Release Date – 17th November 2023, Cert – 15, Run-time – 2 hours 7 minutes, Director – Emerald Fennell

Reluctant to return home, Oxford student Oliver (Barry Keoghan) finds himself drawn into fellow student Felix’s (Jacob Elordi) wealthy family and estate, potentially staying beyond the summer.

Oliver stands out from the other students at Oxford. At least to the audience he does, to everyone else he’s a barely recognised background figure. The only other student he hangs around with is the equally unregarded Michael (Ewan Mitchell) – a figure who Oliver reluctantly asks sums to simply for the conversation. He spends the year wishing to be a part of the crowd circling the person who stands out to everyone, the intensely popular Felix (Jacob Elordi). After a chance encounter leads Oliver to lend Felix his bike one day the pair soon form of a bond as the summer approaches. With the “scholarship boy who buys his clothes from Oxfam” reluctant to return home to his seemingly distant and troubled family he finds himself invited to Felix’s estate for a few weeks.

Residing in the expansive Saltburn, and strictly adhering to the black-tie dress-code for dinner, is Felix’s high-class, wealthy family. Headed by Richard E. Grant as the eccentric father who throws a costume party just to gleefully wear his suit of armour, and Rosamund Pike as wife Elspeth, who will casually throw spite behind anyone’s back. None more so than ‘friend’ Pamela (Carey Mulligan). Each figure acts as a way for Emerald Fennell’s dialogue to further spark of the page in satirical fashion. While the surroundings may be darkly dramatic there’s an equally dark takedown of the rich running alongside them.

Whilst very different to her debut Promising Young Woman the writer-director still manages to create a sparkling screenplay with plenty to dig into, the writing is certainly the biggest push of the film. Bringing it to life is a set of great performances, understanding the comedy and dark tones, and managing to play pretty much everything straight with an occasional wry smile towards those being targeted.

Yet, little distracts from the lingering feel of Oliver making his way deeper and deeper into this world – the desires that he has to be a part of it, with his true turn arriving somewhat suddenly and feeling as if the film could somehow work as the origin story for Keoghan’s take on The Joker. His silent hopes and desires combatted by family friend Farleigh (Archie Madekwe) who consistently tells him he doesn’t belong here.

The class interactions between Oliver and the Catton family provide plenty of humour with their equal dramatic lift, and are the points which truly highlight the world and to an extent the course that the film takes. Things may feel somewhat stretched as the two hour mark nears and the twists and turns of the final stages become apparent but there’s still a good level of engagement as things come together – even if some of the stranger more ‘out there’ moments (you’ll know exactly when you see them) leave a slight question in the mind.

Such moments may cause disconnect from the film for some viewers, but if you’re able to get through them there’s an engaging drama at hand. One with both dark and comedic satire at play, helped by the performances which help to bring an occasional verbalised bite to Fennell’s excellent screenplay, without which the film may not have the same effect – both without its tonal shifts and with the chance that it might feel generic. Luckily, with the elements coming together in this particular telling Saltburn manages to move ahead and stick the landing rather well with its various elements and tones throughout.

It won’t be for everyone, but there’s no denying that Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn screenplay is sparkling with darkness and satire, coming through in the tones and performances of the final film. It might stretch itself a bit too much in some scenes and the run-time, but for the most part its an effective and engaging drama.

Release Date – 3rd November 2023, Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 53 minutes, Director – Christos Nikou

Anna (Jessie Buckley) gets a job at an institute which can test the love between a couple, however despite a 100% result with her partner (Jeremy Allen White) the more time she spends at the centre the more conflicted she is with the result.

If you could prove the love in your relationship would you? This is the question that Fingernails follows on from as central character Anna (Jessie Buckley) gets a job at an institute which sets out to test the love between a couple. Couples go through various tests and processes – maintaining eye contact underwater, singing karaoke in French and finding each other only by smell – before a fingernail is taken from each, put into a machine and the result comes through. Either 0%, 50% or 100%, only one is ideal. Anna received a 100% result when testing with her long-term partner Ryan (Jeremy Allen White) a number of years before, however the more time she spends at her new job the more conflicted she becomes with the result.

