My first time speaking on BBC Radio Oxford, where I spoke to afternoon show host Bridgitte Tetteh about legacy sequels and remakes in the wake of the release of Practical Magic 2.
As usual, there was a lot that could have been mentioned, but I’m generally happy with what I did manage to talk about in the brief amount of time that was had here, whilst still keeping in mind the listening audience.
This segment was broadcast live, where I appeared over the phone, on Friday 11th September 2026.
The film swapped for Schindler’s List and turned into a post-Reagan American take on the shattered façade of suburban perfection. Martin Scorsese’s take on Cape Fear removed the details intended for Spielberg and grew the film’s eventual ideas from a few brief mentions.
In this introduction I gave for a screening of the film at The Little Theatre in Bath in September 2026, as part of Picturehouse’s Scorsese season, I look into this and the influences on the director’s vision of 90s American family units.
You can find platforms currently streaming the film in your part of the world here.
After 15 years apart, Oasis reform and take the world by storm once again with a series of sell-out concerts as the Gallagher brothers, and their fans, don’t look back in anger.
Oasis reforming seemed like a significant, unbelievable to many, moment in music history. Fans, ticket vendors (and prices) went mad at the prospect of seeing the Gallagher brothers, Bonehead and co performing live together again after breaking up 15 years prior, followed by a decade-and-a-half of public grudges and no direct communication between the brothers.
Don’t Look Back In Anger is less a behind the scenes look at their 2025 world tour and the feelings building up to it and more a celebration of Oasis. Fans singing along, without the sound mix letting them overpower the band, with great passion to the many hits that construct the show. The pure infectiousness of being caught in the middle of jumping crowds and the musicians on stage made me want to go to an Oasis concert; I like the songs I’ve heard from the band but didn’t get caught in the fever of demand tickets, that was for the fans; as is this concert films
Those who dislike the Gallagher brothers won’t be unswayed by their stubbornness and perhaps ego, but as the film shows they’re somewhat aware of this. Their roots are attitudes are embraced, and in the end with a slight knowing humour from the pair. This is, however, one for the fans. Those who were at the gigs, or maybe not able to make it to them – those who snuck onto the hill opposite the walls surrounding Heaton Park or sung the titular anthem in times of struggle. The unity of Oasis and what they mean to different people.
We hear the personal stories of how the band’s music has connected with people across the world and helped them in difficult times. This is a celebration of their music through and through, especially once the gigs themselves start and we’re out of the rehearsal room where the rift between the brothers is a focal point that suddenly gets resolved by the first gig. Noel still clearly wears his emotions while Liam says he lets his anger out through singing, one of the most interesting, but briefly discussed, details from the pair.
Once the concerts properly start it’s clear that’s the focus, and much like the band things pick up proper with pure elation from all who are witnessing them.
I found the film increasingly welcoming me in as a smile started to spread across my face during the closing numbers. Some tracks throughout might feel slightly cut up, but others are given their space to erupt into raucous chorus. One that, when you take the title song, becomes something of a call to action stemming from the reunion of Liam and Noel and sweeping across the world, and now cinema screening rooms. Creating a loud, intimate, occasionally tense look at the band’s return.
A welcoming and intimate front-and-centre seat for Oasis’ reunion tour, it may not be the personal behind-the-scenes glimpse some might hope for, but it’s a loud, rousing, celebratory chorus for the fans who waited so long with the songs held close.
Early-twenties Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) gets a job working for acclaimed artist Erika Tracey (Olivia Wilde) in the build-up to her next installation, quickly becoming her sexual muse.
From the Sunset Boulevard-esque opening Gregg Araki and co-writer Karley Sciortino inverts that film and other notable references with a ferocity close to tearing them apart and reassembling the pieces in a bright fuchsia collage akin to those in the gallery of contemporary artist Erika Tracey (Olivia Wilde). Wilde is bold with equal heat in her performance as she sinks her teeth and nails into the scenery around her as the artist who quickly turns new employee, twenty-three-year-old Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) into her sexual muse.
Being unfulfilled by his girlfriend (Charli XCX), Elliot leaps with retriever-like enthusiasm into this BDSM relationship, with power and submission taking different views for both as Elliot’s relationships outside of that with Erika start to be drawn into the whirlpool – particularly best friend Apple (Chase Sui Wonders), seamlessly shifting from awkward humour into a new kind of dramatic awkwardness and tension between the pair in one intimate scene.
