Alex G: “God Save the Animals”

Uneasy and quintessentially stilted. But on Alex G’s latest affair, he sounds as settled as he ever has.

Nope

Jordan Peele’s weirdest and least accessible film yet, Nope is still utterly enthralling till its satisfying end.

Steve Lacy: “Gemini Rights”

Albeit a bit twee, Gemini Rights is a rich-bassed reminder of Steve Lacy’s inescapable charm.

Safety Not Guaranteed

Drenched in indie-arthouse mystique and withdrawal, Safety Not Guaranteed comes perilously close to collapsing in on itself on multiple occasions. Courtesy of some intriguing performances and a central premise that has just enough surprises, it ends up curiously satisfying.

Earl Sweatshirt: “SICK!”

As unambitious as ever, “SICK!” is a brisk, withdrawn affair from Earl Sweatshirt. He’s labelled the album a humble capsule of his COVID-19 and lockdown thoughts. If you treat it that way, and nothing more, it’s deceptively intricate and gorgeously understated.

The Tragedy of Macbeth

A faithful recreation of Shakespeare’s classic play, The Tragedy of Macbeth is an enjoyable (if inaccessible) lark championing the talents of Denzel Washington and Francis McDormand.

The House of Gucci

Far from a disaster of a movie. But also not half as enthralling as it seems to think it is. The House of Gucci is a film that needed its director, and its actors, to stop for a second and wonder: what are we actually fucking doing?

The Matrix: Resurrections

It is supposedly possible to make a good Matrix sequel. BladeRunner 4020 managed a similar feat. But whereas that film was willing to let its ideas simmer a little more, Resurrections feels the pressure of its own moment. The original Matrix had a gritty, noir-ish, tense atmosphere tinged in a pale green that made it feel truly gripping. This film has none of that. Resurrections is a bit too afraid to be its own film and let itself breathe. In the process, it’s not much of a film at all.

SZA is her bubbly, vindictive self on “I Hate U”

Continue reading “SZA is her bubbly, vindictive self on “I Hate U””

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.