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Neil Baker

Neil Baker

EXTERIORS

WATCH NOW ON DEKKOO

★★★

During our lives, we weave an intricate and complex web of interpersonal relationships. Some of these relationships are brief, others last a lifetime, and many leave a lasting mark on our sense of self. For those of us who call the LGBTQ+ community home, these interpersonal webs are often based around small communities, even in our big cities. That means it’s not unusual for you to find out that your best mate has also slept with someone you once had a fling with or that someone in your friendship group is randomly connected to a work colleague. 

These complex connections form the heart of Writer/Director Mark Schwab’s Exteriors, as three gay men face a series of unexpected coincidences in the LGBTQ+ community they call home. One man will navigate the revelation that his best mate is now seeing his ex, while another will find healing through a case of mistaken identity and a brief meeting of souls. Meanwhile, a third will test the professional boundaries of his role as a silent desire eats away at him before an unexpected truth is revealed. Each short story explores the web we weave, from the complex emotions we hold close to the conflict between desire and distance and the random encounters that change our lives in ways we could never have imagined. 

Schwab’s direction places performance and screenplay centre stage, resulting in a fascinating trilogy of diverse yet connected stories of longing, conflicted loyalty and corrupt desire. From Peter Stickles’ unethical therapist, Dr Lesh, to Julian Goza’s haunted and caring Jason and Christian Gabriel’s conflicted Wyatt, the characters Schwab and his talented cast bring to life stay with you long after the credits roll. As a result, one comes away from Exteriors, hoping that this is only the start of a world-building project that will see us return in the future and further explore the repercussions and outcomes of each perfectly formed story. 

TRANSLATIONS (2023)

AWAITING A RELEASE DATE 

★★★

Our psychological walls are often built from our experiences and the memories that shape us. Building a wall is sometimes easier than facing our ghosts as the world continues to spin outside our self-created sanctuary. In his feature-length debut, Transitions, director Keith Wilhelm Kopp and writer Laurence Guy ask what happens when we allow someone to chip away at the walls we have built around our pain. 

Stef (Kate Morgan-Jones) hasn’t left her Welsh home in years, with the death of her brother and her fear of moving forward keeping the world out and her emotions in. But when her brother’s old best friend Evan (Alan Emrys) unexpectedly arrives at the front door, an opportunity for healing enters the house with him. As Evan and Stef reconnect, the sparks of something new light up the space between them, but will Stef allow Evan in or push him away, and can a newfound love break down a wall of psychological and emotional defence? 

Kopp’s tender and bittersweet tale of romance and healing is, in essence, a two-person play that relies heavily on the performances of Morgan-Jones and Emrys, and neither disappoints. Morgan-Jones’ performance beautifully encapsulates the fear and apprehension surrounding Stef’s agoraphobia and unresolved grief. At the same time, Emrys’ gentle yet powerful exploration of Evan’s childhood abuse and the ripples of that ongoing trauma as they collided with grief is beautifully portrayed. 

Shot in black and white, the wall of solitude that opens the film slowly develops two doors of escape for Stef and Evan, as Kopp acknowledges that romance can be fleeting yet powerful in its ability to create new paths for both involved. Kopp’s poetic, warm and tender film bathes in the complexity of human emotion, connection and love, never losing sight of the complex feelings surrounding the memories and experiences that help shape us and those we touch along the way. 

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1946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED CULTURE (2023)

PLAYING AT THE PRINCE CHARLES CINEMA, SOHO, LONDON ON DEC 3

★★★

The Bible has been through so many revisions and translations over the years that it’s a wonder anything original remains. Here in Britain, the Bible was used as a religious weapon by Henry VIII and King James, to name just two, with their translations based on several European versions of the ancient scriptures. But translations and adaptations didn’t start and stop in 16th and 17th century England. There are 1960s versions, such as the Amplified Bible; 1980s versions, like The New King James; and 1970s editions, such as The Living Bible. Is it, therefore, any wonder that translations and adaptations have reflected the society of the day?

Sharon Roggio’s film aims to uncover the mystery and social damage behind the introduction of the word “homosexual” into biblical text in 1946 while equally celebrating the LGBTQ+ Christian movement and its courage in uncovering the problematic and oppressive translations of this ancient text.

The result is a fascinating exploration of the devastating power of this mistranslation on individuals, communities and churches. However, a more comprehensive investigation of the original texts and the social history surrounding multiple revisions could have offered even more. As a result, the conclusions occasionally feel rushed when exploring broader issues of religious intolerance and continued social oppression.

DO NOT DISTURB (2023)

ON DIGITAL (UNITED STATES)

★★★★

For any couple, their honeymoon is supposed to be a time of love, desire and memory-building. But what if your relationship was rocky before you said, “I do.” For newlyweds Chloe (Kimberly Laferriere) and Jack (Rogan Christopher), their honeymoon in Miami may look ideal, but scratch the surface, and you will find a miserable couple who should have separated long ago. Jack has an alcohol problem he has yet to accept or deal with, while Chloe desperately seeks emotional attachment and physical desire, something Jack cannot offer her. All in all, it’s a relationship that two gold rings were never going to save, and deep down, they both know it.

Do Not Disturb is best experienced without prior knowledge of the story, and, therefore, apart from my brief introduction above, I do not intend to go into the film’s main plot points. John Ainslie’s cutting and gory exploration of toxic relationships and entrapment plays with the audience like a cat with a mouse as he chips away at the very foundations of the couple’s relationship through a drug-fuelled haze. In the claustrophobic confines of the couple’s small hotel room, their relationship is duly dissected as they bite chunks out of each other due to years of unspoken frustration and anger.

