Reviews by Owen Van Spall

Order by: Date, A–Z

• 
  Late Night (2019)

  Review preview for Late Night

  Ganatra’s film falls short in many ways despite having the best of intentions.

  A late-night talk show host’s world is turned upside down when she hires her only female staff writer. Originally intended to smooth over diversity concerns, her decision has unexpectedly hilarious consequences as the two women separated by culture and generation are united by their love of a biting punchline.
• 
  Hail Satan? (2019)

  Review preview for Hail Satan?

  Intriguing and often rib-ticklingly funny.

  A look at the intersection of religion and activism, tracing the rise of The Satanic Temple: only six years old and already one of the most controversial religious movements in American history. The Temple is calling for a Satanic revolution to save the nation’s soul. But are they for real?
• 
  The Nightingale (2018)

  Review preview for The Nightingale

  What does leave an impression is the acting, the use of locations, and the intensity of the experience; this is a bloody, angry and sad film about oppression and the consequences of it.

  A young convict in a penal colony seeks revenge.
• 
  Corporate Animals (2019)

  Review preview for Corporate Animals

  Rarely becoming laugh-out-loud funny to compensate for any sophistication in the conceit, Corporate Animals is at its best when it takes the ludicrous scenario into the craziest, ickiest areas.

  Disaster strikes when the egotistical CEO of an edible cutlery company leads her long-suffering staff on a corporate team-building trip in New Mexico. Trapped underground, this mismatched and disgruntled group must pull together to survive.
• 
  The Farewell (2019)

  Review preview for The Farewell

  Wang proves adept at slowly and gently building up the onion layers of this family as more and more of them come into each other’s orbit.

  A headstrong Chinese-American woman returns to China when her beloved grandmother is given a terminal diagnosis. Billi struggles with her family’s decision to keep grandma in the dark about her own illness as they all stage an impromptu wedding to see grandma one last time.
• 
  Apollo 11 (2019)

  Review preview for Apollo 11

  Despite knowing, thanks to the consumption of a dozen or so books, how things would play out...I still found myself tensing up when we see the Eagle lunar lander begin its descent

  A purely archival reconstruction of humanity’s first trip to another world, featuring never-before-seen 70mm footage and never-before-heard audio from the mission.
• 
  They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)

  Review preview for They Shall Not Grow Old

  Jackson’s interventions into archive material are often startling and sometimes very transporting and moving, but in my view this film is best approached as more of a well-intentioned artistic reinterpretation.. than a restoration.

  Archive, colourised footage tells the story of the First World War.
• 
  Shadow (2018)

  Review preview for Shadow

  Going along with a bonkers plot and lashings of melodramatic confrontations between the characters is a hell of a lot easier to do when you have a well-done Wuxia spectacular to delight your eyes.

  The story of a great king and his people, who will be expelled from their homeland and will aspire to claim it.
• 
  Support The Girls (2018)

  Review preview for Support The Girls

  Hall makes you feel the constant battle between exhaustion, frustration, and compassion,

  The wild story of one day at a traditional American sports bar.
• 
  Bisbee '17 (2017)

  Review preview for Bisbee '17

  Though the film feels too smart and too busy for its own good at times, the story remains fascinating (though troubling), and the cinematography always striking.

  An old mining town on the Arizona-Mexico border finally reckons with its darkest day: the deportation of 1200 immigrant miners exactly 100 years ago. Locals collaborate to stage recreations of their controversial past.
• 
  Lizzie (2018)

  Review preview for Lizzie

  This is a grim, austere story of the pressure cooker of frustration, rage and fear that results when the patriarchy squeezes just as tight as the corsets of the time.

  Lays bare the legend of Lizzie Borden to reveal the much more complex, poignant and truly terrifying woman within — and her intimate bond with the family’s young Irish housemaid, Bridget Sullivan.
• 
  The Old Man & The Gun (2018)

  Review preview for The Old Man & The Gun

  If Tucker hadn’t been a real person, you would have had had to invent him so Redford could play him, so perfect is the fit.

  Based on the story of a man who escaped San Quentin at 70 and went on to commit a string of heists that captivated the public.
• 
  Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)

  Review preview for Won't You Be My Neighbor?

  Neville makes a solid case about why Rogers' impact remains so great even if the man himself remains partially concealed from us.

  Documentary about the US public TV children's show host who had a lasting influence.
• 
  The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs (2018)

  Review preview for The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs

  Scruggs still suffers from the problem that afflicts too many other anthologies - not all the tales come up to the same level in telling the essentially Coen-esque truth over and over.

  An anthology of short films based on a fictional book of “western tales”.
• 
  Mandy (2018)

  Review preview for Mandy

  The film only lives up to about 80% of the promise whereas I wanted 150%.

