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Shadows on the Wall

quote unquote I love playing morally wonky characters. I like to find humanity and nuance within that. — OLIVIA COOKE

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Downton Abbey: The Grand
Finale

Lavish send-off for the enjoyable upstairs-downstairs franchise


The History of Sound


Gently paced romantic drama with Josh O'Connor & Paul Mescal


Dirty Boy


Unhinged religious cult thriller with witty von Trapp family overtones


The Long Walk


Dark and violent allegory features strong actors and provocative themes


Islands


Excellent Hitchcockian-style thriller set in the sunny Canary Islands


Dreams


Complex coming-of-age drama from Norway anchors a trilogy of films

film news
Cate sees your needs
14.SEP
: Blanchett will produce and star in Birch's drama Sweetstick, filmed in the UK and Greece
===================
Chastain, Hawkes & Faith lead Nashville mystery thriller Heartland
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Johnson/Safdie reteam for LIZARD
James & Brosnan in CLIFFHANGER
Caine reteams with Diesel's HUNTER
Boutella, Montgomery in CAPACITY
Hechinger leads Haigh's WINTER
Ridley up for DELILAH DIRK action
Liu & Melton in AUDITION thriller
MORE >>

Andrew vs the king
10.SEP
: Garfield & Waterston will star in Greengrass' medieval England action movie
===================
Huppert is an ambitious actress in French comedy All About Corinne
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Hounsou & Zhang join HIGHLANDER
Brosnahan & Melton to SATURN
Poulter & Ackie join BOOSTERS
Isaac & del Toro reteam for FURY
John-Kamen joins ONE SECOND
McDonald is JIMMY's Barrymore
Ritchson leads Navy Seal biopic
MORE >>

Jeremy takes flight
7.SEP
: White leads cast of Stiller's real-life WWII adventure Airman, produced by Gyllenhaal.
===================
Blunt will star in Crowley's Irish romance Walk the Blue Fields
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Momoa & Cena in TOMORROW?
Anderson & Pearce lead FALLS
Rockwell, Beetz, Temple have FUN
Parker, Mann, Foster join BEST
Goggins & Pullman for BATSO
RuPaul makes a drag action comedy
MORE >>

box office

coming soon

19 Sep:
PLAINCLOTHES
STEVE
SOVEREIGN
THE SENIOR
SOLO
GHOST TRAIL
PEACOCK
HAPPYEND
TAPE
MEGADOC
===================
26 Sep:
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
ELEANOR THE GREAT
DEAD OF WINTER
ELLIS PARK
SANE INSIDE SANITY
===================
3 Oct:
THE SMASHING MACHINE
HIM
URCHIN
SCARED SHITLESS
GOOD BOY
===================
10 Oct:
TRON: ARES
A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE
ROOFMAN
AFTER THE HUNT
I SWEAR
===================
17 Oct:
FRANKENSTEIN
BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER
GOOD FORTUNE
THE BLACK PHONE 2
IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT
MORE >>


Recently published reviews:
HAPPYEND
SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES
THE HISTORY OF SOUND
CHRISTY (US)
I SWEAR
DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE
THE LONG WALK
HIGHEST 2 LOWEST
THE CONJURING: LAST RITES
THE CUT
CHRISTY (Ire)
NIGHT OF THE JUGGLER

stage & more

Perfect synchronicity

DANCE
Sadeck Berrabah brings Murmuration Level 2 to the Peacock Theatre...


September TV Roundup

SCREEN Chief of War, Wednesday 2, Smoke, Dexter: Resurrection, The Institute, Stick, Fisk, more...


Totally exposed

INTERVIEW Talking with writer-director Corey Sherman about his autobiographical film Big Boys...

26th FrightFest
Scary movies in Leicester Square...


Learning to let go

STAGE
Lorenzo Allchurch's Lost Watches at the Park Theatre until 23rd Aug...


July TV Roundup

SCREEN Too Much, The Bear 4, Squid Game 3, Andor 2, The Last of Us 2, Sirens, Murderbot and more...


Dorian TV Award winners

SCREEN Hacks, The Pitt and Adolescence take top Galeca prizes...


Can you see the real me?