From the start, there is a sense that we are spying on Jack and Chloe, which is only enhanced by an ultra-wide ratio and voyeuristic style that unnerves from the outset. Do Not Disturb ventures into themes that many may find disturbing as it explores toxicity, sex, escape and control before entering a world of horror that is not for the squeamish. But Ainslie’s horror is one of the best of the year for all those willing to check in and hang the Do Not Disturb sign on the door.

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007: ROAD TO A MILLION (2023)

WATCH ON PRIME

★★★★

What would you do for a million pounds? How far would you travel? Would you face your fears? And is your general knowledge strong enough to answer some tricky questions along the way? As we await news of Bond’s return, MGM and Prime Video offer us a delightfully addictive constructive reality treat that explores these questions in 007: Road to a Million. 

In a first for the Bond franchise, nine couples are offered the chance to win a million pounds by completing a series of challenges that take them to some truly spectacular locations around the world, but these are no ordinary challenges; they are Bond-level tasks with ever more complex questions attached that will test even the finest quizzers. The result is a delightful mix of Race Across the World, The Krypton Factor and The Crystal Maze as our nine pairs, including two brothers, two nurses and a husband and wife, attempt to beat the clock and become millionaires. But of course, this is a Bond-themed world, and no James Bond adventure would be complete without a maniacal and ruthless villain. Enter Brian Cox as ‘The Voice’, watching each couple from his lair as he attempts to end their travels through manipulation and ever more challenging missions. 

007: Road to Million is, at its heart, a game show with a James Bond twist, so anyone expecting a full-blooded James Bond spinoff will no doubt feel disappointed. But for those willing to be taken on an epic global quest alongside nine diverse pairs of contestants, Road to a Million is a gloriously addictive and highly entertaining eight-part adventure. Prime Video may well have a gold-plated ratings-winner on their hands as Bond’s fictional world meets reality in the barren lands of the Atacama Desert, the Regency splendour of Venice’s canals and the vibrant ports of Jamaica.

UPON HER LIPS: DAY DREAMING (2023)

RENT OR BUY 

★★★

NQV’s Upon Her Lips series returns with Day Dreaming, a collection of four short films from Spain, Mexico and France exploring diverse experiences of female love and romance. Maider Oleaga’s Thirst explores the first throws of desire between 17-year-old summer camp workers Izaro and Clara. Here, an unexpected kiss leads Izaro to see Clara in a new light, sparking feelings she isn’t quite sure how to act upon as friendship and desire collide in the heat of a Basque summer. In Nancy Cruz Orozco’s April’s Last Memories, two girls, Camila and April, face a choice between opening up about their attraction or leaving those feelings hidden as April’s family plans a big move to the city. But when those feelings are obscure and surrounded by nerves, opening the door to words and actions can be as challenging as saying goodbye.

The coming-of-age road trip takes centre stage in Nina Bouchaud-Cheval’s Enlightened as Zoe develops a new connection with a community of travellers and a rebellious young Romani woman who may hold an unexpected key to healing for Zoe following the death of her father. Finally, Cintia Ballbé’s Andy and the Other Woman explores open relationships and the challenge of balancing the emotional needs of those involved as we follow Andy and her girlfriend Marion on a surprise visit to Andy’s two other partners. Day Dreaming is a solid edition of NQV’s Upon Her Lips series, but it never quite reaches the heights of previous collections. However, there is still much to admire in these diverse stories and their exploration of female love from four distinct perspectives: emerging, unspoken, healing and complicated.   

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ELDORADO: EVERYTHING THE NAZIS HATE (2023)

WATCH ON NETFLIX

★★★★

During the 1920s and early 1930s, Berlin was liberal, forward-thinking and flourishing when the Nazis began their march toward power; it was a city built on freedom and sexual liberation. Over one hundred gay nightspots, of which Eldorado was the most famed, offered sanctuary to LGBTQ+ people from across Germany and Europe. However, as gay, trans, lesbian, bisexual and straight people danced the night away in the safety of Eldorado’s hallowed hall, a new darkness formed, one that would consume everything in its path. The LGBTQ+ people of Berlin were not blind to this darkness, nor were they fully liberated, with Germany’s Paragraph 175 a clear, if often unenforceable, threat to their safety. But many believed they had come so far that the tide was too powerful to be instantly reversed by a Nazi party that thrived on hate and intolerance. Benjamin Cantu and Matt Lambert’s urgent Netflix documentary explores the fall of Germany and Austria’s thriving LGBTQ+ community through the experiences of actor Manasse Herbst, his partner tennis player Gottfried van Cramm, trans painter Toni Ebel and her partner Charlotte Charlaque, the famed sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld and survivor Walter Arlen and the teenage love he lost, Lumpi. Cantu and Lambert give a long-overdue voice to those who fled, were murdered and imprisoned during Nazi rule in a documentary that is essential viewing. Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate is a powerful, emotional and urgent exploration of our shared LGBTQ+ history and the delicate nature of freedom and equality both then and now.

STOPMOTION (2023)

BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL 2023

★★★

At what point does art become an obsession and a past childhood trauma become a horror of no escape? This question surrounds director Robert Morgan’s story of artistic mania, unresolved trauma and insecurity in his feature debut, Stopmotion. Ella (Aisling Franciosi) is a stop-motion animator living with her demanding and cruel mother (Stella Gonet), a legendary filmmaker slowly losing her power due to crippling arthritis. But despite her disability, Ella’s mother has a final stop motion film in production that Ella must complete on her behalf as she barks instructions. Ella is offered no creative input, just a string of demands as she moves each figure a millimetre at a time in the dark studio she calls home. But when her mother suffers a devastating stroke, Ella frees herself to embrace her artistic voice for the first time. Ditching her mother’s project, she is steered by a mysterious young girl who visits her daily to create a new work of art, “The Ashman.” But as the story of The Ashman consumes her, animation, trauma and grief converge to create a living, breathing nightmare of no escape. A powerhouse performance from Aisling Franciosi (The Nightingale) stands front and centre in Morgan’s debut feature, alongside some genuinely unnerving and terrifying stop-motion artistry. Stopmotion delights in bathing its audience in the darkness of Ella’s slow and tragic descent into hell as her fractured reality shatters into a million pieces before our eyes. 

