Utilising dialogue lifted from personal letters, this is a dramatisation of the romance that led to Orlando, one of Virginia Woolf’s most celebrated novels. Anxious, fragile and early in her career, Woolf’s internal anxiety is bottled up by Elizabeth Debicki with the same silently tortured expression she’ll no doubt bring to Princess Diana in the next season of The Crown. Her muse, the promiscuous and emotionally needy Vita Sackville-West is given a full femme fatale fabrication by a vivacious, pretentious Gemma Arterton. It doubtless takes lavish liberties with the truth, but it’s not hard to imagine the reality of navigating such a scandalous, public affair in the 1920s, let alone turning it into a cherished work of fiction.

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Set in two time periods and running dual romantic narratives, this romantic-drama gives you a double shot at falling in love. In the present day, Michael (Lakeith Stanfield) and Mae (Issa Rae) are instantly drawn to one another, the screen sizzling with palpable chemistry. Even more engaging is the story of Mae’s mother and her journey to independence as a photographer in 1970s New York. After high profile roles in Knives Out and Get Out, Stanfield takes the lead in this naturalistic drama, with raw charisma and serious courting prowess. His overconfidence is both impressive and occasionally repellent, but is nicely contrasted by his cool, dependable counterpart in the past.

Executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and billed as a documentary that goes “beyond fame” to reveal the “true passions” of celebrities, this tells the formative stories of successful people like Shaquille O’Neal, Kristen Bell and Samuel L Jackson. Although the music can be overly dramatic (verging on distracting), there are genuine revelations in these candid interviews. Jackson’s dedication to political activism might surprise some people: Did you know he was a pall bearer for Martin Luther King? Eventually, each episode evolves into a shameless plug for each person’s cause celeb, charity or foundation, but you walk away with a grudging respect and some warm fuzzies.

After hitting it huge with Jerry Maguire, director Cameron Crowe did what all good writers are told to do and wrote about what he knew. As a teenager, he lied about his age, talked his way into writing for Rolling Stone magazine and went on tour with his favourite band. More than 20 years later, Almost Famous still rings resonantly true as a great rock-and-roll, coming-of-age story. A love letter to music, this iconic film captures the adolescent loss of innocence, the heyday of rock music and features great performances from an amazing cast, especially Frances McDormand, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and an incredible debut from Patrick Fugit. Classic.

The loss of innocence is more vivid and profoundly real in this confronting 2019 documentary. Film-maker Waad al-Kateeb shares five years of her life, as she falls in love, gets married and gives birth to her beloved daughter (Sama) in the beleaguered city of Aleppo, Syria. With an uprising taking place around her and bombs a part of daily life, she faces the choice between staying and fighting for the freedom she believes in, or fleeing to try to protect herself and her family. Told through whispered, intimate voiceovers, this shattering, multi-award-winning movie juxtaposes the hopeful joy of motherhood and new life against the horrible reality of war and death.

Source: Stuff.co.nz

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