“To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself.”
~ Anoher Round, 2020
With the Paris Olympics starting tomorrow, we thought it might be a good week to offer some alternative Olympic content that you can enjoy regardless of whether you like sports.
Based on the true story of two Syrian sisters who flee war-torn Damascus and swim for hours in choppy Mediterranean seas to reach Greece as asylum seekers before going on to compete at the Rio Olympic Games.
Eddie Edwards (Taron Egerton), an underdog ski-jumper, tackles various challenges in order to become the first participant to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski-jumping.
Winner of four Academy Awards, this classic film (with its iconic score) is based on the true story of Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson) and Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) who race for the gold in the 1924 Olympics.
Steve Carell was nominated for Best Actor for his portrayal of John E du Pont, the wealthy sponsor that invited Olympic wrestlers and estranged brothers, Mark (Channing Tatum) and Dave (Mark Ruffalo), to join team Foxcatcher.
Netflix also made the documentary Team Foxcatcher a couple of years after the film. You can watch the trailer here, but there are some spoilers if you’re not familiar with the story.
Jamie Lee Curtis is set to receive an honorary doctorate from the American Film Institute. Read more.
Inside Out 2 surpasses Frozen 2 as the highest-grossing animated film of all time, taking $1.46 billion at the global box office. Read more.
Judd Apatow is working on a documentary about comedy legend Mel Brooks. Read more.
And finally, Cate Blanchett, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Daniel Craig, Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga are all expected to attend this year’s Venice Film Festival. Read more.
UK: 15 November // USA: 1 November
Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events — selecting a new pope. Finding himself at the centre of a conspiracy, he discovers a secret that could shake the very foundation of the Roman Catholic Church.
UK: December // USA: December
At the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, a young Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet) shakes up his act on the folk music scene by going electric — defining one of the most transformative moments in 20th-century music.
My only reservation? It’s hard to see Timothée Chalamet as anyone but Timothée Chalamet.
In an effort by Disney to make Tarzan more accessible to a global market, Phil Collins was tasked with performing the soundtrack in several languages including French, German, Italian and Spanish.
In the clip below, you can watch and listen to Collins as he sings ‘Strangers Like Me’ in a variety of languages, and you know what? It’s phenomenal.
4.5 (out of 5)
USA: Only in cinemas
UK: Only in cinemas
1hr 46m
Levan Akin
Lia (Mzia Arable), a retired teacher, has promised to find her long-lost niece. Her search takes her to Istanbul where, with the help of Achi (Lucas Kankava), she meets Evrim (Deniz Dumanli), a lawyer fighting for trans rights, who offers to help them in their search.
From Swedish filmmaker Levan Akin comes Crossing, a heartfelt drama about identity, family, and acceptance that stands out as one of the most human and compassionate films of 2024.
Akin gives us one-on-one screen time with the three most central characters, Lia (Mzia Arable’s) Achi (Lucas Kankava) and Evrim (Deniz Dumanli). In doing so, he creates an intimacy that keeps us invested in their personal journeys. As subplots, their own stories don’t distract from the primary narrative, but they do go a long way in creating characters we genuinely care about.
Even the secondary characters have an important part to play, protagonists’ wants, guiding them on their journeys, or providing well-executed comic relief. It never ceases to amaze how films like Crossing can create characters with such depth when much longer films often struggle.
This isn’t only a testament to Akin’s talent as a storyteller but to the performances of the entire cast. From Arable’s stern and serious Lia to the young busker Izzet (Bünyamin Değer), each character has a purpose.
The film doesn’t feel rushed either, but rather carefully thought out and well-paced. While some scenes may feel slow, they offer moments for reflection and showcase the stunning cityscapes of Istanbul. These subdued scenes contribute to the film’s evocative nature, which like many of the greatest films will make you laugh and cry.
Scroll down to see what’s in the next issue.
2016 | UK: Apple TV+ (£3.49) // USA: Apple TV+ ($3.99)
As anyone who’s been to Istanbul will attest, it’s home to hundreds of thousands of cats. Kedi tells an uplifting story about the cats of Istanbul and the people who love and care for them.
UK: 26 July // USA: 23 February | Watch the Trailer
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