THE KILLER (2023)

BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL 2023, WATCH ON NETFLIX.

★★★★

Based on the graphic novel by Alexis Nolent, David Fincher’s unsettling tale of an assassin whose world is about to fall apart is a chilling portrait of a highly controlled life lived on the fringes of society. Michael Fassbender’s cold yet enthralling performance explores the procedural life of a man who earns money from murder and what happens when he becomes the target. Fincher has long been fascinated by behaviour, psychology and what makes humans react to the social rules surrounding them. Here, The Killer focuses on Fassbender’s relentless drive to clean up a botched operation while allowing us into his inner thoughts through a beautiful narration that unpicks and explores his ice-cold thoughts and motivations. Fassbender is a man who long ago compartmentalised his emotions, creating duel personas that allowed him to kill without remorse and lock away any emotional attachment he once held. However, his obsession with the music of the Smiths gives us a brief insight into his inner psychological turmoil. The words of each track highlight a sense of miserable despair that bubbles under the surface but is never allowed to see the light of day. With memorable appearances from Charles Parnell, Sala Baker, and Tilda Swinton, Fincher’s The Killer is a fascinating exploration of a man who doesn’t exist, his personality fractured into a million pieces, with only tiny shards of his character ever on show. Often chilling, occasionally humorous and unrelentingly violent, The Killer is an ice-cold yet engaging journey into the mind of an invisible man.

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GOLDEN DELICIOUS (2023)

RENT OR BUY 

★★★

Jason Karman’s debut feature film takes us to Vancouver, where we meet the Wong family. Here, seventeen-year-old Jake feigns interest in High School basketball to impress his dad, George, who runs a local Chinese Restaurant left to him by his parents – a restaurant his disgruntled mum keeps open through long hours of back-breaking work. Meanwhile, his older sister Janet aspires to a career in catering, much to his parent’s disdain. But as Jake navigates the final year of high school, a girlfriend who wants to go all the way, and a dad who is piling on the pressure, everything is about to change when Aleks moves in next door. Golden Delicious often feels like a delightful take on Love, Simon and Love, Victor, viewed through an East Asian lens that incorporates discussions on integration, cultural heritage and identity. Therefore, while at its core, it may not tread new ground in the coming out, coming-of-age genre, this accomplished & polished feature debut beautifully celebrates the intersections of diversity, friendship, family and first love through a cultural lens often bypassed in LGBTQ+ storytelling. 

AHSOKA (2023)

WATCH ON DISNEY +

★★★★

Taking Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels and Heir to the Empire as its core inspiration, the latest Disney+ show, Ahsoka, feels like a welcome return to the foundations of George Lucas’ universe. Ahsoka shines from the outset due to the performances of Rosario Dawson, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, the late great Ray Stevenson, Ivanna Sakhno, Lars Mikkelsen and David Tennant and delights with the return appearance of Hayden Christensen’s Anakin. Like The Mandalorian, Ahsoka bathes in the diversity, adventure and wonder of a galaxy far, far away, reminding us just how special George Lucas’ characters and worlds are. Disney’s Star Wars outings have been a mixed bag of brilliance, disappointment, creativity and fan service over the years; thankfully, Ahsoka is a joy, leaving you desperate for more as each beautifully crafted episode concludes, and much of this success comes from its embrace of Heir to the Empire and the legacy of the Clone Wars and Anakin’s fall. Like The Mandalorian, Andor and Obi-Wan, Ahsoka provides further hope in Disney’s ability to embrace Lucas’ vision and sweep us away with intergalactic intrigue, adventure and excitement. May the force be with you. 

REMNANTS (2022)

AWAITING RELEASE

★★★

Three friends walk side by side across a desolate post-apocalyptic wilderness in Jack Roberts’ indie flick Remnants. There is no safe place, no security and no certainty in their journey as they avoid the undead who roam the once-bustling streets, towns and communities that now lay empty and silent; they only have each other, their weapons and the hope of survival against all odds. Filmed over eight years, Roberts’ hand-held movie, co-written by Dakota Sawyer, is a taut and beautifully shot road trip horror from its opening scenes, with solid performances from its lead cast, Ryan Wesen, Jack Roberts and Rebi Paganini. As with all low-budget passion projects, the commitment, artistry on a shoestring and dedication on display from all involved is admirable. But there are also times when the narrative stumbles, never allowing us to gain a complete picture of each character, their motivations and their connection, despite some beautifully staged one-on-one conversations during moments of calm reflection. However, there are also moments when Remnants soars above the budget restrictions surrounding it in the tension it manages to generate, particularly within its final act, which owes much to Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. In direction, score, performances and cinematography, there is much to admire in Roberts’ film, and while it may not tread new ground, there are moments of brilliance in this indie zombie horror. 

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RENDEZ-VOUS AVEC DIEGO (2021)

WATCH ON HERE TV

★★★

Lucas Morales’ bittersweet tale of gay love in an online world of secrets and lies is tender, compelling and urgent. Noah (Cédric Gueugnon) is desperate to find a boyfriend and spread his wings as a young gay man. So, after talking with his best friend, he joins a gay dating and hookup app in search of Mr. Right. After more than a few dodgy encounters, he meets Diego, a boy the same age as him who is also just coming to terms with his sexuality. Together, they message daily, sharing everything about themselves as love blossoms. But will Diago have the courage to meet Noah? And does Noah genuinely love Diago or just the idea of his perfection? 