  Pacific Northwest. 1983. Outsiders Red Miller and Mandy Bloom lead a loving and peaceful existence. When their haven is savagely destroyed by a cult, Red is catapulted into a phantasmagoric journey filled with bloody vengeance.
• 
  A Star Is Born (2018)

  Review preview for A Star Is Born

  Hugely enjoyable, shamelessly melodramatic and technically swish.

  A seasoned musician discovers — and falls in love with — a struggling artist. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer… until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight.
• 
  Skate Kitchen (2018)

  Review preview for Skate Kitchen

  Skating, drugs, genital preferences, menstruation; there is a frankness and authentic air to the chatter.

  Camille's life as a lonely suburban teenager changes dramatically when she befriends a group of girl skateboarders. As she journeys deeper into this raw New York City subculture, she begins to understand the true meaning of friendship as well as her inner self.
• 
  A Tiger In Winter (2017)

  Review preview for A Tiger In Winter

  Lee Jin-uk’s very inward performance is given a much-welcome contrast by the arrival in the narrative of the delightfully peculiar Ko Hyun-jung.

  On a winter day, when a tiger escapes from the zoo, a man is kicked out of his girlfriend's house. Having no place to go, he wanders from here to there while working as a substitute driver and meets his old girlfriend.
• 
  Racer And The Jailbird (2017)

  Review preview for Racer And The Jailbird

  As entertaining as the above is with its two charismatic leads, it is not an especially novel path for a 'crime couple' thriller to take, and it is in the last act that Racer kind of goes off the rails.

  In the Belgian underworld, a secret threatens a couple's romance.
• 
  Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

  Review preview for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

  So riddled with logic gaps, dumb character decisions and simple confusion about how we should view the entire conceit, that the actual genetic recreation of dinosaurs from 65 million years ago starts looking believable in comparison.

  When Owen and Claire return to Isla Nublar, they stumble on a conspiracy that threatens the Earth.
• 
  First Reformed (2017)

  Review preview for First Reformed

  First Reformed ends up being a satisfying meditative echo rather than a simple replay of Schrader greats.

  Thriller centring on an ex-military chaplain who has lost his son and a member of his church who is grieving for her husband.
• 
  The Miseducation Of Cameron Post (2018)

  Review preview for The Miseducation Of Cameron Post

  I was won over by the whole approach of this confident sophomore feature pretty early on, from the witty, frank but also very tender script to the great casting and performances.

  1993: after being caught having sex with the prom queen, a girl is forced into a gay conversion therapy center.
• 
  Hereditary (2018)

  Review preview for Hereditary

  I personally found Aster’s film incredibly unsettling, one of the closest approximations to the kind of nightmares that really shake me that I have seen on film recently.

  After their reclusive grandmother passes away, the Graham family tries to escape the dark fate they've inherited.
• 
  Leave No Trace (2018)

  Review preview for Leave No Trace

  One thing I particularly enjoyed was that it balances its study of Will with an exploration of Tom’s coming of age, while never making Will’s decision to drop out morally clear-cut.

  A father and daughter find themselves searching for a place to call their own after their off-the-grid lives are discovered by the authorities.
• 
  Half The Picture (2018)

  Review preview for Half The Picture

  Despite its conventional approach, Adrion’s doc reveals itself to be a comprehensive and important study

  Successful women directors tell the stories of their art, lives and careers - and the inequalities that have held them back.
• 
  Never Goin' Back (2018)

  Review preview for Never Goin' Back

  It is a film that is sustained by the irresistible, irrepressible duo at its heart, and by the appeal of seeing the typical stoner bro movie repurposed for the female perspective.

  Jessie and Angela, high school dropout BFFs, are taking a week off to chill at the beach. Too bad their house got robbed, rent’s due, they’re about to get fired and they’re broke.
• 
  Breaking In (2018)

  Review preview for Breaking In

  The problem with Breaking In is not that it is silly, but that it isn't quite silly enough.

  A woman tries to save her children, who are being held hostage in her father's fortress-like country house.
• 
  A Cambodian Spring (2017)

  Review preview for A Cambodian Spring

  Kelly’s film covers a lot of ground, though maybe too much.

  An intimate portrait of three people caught up in the chaotic and aggressive sweep of forced evictions.
• 
  Prevenge (2016)

  Review preview for Prevenge

  Writer-director Alice Lowe takes a blowtorch to the picture postcard image of pregnancy.

  A pregnant serial killer is out for vengeance.
• 
  Nocturnal Animals (2016)

  Review preview for Nocturnal Animals

  This is a study of bitter, sorry people hurting each other using ancient memories, propelled like bullets via the power of fiction.

  A woman is haunted by her ex-husband's novel, which she interprets as a veiled threat.
• 
  Doctor Strange (2016)

  Review preview for Doctor Strange

  The most mind-bending, spectacular visuals of the entire series.

