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On this page: STAMPTOWN | SUPER NATURE

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See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL | Last update 28.Aug.26

Stamptown
Review by Rich Cline | 4.5/5

MUST SEE

Stamptown
dir Rachel Lee Goldenberg
creator Zach Zucker
with Zach Zucker, Neil Patrick Harris, Jordan Gray, Viggo Venn, BriTANicK, Daredevil Chicken, Courtney Pauroso, Ike Ufomadu, The Sklar Brothers, Martin Urbano, Natalie Palamides, Riki Lindholme, Chad Damiani, Erin Farrington, Cory Peter Lane, Dylan Woodley
release US/UK 25.Aug.26
26/US 1h00 Netflix

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.

themes, language, nudity 28.Aug.26

Super Nature
Review by Rich Cline | 4/5

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.

some themes 21.Aug.26

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See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL