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Clarisse Loughrey image

Clarisse Loughrey

Chief film critic@clarisselou

Clarisse Loughrey is the chief film critic for The Independent. She also co-hosts The Big Screen Book Club and Fade to Black podcasts.

<p>Mariam Afshari, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi and Vahid Mobasseri in ‘It Was Just an Accident’</p>

Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident should frighten us all

This Palme d’Or-winning drama arrives in the same week its director was handed a prison sentence

<p>Chalamet in Josh Safdie’s ‘Marty Supreme’</p>

Marty Supreme confirms Timothée Chalamet as one of our greatest actors

<p>Josh O’Connor and Daniel Craig in the third instalment of the Knives Out series</p>

Rian Johnson’s cool, clever Knives Out series is yet to stumble

<p>Opposites attract: Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling are lovers in ‘Pillion’</p>

BDSM biker romp Pillion is sweet, sexy and unbelievably tender

<p>‘The Bear’ actor Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen in the film about the genesis of 1982 album ‘Nebraska’</p>

The rote Springsteen biopic doesn’t do justice to its inspiration

Jeremy Allen White is perfectly convincing in the starring role, but Scott Cooper’s film reduces Springsteen’s life to cliches and generic pop psychology

The rote Springsteen biopic doesn’t do justice to its inspiration

Jeremy Allen White is perfectly convincing in the starring role, but Scott Cooper’s film reduces Springsteen’s life to cliches and generic pop psychology

<p>‘The Bear’ actor Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen in the film about the genesis of 1982 album ‘Nebraska’</p>

<p>Josh O’Connor in Kelly Reichardt’s ‘The Mastermind’</p>

Josh O’Connor starrer The Mastermind builds to a wonder of a punchline

<p>Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst in ‘Roofman’</p>

Roofman is a romantic and emotional take on a bonkers true story

<p>Andrew Garfield and Julia Roberts in ‘After the Hunt’</p>

Julia Roberts is brilliant, but After the Hunt is ultimately shallow

<p>Keanu Reeves as the angel Gabriel in ‘Good Fortune’</p>

An angelic Keanu Reeves rises above the muddle of Good Fortune

<p>Keanu Reeves as the angel Gabriel in ‘Good Fortune’</p>

An angelic Keanu Reeves rises above the muddle of Good Fortune

<p>Robert Aramayo and Maxine Peake in 'I Swear'</p>

I Swear is a non-treacly crowdpleaser about Tourette syndrome

<p>Keira Knightley in ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’</p>

The Woman in Cabin 10 is perfect if you have a limited attention span

<p>Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell in ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’</p>

Margot Robbie’s new film is a twee, Manic Pixie Dream Girl throwback

Colin Farrell and Phoebe Waller-Bridge are among the cast of a movie that just about rises above motivational-poster sentimentality

Margot Robbie’s new film is a twee, Manic Pixie Dream Girl throwback

Colin Farrell and Phoebe Waller-Bridge are among the cast of a movie that just about rises above motivational-poster sentimentality

<p>Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell in ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’</p>

<p>Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer in ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’</p>

Spinal Tap 2 is startlingly unfunny

<p>Cillian Murphy in ‘Steve’</p>

Cillian Murphy drama Steve exposes the perils of novel adaptations

<p>Aubrey Plaza and Margaret Qualley in Tricia and Ethan Coen’s ‘Honey Don’t!’</p>

Honey Don’t! is a lesbian trifle that sadly lacks focus

<p>Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville and Michelle Dockery in ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’</p>

Downton Abbey 3 is proof that this franchise simply must end

<p>Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville and Michelle Dockery in ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’</p>

Downton Abbey 3 is proof that this franchise simply must end

<p>Peter Dinklage in ‘The Toxic Avenger’</p>

The reboot of splatter movie The Toxic Avenger feels sadly out of time

<p>Austin Butler in ‘Caught Stealing’</p>

The busy, vacant Caught Stealing is thin material for Austin Butler

<p> Willem Dafoe and Finn Wolfhard in ‘The Legend of Ochi’</p>

Willem Dafoe’s The Legend of Ochi could stand to be weirder

This beautifully made film may paint itself as wild and free, but it still conforms to conventional storytelling

Willem Dafoe’s The Legend of Ochi could stand to be weirder

This beautifully made film may paint itself as wild and free, but it still conforms to conventional storytelling

<p> Willem Dafoe and Finn Wolfhard in ‘The Legend of Ochi’</p>

<p>Liam Neeson in ‘The Naked Gun’</p>

Liam Neeson’s Naked Gun reboot is a masterclass in buffoonery

<p>The antiheroes of the animated comedy ‘The Bad Guys 2’</p>

The Bad Guys 2 is a pleasant mix of fart noises and Elon Musk gags

<p>Sally Hawkins and Sora Wong in ‘Bring Her Back’</p>

Sally Hawkins weaponises her niceness in the thrilling Bring Her Back

<p>Vanessa Kirby as Susan Storm in ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’</p>

The Fantastic Four is no disaster – but it’s no Superman, either

<p>Vanessa Kirby as Susan Storm in ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’</p>

The Fantastic Four is no disaster – but it’s no Superman, either

<p>Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in ‘Friendship’</p>

The Paul Rudd comedy Friendship is the funniest film of the year

<p>Rihanna as Smurfette in the dismal animated reboot ‘Smurfs’</p>

Rihanna’s Smurfs movie is obnoxious, confusing and very unpleasant to look at

<p>Ana de Armas in the John Wick spin-off ‘Ballerina’</p>

The imperfect John Wick spin-off Ballerina didn’t need the Keanu cameo

There’s such great action in this Ana de Armas vehicle, but it’s undercut by generic plotting and ‘female assassin’ stereotypes

The imperfect John Wick spin-off Ballerina didn’t need the Keanu cameo

There’s such great action in this Ana de Armas vehicle, but it’s undercut by generic plotting and ‘female assassin’ stereotypes

<p>Ana de Armas in the John Wick spin-off ‘Ballerina’</p>

<p>Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan in ‘The Ballad of Wallis Island’</p>

The Ballad of Wallis Island is an upbeat spin on Stephen King’s Misery

<p>Gillian Anderson in ‘The Salt Path’</p>

This Gillian Anderson homeless tale is just too neat and tidy

<p>Tony Revolori and Saoirse Ronan in ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’</p>

The Countdown

Wes Anderson ranked, from The Phoenician Scheme to Rushmore

<p>Zoom in for detail: Benicio Del Toro soaks up the scenery in Wes Anderson’s ‘The Phoenician Scheme’</p>

Inside the obsessive, compulsive making of a Wes Anderson set

<p>Zoom in for detail: Benicio Del Toro soaks up the scenery in Wes Anderson’s ‘The Phoenician Scheme’</p>

Inside the obsessive, compulsive making of a Wes Anderson set

<p>John Krasinski in Guy Ritchie’s ‘Fountain of Youth’</p>

Guy Ritchie’s radar for smart nonsense rescues Fountain of Youth

<p>The Disney live-action remake machine has rendered Stitch in spiritless CGI</p>

The live-action Lilo & Stitch is a travesty