It’s been a tricky year for film lovers – striking actors and writers meant some of the tentpole releases got kicked down the road – but there was still a lot to get excited about. From Barbenheimer to Taylor Swift’s pop-tastic tour of the multiplex, plus plenty of under-the-radar indie gems, we were always spoiled for choice at the box office – even if Hollywood was busy picketing it.

As a result, compiling this list was really tough. So tough, in fact, that we’ve had to make the actors promise to strike again in 2024 so we can revisit those that didn’t make it this time around. You’re welcome.

Alex Flood, Commissioning Editor (Film + TV)

Contributors: Paul Bradshaw, Rhian Daly, Liberty Dunworth, Alex Flood, Jesse Hassenger, Victoria Luxford, James Mottram, Kevin EG Perry, Gary Ryan, Lou Thomas, Andrew Trendell, Kyann-Sian Williams, Sophie Williams.

*All release dates are for the UK

20 ‘The Fabelmans’

Director: Steven Spielberg

This stylishly shot period drama was semi-autobiographical and loosely based on the monolith of modern cinema Steven Spielberg’s own coming of age as young Sammy Fabelman battled the challenges of adolescence, a less than typical family life, anti-Semitism and bullying, using his love of film as a tool to make sense of the world around him.

Gabriel LaBelle made a career-making star-turn as Sammy, brimming with all the nervous energy and endless nerdy ambition of the young Spielberg, with the movie truly made by a devastating portrayal of his eccentric but tempestuous mother and Paul Dano as the doting but pragmatic dad and the tensions between them.

You’d expect nothing less than a visual cinematic feast from the man who invented the blockbuster showing you what first inspired him – including his DIY attempts at a Western and war epic as a teen – and The Fabelmans practically came with the smell of popcorn. Another one for the ages.

Did you know? David Lynch took a lot of convincing for his cameo portrayal of the cantankerous Western director John Ford, but mutual pal and Twin Peaks icon Laura Dern talked him round. One of his conditions on appearing in the movie was to have Cheetos in his dressing room.

Like this? Try this: Saving Mr Banks (2013), Catch Me If You Can (2002). AT

19 ‘Bottoms’

Director: Emma Seligman

In her follow up to 2018’s excellent Shiva Baby, director Emma Seligman showed why queer cinema is currently in its boom era. Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri played PJ and Josie, two gay BFF high-schoolers desperate to lose their virginity before college. Their solution? Start an all-female fight club and meet the girls of their dreams. The club brought more attention than they bargained for though, and set up an energetic comedy that refreshed teen movie tropes with a modern perspective. Edebiri and Sennott were the types of best friends we all wish we had in high school, while Havana Rose Liu and Kaia Gerber were excellent as the popular girls with more going on than people expected. Influenced by popular queer classic But I’m A Cheerleader, Bottoms achieved the delicate balance of having characters that feel empowering while also displaying endearing humanity.

Did You Know? Retired NFL player Marshawn Lynch, who plays teacher Mr G, took on the role because he regretted his reaction to his own sister coming out.

Like this? Try this: But I’m a Cheerleader (1998), Whip It (2009). VL

18 ‘Return To Seoul’

Director: Davy Chou

In his 2016 debut feature-length film Diamond Island, Davy Chou used unknown actors to build out his cast. In his latest movie, Return To Seoul, he used the same tactic for lead character Freddie – and struck gold with Park Ji-min. The visual artist-turned-actor provided the beating heart for the film, delivering a phenomenal performance as a French-Korean adoptee returning to her homeland for the first time.

Deeply affecting and emotional, Return To Seoul grappled with ideas of identity and family, using Freddie as its vessel. It found her, despite feigning indifference, in search mode – for her birth parents and, as it revisited her over the course of eight years, for her true identity. Each time the movie met up with her, she was in a new phase of reinvention, chaotically racing through life as she tried to find answers that felt heartbreakingly just out of reach.

Did you know? Newcomer Park Ji-min didn’t want to be in the film originally – until Chou agreed to let her work on the script with him.

Like this? Try this: Tigertail (2020), Aftersun (2022). RD

17 ‘Scrapper’

Director: Charlotte Regan

You could feel a whirlwind of emotions thunder out of Charlotte Regan’s debut feature film Scrapper: rage, loss, and untameable, sherbet-bright youthful joy – all at once. Yet despite all this, it remained direct and concise in its message. The film followed the story of the headstrong Georgie (Lola Campbell) whose mum recently died; the 12-year-old is soon living alone in a council flat and keeping up appearances in front of her school friends.

Mirroring fragments of Regan’s own experience of growing up on an estate alongside other working-class families, Scrapper distilled years of both pain and wonder into something truly touching. The push-and-pull tension between Georgie and her neighbour Ali (Alin Uzun) felt genuinely reflective of formative childhood friendships, and introduced us to two brilliant rising comedy stars. Crucially, to have these characters say wild and wickedly funny things you can absolutely imagine people their age saying felt like a real joy.

Did you know? In an interview with The Guardian, Regan revealed that leading lady Campbell shunned on-set catering and would only eat Greggs or McDonald’s while filming. Fair enough, we say.

Like this? Try this: Rocks (2019), The Florida Project (2017). SW

16 ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’

Director: Sam Wrench

Filmed over three nights at the Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles, The Eras Tour is much more than just a concert movie – it’s a towering testament to all that Taylor Swift has achieved in her singular journey to the very summit of modern pop. Featuring music from nine different albums, three hours of non-stop choreography and no less than 16 costume changes, the gorgeously-shot film eloquently captured just what made The Eras Tour itself such a record-breaking success – from the epic, constantly-mutating production design to the spine-tingling power of all 10 minutes of ‘All Too Well’. Not only that, but Swift’s decision to do a deal directly with cinema chain AMC and release the film while still on tour may just have revolutionised the way musicians do concert films and single-handedly saved theatres facing a threadbare, strike-hit release schedule. Taylor Swift – is there anything she can’t do?

Did you know? In its opening weekend, the film accounted for 70 per cent of North American box office grosses.

Like this? Try this: Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé (2023), Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense (2023). KEGP

15 ‘Meet Me In The Bathroom’

Directors: Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern

Based on former NME journalist Lizzy Goodman’s epic mega-tome of the same name telling the oral history of “Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City 2001–2011”, this big-screen companion came along with help from directors Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern (who also helmed the magnificent documentary and concert movie Shut Up And Play The Hits about that not-so-final LCD Soundsystem gig) Meet Me In The Bathroom is 107 minutes of pure indie nostalgia.

With previously-unseen footage – including some moving clips of Interpol’s Paul Banks quietly walking through the debris of 9/11 – MMITB found the real meat of the book and snapped, crackled, and popped with all the piss, vinegar and ripped jeans of the Stateside wake-up call brought to the world by way of The Strokes, LCD, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV On The Radio and more. It was a thrilling snapshot of an era that was pre-broadband and before smartphones took hold. An ode to living in and for the music as much as possible.

Did you know? Goodman’s original book came about from six years, 200 interviews and thousands of hours of chatter.

Like this? Try this: Shut Up And Play The Hits (2012), Live Forever – The Rise And Fall Of Brit Pop (2003). AT

14 ‘Talk To Me’

Directors: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou

It’s quite hard to come up with an original horror concept these days. From psychotic dolls to murderous aliens with supersonic hearing, we’ve pretty much seen it all at this point. So when the Philippou Brothers ditched their lucrative YouTube career to bring us Talk To Me, a genuinely fresh and vibrant scary movie, it was all the more impressive. Starring Sophie Wilde as an anxious teen who gets possessed when she overdoes it during a party game involving an embalmed hand, this creepy stomach-churner from Down Under had less in common with the modern, quiet-quiet-bang blockbusters and more to do with Jordan Peele’s new school of spine-tingling chillers. Think Insidious, if it was directed by Ari Aster. We can’t wait to see what the Philippous do next.

Did you know? As a child, Wilde was so afraid of the dark that she made her mum put salt rings around her bedroom door to ward off demons.

Like this? Try this: It Follows (2014), Hereditary (2018). AF

13 ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

Director: Chad Stahelski

Following a strong three outings already, John Wick: Chapter 4 had a lot to live up to – and fortunately for fans, the final result was even more epic than expected. Centred around the iconic hitman’s continuing quest to defeat The High Table of elite assassins, this fourth instalment took the franchise to new heights with its stunning visuals and mind-bending stunt choreography.

While still a traditional action movie at its core, Wick’s ability to effortlessly transition between sub-divisions of the genre – from spaghetti Western to samurai flick, throwing in a nod to 1970s gang classic The Warriors – allowed it to transcend its medium. That said, it never lost its identity by straying too far from the series’ original charm – retaining the same quiet coolness and witty one-liners that made us first root for Keanu Reeves’ slick operator nearly a decade ago.