TRANSYLVANIE (2023)

FANTASIA 2023

★★★★

Ten-year-old Ewa claims she became a vampire last September. She spends each day avoiding the local bullies outside her high-rise block of flats while silently visiting the local cemetery, searching for rats to drink from. Her home is silent, with no sign of her parents, siblings or any support as Ewa sits in her bedroom talking to her silent ‘master’ about her loneliness and need for a companion. During these conversations, Ewa decides it’s time to find a boy who can join her in ruling the concrete kingdom she inhabits, and so starts her mission to find the right young man, one her ‘master’ would approve of. Written and directed by Rodrigue Huart, Transylvanie owes much to Let the Right One In (2008) as it explores childhood isolation, bullying and a need to find belonging in a world that alienates you. With a truly stunning debut performance from newcomer Katell Varvat, Huart’s delicate but striking tale leaves us with far more questions than it ultimately answers: Is Ewa really a vampire? Is her world imaginary or real? What happened to her family? These questions lock you into the action on screen as this delightful slice of folk horror plays out amid the tower blocks of a cold housing estate. But it is within the final act that Transylvanie packs its mighty and unexpected punch as Ewa finds the boy she wants, only to be confronted by the bullies she attempts to avoid.

HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL (2023)

RENT OR BUY

★★★★

It’s a testament to the sheer power of Daniel Waters’ screenplay and Michael Lehmann’s film that the Heathers fanbase has only grown over the thirty-three years since Veronica and JD first entered our lives. Our coming-of-age season, ‘Teen Dreams’, explored the enduring power of Heathers and its ability to talk to multiple generations while blowing up the 80s teen comedy template. Heathers was sharp, bold and controversial, its themes ranging from sexual assault to bulimia, suicide and murder in a movie that ushered in a new era. Due to my endless love for Lehmann’s 1989 satirical masterpiece, I was less than convinced the film would work as a musical. I was partly right, as the inherent darkness of Heathers is toned down, with far more emphasis placed on exaggerated comedy rather than satire. This ensures the musical format works but, at times, blunts the sharpness of Waters’ original screenplay. But I also stand corrected in the colourful, vibrant, fresh adaptation the musical offers us. The comedy may not be as cutting, but it is beautifully timed, and as for the music, it’s nothing short of awesome. So “Lick It Up Baby, Lick. It. Up”.

WHAM! (2023)

WATCH ON NETLIX

★★★★

Despite constant negativity and snipes in the mainstream music press, Wham took the world by storm in just four years. It was the dream of a lifetime for the young Andrew Ridgeley and Georgios Panayiotou (later George Michael), who had become besties at Bushey Meads High School in Hertfordshire. The journey to stardom was short, sharp and full of unexpected opportunities, like a last-minute performance on Top of the Pops in 1982. Wham! became the epitome of a new upbeat 80s pop, built on good vibes, big hair, colour and bright white smiles. Director Chris Smith aims to answer these questions through archive footage and audio interviews with Ridgeley and Michael (who recorded many of his thoughts before he died in 2016). The result is an upbeat and affectionate portrait of two boys who achieved the dreams of stardom they talked about endlessly as teens. It’s a story of undying friendship, hidden trauma, and sacrifice that isn’t afraid to explore the darker corners of Wham!’s meteoric rise. However, despite the intimacy of the conversations, archive footage and the youthful exuberance of Wham! you can’t help but feel we are still missing parts of the story as Smith’s delightful documentary ends. But as a celebration of two friends who defied the negativity of the pop press and loudly exclaimed ‘Choose Life’ Wham! is, like them, playful, joyous and full of colour.

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STILL: A MICHEAL J FOX MOVIE (2023)

WATCH ON APPLE TV +

★★★★

From the opening scenes of Davis Guggenheim’s beautiful and poignant documentary, it’s clear that Michael’s life and career have been anything but still. From a young age, Michael was always on the move, always searching and striving for success. That success would come through Family Ties and Back to the Future, but the journey to that point was one of toil, long hours and an urge to make it big in a city where thousands of young hopefuls vied for the same roles. Therefore, when Michael was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s in 1991 at 29, his impulse was to fight it with every sinew, pushing the disease and its devastating early symptoms to the back of his mind through work. Using archival footage from Michael’s long and successful career, Guggenheim’s documentary hums with the energy of a 400V battery and takes on the feel of a classic Michael J Fox movie. Yet, while the autobiographical elements are often front and centre, it is, at its heart, a documentary charting his journey alongside Parkinson’s disease and the importance of his wife and family in helping to shape that journey. Never downbeat, Still is inspirational, funny, reflective and sharp as we celebrate the man who gave us Marty McFly, a high-school werewolf called Scott, an aspiring business tycoon named Brantley and the ambitious and sharp young Alex P. Keaton.

GOD'S PETTING YOU (2023)

RENT OR BUY

★★

Jamie Patterson is a fascinating director, with elements of his work reflecting the creative genius of the late great Ron Peck. Like Peck, Patterson works with a creative collective of artists and technical talent, and while Peck was fascinated by the underworlds of London, Patterson delights in reflecting the different sides of his home town, Brighton. Also, like Peck, his filmmaking catalogue is a mixed bag from the sublime Tucked (2019) to the dour and vivid Justine (2020). Even when his pictures don’t entirely work, the creativity of the vision is nonetheless impressive. God’s Petting You could be described as ‘Bonny and Clyde Take Brighton‘, and there is much to love in this premise. However, despite the solid and thoroughly engaging performances from George Webster and Sky Lourie, the comedy at the heart of Patterson’s film feels dated and flat – a throwback to a range of 90s British gangster movies. That’s not to say there are not moments where the promise of Patterson’s film shines through; there just aren’t enough of these moments to ultimately keep our attention in a movie that only really finds its voice in the final 20 minutes.

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DAISY JONES & THE SIX (2023)

WATCH ON PRIME

★★★★

Based on the bestselling novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Daisy Jones & The Six feels like an extension of Cameron Crowe’s sublime 2000 film Almost Famous. But here, the coming-of-age themes are replaced by a focus on internal band conflicts, romance and politics. Told over two timelines, interviews about the band’s collapse are weaved into a delightful exploration of the 70s music scene full of sublime original tracks. With more than a nod to Fleetwood Mac, the performances of Daisy (Riley Keough) and Billy (Sam Claflin) recreate a Nicks and Buckingham-inspired conflict, while the ensemble of Billy’s brother Graham (Will Harrison), bassist Eddie Roundtree (Josh Whitehouse), drummer Warren Rojas (Sebastian Chacon), keyboardist Karen Sirko (Suki Waterhouse) and Billy’s long-suffering wife (Camila Morrone) are an absolute delight. This is serial drama at its very best. 

EMPIRE OF LIGHT (2022)

WATCH ON DISNEY +

★★

Set in 1981 on the Kent coast, Hilary Small (Olivia Colman) leads a solitary existence after finishing a stay in a psychiatric hospital. Sexually exploited by her vile boss (played with pathetic sleaziness by Colin Firth) and alienated from the rest of her colleagues, she trudges through life with no sense of purpose or direction. She starts an affair with Stephen (Michael Ward), the newest of the young ushers working in the cinema, who shows her the tenderness of which she is deprived. What follows feels like an inelegant soldering together of two different films. The first is a period film about an interracial relationship and attitudes towards mental illness in the vein of a Mike Leigh drama. The second is an ensemble piece about a ragtag group of cinephiles finding comfort and solidarity in their temple of the moving image. While these ideas aren’t necessarily in conflict, the two concepts never converge. Empire of Light has good intentions, strong performances from the leads and handsome cinematography. But, ultimately, more is needed to save this unimaginative and thematically disjointed venture. 

SUMMONING SYLVIA (2022)

RENT OR BUY 

★★★

Out, proud and loud, Wesley Taylor and Alex Wyse’s gloriously camp horror Summoning Sylvia isn’t going to win any awards. But it will win over the hearts of those who love their comedy/horror coated in glitter. Mixing the classic haunted house tale with meet-the-inlaws comedy and a tongue-in-cheek homage to The Conjuring franchise, Summoning Sylvia is best consumed with friends, nibbles and a few alcoholic beverages. By bringing together a truly delightful ensemble, including Travis Coles, Michael Urie, Frankie Grande, Noah J. Ricketts, Troy Iwata and Nicholas Logan, for a bewildering bachelor party, Summoning Sylvia offers us a spooky and devilishly fun weekend getaway. However, it’s not all camp conversations, horny pizza delivery guys, eyeliner and screams. In the background, the ghost story at play holds moments of emotion before allowing us into its beautiful twist. There is much to love in Taylor and Wyse’s camp creation, and you won’t find a more entertaining queer Saturday night comedy/horror. 

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ARMAGEDDON TIME (2022)

RENT OR BUY

★★★★

The place is Queens, and the year is 1980. Paul (Banks Repeta) is the youngest son of Irving (Jeremy Strong) and Esther (Anne Hathaway). Paul is at that age where the idea of rebellion appeals, and in a city where cultural change is coming thick and fast, Paul longs to escape his middle-class Jewish life for an artistic adventure. The only person who seems to understand him is his grandfather (Anthony Hopkins), who encourages his love of art and sense of ambition and rebellion. At school, he bonds with Johnny (Jaylin Webb), a Black kid who, like him, believes there must be more to life than school and endless rules. But while both Johnny and Paul may share the characteristics of a minority group, the nature and experience of persecution in New York for a Black and Jewish kid are very different. James Grey’s engaging and atmospheric coming-of-age drama embraces a New York alive with risk and change. Paul is desperate to embrace social change but has yet to discover what that change should be. However, he knows that with his friend, Johnny, in tow, change is possible and inevitable. But Paul is about to learn that childhood dreams and desires rarely survive a night of adult realities.

LONESOME (2022)

RENT OR BUY 

★★★

Writer-director Craig Boreham’s fascinating ode to the wanderer is wrapped in a physical intimacy rarely captured on film. Boreham would turn to Grindr in casting his film, leading to a raw, unfiltered style of performance that owes much to Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho and John Schlesinger’s Midnight Cowboy. Boreham’s film is about intimacy, both physical and emotional, and as a result, Casey’s journey is rich in texture, imagery, heat and sexual energy. Lonesome won’t appeal to everyone, and some may find it too stilted. But the bravery of the production choices is admirable, and when coupled with stunning cinematography and gentle yet strong performances, Lonesome is another stand-out example of a new wave of LGBTQ+ Aussie filmmaking.

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CONCERNED CITIZEN (2022)

RENT OR BUY 

★★★

Ben (Bertonov) and his partner (Wolf) live in a diverse but often troublesome area of Tel Aviv. They pride themselves on their belief in diversity, liberal ideals and their attempt to transform their local area into a trendy neighbourhood. However, while they may talk of vibrant communities, they live behind locked gates as they discuss the start of a family. Director Igan Haguel cleverly subverts audience expectations with a cutting dissection of wealth liberalism, privilege and gentrification. Here, we find a gay couple far from being the victims of the piece as themes of immigration, police brutality, and race take centre stage. Haguel’s film isn’t afraid to uncover the uncomfortable truth behind many elite liberal values; they are spoken passionately but rarely practised.

CHUCKY SEASON TWO

★★★★

WATCH ON SKY

Chucky Season 2 successfully builds upon the strong foundation established in the first season, delivering a thrilling and nostalgic continuation of the Chucky saga. With its engaging storytelling, well-developed characters, and effective blend of horror and dark humour, the season is captivating. From the return of Glen to doll-obsessed nuns, a heavenly father who looks a lot like a dead dad, dodgy psychologists, and the Lex Luther/ Apocalypse Now-inspired ‘Colonel.’ Season two is a rollercoaster ride of camp horror, gore, comedy and devilishly good performances that leaves you eagerly awaiting the next chapter in the diabolical doll’s tale.

FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL (2022)

★★★★★

WATCH ON APPLE TV +

Sometimes, real life is far more horrific than anything a fiction writer can conjure. John Ridley’s and Carlton Cuse’s adaptation of Sheri Fink’s detailed and harrowing book, Five Days at Memorial, places us in the middle of an event so gut-wrenchingly awful that it is hard to believe we are in one of the wealthiest countries in the world in 2005. Starring Vera Farmiga, Cherry Jones, Cornelius Smith Jr. and Robert Pine, this is the story of the New Orleans Memorial Medical Center and Hurricane Katrina. But this tale is less about the hurricane and more about government failure, the collapse of civil structures and the unbearable decision-making that doctors and nurses were forced to make as they sat alone in a hospital surrounded by flood waters. It’s the story of 45 patients who died over five days and a fragmented healthcare system that allowed a hospital to be isolated in its time of need. Five Days at Memorial is a tough, gritty and urgent drama that offers no tidy conclusions as it attempts to unpick themes of accountability and a lingering sense of injustice.

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STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS SEASON ONE (2022)

WATCH ON PARAMOUNT +

★★★★

“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: To explore strange new worlds.”… I am sure you know the rest. These famous words opened Star Trek in 1966 and have remained core to the TV and cinema journey ever since. However, one character never got the credit he deserved as the Star Trek universe grew: Christopher Pike. Christopher Pike was synonymous with the NBC pilot episode The Cage. Pike was the original Captain of the Enterprise, but as we met him, he was full of guilt as he considered resigning his position before being hideously scarred on saving his crew. Then Pike vanished into history, with Kirk taking charge. By taking us back to the very origins of Star Trek in 1966, Pike’s Enterprise embraces the classic episodic elements that built the Star Trek universe. Strange New Worlds is a glorious, colourful and magical return to a bygone TV format that was last seen in The Next Generation. Some may say it’s retro, others may say it’s slow, but Pike’s Enterprise reflects the word’s meaning: a project or undertaking, especially a bold or complex one. It’s a show about the roots of Starfleet and its mission of discovery and adventure in the unknown depths of space, and it’s all the better for it.

BETTER NATE THAN EVER (2022)

WATCH ON DISNEY +

★★★★

Sometimes big things come in small packages, and with Better Nate Than Ever, Disney + and 20th Century Studios have given us a small and perfectly formed musical drama for the whole family to enjoy. But Better Nate than Ever is also a colossal step forward in representation and inclusion, equaling the impact of Love Simon in 2018 when it arrived with a 12 certificate. This is an LGBTQ+ coming-of-age musical in all but name, but it doesn’t feel the need to shout from the rooftops because Nate’s (Rueby Wood) burgeoning sexuality is just a part of what makes him fabulous; it’s not a problem to be solved or a hurdle to be jumped. The resulting movie is an utter delight as it celebrates all those kids who feel different, love dance, music and drama or find themselves ostracised in school. Here, its discussions on Nate’s developing sexual orientation are beautifully handled throughout, with his need to be free and be himself in all his glitz sitting centre stage. Better Nate Than Ever is a rare Disney + family gem as it avoids pandering to its audience, keeping itself grounded while also bathing in moments of pure fantasy as we see the world through Nate’s eyes.

THE U.S. AND THE HOLOCAUST (2022)

WATCH ON BBC IPLAYER

★★★★★

Epic documentaries are rare nowadays, especially those that dare to stretch over three two-hour episodes. But anyone familiar with documentary maker Ken Burns and his long-time collaborators Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein will know that epic and detailed are bylines for Burns’ work. Here, Burns unpicks and then stitches together a complicated tapestry of US history in relation to immigration, War in Europe, antisemitism and race from the early 1930s to the post-war period. No stone is left unturned as Burns explores two sides of the same coin, one rooted in segregation and a belief in America first and the other in compassion, bravery and a need to protect. Meanwhile, the dark history of Eugenics and psychological discrimination and oppression sees the UK and the US shoulder at least some of the responsibility for the horrors of Nazism. The US and the Holocaust is documentary filmmaking at its most powerful and urgent.

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THE FENCE (2022)

RENT OR BUY

★★★

Written and directed by William Stone, The Fence builds upon his 2018 short film of the same name as it takes us back to 1980s Bristol for a coming-of-age tale of brotherly love, motorbikes, friendship and crime. At its core, this simple story of a boy and his stolen motorbike may appear too simplistic for the one hour and thirty-minute runtime it consumes, but Stone’s film is far more than an exploration of community justice on the streets of Bristol; it’s a love letter to friendship, brotherhood and community that shines through the performances of its young cast. It’s clear from the outset that The Fence was a labour of love for the director, producer and crew; the attention to detail is exquisite, alongside a screenplay that oozes charm. But even more impressive is that Stone only graduated from University in 2017.

MAINSTREAM (2022)

RENT OR BUY

★★★

We live in a strange new world where people consume media like Pringles; it’s a ‘once you pop and you just can’t stop’ conveyor belt of content, from YouTube to Instagram and TikTok. Here, we are encouraged to like, dislike, comment and buy while judging our own worth based on the number of friends we have or the number of likes we get. Don’t get me wrong, social media and instant video sharing are also a force for good in many ways, but finding the good stuff has become more and more like wading through treacle over the years. I know what some of you are thinking, “You don’t get it”, or “Maybe you’re too old to understand.” But are those thoughts your own? Or are you, even now, buying into the arguments the overlords of social media and instant video sharing want you to use? 

On its delayed premiere during the 2020 Venice Film Festival, many critics apparently walked out of Gia Coppola’s movie in disgust. And possibly due to the plethora of one and two-star reviews following this, Mainstream has only just arrived on digital in the UK. So, is it terrible? Is it confusing? And is Andrew Garfield’s power and fame-hungry Link the devil incarnate? Mainstream is far from a terrible movie; it’s a complex satire that hits the mark on several occasions when dissecting our social media-driven world. There are genuinely fascinating themes at play, from mass manipulation to psychological harm and the dangerous frenzy of fandom. However, Coppola’s film, at times, does lose its way, and much of this is due to the dated concept of the YouTube celebrity. YouTube hit its stride in the late noughties, creating young internet megastars whom most people no longer remember. In many ways, you could argue that the current social media landscape is even more toxic than it was then, and here, Coppola misses a trick by focusing solely on YouTube and ignoring the rise of sites such as TikTok.

THE SCHOOLMASTER GAMES (2022)

WATCH ON VIAPLAY

★

Sometimes, movies get lost in a tangle of conflicting and problematic themes from the outset. Unfortunately, The Schoolmaster Games is one of those movies. Based on the erotic gay novel Magisterlekarna, it’s clear that the director, Ylva Forner, had ambitions of exploring concepts of power, place, generational divide and sexual freedom. However, these themes are encased in a deeply problematic, overly camp and frivolous atmosphere that plays to every possible LGBTQ+ stereotype. Despite this being a fantasy world, one of the first problems of The Schoolmaster Games lies in the very foundation of its story: a gay school where an older gay teacher is engaged in sex and power-play with one of their students. This problematic narrative structure plays to long-held and deeply damaging stereotypes of older gay men as sexual predators of the young. If this had found a significant challenge by exploring psychological themes of society’s obsession with youth and beauty, The Schoolmaster Games could have offered something genuinely interesting. However, little effort is made to weave anything meaningful into the narrative.

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THE INVISIBLE THREAD (2022)

WATCH ON NETFLIX

★★★

Marco Simon Puccioni’s delightful comedy/drama (Il filo invisible) quietly slipped onto Netflix and remains hidden in the catalogue like many European LGBTQ+-themed movies. Part coming-of-age and part family comedy/drama, The Invisible Thread is full of heart while also tackling some important topics, from gay parenting to surrogacy and coming out. But if all this sounds heavy, fear not because Puccioni’s movie is light, fresh and wrapped in Italian charm and humour.

FOUR LIVES (2021)

WATCH ON BBC IPLAYER

★★★★

Over sixteen months during 2014 and 2015, Stephen Port murdered four gay/bi young men, Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth, and Jack Taylor. These vibrant, energetic and loving young men were connected by their use of gay dating apps (most notably Grindr) and by the nature of their death and discovery. However, despite the clear links between each murder and ongoing interest in Port, justice and safety were denied by an incompetent, lacklustre and homophobic investigation by Barking and Dagenham Police. Here, Police failures almost certainly led to the deaths of three of the young men following the discovery of Port’s first victim, Anthony. Four Lives methodically unpicks the countless police failures at play while demonstrating the pain family and friends were put through as they were forced to become investigators in their own right. But even more importantly, Four Lives focuses on the lives of Port’s young victims and the fight of their family and friends to uncover the truth about their murders. The result is an emotional, heart-wrenching and urgent drama that places institutional homophobia in our police service under the spotlight for all to see.

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DREAM HORSE (2020)

RENT OR BUY

★★★★

Sixteen months ago, I sat in a screening room at Warner Brothers in London. The film was Dream Horse, and the planned release date was April 2020. Of course, this was never to be, as COVID-19 trampled all over the release schedules studios had planned. But now Dream Horse is finally ready to run, and in my opinion, you won’t find a better feel-good movie as spring turns to summer and our lockdowns ease. Director Euros Lyn laces the humour of The Full Monty with the community spirit and passion of Brassed Off and Pride in creating a delightful underdog story that shines with sincerity. The resulting film is a joyous crowd-pleaser that celebrates community, individuality and an unshakable belief in luck.

Based on the true story of Jan Vokes (Toni Collette), a bartender in a depressed Welsh town, Dream Horse celebrates the stranger-than-fiction story of Dream Alliance, a racehorse trained by Jan, her husband Brian (Owen Teale), and their business partner Howard (Damian Lewis). But, this partnership is not rooted in wealth or privilege. Instead, Dream Alliance is raised on the local allotment, its upkeep part of a community ownership model; his training costs are spread out among interested townsfolk through £10 a month donations.

Of course, the film’s finale is evident from the outset in a movie that wears its heart on its sleeve. But, despite the predictable journey, Euro Lyn’s film remains engaging and heartwarming from start to finish. The dreams of a rundown community, moving from a slow trot to an energetic canter and award-winning gallop. But, what truly makes Dream Horse leap from the screen are the performances of a fantastic ensemble cast. As a result, what is primarily a paint-by-numbers feel-good movie becomes something more – a story of hope, togetherness and belief.