The humour doesn’t come directly from the aspects of power at play, or the simple base of sex, there’s a mature and adult look at the ideas at play, with intentional subversion of some of them through the laughs throughout. And there are indeed a good handful of chuckles to be had, helped by the cast, including a solid supporting cast, which also includes Daveed Diggs (who’s always great to see crop up) as Erika’s assistant.
There are jabs at the contemporary art scene, and exploitation of sex, too. Erika almost relies on it for her art, is it making a statement of sexual freedom and empowerment, or is it more for shock factor or playing into a successful market? Regardless, Elliot has fallen into it and after getting over initial anxieties he’s more than happy to keep exploring, getting a thrill and attention that he doesn’t get from his distant girlfriend – XCX is amusingly blunt with her performance as the completely bored and uninvested Minerva.
Araki shoots with bursts of colour in the surroundings. There’s a slight garishness to the bright colours coming from the art scene depicted on screen. The boldness of the characters, or at least Wilde’s manipulative artist who appears to be playing the role of artist in each facet of her personal and public life. Wilde fully commits in one of the boldest performances of her career and her effort pays off, with Erika feeling like the opposite of her character in this year’s earlier The Invite. She bites into the scenery, as does Araki and Sciortino, with a ferocity that brings out absurdity and the growing relationship tensions and dramas that Elliot spirals into with a well-tracked tonal shift in the third act. I Want Your Sex grabs attention with its boldness and then raunchiness, without skirting around its main subject or giggling at the prospect of its own title.
An adult comedy that doesn’t lean into the standard adult = sex, I Want Your Sex is a bold film with a ferocious turn from Olivia Wilde who brings out the laughs of the art world satireand growing tension between relationships faced by Cooper Hoffman’s torn and exhilarated muse.
Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 28 minutes, Director – Adrian Chiarella
Teenagers Naim (Joe Bird) and Ryan (Stacy Clausen) are subjected to a conversion exorcism, causing a demon to follow them that takes the form of the person they love most – each other.
The idea of ‘pray the gay away’, or going away to camp as a form of conversion therapy, has been provided much fear and pain in often indie dramas. In writer-director Adrian Chiarella’s feature debut; Leviticus, taken from the book in the Bible that some have interpreted verses in to forbid homosexuality, the Christian community of a rural Australian town are treated like the mob in a Scorsese gangster flick.
Dragging teenager Naim (Joe Bird) out of his mum’s (Mia Wasikowska) car to force him in-front of a ‘Deliverance Healer’ (Nicholas Hope), after finding out about his feelings for fellow student Ryan (Stacy Clausen), there’s less praying and something closer to being bludgeoned by possession. The feeling of being beaten with a crucifix as we’re well aware of what’s already happened during the alleged healing when Ryan and his other possible romantic interest, Hunter (Jeremy Blewitt), went through it earlier.
We’ve also seen the fear and bloody aftermath that follows. Fittingly inspired by It Follows by way of the Philippou brothers, Ryan and Naim find themselves stalked by demons, which only they can see, taking the form of the person they most desire, each other. From there the central pair are pushed and pulled apart by each other and their demons. Intimacy and attacks look very similar, one moment on a bus is especially tense as Chiarella pushes the camera through what feels like slow, suspenseful build-up to a fight for survival.
There’s plenty of tension throughout Leviticus, yet there’s still also a sense of yearning coming particularly from Bird’s protagonist. Yearning for Ryan, but also to understand and come to terms with his sexuality against the backdrop of intense conservative Christian pressure in the kind of town that’s so empty there’s nowhere to hide.
The layout is open, even with large buildings in the background the horizon appears to go on forever; Naim feels as if he could be eternally lost and chased. Yearning of course comes, sometimes, with a feeling of isolation and Chiarella and cinematographer Tyson Perkins understand that in their framing. Naim and Ryan both wish to escape, their closest and tensest moments revolve around it, often in the containment and opportunity of transport. The idea of mistrust, that the person opposite could kill them, overshadowing the potential freedom.
At just 88-minutes there’s a tightly edited story here which manages to draw out its suspense and fear against the growing horizon. A horizon scattered with fear, yearning and occasionally gnarly moments, especially once the switch is flicked as Naim and the audience experience what Ryan and Hunter have been stalked and attacked by. Leviticus brings another exciting voice for horror from Australia’s indie boom in the genre.
Tense and yearning, Leviticus captures the fear and isolation of wanting to be free. Intimacy and attacks blend together for suspense as the threat of demons and mob-like conservative Christianity hangs over each frame.
Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 58 minutes, Director – Ridley Scott
After a virus has wiped out most of humanity, survivor Hig (Jacob Elordi) hears a signal that indicates more, fending off deadly factions whilst searching for the source.
If you were to leave The Dog Stars and come back in a couple of minutes later there’s a chance that for a moment you might feel as if you’ve walked into a different film. While working as a whole piece there’s a feeling that the individual segments are striving for such different post-apocalyptic(ish) tones that once the film appears to have settled it wants to explore something new.
Jacob Elordi’s Hig is one of the few survivors of a virus that has wiped out most of humanity. That which remains has largely divided into factions with intent to kill anyone else on sight, stalking amongst overgrown cities – the design of which is consistently immersive even if the story unfolding within it lags behind. When Hig hears a signal from other possible friendly survivors whilst flying his plane to get supplies from the nearby city he becomes fixated on trying to find them, someone else other than grumpy, defensive sniper Bangley (Josh Brolin).
However, the dangers of the world outweigh the kindness of the likes of lightly-glimpsed Mennonite communities, such as one led by Benedict Wong, causing a handful of stops for Hig – including an uneasy one involving Margaret Qualley and Guy Pearce (giving a performance worthy of a much better film) as a father and daughter surviving in their isolated ranch. During this time the film keeps cutting back to Brolin with little to do until a burst of sudden action, simply shouting at us that we must be coming back to him properly later, otherwise his strand would be over with, he’s certainly not providing anything for Hig, or really the audience.
When in its flow there’s a likable sense to The Dog Stars. Scott’s attention to detail when it comes to the world has a real effect and a solid atmosphere in the initial world building. In the later stages an escape sequence brings in horror tones which feel out of place but hint at tenser possibilities even if in a very brief, otherwise out of place, moment. It’s a feeling that crops up a lot within The Dog Stars. Scott wanting to cover a lot and explore plenty of different tones and elements with a screenplay that doesn’t cover as much, or help to contain the directors vision.
Each longer thread and sequence has something to it to like and engage, particularly when leaning into the quieter character threat at hand – which Pearce captures from the first moment he appears on screen – other louder, more explosive action feeling more rushed and out of nowhere. While it might feel slow in some areas the two-hour run-time doesn’t feel too pushed and there’s just about enough in the world to keep us engaged, especially when the characters feel a part of it rather than being dwarfed in it.
With a screenplay that can’t keep up with its director’s grander vision, the world of The Dog Stars is immersive but the story itself lags behind. When focusing on threat there are effective moments, but they feel brief amongst the larger tonally shifting sequences.
Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 52 minutes, Director – Jane Schoenbrun
Looking to relaunch a classic slasher franchise, director Kris (Hannah Einbinder) visits the original film’s reclusive final girl (Gillian Anderson) leading to awakenings and confrontations for both.
Long before it became more upfront in recent years, horror has long been a lens for social commentary. Jane Schoenbrun’s latest feature combines how the pat and present have confronted this by following young director Kris (Hannah Einbinder) as she looks to relaunch the long-dormant Camp Miasma franchise – this world’s Friday The 13th, where Jason, here called Little Death (Jack Haven), has an air vent on his head – with a view to cast the original film’s final girl, Billy Presley (Gillian Anderson – on fine form as a modern day Norma Desmond).
While the Camp Miasma franchise has been heavily criticised for outdated views, depictions and a slightly schlocky attitude, there’s something about it that Kris has fallen in love with over the years; another aspect has seen Little Death become an iconic character. Meanwhile, Billy, living in the camp the original film was made in, still holds traumas from her time filming. These layered meanings and dual existences are at the core of Schoenbrun’s film which feels less an analysis or thesis on the subject and more an entertaining look at the changing face of horror amongst evolving attitudes and reclamations.
While their work may not be for everyone, Schoenbrun has so far made films that have more than resonated with audiences but that they’ve actively identified and found something with – particularly 2024’s I Saw The TV Glow which, while I may have been lukewarm on preferring 2021’s skin-crawlingly unsettling internet horror We’re All Going To The World’s Fair, received a lot of praise, especially from late-millennials and early Gen-Zs.
The same may very well be the case for Teenage Sex And Death, which could have more mass appeal, as a viewing of a Camp Miasma film; complete with geyser-like blood sprays, starts to meld its way into woozy dream, or dream-like, sequences. Providing awakenings for the central pair, both wonderfully performed by the two leads who capture a knowingly Sunset Boulevard nature to the characters which also evolves once pointed out. The footage of Camp Miasma is an extended sequence which starts to feel overlong amongst the rest of the film, despite working well as its own thing, but there’s still the two stars to take us through the rest of the journey.