Did you know? Following edits to the script by Reeves, Wick says only 380 words throughout the entire film. His longest line of dialogue is: “You and I left a good life behind a long time ago, my friend.”

Like this? Try this: The Equalizer 3 (2023), Drive (2011). LD

12 ‘Passages’

Director: Ira Sachs

When married gay German director Tomas (Franz Rogowski) had sex with young teacher Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos) after the wrap party of his latest film, it began a complex, devastating chain of events. Tomas’ innate selfishness and monstrous ego eventually ruined his marriage to Martin (Ben Whishaw) and caused great upset in Agathe’s life, while wreaking havoc on those close to them, such as Agathe’s parents. In intelligent and sympathetic scenes of agonisingly frank and honest relationship drama, we were left in no doubt about how brutal the realities of love, sex and desire can be, especially if caught in a love triangle in which one party is a deeply unpleasant arch-manipulator. Passages made for a knotty, challenging drama with strong sex scenes and much emotional devastation, superbly acted by its three stars and expertly crafted by director Ira Sachs, perhaps otherwise best known for his bittersweet NYC love story Love Is Strange.

Did you know? There are several biographical similarities between Tomas and the late German film director R.W Fassbinder, an extraordinary talent who lived an emotionally turbulent life before his death in 1982 aged 37.

Like this? Try this: Blue Is The Warmest Colour (2013), Love Is Strange (2014). LT

11 ‘Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse’

Directors: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson

In a time of supes fatigue, the second Spider-Verse film set itself (spandex-clad) head and shoulders above the rest as 2023’s most inventive and visually-dazzling blockbuster, mashing up different animation styles with ease. Spider-Man Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) teamed up with Spider-Woman Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) to vanquish portal-opening villain the Spot (Jason Schwartzman), and prevent him from tearing worlds apart. Along the way, he encountered a Spider-Society featuring over 200 variants of web-slingers, including a pregnant Spidey (Issa Rae) and Daniel Kaluuya’s scene-stealing turn as a Sex Pistol-esque Spider-Punk (‘Arachny/ Araneae in the U.K.’ anyone? Yes, that joke came from the Dad-Verse). Apart from the eye-candy and relentless creativity, it was funny, touching, and crammed with so many details that it rewarded multiple viewings. Despite clocking in at 140 minutes, making it the longest animated movie ever, it ended on a very human cliffhanger dilemma that left us craving more.

Did you know? The film’s detour into the Lego Universe was animated by a 14-year-old, who was headhunted after impressing producers when he re-created the movie’s trailer in the aesthetic of the beloved bricks.

Like this? Try this: The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021), The Lego Movie (2014). GR

10 ‘Asteroid City’

Director: Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson has a reputation for producing glassed-in dollhouse replicas of human drama, but his recent films have grown ever more expansive – to the point where Asteroid City, in its handmade way, wound up taking on life, the universe, and everything. A story of familial grief, set in a tiny desert town hosting a science convention for bright young minds, pulled back the curtain on its own creation; it turned out what we were watching was a TV show of a theatrical production about the making of the play that forms the actual plot of the movie. This might sound clinically meta. But beneath the stunning technical triumphs of ensemble-packed camera pans and impeccable set design that Anderson and his crew continually achieve, was a nagging question of whether the characters (or Anderson himself) could actually fulfill any of their hopes, dreams, or visions. Blessedly, the phrasing of this question was often very funny. Ultimately, Anderson was reflecting, with true grace, on the cosmic smallness and uncertainty that surrounds us.

Did you know? Though the movie was steeped in mid-century Americana, the Arizona desert town was built from scratch in Chinchón, Spain, outside of Madrid.

Like this? Try this: Bad Day At Black Rock (1955), The Misfits (1961). JH

9 ‘How To Have Sex’

Director: Molly Manning Walker

Watching Molly Manning Walker’s debut How To Have Sex, you could practically feel frissions of anxiety vibrate through the screen. Having scooped the Un Certain Regard award at Cannes Festival in May, the British indie film generated buzz for its bitingly assured and complex depictions of consent, teenage friendship and sexual pressures. It offered a form of voyeurism – the adrenaline-pumping simulation of peeking behind the curtain of a familiar story: a messy, post-GCSE holiday framed largely around drinking and partying.

Led by a remarkable and empathetic Mia McKenna-Bruce, How To Have Sex excelled in how it tackled uncomfortable questions and complicated emotions head-on. It managed to hold several themes in its hands and examine each one with equal, unflinching consideration, adding up to a gripping and weighty watch. A carefully told story, delivered by an excellent young cast.

Did you know? For the film’s nightclub scenes, the speakers were shut down entirely as the cameras rolled. This meant that the main cast were asked to “shout as if there was loud music playing, which sounded absolutely ridiculous,” McKenna-Bruce told NME earlier this year.

Like this? Try this: Waves (2019), Eighth Grade (2018). SW

8 ‘Rye Lane’

Director: Raine Allen Miller

Rye Lane wasn’t your average studio romcom. It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t unrealistic or sensationalised. It didn’t boast an all-star Hollywood cast. But it was great anyway. Following two London strangers in Dom and Yas (played by David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah) who, over the course of 82 charming minutes, realised they were perfect for each other, director Raine-Allen Miller’s lo-fi gem reworked a tired format into a visually inventive and engaging treat. Quirky camera angles and lurid splashes of colour exaggerated the ill-fitting pair’s early courting – and the hilarious flashback scenes made for a few satisfying chuckles. Elsewhere, Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia’s brilliant writing brought the two very-different character’s interesting traits to the fore in a relatable way – and created a story that could make anyone believe love is waiting right around the street corner.

Did you know? Colin Firth, Michael ‘Big Shaq’ Dapaah and Munya Chawawa all have hilarious cameos.

Like this? Try this: Love Beats Rhymes (2017), Yesterday (2019). KSW

7 ‘Barbie’

Director: Greta Gerwig

When future historians look back at 2023, the pages of their books are all going to be pink. Greta Gerwig made a box-fresh musical comedy about a toy finding her place in the real world – sharply written, perfectly played by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, and polished to a bubble-gum shine – but that’s not really the point. For one whole summer, cinemas across the world were sold-out by fans wearing DIY Barbiecore. Chain stores ran out of pink T-shirts. Arguments about feminism and the patriarchy found their way into primary school classroom conversations. Barbenheimer turned the weirdest double-feature ever planned into a cultural phenomenon. A quick vault over the billion-dollar box-office mark saw Gerwig break records for a female director. Nobody could stop singing ‘I’m Just Ken’… Wherever you were in 2023, and whatever you were doing, we were all just living in a Barbie world.

Did you know? The Barbies originally all had rigid “paddle hands”, that they weren’t allowed to bend. The idea was scrapped after a few terrible camera tests.

Like this? Try this: Francis Ha (2012), Little Women (2019). PB

6 ‘Evil Dead Rise’

Director: Lee Cronin

In the seemingly bottomless pit of potential franchise reboots, Sam Raimi’s much-loved zombie series was an obvious candidate. The latest movie, 2013’s Evil Dead, had been a box office success – and fans were already petitioning for the return of undeniably dodgy TV series Ash vs Evil Dead since its cancellation in 2018. Ready to plunge a rotting fist through this already fertile ground was filmmaker Lee Cronin, an avid follower of Raimi’s originals. And, surprisingly, his ultra-gory first-rate shocker was just as good. Fast-paced and funny, the new film followed two estranged sisters whose reunion was cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons who slowly picked off them and their surrounding family in a Los Angeles tower block. Not a cabin-in-the-woods chiller like its forebears, then, but this novel twist on a much-loved format still proved one of the year’s best horror films.

Did you know? The practical effects team used a whopping six and a half thousand litres of blood throughout the movie.

Like this? Try this: Barbarian (2002), Terrifier 2 (2022). AF

5 ‘Pearl’

Director: Ti West

The middle chapter of Ti West’s soon-to-be-finished horror trilogy cut through expectations like a freshly sharpened axe. Where 2022’s X raked ‘70s porn tropes, the prequel took several steps back to the early days of cinema – with a gorgeous grindhouse ode to The Wizard Of Oz that played more like flipping through a family photo album with the cast of Psycho. However great Mia Goth was the first time around (playing two characters at once, one buried under a layer of OAP latex), she eclipsed it here in one of horror’s greatest ever performances as the star-eyed, occasionally-sadistic younger version of X’s geriatric killer. Several scenes found their way into 2023’s finest; the local audition, the scarecrow dance… but it was Goth’s unbroken six-minute monologue, and her frozen face in that final shot, that made sure Pearl really buried itself somewhere deep and disturbing.

Did you know? West wanted to shoot in black and white before A24 execs told him they had too many monochrome movies on the books already.

