Reviews

Limbo—the absurd tragedy of life as a refugee

Limbo, directed by Ben Sharrock, is a sensitive and unsensationalised portrayal of the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers

A lovely but heartbreaking book about memory and loss

A Spanish Civil War veteran is haunted by the horrors of the past—and the dying dictator Franco—in Last Days in Cleaver Square

Heroism and horror—true story of Auschwitz escape

Slovakia’s Oscar submission for best international film tells the true story of two Auschwitz prisoners who escaped hell.

Night of the Kings—factions and folk tales in unsettling prison drama

This strange, folk-tale like fantasy prison thriller might be unlike any film you’ve seen before

Anger out of fear—the New Cross Fire remembered

A documentary by director Steve McQueen remembers the black-led revolts of 1981—beginning with rage at the New Cross fire

Paula Rego—oppression, injustice and the art of defiance

A new exhibition looking back at the work of artist Paula Rego contains powerful critiques of life under fascism and capitalism

Two of Us—a story of forbidden love hidden for years

Two of Us tells the story of two female lovers in their 60s who have waited two decades to spend their lives together

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Outrageous satire can’t make up for outdated jokes in America: The Motion Picture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