Friday Five: Films on a Plane, The Return Leg

1. Aftersun: Daughter revisits camcorder memories of a teenage holiday with her young dad. Tender by Blur is on the soundtrack and sums up the film. ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
2. Catherine Called Birdy: I've not seen many medieval comedies, but I'll bet this one is right up at the top of the list. Written and directed by Lena Dunham, based on a novel by Karen Cushman, and featuring Bella Ramsey (I've not seen her before but apparently she's known from Game of Thrones), Billie Piper, Andrew Scott, Joe Alwyn, Sophie Okonedo, Lesley Sharp, David Bradley, Russell Brand and Ralph Ineson (amongst many others), it is part touching coming-of-age tale; part deliberately anachronistic feminist take; complete and utter delight. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3. To Leslie: Money doesn’t buy you happiness but it does buy you alcohol and that leads to everything but. Andrea Riseborough gives a sensational Oscar-nominated performance as the woman who won the lottery and drank away her winnings; Marc Maron as Sweeney is her knight in shining overalls who withholds judgment long enough for her to try to forgive herself and make a plan for the future. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4. Wolfwalkers: Glorious animated fantasy adventure (An international co-productionled by Cartoon Saloon and Mélusine Productions) with folkloric, magical, supernatural, pagan and historical overtones about the destruction of the environment and the consequences for co-habitation with nature. Delightfully drawn with beauty and precision; perfectly voiced including the voices of Sean Bean, Simon McBurney, Honor Kneafsey, Maria Doyle Kennedy, and Tommy Tiernan. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
5. Women Talking: But, as is so often the question, is anyone listening? Powerful subject; great cast; devastating dialogue well delivered. Would make a terrific play with the right direction. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2