Like this? Try this: X (2022), The House Of The Devil (2009). PB

4 ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’

Director: Martin Scorsese

Based on real events, Martin Scorsese’s latest movie was a true masterpiece. Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio shone in a tale of the Osage Nation in 1920s Oklahoma, who were manipulated and murdered by White opportunists seeking to gain mineral rights. Simmering with tension, a bloody chapter in America’s history was portrayed with unflinching honesty by all involved. Robert DeNiro captivated as the despicable William ‘King’ Hale, the mastermind behind the murders, while Gladstone astonished as Mollie Kyle, an Osage woman who showed both grace and grit as she fought her oppressors. In the middle of it all was DiCaprio as Mollie’s husband Ernest, an ex-soldier who suspected his Uncle William wasn’t working in his best interests bit failed to do anything about it. This epic film filled with rage and intrigue proved Scorsese shows no signs of slowing down in his seventh decade of filmmaking, remaining as relevant now as he always was.

Did You Know? Star Lily Gladstone was about to leave acting, applying for a data analytics course at the moment Scorsese requested a meeting with her.

Like This? Try This: The Irishman (2019), There Will Be Blood (2007). VL

3 ‘Tár’

Director: Todd Field

Talk about passing the baton. Awards magnet Cate Blanchett shone as troubled composer Lydia Tár in Todd Field’s complex, challenging look at creativity and ‘cancel culture’. Playing the ‘maestro’ for the Berlin Philharmonic, it was a volcanic performance from the elegant Australian as she expertly essayed her character’s slide towards a full-on meltdown. As for Field, who hadn’t made a film since 2006’s Little Children, he plunged us into the high-stakes world of classical music with such detail, we came out feeling like we’d studied at Julliard for four years. From Tár’s brilliant take down of a woke student – all shot in one take – to the horror-like vibes that flow across one scene set in a dilapidated tower block to the surreal, ambiguous finale, it was a dense, delicious ride that dealt with power, sexuality and control. A true portrait of the artist, warts and all, this was truly one of the greats of 2023.

Did you know? Cate Blanchett took piano lessons and studied online masterclasses by Soviet conductor Ilya Mussin to prepare.

Like this? Try this: Maestro (2023), Blue Jasmine (2013). JM

2 ‘Oppenheimer’

Director: Christopher Nolan

Sure, Barbie might have won the Barbenheimer battle at the box office – $1.44billion to Oppenheimer’s measly $950m – but Christopher Nolan’s atom bomb epic triumphed where it truly matters: on this list. Telling the story of America’s physics genius who kicked off the Cold War when he unwisely invented nuclear weapons before trying to put Schrödinger’s cat back in its box, this intense biopic got us all thinking about the world’s fragile political situation – and how it could disintegrate at any moment. Thanks to Cillian Murphy’s awards-worthy performance – and some very fun supporting turns from Matt Damon and Tom Conti, alongside the less-fun but equally impressive Emily Blunt – the film told a compellingly human story too. Margot Robbie’s fantastic plastic dream dominated summer, but Oppie’s impact will undoubtedly last far longer than a season.

Did you know? Murphy huffed so many fake cigarettes on set – Oppenheimer chained them his entire life – that he said his next role definitely won’t be a smoker.

Like this? Try this: Dunkirk (2017), The Imitation Game (2014). AF

1 ‘Past Lives’

Director: Celine Song

Past Lives, the directorial debut from playwright Celine Song, asked: “What if?” What if you reconnected with your school crush after not seeing them for 12 years? What if, another 12 years later, they came to see you for the first time since you were kids? What if things didn’t end with a big Hollywood romance ending?

Where other filmmakers would’ve been tempted to use Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung’s (Teo Yoo) story as a template for big drama and grand gestures, Song took a quieter approach. It’s part of what made Past Lives so enthralling – its soft way of moving forward mirroring the lingering feelings between its two central figures. There might have been few dramatic peaks here, but it still hooked you in entirely, the awkward tension between the reunited pair simmering at just the right level as Song’s story unfolded with masterful, subtle precision.

Did you know? Actors Teo Yoo and John Magaro only met for the first time when they filmed the first scene they share in the movie – making Hae Sung and Arthur’s first meeting their own too.

Like this? Try this: Soulmate (2023), The Farewell (2019). RD

The post The 20 best films of 2023 appeared first on NME.

In partnership with Warner Bros. UK

In Saltburn, the second feature film written and directed by Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), privilege and ambition collide at Oxford University with explosive consequences. When scholarship boy Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) clocks his magnetic classmate Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi), he’s drawn to his aristocratic glamour and unshakable confidence. Their friendship develops in beautiful buildings steeped in history, including an atmospheric college library, but the pair seem to be partying harder than they study.

“The thing about something like Oxford is that often it’s so beautiful, so mysterious, so walled-in, so ​’elite’, I suppose,” Fennell said recently. “But, of course, in the [dorm] rooms, they’re shitty and people are throwing up in their sinks.” Felix’s room in particular looks like it could do with a clean – something Oliver is quick to point out. For Fennell and the film’s producer Josey McNamara, authenticity was paramount from the start. “There were some conversations about trying to mirror Oxford somewhere else,” says McNamara. “It’s a very expensive location so sometimes [film crews] use St. Albans as a stand-in, but we decided to shoot in Oxford and budget accordingly because we wanted the audience to recognise some of the locations we were shooting in.”

Fennell really captures the city’s romantic ambience by shooting key scenes in Radcliffe Square. This historic cobbled square in central Oxford flanks the famous Radcliffe Camera, an 18th century library that was paid for by eminent scientist John Radcliffe. There’s space for 600,000 books in the rooms beneath Radcliffe Square, and the library itself has become an iconic symbol of the university. “It’s a beautifully historic place that obviously we wanted to be protective and respectful of,” says McNamara. “And then there were logistical considerations when it came to locking off that area [for filming], because obviously it’s also a big tourist attraction.”

Oxford University is made up of 39 individual colleges spread over the city centre with no central campus. Because it’s especially busy during term-time, Fennell and her crew shot there in early September, several weeks before the student population returned for the start of the academic year. “We really had to schedule carefully to make sure we got into university locations on time because we wouldn’t have been able to get in any later,” McNamara says. The university gatekeepers, he adds, were “incredibly collaborative”, but everyone involved was very wary of “messing up the student timetable in any way”.

Saltburn evokes the uniquely intimate experience that Oxford students enjoy with scenes set in the unnamed college that Oliver and Felix are enrolled at. It’s a close-knit community where everyone eats, sleeps, studies and socialises in the same cloistered space. Like every Oxford college, it has its own common room and (presumably well subsidised) student bar. Fennell based its mix of grandeur and griminess partly on her own experience studying at Greyfriars College in Oxford in the early 2000s. “We wanted the audience to feel like they were going on a journey with Oliver at Oxford,” McNamara says, so as many scenes as possible were shot in the same college that we first see an awestruck Oliver walking into.

For the same reason, scenes set in Oliver and Felix’s dorm rooms were filmed in actual college dorm rooms that “some very kind students” loaned to the production. “Those rooms aren’t very big and you can only get a few crew members in at a time, so we had to have the locations pre-prepared in advance so we could kind of seamlessly jump around,” says McNamara. “Again, we needed that fluidity so the audience would feel like they were right there on a journey with Oliver.” There’s no doubt that Saltburn has really captured the idiosyncrasies of the Oxford student experience: it’s a place that can feel incredibly inspiring on a crisp spring morning, but just as grotty as any other student digs when you wake up with a thumping hangover. Even someone as rich as Felix can’t protect himself from that.

‘Saltburn’ is in UK cinemas from November 17

The post ‘Saltburn’ in the city: the breathtaking Oxford shooting locations uncovered appeared first on NME.

In partnership with Warner Bros. UK

Saltburn, the second feature film written and directed by Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), is a wild ride driven by ambition, avarice and envy. During his first term at Oxford University, scholarship boy Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) clocks handsome aristo Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) and is immediately entranced. Cool, confident and obnoxiously wealthy, Felix seems to glide through life in a way that Oliver can only dream of.

After befriending Felix and becoming his loyal if slightly awkward wingman, Oliver is rewarded with an invitation to spend the summer at Saltburn, the enormous country pile that Felix calls home. There, he ingratiates himself with Felix’s parents, daffy Sir James (Richard E. Grant) and glamorous Elspeth (Rosamund Pike), while also catching the eye of his insecure sister Venetia (Alison Oliver). Is Oliver desperate to fit in at Saltburn because he has nowhere else to go – or is he playing a much more dangerous game?

Here are six things to expect from a film that blends psychological thriller elements with pitch-black comedy and plot twists you’ll never see coming.

Posh boy partying

Saltburn begins at Oxford University, where Felix’s life is a whirl of flirtations, fancy dinners and full-throttle drinking sessions. A round of shots for the whole table? Sure, why not! Fennell fully captures the posh squalor of his privileged student life – he may have plenty of friends and loads of money, but his room still looks disgusting when he wakes up with a hangover. Seriously though, why are rich kids so untidy?

