Katherine McLaughlin

The President’s Cake is out in cinemas now. It’s gorgeously shot and wonderfully performed. A young girl seeks out the ingredients for a cake she is being forced to make in 1990s Iraq. Director Hasan Hadi pictured below speaking with Danny Leigh about sanctions and the many children who died.

Strangers in Kyoto is one of the funniest depictions of passive aggressive behaviour I’ve seen in a while. A Tokyo manga writer annoys the locals and her In-laws as she gets to grips with their traditional values. As things get more unhinged she trolls them with her work. I loved the ending!

I know The Chronology of Water will be a difficult watch for some but I do recommend it list.co.uk/news/the-chr... and think Kristen Stewart has turned in a bold debut. Out now in cinemas. My review @thelistuk.bsky.social

The Hotel of My Dream is funny, knowing and absurd from the outset as it ruthlessly satirises the literary world and the aspirations of a young novelist. It’s based on the semi-autobiographical book by Asako Yuzuki (the author of Butter). Goes to places I didn’t expect and made me laugh loads.

I had such a fun time watching Ghost Killer! A supernatural buddy comedy where the combat skills of a dead hitman are transferred to a young female student. The fight scenes are thrillingly directed even if the feminist commentary is blunt. Good to see gross sex pests get their comeuppance.

I Am What I Am is an involving drama starring the brilliant Toko Miura from Drive My Car as a woman struggling with societal pressure when it comes to relationships. It’s compelling and wonderfully open minded on sexuality, life choices and love 💜

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme starts today across various venues across the UK www.jpf-film.org.uk until 31st March. So here’s a thread with a few recommendations from me.

I finally watched F1 yesterday 🙃 Not good! I can’t believe it got a nom.

Andrea Arnold’s BIRD is now available to watch on BBCiPlayer. I really recommend it: list.co.uk/news/nykiya-... I spoke to young star Nykiya Adams about her role in the film working alongside Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski @thelistuk.bsky.social

Is This Thing On? review – funny, insightful, brilliantly directed Bradley Cooper's third directorial feature about a struggling marriage through the eyes of a stand-up comedian buzzes with energy and emotion.

My review of Is This Thing On? lwlies.com/reviews/is-t... @lwlies.com Out now in cinemas.

I’m probably in agreement but I need to watch it first haha!

It’s showing on BFI Player atm and it’s great. I can’t wait to get stuck into the boxset.

Oh that’s sad to hear. Wiseman is the best. I just watched Multi-Handicapped for the first time.

Yes same! It deserved a nom.

Also some of my words were removed because I mentioned how difficult the business of film criticism has been recently…they accidentally edited out my thoughts on Sinners too.

With the release of No Other Choice this week which is one of the best of the year for me I thought I’d share my votes and some words I wrote for the S&S/BFI 2025 best films poll…1/2

I'm heading up to Birmingham on 2nd February to work with Flatpack Festival on an event all about cinema history and BFI Replay.

We're going to discuss the role that cinemas can (and should!) play in our local communities and across the cultural landscape.

flatpackfestival.org.uk/event/silver...

Ecstatic for all the SINNERS Oscar noms obviously but a shame to not see any love for The Testament of Ann Lee or Sorry, Baby.

I also recommend watching Cutting Through Rocks which got nominated for an Oscar in the Best Documentary Feature category. I spoke to the filmmakers behind the film list.co.uk/news/sara-kh... for @thelistuk.bsky.social

Arco review: Beautifully Bittersweet Time-Travel Animation A boy goes on a time-travelling mission in Ugo Bienvenu’s wondrous hand drawn animated feature. Our review of Arco...

Happy for the ARCO Oscar nomination! My review www.scifinow.co.uk/reviews/arco... @scifinow.bsky.social

Jafar Panahi

A large crowd of protesters gathered on a city street surrounding an Immigration Enforcement van. Several uniformed officers stand in front of the van, forming a line. People in the crowd hold signs. A Palestinian flag is visible in the upper left corner. The scene is densely packed with people, some sitting on the ground and others standing, with cars partially blocked by the crowd. The background shows a stone building with multiple windows and a bus stop shelter.

GFF26 news!

BAFTA-winner Felipe Bustos Sierra’s documentary, Everybody to Kenmure Street, will open our 22nd edition on 25 February.

Tickets for both Opening and Closing Galas will go on sale 10am Monday 19 January on our website.

Read more: bit.ly/GFF26_OpeningGalaAnnounced

A great Christmas film for every year, from 1925 to now A century of Christmas films, from winter warmers to bracing blasts of seasonal drama.

And here’s the full piece for BFI www.bfi.org.uk/lists/great-... Some great Christmas films in this list.

A few words on Christmas, Again for BFI which is released in UK cinemas for the first time this year.

💃 Hold everything!!! 💃

Introducing…

LWLies issue 111, dedicated to the meta-musical marvel that is Mona Fastvold’s The Testament of Ann Lee.

Cover art by Aleksandra Czudżak

On Netflix now

Left-Handed Girl is out in select cinemas from today and on Netflix at the end of the month. My glowing review list.co.uk/news/left-ha... @thelistuk.bsky.social Don’t let the title put you off!

If, after that, you fancy watching more great Argentinian cinema then you should check out Trenque Lauquen list.co.uk/news/trenque... It’s been 2 years since I first watched this film and still when faced with making complex life decisions I think to myself, ‘what would Laura do?’ Have an adventure!

Belén review – a superior femme-focused legal thriller from Argentina Dolores Fonzi channels Pedro Almodóvar in this taut, true-life tale of a woman who is wrongly arrested while in hospital.

You can read the excellent @lwlies.com review of Belen here lwlies.com/reviews/belen