writer-director Elegance Bratton’s own experiences, The Inspection follows a young gay man on his way to become a Marine.
Rolo Tomassi at Electric Ballroom review | Britain’s most underrated rockers reaffirm their brilliance
★★★★★
Over nearly two decades, Rolo Tomassi have amassed an ardent following without a modicum of mainstream attention. At their largest show to date, the Sheffielders indulge in the fruits of their labour, welcoming 1,500 loyalists to an evening of immaculate emotion.
Cuts & Bruises review | Inhaler mature with the scars to show for it on sophomore album
★★★★☆
Cuts & Bruises demonstrates that Inhaler are capable of that much-coveted element from debut to sophomore – maturity – whilst preserving the winning formula behind It’s Always Like This.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania review | Who is Kang The Conqueror?
★★★☆☆
Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man makes a flashy return in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which introduces us to Kang the Conqueror.
Nostalgia review | A siren-song to a youth lost in Naples
★★★★☆ In Mario Martone's Neapolitan gangster drama, cherished memories unravel and turn violent in a hail of masterful cinematography and impassioned performances.
Marcel The Shell With Shoes On review | Cuteness overload
★★★☆☆
Marcel The Shell With Shoes On is heartwarming and cute, but also designed for the social media audience.