Lust with a purpose

After Oliver arrives at Saltburn, he quickly realises that his sexuality can be used as currency. As an outsider who comes from a very different background to the aristocratic Cattons, he is perceived as virile and even exotic. Several family members fall under his sexual spell, but whether their lust is reciprocated is up for debate because Oliver clearly understands that sex equals power. However, when Oliver is genuinely turned-on, he expresses his desire in ways you won’t ever forget. Fennell shoots these provocative scenes so boldly that you’ll almost feel like a voyeur.

Next level grandeur

Saltburn is the sort of opulent country estate that only the 0.1 per cent could afford to live in. It doesn’t just have a swimming pool, but also its own swimming pond – well, why not have both? Its countless acres of manicured parkland are also home to an elaborate maze that really comes into its own during a lavish party scene. And as you’ll find out, the freestanding tub in Felix’s bathroom is so much more than a posh prop.

Blindsiding laughs

Even in its darkest, spikiest stretches, Saltburn is properly hilarious – Fennell is a master of black comedy. Many of the film’s comic highlights are provided by Pike’s Elspeth, a woman with minimal self-awareness and a sharp tongue; she even describes her own daughter as “sexually incontinent”. Elspeth also claims to have inspired Pulp‘s Britpop banger ‘Common People’ – presumably because she had a wannabe working-class phase in the ’90s. Pike delivers every priceless one-liner with a crisp relish.

Surprising soundtrack choices

Fennell’s last film, the Oscar-winning revenge comedy Promising Young Woman, had an instantly iconic scene featuring Paris Hilton‘s ‘Stars Are Blind’. This time around, the director has done it again by using some unlikely tunes in surprising moments. Listen out for ‘Have A Cheeky Christmas’ by The Cheeky Girls – yes, really – and the mid-noughties club classic ‘Perfect (Exceeder)’ by Mason Vs Princess Superstar.

Oh, and the Pet Shop Boys‘ pithy lyrics have never sounded more pointed than in Saltburn‘s toe-curling karaoke scene.

An outrageous final act

Even if you think you know where Saltburn is heading, you really don’t. The film’s final act is a riveting series of narrative mic drops sure to make you gasp, laugh and question everything you’ve seen before.

‘Saltburn’ is in UK cinemas from November 17

The post Lust, lies and laughs: what to expect from ‘Saltburn’ appeared first on NME.

In partnership with Warner Bros. UK

Saltburn, the dazzling second feature film directed by Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), begins at Oxford University in 2006. Ambitious scholarship boy Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) and popular posho Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) grow closer as they party hard to the indie bangers of the era. The film is packed with guitar riffs even spikier than the put-downs delivered by Felix’s smug cousin Farleigh (Archie Madekwe).

Later, Oliver joins Felix for a lazy summer at the Cattons’ lavish country estate, Saltburn. Here, he tries to win over Felix’s parents, Sir James (Richard E. Grant) and Elspeth (Rosamund Pike), while remaining wary of fellow guest Pamela (Carey Mulligan), whose days with the family seem to be numbered. The song choices slap just as hard in the Saltburn scenes, so here’s a guide to five vital noughties tunes you’ll hear as this delicious psychological thriller unfolds.

Girls Aloud – ‘Sound Of The Underground’

Released in 2002, Girls Aloud’s debut single is one of the defining pop songs of the noughties. Deftly blending drum and bass beats with surf guitar riffs, it’s an idiosyncratic banger that still sounds fantastic today – rising star Rina Sawayama recently hailed it as an influence. Back in 2006, Girls Aloud were the UK’s biggest girl group, so even Sir James might have a soft spot for them – something that probably makes his kids cringe.

Best for… playing at an Oxford bop – a big, school disco-style college party that takes place at the end of every term. The DJ will probably – definitely – follow it with Robyn’s ‘Dancing On My Own’

MGMT – ‘Time To Pretend’

‘Time To Pretend’, the breakthrough hit by American psychedelic duo MGMT, became an indie disco staple when it dropped in the mid-noughties. In Saltburn, it soundtracks a blissful montage scene showing Oliver and the Catton clan lounging by the swimming pond on a hot summer’s day.

MGMT’s Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser wrote the song imagining a future of rock star excess: “Let’s make some music, make some money, find some models for wives.” But in a way, it also captures the idle privilege of the Cattons’ pampered lifestyle. Plus, as Elspeth will gladly tell you, she briefly worked as a model in the ’90s – before she settled down with Sir James, of course.

Best for… dozing off to after your third cocktail of the afternoon. The butler made them, so they were goddamn strong!

Bloc Party – ‘This Modern Love’

A highlight from Bloc Party‘s 2005 debut ‘Silent Alarm’, ‘This Modern Love’ captures all the awkward yearning of falling for someone. “And don’t get offended if I seem absent-minded, I get tongue-tied,” frontman Kele Okereke sings with an implied cringe. In Saltburn, this twitchy indie tune is used in an Oxford scene soon after Oliver and Felix become friends. Bloc Party’s jittery riffs and wistful melodies capture the swelling tension of the moment impeccably.

Best for… playing after you’ve been “chirpsing” someone at a student party. And yes, this lot are living in 2006, so they definitely do say “chirpsing”

The Killers – ‘Mr. Brightside’

You know this song – everyone knows this song. Even Felix, who hardly seems like an indie connoisseur, would have this song on his iPod (RIP). Released in 2003 as The Killers‘ debut single, it’s an anthemic banger that peaked at Number 10 in the UK singles chart. ‘Mr. Brightside’ has proved so enduring, though, that it’s now spent a record 385 weeks in the charts.

The song is actually about feeling jealous and insecure in a relationship – “And it’s all in my head, but she’s touching his chest now,” frontman Brandon Flowers sings, picturing his partner with someone else. But Felix doesn’t pay any attention to this lyrical anguish. He just thinks it’s a “bloody good tune”, and he’s absolutely right.

Best for… whacking on at top volume when Pamela has a melancholy moment

Cold War Kids – ‘Hang Me Up To Dry’

This bluesy tune cracked the UK charts in 2006, so it would sound box-fresh to Felix and his Oxford buddies. In fact, ‘Hang Me Up To Dry’ was so big on the indie scene that it was covered by another noughties icon: Kate Nash.

Cold War Kids’ original version is a perfect fit for the ever-changing emotional complexities of Fennell’s psychological thriller. “Now hang me up to dry – you wrung me out too, too, too many times,” frontman Nathan Willett sings as he looks back on a one-sided relationship. Several characters in this film can definitely relate.

Best for… listening to during a long soak in Saltburn’s freestanding bath – and yes, we do mean you, Oliver (if you know, you know)

‘Saltburn’ is in UK cinemas from November 17

The post The sound of ‘Saltburn’: five perfect noughties indie bangers in the film appeared first on NME.

In partnership with Warner Bros. UK

In Saltburn, the second feature film written and directed by Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), a seemingly idyllic summer at a fancy country pile turns toxic. The people we meet at the majestic Saltburn estate all have different whims and motivations, so here’s an insider’s guide to the key players. Cross any of them at your peril…

Felix Catton – the posh party boy

Tall, floppy-haired and effortlessly cool, Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) is the most popular kid at his Oxford college. As the scion of the super-rich family that owns Saltburn, Felix is aware of his immense privilege, but doesn’t think deeply about its effect on people. He just glides through life with everyone wanting to be his friend.

Though Felix is often callow and capricious, he is also kind and incredibly charismatic. When you’re in his presence, you’ll feel as though every light in the room has been switched on. But the flipside, of course, is the sense of emptiness he leaves when he fixes his attention on someone else.

Oliver Quick – the savvy observer

Befriended by Felix at Oxford, Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) is a scholarship boy who has overcome a deeply troubled upbringing. He has won Felix’s sympathy by sharing the horrors of growing up with drug addict parents who could barely look after themselves.

Oliver lacks the social polish of the Catton family – and doesn’t have the right clothes for a posh cocktail party – but he’s a very fast learner. Highly intelligent and potentially quite Machiavellian, he is entranced by Saltburn and has no intention of going home to Merseyside.

Elspeth Catton – the lady of the manor

Felix’s mother Elspeth (Rosamund Pike) is a glamorous former model who claims to have inspired Pulp’s Britpop banger ‘Common People’. It seems unlikely, though, that elegant Elspeth was ever capable of slumming it with “the common people” like the class tourist that Jarvis Cocker sang about.

Though shamelessly snobby and rather aloof, Elspeth is really good fun. Just make sure you don’t bore her – or show up looking “ugly”, something she detests.

Sir James Catton – the spoiled aristocrat

Because the opulent Saltburn estate has been in his family for generations, Sir James (Richard E. Grant) has never had to worry about money. His entire life he’s been cosseted by power and privilege, which has left him hugely entitled in a way he hardly seems to realise.

Sir James doesn’t do much except plan parties with his friends – most of whom are named Henry – but he’s less of a posh twit than you might think. At his core is a strong sense of family loyalty and a firm moral code. When times get tough, he won’t shy away from making a difficult decision.

