Not ten months since Sebastián Lelio walked away from February’s Oscars with an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language, the Chilean-Argentine director returns to UK screens with another tremendous feature, this one his English language debut. Thought provoking but no less thoroughly cinematic, Disobedience continues A Fantastic Woman’s explorations of sexuality and normative entrapment, whilst adding concerns of religious liberty and expectation. A sublime trio of leading performances make for an elegant cherry on the cake.
You’d expect an uplifting Dolly Parton soundtrack to be more effective at saving a film like Dumplin’. This is the story of a plus sized young woman who enters a beauty pageant in a burst of body positive rebellion. It’s twee, syrupy and as flat as a gluten, lactose and flavour free pancake.
Try to imagine, for a moment, the dismay at Leavesden when Warner Bros. realised that Andy Serkis’ take on The Jungle Book would not only invite comparison to a Disney animated classic but also that studio’s hugely successful remake. Despite some flaws, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle deserves to be judged on its own merits, of which there are many. This Kipling adaptation takes time to get used to but is generally worth the effort.
The Film Blog 