One that should work well for horror fans, but should be accessible for those who tend to avoid the genre; there aren’t exactly scares here as such, the main horror beats come through in the understanding and links to the genre, although there are patches of splatter. What helps Schoenbrun’s film is that understanding without feeling like a textbook. There’s an entertaining story of different identities through one film, and franchise, here. For different ages, experiences and traumas. Cleverly and enjoyably pieced together in a sexually-tinged crimson furor.
A smart look at the kaleidoscopic faces horror can wear, Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma may draw some tangents out a bit too long, but it all comes back to the two well-performed leads and their layered relationships with each other and the titular franchise, each modern and personalfrom Schoenbrun.
Cert – PG, Run-time – 1 hour 43 minutes, Director – Dave Green
After years of Acme products failing on him whilst trying to catch the Road Runner, Wile E Coyote hires a small-claims lawyer (Will Forte) to help him sue the corporation.
It’s been a long road for Coyote Vs Acme to get to the big screen. Initially set for release in 2023 before being almost deleted as part of Warner Bros set of tax write-offs – one of the most egregiously anti-art moves in modern cinema – campaigns at awards shows, outside the studio lot and across social media; all of which are thanked in the end credits, saw Ketchup Entertainment; who also saved this year’s animated Looney Tunes feature The Day The Earth Blew Up, purchase distribution rights for the film.
It’s fitting then, that the film looks at the resilience and determination of cartoons, particularly Wile E Coyote in his attempts to catch the Road Runner. No matter how many roadblocks he hits, or cliffs he plummets from, he gets back up and purchases another Acme product. However, when they keep failing on him he decides that he’s faced enough humiliation and must sue the corporation.
Hiring crumpled small-claims lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte) a case for faulty rocket boots soon escalates into a multi-million dollar suit, facing off against Acme’s chief counsel Buddy Crane (an entertainingly straight-faced, cartoonish John Cena). Despite being told to be on his best behaviour, antics start to unfold both in and out of the courtroom.
This is the world of the Looney Tunes characters that humans just happen to be living in, with some using the cartoon aspects to their advantage. There’s an enjoyable chaos as the Tasmanian Devil spins a whirlwind through the courtroom, or Bugs Bunny playfully amusing himself with wisecracks and parody.
Eric Bauza, who has been the resident Looney voice actor for the last few years, and brings as much energy as many of these characters would have had almost 80 years ago, was one of the most vocal figures in the campaign to get the film released – yelling in the voice of Daffy Duck “release Coyote Vs Acme” during a speech at the Annie Awards in 2024. He takes Foghorn Leghorn and, alongside Samy Burch’s screenplay, manages to turn him into a boo hiss corporate villain as the CEO of Acme while still keeping the heart of the character.
Coyote Vs Acme sticks true to these characters. Their wackiness, ability to defy gravity until they look down and just how squashable, flexible and chaotic they can be. They fit in to a human world because their presence already defies it and continues to do so through their actions, while humans more exist alongside them, like Eddie Valiant plunging into Toontown. There’s consistently funny slapstick and playfulness amongst the growing levels of courtroom comedy. Fully embracing the humour and determination of cartoons in our world, those ideas match some of the journey it took to get this released, and what a great thing that it was.
Much like its cartoons, Coyote Vs Acme has proved to be determined, resilient and just a bit chaotic. Embracing that about the animated characters who maintain their heart, the world and trial are successfully formed around them for plenty of humour.
“I didn’t want to be a product of my environment, I wanted my environment to be a product of me.” With a rewrite of the character of Frank Costello the script for The Departed started to line up much more with Martin Scorsese’s view of the world in the film and real life.
I talk about how Scorsese’s views on America’s response to 9/11 and the Iraq War led to a more heated, pointed film compared to his usual matter-of-fact style in my introduction for the film, which was given before a screening at The Little Theatre in Bath in August 2026, as part of Picturehouse’s Scorsese season.
To see where you can buy, rent or stream the film, if you don’t have a physical copy, follow this link.
A return to BBC Radio Somerset to discuss the long journey to save and release Coyote Vs Acme, and some chat about the big summer movies of 2026 with Breakfast show presenter Charlie Taylor.
This segment was broadcast live, with me appearing over the phone, on Friday 21st August 2026.