Venetia Catton – the unhinged sibling

Felix’s younger sister Venetia (Alison Oliver) lacks the carefree confidence of her big brother – someone she massively looks up to. She’s prickly and uncomfortable in her own skin, and has a less than simpatico relationship with her mother. In indiscreet moments, Lady Elspeth has been known to slut-shame her daughter behind her back.

Some of Venetia’s behaviour looks like a cry for help, but it would be foolish to dismiss her as clueless. Like every member of the Catton family, she is less oblivious than she lets on, and you wouldn’t want to get on her bad side.

Farleigh Start – the poor relation

Cousin Farleigh (Archie Madekwe) counts Saltburn as his home, but doesn’t quite belong there in the same way as Felix and Venetia. His mother, whom we never meet, is a low-key family embarrassment who never has any money, which forces Farleigh to beg for cheques from Sir James. Farleigh finds this demeaning, but never lets it dent his pride or sense of aristocratic privilege.

Because he’s a slightly peripheral figure, Farleigh is a sharp operator who works hard to protect his interests. He also has a cruel streak that he’ll happily use against anyone who threatens his place at Saltburn.

“Poor” Pamela – the family rescue project

Invariably referred to by Elspeth as “poor dear”, Pamela (Carey Mulligan) is a lost soul who is using Saltburn as a sort of posh squat. Sadly, her small talk doesn’t live up to her snappy dress sense, and she hasn’t realised that she is fast overstaying her welcome.

If you get stuck with Pamela at a cocktail party, she’ll almost certainly chew your ear off wanging on about her various relationship dramas.

‘Saltburn’ is in UK cinemas from November 17

The post Who’s who at Saltburn’s premium cocktail party – meet the cast appeared first on NME.

It’s a Wednesday night in October, and the mall belongs to Taylor Swift. The Grove, one of Los Angeles’ most popular high-end shopping centres, has been shut down all day in preparation for a very special film première. Or rather, premières. When Taylor Swift takes over a cinema, she doesn’t use one screen. She uses 13.

For some of those in attendance, tonight is their first chance to witness a multi-faceted stage spectacular they’ve previously been unable to see in person. For others, it’s an opportunity to relive what might just have been the best night of their lives. Together, they sing. They hoot and they holler. The aisles fill with dancers. “It was like being back at the tour!” says Chloe, a dedicated Swiftie who was invited to attend the screening. “I loved it so much! Taylor is always so dedicated to her fans and to her craft. All she wants to do is satisfy the fans, and she does it every single time!”

When Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour was officially released the following day, you could find perfectly satisfied Swift fans singing their hearts out at cinemas across the planet. In the US, The Eras Tour racked up $96 million in ticket sales in its opening weekend alone, smashing the previous concert film record of $73 million set by Justin Bieber’s Never Say Never back in 2010. The following weekend it held firm at top spot, beating Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and in the process becoming the first concert film in history to spend two consecutive weeks at the pinnacle of the cinematic box office.

That kind of success is hard to ignore, especially for Swift’s fellow pop stars. They’ve taken particular note of her canny business decision to steer clear of the major film studios and do a deal directly with US cinema chain AMC. “Honestly, I think that’s kind of a game changer,” says BoxOffice Pro chief analyst Shawn Robbins, who notes that at the start of December Beyoncé will follow suit by releasing her hotly-anticipated Renaissance concert film straight to AMC theatres.

“This comes at a time when studios have had to shut down productions because of the strikes, and that’s impacted release schedules,” explains Robbins. “Theatres know very well from the pandemic that they have to think outside the box, and if that involves going outside of the studio system then clearly it can work.”

For cinemas stuck with a threadbare list of coming attractions, the idea of filling their seats (and emptying their concession stands) thanks to hordes of music fans has an obvious appeal. It’s not hard to see the attraction for major touring artists, either. If you’ve already sunk a huge amount of creative energy (and production costs) into putting together a memorable show, why not stick it on film, make your fans happy and get paid all over again?

As Swift has proved, the speed of modern technology means a gorgeous, slickly shot concert film can be on the screen even while the tour itself is still on the road – and it can compete with Hollywood’s finest when it gets there. “It’s been a blockbuster performance that was really created out of thin air,” Robbins points out. “This movie didn’t really exist a couple of months ago, or if it did nobody knew about it. That automatically makes it different from anything else that has come before it and gone on to make this kind of money.”

Globe-straddling artists like Harry Styles and even Bruce Springsteen could well be tempted to take advantage with films of their most-recent mega tours, while earlier this year Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour was broadcast live from Argentina’s River Plate to cinemas in 81 countries (a live transmission record). As well as those usual suspects, don’t be surprised to see a glut of new films from veteran artists playing spectacular concerts in front of particularly scenic backdrops (perhaps to distract from the fact they’re no longer playing Swift-sized stadiums). This month Billy Idol: State Line will come to cinemas for one night only, featuring the bleach-haired rocker performing in front of (and on) the Hoover Dam; in December, Duran Duran will release concert doc A Hollywood High, which includes footage of them performing on an LA rooftop right in front of the city’s famed Capitol Records Building.

It’s not just current stars looking to take advantage of vacant cinema screens. Classic concert films are also finding their way back to theatres, most notably Talking Heads’ seminal 1984 film Stop Making Sense which celebrated its upcoming 40th anniversary with a landmark restoration by indie film titans A24. For hardcore fans like Chris Apthomas, known as the ‘Welsh David Byrne’ for his work fronting Talking Heads tribute band Speaking In Tongues, it’s a chance to be reminded of what attracted them to it in the first place. “The film was visually very striking, the music was cerebral and danceable, and it was clear the band were all enjoying themselves,” says Apthomas, whose band have announced a series of 2024 dates at which they will recreate parts of the film. “The development of the band was mirrored by the build up from solo to full band, and David Byrne is a very original front man who had a unique style of singing and dancing, which is fun to imitate.”

For younger fans, however, this re-release could well be their first introduction to the genius of Talking Heads live (not to mention David Byrne’s much-imitated, never-bettered big suit). According to The Hollywood Reporter, nearly 60 percent of the audience during Stop Making Sense’s opening weekend was under 35, with many not yet born when the group split in the early 1990s. It was those new fans who spurred the film’s impressive $4 million opening weekend take, and Robbins believes that success could drive a new trend.

“It’ll be interesting to see if we get more re-releases like that,” he says. “Certainly a lot of iconic bands and artists have filmed either concert films or more traditional documentaries over the last few decades. Some are probably going to have more potential than others, but at the end of the day every little bit helps. Theatrical exhibition is looking for anything to fill the gaps caused by the slowdown in big Hollywood releases, and there are a lot of artists like that who could really benefit.”

Next up for re-release is arguably the greatest concert film of them all. Martin Scorsese’s 1978 masterpiece The Last Waltz captures legendary Americana pioneers The Band’s staggering 1976 farewell concert, including guests like Bob Dylan, Dr John, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell and, famously, a chemically invigorated Neil Young. The film will be back in cinemas this November to mark its 45th anniversary, which following the passing of The Band’s Robbie Robertson earlier this year could be almost as emotional as The Eras Tour (albeit with fewer friendship bracelets).

Which brings us back to Taylor Swift, who kickstarted this concert film box office trend and may not be finished with it yet. Robbins points out that the phenomenal success of The Eras Tour means the film could itself be due for a re-release a lot sooner than you might think. “It’s going to be in cinemas until the holiday season, when more films are coming out and it’ll be fighting for screen space,” he says. “But who’s to say that in six months or a year from now, after Taylor Swift completely finishes the tour itself, maybe there’ll be a revival of demand from her fans.”

It’s unlikely, then, that the Swifties enraptured by The Eras Tour in the empty mall will have to wait four decades to see it back on the big screen again. And why should they? Anybody who’s seen the film in a theatre full of hardened fans will know how joyous an experience it is, so let’s hope this is a trend that sticks around. If cinemas need an injection of communal energy while Hollywood remains ground to a halt, why not fill the screens with rock’n’roll?

‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’ is out now. Talking Heads’ ‘Stop Making Sense’ is playing at the BFI IMAX. ‘Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé’ is released December 1

The post How concert films became big business (again) appeared first on NME.

In partnership with Warner Bros. UK

Jacob Elordi is already a Gen Z icon with 12.5million Instagram followers, but Saltburn looks set to propel him to the next level. In director Emerald Fennell’s spiky and surprising psychological thriller, he lights up the screen as Felix Catton, an upper-crust Oxford student who rolled a 6 at birth. Felix isn’t just a filthy rich aristocrat with a palatial family home (the Saltburn of the film’s title); he’s also cool, charismatic and classically handsome. Felix has immense privilege but wears it lightly in a way that’s both beguiling and galling.