DANCE
Quadrophenia: a dazzling mod ballet at Sadler's Wells until 13th July...


Trying to put on a show

STAGE
Kiki & Herb's triumphant return at Soho Theatre Walthamstow...


From a meow to a roar

STAGE
Fresh from Glastonbury, Otto & Astrid bring The Stages Tour to London...

33rd Raindance Film Fest
In Central London until 27th June...


Defying gravity in the gloom

DANCE
Botis Seva's Until We Sleep rattles us to the core at Sadler's Wells East...


We’re all perfectly safe

STAGE
Simon Kane's surreal Jonah Non Grata at Soho Theatre, then at the Fringe...

===================
STAGE: London Clown Fest 2025
MAY TV: White Lotus, Adolescence...
DANCE: Inside Giovanni's Room
Shadows @ SXSW London
DANCE: Detention at The Place
STAGE: Blood Wedding at Omnibus
STAGE: How to Fight Loneliness
STAGE: Plied & Prejudice at Vaults
MAR TV: The Residence, Paradise...
INTERVIEW: Summer With Carmen
MORE >>

now showing

Traumatika


Bonkers child trauma horror is packed with nasty jolts and surprises


The Cut


Intense drama with John Turturro & Orlando Bloom spirals into horror


Christy


Warm and offhanded Irish drama starring newcomer Danny Power


Paul & Paulette Take a Bath


Nouvelle vague-style comedy-drama follows a young couple around Paris


Riefenstahl


Fascinating doc about the ground-breaking, controversial filmmaker


The Thursday Murder Club


Cosy British whodunit with Ben, Helen, Pierce and their all-star pals


The Toxic Avenger


Extremely silly folk hero remake is a mess but keeps us laughing


Row


Fragmented trans-Atlantic rowing thriller has a visceral sense of dread


Little Trouble Girls


Provocative but elusive Slovenian drama about teens in convent school


The Life of Chuck


Sentimental and involving existential odyssey with Tom Hiddleston


Grand Prix of Europe


Corny but very cheerful animated action comedy about racing critters


Sex


The Oslo Stories Trilogy wraps up with thoughtful, provocative conversations


Red Sonja


Entertaining but over-serious new take on the fearsome fantasy heroine


The Ceremony


Eye-catching Yorkshire drama is intense but underdeveloped

===================
NE ZHA II
THE HOME
NOBODY 2
FIXED
LOVE
BAMBI: A TALE OF LIFE IN THE WOODS
FREAKIER FRIDAY
THE PICKUP
SKETCH
THE MUSICIANS
THE BAD GUYS 2
BRING HER BACK
OH, HI!
SHOSHANA
GAZER
SMURFS
MORE >>

recommended

On Swift Horses


Beautifully nuanced drama with Will Poulter and Jacob Elordi as brothers


Highest 2 Lowest


Punchy new York drama reunites Spike Lee with Denzel Washington


Night of the Juggler


Restored 1980 New York thriller is gritty and hugely entertaining


Caught Stealing


Enjoyably scrappy crime comedy with Matt Smith and Austin Butler


Big Boys


Internalised comedy-drama about a teen on a momentous camping trip


Young Mothers


Bracing Belgian drama sends five teen mothers on powerful journeys


Lurker


Inventive, insightful celebrity entourage drama is deeply involving


Motel Destino


Stunning Brazilian thriller is a bold spin on the femme fatale genre


Sorry, Baby


Smart, pointed comedy with Naomi Ackie and writer-director Eva Victor


Eddington


Ari Aster's complex, messy and dark satire set in the Covid-era Wild West


Dongji Rescue


Rousing thrills as Chinese fishermen defy the Japanese during WWII


Battleship Potemkin


For its 100th anniversary, Eisenstein's influential masterwork is restored with a Pet Shop Boys score


Materialists


Celing Song's smart, skilful spin on the romcom stars Dakota Johnson

===================
TOGETHER
WEAPONS
YOUNG HEARTS
STANS
THE NAKED GUN
2000 METERS TO ANDRIIVKA
LATE SHIFT
THE FANTASTIC 4: FIRST STEPS
DYING
SOVEREIGN
UNICORNS
THE OTHER WAY AROUND
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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