Movie reviews of Garry Arnot

With another character put through the wringer, someone needs to give Leonie Benesch some annual leave but until then her terrible days at work will continue to make for absolutely gripping experiences at the cinema. Petra Volpe’s powerful and poignant Late Shift is the greatest example of this so far. Review

Smartly crafted if a little rough around the edges, On Falling signals the beginning of a compelling new era in social-realist cinema – the torch has been passed to director Laura Carreira who impresses with her bleak depiction of the immigrant experience. Review

With his best turn since Control, leading actor Sam Riley delivers an ace of a performance that sees Tom’s escape to an idyllic paradise melt into a sweaty mess of secrets and lies. Review

It’s a promising directorial debut from Freddy Macdonald that creatively weaves multiple narrative threads – Sew Torn is an inventive and entertaining yarn. Review

Elevated by Rose Byrne’s visceral, nerve-inducing central turn, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You could have a hand in reducing future populations with its unrelenting depiction of modern-day motherhood. Review

Ben Whishaw is an actor with such skill and versatility, and this compact arthouse flick Peter Hujar’s Day is an endearing showcase of his compelling screen presence. Review

Very funny but with pangs of pathos, comedy drama Blue Moon sees director Richard Linklater on terrific form, with Ethan Hawke’s wonderfully theatrical performance putting an exclamation point on this poignant portrait. Review

Die-hard film buffs and fans of Quentin Tarantino might get a kick out of this love-letter to one of his beloved pictures, but even through playful mimicry it pits itself against one of the most influential movies of all time, so Turkiewicz’s effort was always going to fall short. Review

She is excellent in the role of Julia, elevating every scene of Ruizpalacios’ inventive adaptation she’s involved in. La Cocina earns its spot as a stylish side dish on the menu of films in this increasingly saturated subgenre, even if it does lack a little cinematic sustenance. Review

While director James Mangold might keep the rug relatively clean in his traditional approach to storytelling, Chalamet brings the dirt with his barnstorming portrayal of an unapologetically evolving artist. Review

Jesse Eisenberg’s thought-provoking buddy movie A Real Pain contextualises our contemporary struggles with this succinctly and wittily presented picture. It’s the most fun you’ll ever have on a Holocaust tour. Review

As far as Robbie William’s efforts go, this experimental picture could’ve quite easily have been a Rudebox but instead it can be filed safely alongside Angels and Come Undone – embrace the absurdity and let him entertain you. Review

It’s a tenderly crafted soul-baring portrait of isolation and addiction and Daniel Craig is superb in the complex leading role, shaken and stirred by his dangerous desires. Review

Delicately balancing the flavour profile, sentimental snapshots of Almut and Tobias’ luscious love will tickle tastebuds and linger on the palate and We Live in Time leaves an almost cathartic bittersweet aftertaste. Review

It forms into a very funny and quietly thought-provoking story of friendship, community, the preservation and protection of the arts, and the global pandemic itself. Review

A peculiar sequel that’s main triumph comes from the fractured relationship with its own past, Joker: Folie à Deux is a flawed and yet fascinating follow-up. Review

There’s an assured sensitivity to its handling of dark themes by director Kelsey Taylor, and this intense modern retelling has a powerful bite of grim reality beneath its fairy tale veil. Review

A paint-by-numbers biopic, Lee doesn’t blaze as many trails as its subject did in her efforts but it shines an important light on one of America’s great modern artists. Review

Beautifully observed, she concentrates her lens on the ordinary within the extraordinary, a marginalised milieu explored with an affection tainted by melancholy – a slice of life picture elevated by its triptych of quietly moving central performances. Review

The wiry star outshines an actor that feels a little out of place in this delicate fable of redemption, but Guan Hu’s handsomely crafted tale is worth seeing for Gao Weizhe’s striking cinematography alone. Review

The insightful writing will have viewers in the palm of the film’s hand all the way to a stunning final act where darkness and snow finally clears to reveal scorched grass but no easy answers in Samet’s ambiguous story. Review

As the plot thickens and takes a turn towards the supernatural, the storytelling suffers as a result with some of the early promise squandered in a somewhat weak final act. Review

Up to his old tricks but playing in a sandbox that feels much less inventive or interesting, this feels like a project too much for Lanthimos in his impressively prolific period. Review

Endlessly imaginative and like nothing else you’ll see on screen this year, it’s a feat in itself that such a niche film can be made in this climate, let alone make it into cinemas. Review