Elordi, who was born and raised in Brisbane, Australia, absolutely nails the arrogant drawl that a teenage toff like Felix would speak in. The 26-year-old actor noted in a recent interview that cosseted poshos like Felix “don’t even have to enunciate”. Elordi also uses his physicality – he stands at a statuesque 6ft 5in – to highlight Felix’s innate sense of entitlement. He said in the same interview that Felix is happy to “occupy as much space as possible”, probably because he never really gives it a second thought.

It’s a technically impressive turn from Elordi, who is currently best known for his role in zeitgeist-grabbing teen drama Euphoria, but also one filled with nuance and depth. Yes, Felix seems work-shy and naive, but he’s also kind and driven by a strong moral code – one shaped by his pampered upbringing. Felix’s flawed likeability is a vital cog in Saltburn‘s fizzing Catherine wheel because it lets him bedazzle Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan), a bright scholarship boy who lacks his posh poise and social polish.

When Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer at his family home – a place so grand it makes Oliver gasp in disbelief – their friendship begins to turn toxic. Oliver is clearly obsessed with Felix and his monstrously self-indulged family, something Felix doesn’t quite realise, but the outsider’s end goal is trickier to pin down. What unfolds next is dark, audacious and discombobulating – all hallmarks of Fennell’s previous feature film, the Oscar-winning revenge thriller Promising Young Woman.

Saltburn is Elordi’s most exciting film role to date. His previous big screen credits include Swinging Safari, an offbeat Australian comedy starring Guy Pearce and Kylie Minogue, and Deep Water, a psychological thriller with Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas. He also played the love interest in The Kissing Booth, a Netflix romcom based on Beth Reekles’ young adult novel, and its two sequels. These wholesome and somewhat formulaic movies weren’t exactly cool, but they did prove hugely popular.

If The Kissing Booth proves Elordi’s viability as a conventional leading man, his role in Euphoria underscores his dramatic range. Since 2019, Elordi has starred in the edgy, agenda-setting series as Nate Jacobs, a high school quarterback with anger issues and an overbearing father. Though Nate projects an ultra-confident image, he is actually deeply conflicted and riddled with insecurities. Smart, narcissistic and manipulative, Nate betrays his thinly veiled misogyny in the way he torments his loyal girlfriend Maddy (Alexa Demie). He is very much a baddie for an age in which we’re finally squaring up to toxic masculinity.

Nate may be borderline sociopathic, but Elordi said in a recent interview that Saltburn‘s Felix is even “scarier” in some ways because he thinks he owns “well, everything”. Felix’s juvenile side comes out when Oliver gets involved with someone he shouldn’t, causing Elordi’s bratty alpha to sulk and pout like a petulant child. When you’re used to having everything for yourself, it’s unbearable to think that something – or someone – might really belong to someone else.

Saltburn is filled with sublimely observed moments like this that allow Elordi to show off his range. Along with his performance as Elvis Presley in the upcoming biopic Priscilla, it’s a role that should transform him from TV rising star to big screen go-to. After all, Elordi is already attracting the attention of Hollywood’s great and good. Footage from last year’s Met Gala shows Leonardo DiCaprio congratulating him on Euphoria, which the Oscar winner calls a “great show”. Now, with Saltburn about to dazzle audiences, it feels like Elordi’s time to establish himself as a DiCaprio figure for the next generation.

‘Saltburn’ is in UK cinemas from November 17

The post Promising young man: why Jacob Elordi is Hollywood’s number one to watch appeared first on NME.

It’s been 30 years since Richard Attenborough’s wealthy entrepreneur John Hammond first welcomed us to Jurassic Park. Director Steven Spielberg’s thrilling tale of a group of scientists trying to survive a dinosaur theme park was a landmark moment in movies – possessing the kind of magic filmmakers have been trying to replicate ever since. To celebrate the big dino-sized birthday, we’ve ranked all six films in the franchise. What’s your favourite?

6. Jurassic Park III (2001)

The troubled production of the third Jurassic Park film is infamous to fans, as Much of Joe Johnston’s film was shot without a finalised script or executive producer Steven Spielberg on set. Both are very apparent in the final film, which feels rudderless and sorely misses the visual flourishes of the original director. It’s nice to see Sam Neill return as Dr Alan Grant (absent in The Lost World), and Alessandro Nivola is an interesting addition as Grant’s assistant Billy. For the most part, however, it’s a group of characters desperately searching for a plot.

5. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

The second Jurassic World film had the opposite problem to Jurassic Park III, with far too much story stuffed into two hours. Director JA Bayona picks up the previous film’s sweeping spectacle and takes it to a dark place. The script bulges with ethical conundrums and a positively harrowing sequence where original island Isla Nublar is destroyed. There are a few spectacular moments, but it’s a mostly so-so film that beats you into submission with its many plot points.

4. Jurassic World: Dominion (2022)

The most recent movie brought together the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World casts, having all the principal actors team up with dinosaurs now out in the world fighting for their place as the dominant species. Nostalgia carries this one a long way, as it’s nice to see Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum back together after nearly 30 years. It’s a shame the film doesn’t give them something more interesting to do, but this final instalment (for now) gives the saga a solid farewell.

3. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

The Lost World is a good film, its only problem being that it followed a great one. Jeff Goldblum returned as Dr Ian Malcolm, a fan-favourite of the first film now thrust into hero mode with co-stars Sam Neill and Laura Dern not present in the follow-up story. The film struggles to find something as interesting as the initial concept, settling on a rescue mission in Jurassic Park’s backup island, where dinos have survived. There are two spectacular sequences (one involving grass and the other involving glass), and taking a T-rex to San Francisco in the third act is a bold move.Diminishing returns, then, but entertaining nonetheless.

2. Jurassic World (2015)

The say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and there’s no denying that Colin Trevorrow’s reboot treads a familiar path to the first film – but it also brings something new to the table: an open park. Imagining John Hammond’s dream makes for an entertaining first half, paired with Chris Pratt at the peak of his dino-tastic powers. Not everything works, but it does a good job of reminding us why we wanted to go through the park gates in the first place.

1. Jurassic Park (1993)

Even the most contrary of fans would struggle to argue against this being at the top. The original film (as you’ll know) takes us inside a dinosaur theme park, and imagines what happens when it goes wrong. It’s a simple plot, but immaculately told in every aspect. The script runs deeper than you remember, with a recurring theme on the dangers of scientific discovery driven by capitalism. The characters are memorable, the dinos are terrifying, and bringing it all together is Steven Spielberg. If you divide his career into two roles – entertainer and historian – then this is ‘Spielberg The Entertainer’ at his very best. For the franchise, and Hollywood blockbusters in general, Jurassic Park set the bar.

The post Every Jurassic Park film ranked in order of greatness appeared first on NME.

Barbenheimer has given the box office its biggest summer weekend since 2019, but arguably the biggest drama in Hollywood right now is happening off-screen, as actors and writers down tools in protest over unfair pay, outdated regulations and the impending threat of AI. This may conjure up images of Meryl Streep yelling outside studio offices in different Oscar-worthy accents and chants being mellifluously sung in a five-octave range, but jokes aside, thousands in the industry have taken this last resort against what they see as an existential threat to their art – one that will impact the quality of culture that we as viewers enjoy. So what’s actually going on? Grab your popcorn, as NME answers your burning questions.

Let’s start with an easy one – who exactly is on strike?

Simply put: the writers and actors who make your favourite movies and TV shows. The unions that represent them – SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild And American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) – have joined the picket lines together for the first dual Hollywood strike since 1960.

Sounds big then, but why are actors withholding their labour?

Actors are in a tug-of-war with studios over working conditions, who gets paid (and how much) in the era of streaming, and are raising concerns about the spectre of unregulated artificial intelligence. Currently both sides are at an impasse in negotiations.

So how did streaming complicate things?

Residuals – payments that actors and screenwriters receive when their films or TV shows are viewed – are a key battleground. In the traditional broadcast system, actors could receive a cut of the money whenever their episode was re-aired anywhere, meaning appearing in an episode of ‘90s sitcom Friends could be lucrative. This money was especially important as, in a precarious industry, it acted as a cushion between jobs. However, the arbitrary fixed-residual system employed by streamers (where there’s no repeats because the content is constantly available – and streamers don’t release audience figures) means that the money actors receive is not tied directly to the success of their shows.

So, as actor Emma Myles recently pointed out, she made a paltry $20 in residuals from Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black, which she worked on for six years, compared to around $600 from a guest spot on NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Basically, the argument is: if you’re part of a massive hit for a streamer that brings in thousands of subscribers, like Orange Is The New Black, you should share some of that profit – since you’re the reason the platform is booming.

And what does AI have to do with it? Is this Black Mirror’s Joan Is Awful IRL?

Kind of. One of the demands of striking actors and writers is explicit AI regulations to protect the works they create. Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror episode Joan Is Awful depicts a woman who discovers her life has been turned into a negative daily biopic, where she’s played by an AI-generated likeness of Salma Hayek (who at one point has a bout of explosive diarrhoea in a church with a penis scrawled on her head) commissioned by unethical streaming executives.

