News

Lapsis—exploitation and resistance in a futuristic gig economy

The social commentary is a bit on the nose. It’s also largely on the money

Outrageous satire can’t make up for outdated jokes in America: The Motion Picture

This is Netflix’s attempt to do what Adult Swim has been doing well for years

Welcome back to Zamrock—how WITCH made a return

WITCH: We Intend to Cause Havoc tracks down the pioneers of a unique brand of Zambian rock. It tells their story—and the history of Zambia too

Great satire about class in surreal comedy caper How to Kidnap the Rich

In How to Kidnap the Rich, a spoilt rich kid and his poor, smart manager are stitched up and forced on the run

Old superstitions and modern prejudices in Witch Hunt

What if witch trials happened in the 21st century, where magic was real?

Heartbreaking road movie where time is the enemy film

How to say goodbye to your loved one after you’ve discovered your mind is to be ravaged by early onset dementia?

On the frontline in Belarus

Aliaksei Paluyan’s documentary shot in Minsk during the anti government protests captures the horror of living a life under tyranny, writes Julia Ryder

Sweet Tooth adds optimism to apocalyptic science fiction

In a crowded field, the lightness of this new Netflix series helps it to stand out. But themes of scapegoating mean it keeps its dark edge

A Pandemic Poem rehashes a well-worn cliche

Where did the world go? asks poet Simon Armitage in a ponderous voice

Internalised homophobia, sexism, and ‘sounding gay’

David Thorpe’s documentary Do I Sound Gay? follows his journey through speech therapy as he attempts to adjust his voice

A city in revolt, seen through the eyes of its Labour mayor

This BBC documentary follows mayor Marvin Rees as he faces up to the Black Lives Matter movement. It’s interesting—and infuriating

Time—a tense and claustrophobic prison drama

The BBC is making a big deal of this new three-part prison drama—and not just because of its big name actors

After Love—a disturbing yet beautiful film about grief and identity

In After Love, recently bereaved Mary Hussain discovers her husband’s secret life—and what she has in common with his other family, writes Sophie Squire

Mdou Moctar’s Afrique Victime is an exciting and psychedelic album of Desert Blues

From the virtuosic guitarist, singer, and songwriter Mdou Moctar comes this musical and political tour de force

Exterminate All the Brutes—an uncompromising history of colonialism with a flaw

Raoul Peck takes an inventive approach to documentary-making with series Exterminate All the Brutes

Rare Beasts—a chaotic film with a confused message

Billie Piper wanted her first film to say something about sexism, parenthood and relationships—but what that something is isn’t clear

The High House is a vision of a dreadful future after climate catastrophe

It takes courage to write about climate catastrophe as it’s likely to unfold—steadily but also suddenly, and with a huge loss of life, in every sense of the word