GREAT WHITE (2021)

RENT OR BUY

★★

Summer is on the way, and our beaches will soon be filled with eager swimmers, sunbathers and kids building sandcastles. So, what better way to celebrate than with a classic shark attack movie that will have you fearing every wave as you enter the sea? However, how do you compete with or even try to surpass the legendary Jaws? Like many of its predecessors, Great White fails to offer us anything new, and as a result, it is unable to keep its head above water. Martin Wilson’s directorial debut is not the worst shark movie ever made, but it is also hundreds of nautical miles from the best. Personally, I found myself cheering on the shark, hoping that it would munch through the one-dimensional cast as quickly as possible. Great White bounces from an all too brief discussion on climate change to a simple stranded-in-the-ocean thriller as it attempts to create a memorable eco-thriller, and while I have no doubt it will find a Saturday night audience, most will find themselves asleep by the finale. My advice is simple: stick with Speilberg’s Jaws; at least it had teeth.

FALLING (2021)

RENT OR BUY

★★★★

Viggo Mortenson’s long overdue directorial debut offers us a complex and emotional story of care, pain, love and regret. His powerful screenplay delicately unpicks the realities of dementia as it tears through one family’s life, further fracturing the relationships between a son, daughter, and father. Willis (Lance Henrikson) has spent his life on a farm in upstate New York. His first marriage failed, followed by a second that would also fall foul of his temper and suspicion. Willis’ children were caught in the middle of his marital turmoil as they grew into adults. Yet, both John (Viggo Mortenson) and his sister Sarah stayed by his side despite his volatility. However, as Willis slowly succumbs to dementia, it’s John who picks up the burden of his care. Here, John’s life as a gay man in a loving marriage with a young daughter suffers from his father’s relentless homophobia as he tries to encourage his dad to move from the family farm. But how do you care for a man unwilling to accept support?

Falling is strongest when exploring the challenges of care in families torn apart by a history of intolerance. Here, its exploration of turbulent father/son dynamics is both assured and emotional as unspoken regrets, hidden love and years of pain bubble to the surface. Henrikson (Willis) steals each scene with a character study of a man who is contemptuous and arrogant yet scared. While Mortenson’s ‘John’ pushes his own anger and pain to one side in a desperate attempt to show love and compassion. Falling never attempts to paint its characters with simple brushstrokes. Instead, it focuses on the small, intricate events that build a life and the pain and trauma dementia causes as those events are stripped away one by one.

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VISIBLE: OUT ON TELEVISION (2020)

WATCH ON APPLE TV +

★★★★

As we mark LGBT+ History Month in the United Kingdom, Apple TV Plus explores US television and queer representation in Visible: Out On Television. While this is a US exploration that differs significantly from the UK journey, there are links to the British experience as we are taken from the days when homosexuality was viewed with disdain to the first flawed steps in representation. The ‘Visible’ journey starts in the 1960s with the Army–McCarthy hearings, where state obsession with communism and the enemy within encouraged institutionalised oppression throughout American society. Here, we explore the hidden LGBTQ+ figures of television who gently attempted to push the boundaries and challenge public perception. However, it is not until the 1970s, with shows like All in the Family and the groundbreaking An American Family, that LGBTQ+ lives appear on mainstream TV. As we steer into the 80s and 90s with One Life to Live, The Golden Girls and Will and Grace, Visible offers a nuanced exploration of their impact in paving the way for modern dramas such as Ryan Murphy’s Pose.

Featuring a wealth of conversations with LGBTQ+ celebrities and straight allies, ranging from Ellen DeGeneres to Armistead Maupin, Caitlyn Jenner, Ryan Phillippe, and Oprah Winfrey, the interviews and stories hold deep emotional resonance. From the bravery of actor Wilson Cruz, who came out before his role in the groundbreaking My So-Called Life, to the discussions on gender identity and the 50s story of Christine Jorgensen, these are the foundation stones of LGBTQ+ equality on screen in the US. Visible is a documentary made with the utmost love and respect for all who have fought to ensure representation, never dismissing just how hard the battle has been or the challenges still at play. For this reason, among many others, Visible: Out On Television is essential viewing this LGBT+ History Month.

I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS (2020)

WATCH ON NETFLIX

★★★

What do you get when you cross John Hughes with Carrie and add a splash of Stranger Things? The answer might be found in the new Netflix comic book drama I Am Not Okay With This, a deliciously dark comic book adaptation from the same universe as The End of the F***ing World. Here, we find the story of a teenage girl struggling with grief, awkwardness, acne, emerging sexuality, and some troublesome latent superpowers. The result is one of the most engaging comic book adaptations of recent years, split into a series of seven 25-minute episodes.

Still reeling from her father’s suicide, Sydney Novak (Sophia Lillis) is not exactly living the teen dream as she battles with her recent relocation to a small town, arguments with her mum and a best friend, Dina (Sofia Bryant), who may be something more. Meanwhile, Sydney’s weed-smoking geeky neighbour (Wyatt Oleff) happens to fancy the hell out of her. But the cherry on top of all this teen angst is her emerging telekinetic powers, over which she has little control.

There is nothing new in the notion of superpowers interfacing with puberty; it’s a mainstay of the comic book origin story. But it’s rare to see these stories placed into the hands of a teenage girl and even more rare to find them dovetailed with the coming out process. Here I Am Not Okay With This feels fresh, new and sharp in an ocean of competing titles, helped enormously by the casting of Sophie Lillis and Wyatt Oleff, who last appeared together in IT Chapters One and Two.

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