Surely no one’s proposing anything like that?!

You might think this sounds far-fetched, but SAG-AFTRA’s chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland highlighted a proposal from Hollywood studios to employ “groundbreaking AI” to scan background performers, only paying them for a day’s work, while companies can then continue to use their digital form for any project they want. Similarly, screenwriters fret their jobs could be at risk if AI is enlisted to generate a rough first draft of a script. Then, they fear, human writers could be hired afterwards to punch up the copy at a lower pay rate.

What does the actors strike have to do with the writers strike?

As the old saying goes: ‘If it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage’. The WGA have undertaken industrial action since May, which immediately shuttered late-night comedy shows that are written on the day. Again, it’s chiefly about unfair residuals, compounded by the fact that the number of weeks a writer works is now fewer compared to a traditional network show because they produce fewer episodes (a comedy-drama like CBS’ mid-noughties favourite Desperate Housewives would entail 24 episodes per season; compared to around 10 episodes of The Bear on Disney+). So that money is more essential than ever as a buffer to get writers through tricky periods between jobs.

What aren’t actors allowed to do on strike?

It’s not just performing that’s outlawed: actors are explicitly not allowed to promote projects they’ve already made – starkly illustrated by the July 13 London premiere of Christoper Nolan’s Oppenheimer being moved forward by an hour, so that its cast could walk the red carpet before the 8pm strike deadline. Nolan told the audience: “Unfortunately, they’re off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by SAG, joining one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of their unions.” Apart from chat show appearances and print interviews being pulled, the strikes also cast doubt on film festivals and awards shows – this year’s Emmys, due to take place in September, have been postponed.

Is it only Americans who are on strike?

Yes. Although Equity, the UK actors union, is not striking (partly due to secondary striking being banned in this country) it has said it stands in “unwavering solidarity” with SAG-AFTRA – and its members have been marching in support too. Also, the Hollywood strikes have ramifications here in the UK, with co-productions on hold, as well as major US projects filming here – Deadpool 3, the Ariana Grande-helmed Wicked, and Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2 – paused, which affects the network of UK-based freelance crew.

Can’t actors film anything during the strike?

Well, SAG-AFTRA have granted several production waivers, or interim agreements, that will allow “truly independent” films to continue because they are unaffiliated with – more acronyms incoming! – the AMPTP (The Alliance Of Motion Picture & Television Producers), meaning they have no connection with the studios or streaming services from which SAG-AFTRA is striking. Among the full list of projects are Mother Mary, starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, and Jenna Ortega’s Death Of A Unicorn.

On a similar note, Game Of Thrones spin-off House Of The Dragon remains the highest-profile show in production – although a WGA member, showrunner Ryan Condal is on set in a non-writing capacity (meaning he can’t touch even a comma on the page), with all of the season’s scripts having been completed before the strike. The cast, meanwhile, are bound by contracts dictated by Equity – even those who are also SAG-AFTRA members. SAG-AFTRA view these interim agreements as crucial to weathering the strike.

Hang on… aren’t actors supposed to be rich? What are they moaning for?

Compared to more immediately sympathy-generating strikes like those by, say, nurses, you might look at George Clooney – reportedly worth $500million – claiming that “actors and writers in large numbers have lost their ability to make a living”, roll your eyes and snark: “It’s all a bit Power to the Beautiful People! My heart bleeds, moneybags!” But although A-listers can command huge sums of dosh, SAG-AFTRA estimates that only 13 per cent of its 160,000 members (including stunt performers and background artists) make the required $26,000 (£19,860) a year to qualify for US healthcare coverage.

What have the movie studios said?

The Alliance Of Motion Picture And Television Producers (AMPTP), who represent the major Hollywood studios, claim that they put a deal involving better pay and AI safeguards on the table – accusing SAG-AFTRA of walking away from talks. In a statement, it said: “We are deeply disappointed that SAG-AFTRA has decided to walk away from negotiations. This is the union’s choice, not ours. In doing so, it has dismissed our offer of historic pay and residual increases, substantially higher caps on pension and health contributions, audition protections, shortened series option periods, a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses, and more.” Then there’s (cue portentous organ music and villainous lighting strikes) Bob Iger…

Who the hell is Bob Iger?

He’s the CEO of Disney – who’s been met with a reception colder than Olaf The Snowman, drawing the ire of picketers with signs reading: “Can’t we replace Bob Iger with AI?” It’s all due to his remarks in an interview back in July, where he denounced the demands of unions as “not realistic”, adding that they would have a “very, very damaging effect on the whole [film and TV] business.” In response, striking director Zach Morrison quipped that maybe Disney could “imagineer” their way to conceiving a living wage.

What about the actors, who’s speaking up?

The list is endless: Amy Schumer, Colin Farrell, Pete Davidson, Matt Damon, Sarah Paulson (if this was American Horror Story, she’d probably be playing at least six different strikers), and Natasha Lyonne have all been on the picket line, while musicians like Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello and Imagine Dragons have been playing acoustic sets in support. Others with even deeper pockets, like Family Guy‘s Seth MacFarlane and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, have donated vast sums to help tide struggling strikers over.

Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston called out Iger – him again! – in a fiery speech at a SAG-AFTRA rally in Times Square, New York: “We’ve got a message for Mr. Iger: I know, sir, that you look at things through a different lens. We don’t expect you to understand who we are. But we ask you to hear us, and beyond that to listen to us when we tell you we will not be having our jobs taken away and given to robots. We will not have you take away our right to work and earn a decent living. And lastly, and most importantly, we will not allow you to take away our dignity!”

Director and actress Olivia Wilde also joined the rally, and addressed the studios on her social media: “You share the wealth because you cannot exist without us.”

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The White Lotus woman-of-the-moment Jennifer Coolidge used her MTV Movie & TV Awards acceptance speech to demonstrate her support: “As a proud member of SAG, I stand with you here tonight side by side with my sisters and brothers from the WGA, that are fighting right now, fighting for the rights of artists everywhere.”

Rob Delaney, who’s recently been cast in Deadpool 3, denounced the AMPTP as like “toddlers,” bragging about subscriber and blockbuster numbers, then pleading poverty when creatives ask for “a nickel”. At an Equity-organised rally in support of the SAG-AFTRA strike in London’s Leicester Square, he said: “We’re gonna win… we’re gonna withhold our labour and we’re gonna get our tiny little slice of the pie. The pie that we made up the friggin’ recipe for and wrote the cookbook for and posed for funny pictures beside the pie for.”

Addressing the same rally, Succession’s Brian Cox said he grasped how “scary” AI was after he was “given a list of things” on a recent program that an “artificial intelligence Brian Cox” was going to say. “The artificial intelligence Brian Cox was gonna do animal impersonations. I’ve never done a fucking animal impersonation and I wouldn’t know where to begin!… This is gonna happen to everybody. Nobody’s exempt.”

Pictured holding a sign reading “try filming blank pages” at the same protest, It’s A Sin creator Russell T Davies was quoted by Variety as saying: “This is a fight to the death for drama. We’re looking at processes and software and attitudes and hostility that could drive these people [writers and actors] into other jobs. These could be teachers and clerks and shop assistants in a few years’ time because our jobs are being erased. Absolutely erased with a happy smile on the accountants’ faces.”

The X-Files‘ David Duchovny lambasted the lack of transparency from streamers: if they won’t share their analytics, then they can continue to offer arbitrary fixed-rate residuals. “We always worked in a business that rewarded success and didn’t want failure. Now, we have these opaque streamers who kind of tell us what’s a success and what’s a failure and I wouldn’t trust an employer to tell me how well I’m doing.”

How will this affect my favourite films and TV shows?

With production halted on the likes of Stranger Things, The White Lotus and Yellowjackets, you’ll be waiting longer for new seasons of your most-cherished shows, and there’ll probably be fewer episodes when filming can resume. Even films that are completed are moving their premieres back in light of an inability to host lavish press tours crucial for publicity – for example, Challengers, filmmaker Luca Guadagnino’s hotly anticipated romantic drama starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, has kicked its premiere back to 2024.

What has already been delayed?

Everything. TV shows that have fallen prey to the strike include Andor, Big Mouth, The Last Of Us, Severance, Uncoupled, Hacks and You, while myriad films in the Avatar and Star Wars franchises, Marvel films including Captain America: Brave New World, Blade, and the next two Avengers films have all been delayed. As has Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse and the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel. At this rate, the kids of Stranger Things might have three divorces behind them and hair transplants before they can resume work on season five. For the foreseeable, it looks like actors’ best performances are going to involve brandishing protest signs, and the 2024 Emmys will include the category: ‘Outstanding writing… on a placard’.

How can I help support the strikes?

