Earl Sweatshirt drowns in his younger self on “2010”

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James Bond: No Time To Die

No Time To Die is classic Bond in all the worst ways. So polished that you have to squint to even recognise what it once was. We’re left with a hollowed-out shell of an action film, and a star-studded cast without any substance. It’s faithful leading man, Daniel Craig, deserved a better send-off.

The French Dispatch

Wes Anderson’s ode to journalism is pure cinema. Each moment impeccably constructed and deliberately framed. It marks the highpoint of one of film’s greatest auteurs. Like Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, its creator simply asks you to do one thing – enjoy it.

Never Gonna Snow Again

A meditative film – Never Gonna Sleep Again has a difficult time hitting its marks, even if it generally remains engaging with its odd, sparse atmosphere and thought-provoking climate undertones.

The Card Counter

Paul Schrader, legendary writer/director, mines a topic he knows well in The Card Counter – that of the brooding, disaffected male loner. His muse this time – Oscar Isaac. Their minds meld in this slow-cooked thriller. But true to Schrader’s form, it cooks very slowly. It needs a kick of something.

Lorde: “Solar Power”

Pop music artists face a constant battle – the need to foster their unfathomable popularity whilst trying to keep their artistic integrity. Many fail, almost unapologetically. Others manage to succeed, but rarely entirely on their own terms. So what the fuck do we make of Solar Power? It features glistening, sunny production and Lorde’s vocals are as crisp as ever. But the writing is… almost so cringeworthy that it’s hard to believe. We’re left with a mess from an artist who is used to being very tidy.

Billie Eilish: “Happier Than Ever”

Artists don’t get much bigger than Billie Eilish. And like most pop music titans, it’s the whole “package” that Eilish has going for her – a distinct ethereal attractiveness; unattainable cool. All that makes it even more surprising how fascinating this album is. Gorgeous, warped production and sniping lyrics, all with Eilish snaking her way through the tracks in odd ways. For a 19 year-old who spends most of this album circling her insecurities, Eilish’s sound is as confident and elusive as any artist going around.

Vince Staples: “Vince Staples”

Vince Staples burst onto the scene with Summertime ’06. Ever since, he’s been a critical and fan darling, helped in no small amount to a personality not far-removed from a Black Jerry Seinfeld. He suffers from sky-high expectations on his eponymous album, Vince Staples. It felt like we were ready for something big. It had been a while. But this album simmers along, technically superb but never attention-grabbing. It’s a great piece of work. It can’t help but feel like he’s holding back, though.

Shithouse (Review)

Shithouse is all about distilling the awkwardness of The College Experience. The strange conflation of formative years, relentless opportunities to make mistakes, and vague promises of a limitless future. It’s anchored by an unusually tender lead performance and a handful of genuinely affecting moments. In Cooper Raiff’s directorial debut, he gives us real reason to watch his next move.

Call Me By Your Name (Review)

Few present-day movies are as self-indulgent as Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name. Set in a beautifully nostalgic 1980s Italy, this film feels extracted from another era. Based on the novel by André Aciman, it is an exploration in anguished love. A torture of the soul. It is at once beautiful and almost haunting, anchored by two of the greatest lead performances in recent memory, no qualifiers needed.