This is the modern world and yet much of the technology on display, particularly the futuristic testing machine, seem plucked from the 70s or 80s. There’s an interest in the design and slight sci-fi elements which make up the film, however these are minimal and alone can’t lift the film up. Instead, we travel along familiar lines as Anna sees a potential relationship with co-worker Amir (Riz Ahmed), going against her 100% result with Ryan. There might be some good gags here and there to help things along, but they don’t distract from a narrative that, despite the surroundings, feels stuck in convention.

Fingernails largely comes across as a film kept afloat by its surrounding elements. The always-reliable Buckley and Ahmed give, as expected, good performances, and there are, as mentioned, some very good jokes here and there – a highlight being couples having to sit through a Hugh Grant retrospective. However, little adds to the very base genre elements which have the potential to make for something more interesting and original. Instead, they simply act as a backing for convention. A narrative arc that we’ve seen done before, and better.

Add in the fact that the developments themselves are rather slow, with the film clocking in at almost two hours when it could be closer to 90 minutes or so. Director Christos Nikou’s screenplay, written with Sam Steiner and Stavros Raptis, goes back and forth on the psychological impacts the test has whether taken or not, however it skips between implications and focuses with little time to properly delve into certain aspects, with most helped by the central performances. It’s generally fine, but with the promise of interest and originality in place Fingernails is a familiar and therefore lacking piece of work with much of the lifting done by its non-narrative elements.

There’s potential for interest within Fingernails’ hints of sci-fi, however it falls into a conventional narrative with slow developments with the humour and performances being the core lift.

Release Date – 3rd November 2023, Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 31 minutes, Director – Molly Manning Walker

Sex, drink and partying are on the menu for three best friends (Mia McKenna-Bruce, Lara Peake, Enva Lewis) celebrating the end of school with a foreign holiday, however the shine is very quickly worn off for Tara.

There are multiple false senses of relief and security within writer-director Molly Manning Walker’s feature debut. Even the opening ten minutes provides something of a false sense of what’s to come as best friends Tara (Mia McKenna-Bruce), Skye (Lara Peake) and Em (Enva Lewis) literally dive straight into their week long foreign holiday to celebrate the end of school and their exams being over (if the threat of retakes doesn’t rear its head). Sex, drink and partying are on the menu – there’s a prize for who can get laid the most in addition to being allowed the main room in the hotel.

Tara is intent on finally losing her virginity while away. Not letting the comments of a beer-chug race leader – “no boy’s ever going to be happy with you” – get her down, especially in the face of getting to know the group in the room next door. Badger (Shaun Thomas), Paddy (Samuel Bottomley) and Paige (Laura Ambler) may be a couple of years older, but as fellow British partiers they soon form something of a double-unit with the central trio. As they see more of each other tensions begin to rise, particularly for Tara in her relationship to the increasingly obnoxious Paddy, and the thought of potentially struggling with three loud, screaming characters for 90 minutes soon fades away.

An air of nervousness makes its way into the frame. McKenna-Bruce captures it wonderfully with an increasingly quiet performance with plenty of subtle effect in the way Tara seems uncertain of what to say or do in certain situations and in others purely rejecting advances. It’s a nervousness which perfectly allows for an instant shift into pure tension after a confirmation into the final stages of the film. Even more so after earlier on experiencing a blanket of genuine warmth and comfort amongst friendly strangers after a hesitant and concerning night at the clubs.

One way in which the tonal shifts are dealt with is by diminishing the laughs throughout. There may only be one or two here and there in a generally naturalistic style, but even by reeling these back Manning Walker is able to make her points with a good deal of potent drama. It all mixes into an excellently performed and handled final scene or two which round everything off to allow for the themes and drama to echo with you for some time afterwards.