Some may rashly assume that cancelling your streaming service subscription or not going to the cinema might demonstrate kinship with strikers, but neither WGA nor SAG-AFTRA is calling for a boycott. Instead, you can show support on social media or donate to the Entertainment Community Fund which provides aid to performing arts workers who are unable to pay their basic living expenses.

Have there been strikes before?

You betcha! What’s happening in LA is not unprecedented. The WGA has gone on strike eight times in the past, while the actor’s guild has also voted for collective action twice before. Most have involved residuals changes to reflect technological advancements such as home video and DVDs. The last time SAG and WGA went on strike together was 63 years ago, while the previous WGA strike started in 2007 and lasted 99 days into 2008, costing the US economy $2 billion. The longest ever writers’ strike, so far, lasted 22 weeks, from March 7 to August 8 1988. As one picket-sign read: “We know how much you love reboots, so we’re rebooting the 2007 writers strike”.

When will the strike end?

It doesn’t look good for a swift resolution. Although SAG-AFTRA’s chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Island recently said that the strike could last until the early months of 2024, on Tuesday (August 1), SAG president Fran Drescher – formerly of the Cardi B-approved ‘90s sitcom The Nanny, now lauded as the Mick Lynch of this fight – commented they were in it for the long haul. “We have financially prepared ourselves for the next six months,” she said. “And we’re really in it to win it.”

The post Hollywood on strike! Every question about the actor and writer protests answered appeared first on NME.

Words: James Mottram

As July creeps onto the calendar, it’s time to round-up 2023’s big-screen highlights so far. Already, the cinemas have given us killer dolls and kick-ass Keanu, swinging Spideys and Spielberg sentiment, and that’s just scratching the surface. So let’s take a look at the best films from the past six months…

‘Asteroid City’

Director: Wes Anderson

Anderson’s 11th feature is another immaculately crafted, idiosyncratic adventure, this time set around a Junior Stargazer contest in a fictional desert town. Expanding his troupe to include Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie and Hope Davis, Anderson also gave his old pal Jason Schwartzman his best role in years, as a grief-stricken father-of-four. With aliens, atom bombs and singing cowboys (including Jarvis Cocker), it’s got bags of charm.

For fans of: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Moonrise Kingdom

‘Blue Jean’

Director: Georgia Oakley

There’s been a rash of brilliant British female-directed indies of late, including Aftersun and the forthcoming Scrapper and How To Have Sex. You can add Blue Jean into this mix, a first-time feature from Georgia Oakley starring Rosy McEwen as a teacher struggling with her sexuality at time when Thatcher’s government was ushering in the stigmatising Clause 28. Like a companion to Channel 4 drama It’s A Sin, this blended the politician and personal with real aplomb.

For fans of: My Beautiful Laundrette, Weekend

‘Evil Dead Rise’

Director: Lee Cronin

Creating the biggest hit of the Evil Dead franchise to date, Irish director Lee Cronin knocked it out of the park with this continuation of the horror series begun by Sam Raimi. Relocating the story to a crumbling LA apartment block and making the target of demonic possession a single mother (Alyssa Sutherland) and her three kids, Cronin conjured a breathless, blood-soaked barnstormer. The most intense movie of the year so far.

For fans of: Color Out Of Space, Drag Me To Hell

‘How To Blow Up A Pipeline’

Director: Daniel Goldhaber

Inspired by Andreas Malm’s radical 2020 manifesto of the same name, this pulsating eco-thriller follows a group of climate activists as they plot the destruction of a new segment of oil pipeline running through West Texas. The shadow of Quentin Tarantino’s celebrated heist debut Reservoir Dogs looms large, as clever flashbacks and bad injuries play a part. Among the cast, American Honey’s Sasha Lane is the most recognisable face, but it’s the collective that shines.

For fans of: The Hummingbird Project, Reservoir Dogs

‘Infinity Pool’

Director: Brandon Cronenberg

Arriving shortly after season two of The White Lotus, Cronenberg’s trippy tale was another story set in a luxury holiday resort. But that’s about where comparisons end, with this hallucinogenic horror putting Alexander Skarsgård’s blocked author through the ringer. Mia Goth brings her unique brand of other-worldliness as a dangerous seductress who loves nothing more than violating society’s norms. You’ll never book an all-inclusive resort again after this.

For fans of: Possessor, Triangle of Sadness

‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

Director: Chad Stahelski

How to turn anarchy into art, this fourth instalment in the ultra-violent Keanu Reeves-starring series took carnage to a new level. Fights at an Osaka hotel, a Berlin club and Paris’ Arc De Triomphe and the Sacre Coeur steps were to die-for, so to speak, while Donnie Yen’s blind assassin was a tremendous addition to the ensemble. Style over substance, maybe, but this was cooler than an Arctic winter.

For fans of: Extraction, The Matrix

‘Little Richard: I Am Everything’

Director: Lisa Cortés

Eye-opening documentary about the legend that is Little Richard, with director Cortés exploring queer theories around the flambouyant singer-pianist. Featuring stellar archive footage and some great commentators, including the always-quotable John Waters, the film cements Little Richard’s long overdue place in the music pantheon. At its very best, it reminds us of what a complex, charismatic character he really was.

For fans of: Moonage Daydream, Summer of Soul

‘M3GAN’

Director: Gerard Johnstone

In the year that AI became daily headline news, this slick update on the classic creepy doll horror movie saw Allison Williams’ robot designer road-test her latest creation (the Model 3 Generative Android) on her orphaned niece. Needless to say, M3GAN, who gets rather attached to her new friend, does not behave herself. The shape of things to come? We better hope not.

For fans of: Child’s Play, CHAPPIE

‘Meet Me In The Bathroom’

Directors: Dylan Southern, Will Lovelace

New York, in the early 2000s, is the cultural, political backdrop for this mesmerising music documentary that looks into bands including The Strokes, Interpol, LCD Soundsystem and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Set at a time of 9/11 and the internet shifting parameters in the music industry, it’s a perfect time capsule of the age of uncertainty. The rough, raw feel is exhilarating.

For fans of: Shut Up & Play The Hits, Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck

‘Pearl’

Director: Ti West

Mia Goth returned for her second film with director Ti West following the 1970s-set X, in which (under heavy prosthetics) she played Pearl, the aged/bloodthirsty owner of a Texas farmhouse. Here, sans makeup, Goth ripped up the rulebook as the younger Pearl, showing us where that killer instinct came from. Typical of West’s black humour, The Wizard of Oz allusions are made, not least involving Pearl, a scarecrow and a masturbation fantasy. Twisted.

For fans of: X, The Innkeepers

‘Rye Lane’

Director: Raine Allen Miller

It’s not often that Peckham is put up in lights. This time, Miller’s effervescent romantic comedy embraces its south London backdrop. It’s a real walking-and-talking movie, as twentysomethings Dom (Industry’s David Jonsson) and Yas (Vivian Oparah) meets at an art show, both reeling from bad break-ups, and find a growing attraction. Vivacious, fresh filmmaking.

For fans of: Before Sunrise, I Give It A Year

‘Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse’

Directors: Justin K. Thompson, Kemp Powers, Joaquim Dos Santos

The best superhero movie of the year so far? Check. The best blockbuster of the year so far? Double-check. Mild-mannered high-schooler Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) returned for more alternate Spidey adventures, as he dived into the multiverse maelstrom to hang out with all manner of web-slingers, including Daniel Kaluuya’s cor-blimey Spider-Punk. Driven by virtuoso animation, the level of invention here is off the chain.

For fans of: The Mitchells Vs. The Machines, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish 

‘TÁR’

Director: Todd Field

Easily the year’s most sophisticated, daring drama, Field’s character study brought us one of Cate Blanchett’s greatest ever performances as mercurial conductor Lydia Tár. Dipping into a post-MeToo universe, as Tár’s inappropriate behaviour with students is called into question, Field’s film seemed forensically researched – you’ll feel like you studied at a conservatoire by the end. But, like the out-there finale, it’s filled with utterly brilliant weirdness.

For fans of: In The Bedroom, Little Children

‘The Fabelmans’

Director: Steven Spielberg

Well, it had to happen eventually, as the world’s most famed filmmaker turns the camera on his own story. Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical tale sees a young boy navigate his tricky family life as his sheer wonder for cinema grows. Beginning with a homage to The Greatest Show On Earth, the result is one of Spielberg’s most touching movies. The cameo by David Lynch as an eyepatch-wearing John Ford is sheer genius, by the way.

For fans of: The Hand of God, Belfast

‘The Flash’

Director: Andy Muschietti

That The Flash has just disappointed at the box office could (and should) be put down to superhero fatigue alone. Muschietti’s film is easily one of the best DC Comics efforts, with Ezra Miller a joy to watch as the titular speedster making a muddle of the multiverse while trying to reverse his mum’s death. Call it the ultimate fan service if you will, but the return of Michael Keaton as Tim Burton-era Batman is inspired.

For fans of: Justice League, The Batman

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