  A former neurosurgeon embarks on a journey of healing only to be drawn into the world of the mystic arts.
• 
  The Clan (2015)

  Review preview for The Clan

  The film is briskly paced, infused with energy and the backdrop remains interesting.

  The true story of the Puccio Clan. A family who kidnapped and killed people in the 80s.
• 
  13th (2016)

  Review preview for 13th

  Effectively assembles footage and facts in a relentless barrage that just overwhelms you, while confidently establishing connecting threads that have terrifying implications.

  An in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.
• 
  The Pass (2016)

  Review preview for The Pass

  It is very well acted, with an explosively complex lead performance from Russell Tovey and an equally expressive supporting turn from Arinzé Kene.

  The lives of two young premier league footballers are complicated by an impromptu kiss.
• 
  La La Land (2016)

  Review preview for La La Land

  This film might wear its heart on its sleeve, but it is technically slick, well-acted, and laced with ear-friendly tunes. It is, in short, a proper musical.

  A jazz pianist falls for an aspiring actress in Los Angeles.
• 
  Lupe Under The Sun (2015)

  Review preview for Lupe Under The Sun

  Reyes establishes a sense of the well-worn ritual that Lupe has acclimatised to, as well as showcasing the restraints on his existence due to poverty and his outsider status.

  Portrait of a Mexican migrant who spent his life working in California, away from his family back home.
• 
  Train To Busan (2016)

  Review preview for Train To Busan

  As befits a film set on a rapid commuter train, the pace rarely lets up.

  A train journey is complicated by the presence of the living dead.
• 
  Jason Bourne (2016)

  Review preview for Jason Bourne

  The powerfully cathartic ending of The Bourne Ultimatum is a long shadow to get out of, and this film never quite manages it.

  Bourne tries to uncover the secrets from his past.
• 
  Star Trek Beyond (2016)

  Review preview for Star Trek Beyond

  The film’s flaws come primarily in the weak villain and some irritating editing and plotting choices.

  The Enterprise encounters a new enemy.
• 
  Alice Through The Looking Glass (2016)

  Review preview for Alice Through The Looking Glass

  This movie is a candy-coloured mess.

  Alice returns to Wonderland to save the Mad Hatter.
• 
  The Ones Below (2015)

  Review preview for The Ones Below

  There is potential in the scenario and a game cast, but Farr's film is hobbled by some clunky execution and tonal uncertainty.

  When a strange couple move in downstairs, a married pair find their happy home becomes something far more sinister.
• 
  Bone Tomahawk (2015)

  Review preview for Bone Tomahawk

  Brutally effective in what it does overall, which is fuse western and horror tropes to create a slow-burning, visceral experience that, although not flawless, should ensure fans of both genres are satisfied.

  Four men set out in the Wild West to rescue a group of captives from cannibalistic cave dwellers.
• 
  Steve Jobs (2015)

  Review preview for Steve Jobs

  Sorkin can craft some ear-tickling, metaphor-laden dialogue, even if it is impossible to imagine real people actually speaking it with this level of consistency.

  A biopic of the computing entrepeneur.
• 
  When Marnie Was There (2014)

  Review preview for When Marnie Was There

  Showcases the hand-drawn aesthetic and an admirable focus on female characters that is part and parcel of the Ghibli brand.

  A young girl sent to recuperate in the countryside finds an unsual friend.
• 
  Madonna (2015)

  Review preview for Madonna

  This gloomy film certainly has the power of its rage and anguish, but it could have used some restraint too.

  When a Jane Doe is marked for heart transplant a nurse tries to find out about her life.
• 
  Beasts Of No Nation (2015)

  Review preview for Beasts Of No Nation

  The result is a gripping, disturbing experience, though one which risks numbing as much as it informs or shocks viewers.

  Based on the namesake novel by Uzodinma Iweala, Beasts of No Nation tells the story of the young Agu, recruited as soldier to fight in a civil war in an African country.
• 
  Closet Monster (2015)

  Review preview for Closet Monster

  Well-paced, genuinely funny most of the time and emotionally resonant.

  A sexually confused teenager drifts into a fantasy world where his anxieties take physical shape.
• 
  Make More Noise! Suffragettes in Silent Film

  Review preview for Make More Noise! Suffragettes in Silent Film

  An illuminating and funny compilation of 21 silent-era archival pieces.

  Archive footage from 1899-1917 showing women on film.
• 
  Sworn Virgin (2015)

  Review preview for Sworn Virgin

  A wintry, hushed but observant drama set against a truly fascinating backdrop of unusual, ancient cultural traditions.

  A woman who has taken an oath to live as a man rediscovers her sexuality.
• 
  The Witch (2015)

  Review preview for The Witch

  Eggers effectively builds the terror up gradually until it eventually supplants the bleakness and leads everything spinning into a tornado of hysteria.

  A family of New England settlers find their faith tested when their son disappears... possibly snatched by something evil in the woods.