One particular lingering shot of Tara in a taxi, the camera and fading music threatening to leave the moment there almost as if about to cut to credits at any frame, is time given for everything so far to sink in for the moment. Will there be resolution? Is there resolution? Can there be any? Like Tara, we’re faintly hoping yet doubtful. Where the film takes us provides something and it’s sure to linger and cause thought afterwards.

Excellently shifting from nervousness to tension How To Have Sex is led by a strong lead performance from Mia McKenna-Bruce whose increasing quietness conveys so many of Molly Manning Walker’s themes and subtle ideas throughout.

Release Date – 27th October 2023, Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 58 minutes, Director – David Fincher

In the wake of a job going wrong an assassin (Michael Fassbender) takes it upon himself to track down his employers and contacts linked to the job.

We’re not meant to connect with Michael Fassbender’s stoney-faced assassin. We’re not entirely meant to empathise with him – he tells us frequently “forbid empathy. Empathy is weakness. Weakness is vulnerability”. What we’re meant to feel is intrigue for him and his process. A process which is wildly thrown off when a job goes wrong. The opening 10 minutes of David Fincher’s latest, written by Andrew Kevin Walker, based on the French comic-book of the same name, are made up of a steadily-paced monologue from Fassbender, delving into his process and how drawn-out it can be. His process is precise, exact and “fully logistical”.

So, when it goes wrong we’re thrown into a world of chaos just as he is, waiting to see what he does in still seemingly thoroughly-thought-out fashion. The central character, simply named The Killer, knows who he needs to get to and is working out how to get there; with the narrative divided into distinct chapters there’s a clearly even more specific and focused nature to things. Everything in Fassbender’s line of work is intricately detailed, memorised and acted upon. Imagine a John Wick-esque thriller without as much highly-stylised action, and a good deal more coldness.

This is something different from Fincher with a familiar coldness. There’s a distance between Fassbender and the world around him, or at least his work. It makes it easier for him, but once things go wrong a personal nature drips into the frame. While still carrying out work there’s a watered down feeling of ‘just business’ present to his actions. His narration throughout is equally distant, often monotone and matter-of-fact. His guide to assassination and executing the kill acts as the guiding consistent throughout. Trying to maintain a feeling of order despite the events that he’s been plunged into. During a key escape sequence towards the start of the film the state of the scene matches his demeanour: calm and collected with the knowledge of chaos and panic. It’s an interesting mix which adds further interest and intrigue into the central figure and the way in which he executes his affairs.

This isn’t to say that there’s a lack of tension in the action sequences. In fact, the moments that appear most planned by the protagonist bring the most suspense when something threatens to disturb the flow – one gym sequence in particular increases the seat-gripping nature the longer it goes on. Some of the action contrasts with the opening stages, and indeed the overall How To Succeed In Murdering With Plenty Of Trying nature. They’re violent and messy; bodies, bullets and blood crash through walls with a fiery background occasionally poking its head through the frame of a broken door.

Such moments are contained within the control and order of the rest of the film, especially when backed by Fassbender’s monologue – it’s an otherwise somewhat quiet performance which manages to have plenty of effect thanks to the narration which compliments it. Much like the film as a whole, there’s plenty of intrigue within the distanced mixtures on display making for an interesting, entertaining thriller.

The Killer is a cold, intriguing thriller led by a strong performance from Michael Fassbender who perfectly captures the calm and collected exterior of a film with plenty of controlled chaos and tension throughout.

Release Date – 20th October 2023, Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 50 minutes, Director – Garth Davis

A young couple (Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal) find their secluded lives disrupted when one is forced into taking part in a space mission for the next home for humanity.

“I need this stuff” Paul Mescal desperately says as he tries to cling to his earthly possessions before being sent to space. The days are dwindling before he’s sent away for a two-year mission he’s been ‘randomly selected’ for in order to research the next steps for humanity, after the planet has been in a years-long drought. It may be hard to say goodbye to his He-Man action figure, but it’s taking even more of a strain on his relationship to wife Hen (Saoirse Ronan).

The pair are trying to move forward as usual, however the constant appearances of Aaron Pierre’s Terrance – making sure that Junior (Mescal) is properly preparing for his mission – make things more difficult. Even more so when he begins to probe the couple about their lives, thoughts and emotions in order to make a clone of Junior for Hen while he’s gone. Why they can’t just make a clone to send to space instead of separating the couple is a matter nobody seems to think of.

As the weeks pass the relationship drama at hand remains a slow-burn. Things are watchable but not always gripping due to the gradual pacing not always creating the most investing set of events. The film as a whole is rather restrained and aiming for some form of naturalism and while there are patches of achievement here as a whole things aren’t always wholly engaging due to how drawn-out certain sequences are – especially the closing stages which border on reinforcing the point multiple times.

Good performances from the central trio help to keep some engagement, but don’t detract from some of the slightly basics feel at hand. The stripped back nature occasionally leads to a somewhat lacking feel overall as every now and then you wish that the film would just push itself that slight bit more. Not in terms of enhancing the sci-fi elements, they generally work well providing context and backing for the events at hand; but in terms of adding a bit more depth and engagement to the unfolding drama as the relationship could threaten to tear before the characters even get the chance to properly say goodbye, particularly with how unready they are to do so. The final result is something watchable, but not entirely engaging due to how slowly things move forward, despite how the film tries to pose the ticking clock to ‘goodbye’.

A stripped back sci-fi relationship drama, you sometimes find yourself wishing Foe would push itself a bit more amongst its watchable, yet slow, progression.

Release Date – 20th October 2023, Cert – 15, Run-time – 3 hours 26 minutes, Director – Martin Scorsese

When deaths of Osage tribe members begin to rise after the discovery of oil the FBI launches a murder investigation, with the trail potentially leading to a conspiracy amongst the white parties in the area

On the red carpet for the LFF premiere of Killers Of The Flower Moon long-time Scorsese editor Thelma Schoonmaker spoke to Letterboxd about what’s changed about the acclaimed filmmakers films over the decades. The topic of violence cropped up in her answer, saying that while it used to be depicted up-close and personal, much of it is now shown in long-shots. It’s certainly the case in his latest film as deaths are treated by key characters, and often shown, with a dead-pan ‘it’s just business’ manner.

It’s all part of the plan for the white parties who have largely worked their way into the Osage community following the discovery of oil in the area. Everyone is given their fair share of riches from the money made from the oil, however there are those who want more, if not more. Especially Robert De Niro’s William Hale, who takes his nephew Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio) under his wing shortly after he arrives in town. As Ernest falls for Lily Gladstone’s Mollie Burkhart deaths in the tribe begin to rise. None are treated as suspicious, or anything close to murder, simply ignored. Yet, as the stakes and threat rise it’s not long until the FBI get involved.

While some feel hope, there’s clear panic for others as they worry that something may be uncovered. How much of what’s been going on has simply been out of greed? Ernest frequently repeats, to the point of catchphrase, “I love money! I love money!” – it’s one of the first things he shouts as we’re introduced to him. With each development there’s more interest in the drama, particularly as things become more heated and (quite literally) explosive – a very effective moment helped by Scorsese’s use of one-shot and the overall scale of the film.

When going into production many questioned why David Grann’s novel of the same name needed $200 million to be adapted. Watching the final result it’s easy to see that the money has been well spent in the production design alone. The scale certainly creates a strong impact, placing you directly in the town at the centre of the piece. Brought further to life by the strong cast who populate it – Lily Gladstone manages to standout from even DiCaprio and De Niro.

Yet, the most effect comes in the overall pacing of the narrative developments. At almost three-and-a-half hours the pacing of the film and how it reveals details feels consistent, and never delayed or overlong. There’s a strong drama playing out which grips and engages thanks to the various elements at play. Connecting you with those who you need to connect with to truly feel the oppositions and antagonisms at play, especially as relationships darken or seem unclear. It’s such character details and thematic strength which means that the ‘just business’ nature of deaths and scheming doesn’t leak across the film and cover it entirely.

With strong thematic details and effectively placed developments Killers Of The Flower Moon is an engaging drama with plenty to connect with from both performances and scale.