French Exit review - Michelle Pfeiffer faces mortality

★★★ FRENCH EXIT Michelle Pfeiffer faces mortality in mother-son drama

Mother-son drama is both arresting and arch

Michelle Pfeiffer all but purrs her way through French Exit, as befits a splendid actress who cut a memorable Catwoman onscreen nearly thirty years ago. Playing a New York grande dame who deals with bankruptcy by decamping with her son Malcolm (Lucas Hedges) to Paris, Pfeiffer informs the character of the mortality-obsessed Frances Price with an implicit "meow", as if forever finding fault with a world in which, short of funds, she is now surplus to requirements.

theartsdesk Q&A: choreographer Christopher Scott

Q&A: CHOREOGRAPHER CHRISTOPHER SCOTT On creating the sizzling dance scenes for 'In The Heights'

The creator of the sizzling dance scenes for 'In The Heights' on how they came about

Having won recognition for his streetdance routines on American TV’s So You Think You Can Dance, choreographer Christopher Scott was asked to help bring Lin-Manuel Miranda’s pre-Hamilton stage hit to the big screen. In The Heights was shot entirely on location on the streets of Washington Heights, a largely Dominican neighbourhood in New York.

In the Heights review - to life, Lin-Manuel Miranda-style

★★★★ IN THE HEIGHTS To life, Lin-Manuel Miranda-style

2008 Tony winning musical transfers joyously to the screen

The general uptick of late in film versions of stage musical hits continues apace with In the Heights, which, to my mind anyway, is far more emotionally satisfying and visually robust onscreen than it was on Broadway, where it won the 2008 Tony for Best Musical.

Shiva Baby review - sex, lies and rugelach

★★★★ SHIVA BABY Trapped in a Jewish family gathering

Trapped in a Jewish family gathering: Emma Seligman's debut feature is full of life

Comedian Rachel Sennott stars as Danielle, a conflicted, bisexual twenty-something college student who's taking money she doesn't really need from a sugar daddy who isn't who she thinks he is. Emma Seligman’s debut feature, which began as a short in her film studies degree at New York University, is full of energy in its exploration of the dynamics of sex, power and career, with lox and bagels on the side.

My New York Year review - lacklustre portrait of an ingenue

★★ MY NEW YORK YEAR Old-fashioned romcom aimed at a young female audience

Old-fashioned romcom aimed at a young female audience misses its mark

This pallid chick flick limps out on release having changed its title since its Berlinale 2020 debut; in the US it's known as My Salinger Year, but perhaps market research in Blighty decreed that name-checking the author of The Catcher in the Rye wouldn't play as well here.

New York City Ballet 2021 Spring Gala online review - Balanchine and Robbins shine in a dark theatre

★★★★ THE NEW YORK CITY BALLET 2021 SPRING GALA Dancers return to the Lincoln Center in Sofia Coppola's quietly moving short film

Dancers return to the Lincoln Center in Sofia Coppola's quietly moving short film

It’s official. Masks are coming off across America while theatres remain dark. Over here, theatres are about to re-open and masks must be worn. An identical situation gives rise to different responses prompted by local preoccupations. Local preoccupations are at work in ballet too. Witness the 2021 Spring Gala performance put out digitally by New York City Ballet.

Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation review - genius dogged by disappointment

★★★★ TRUMAN & TENNESSEE: AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION Empathic documentary honours two literary legends

Empathic documentary honours two literary legends

Kindred literary spirits who overlapped in any number of ways make for riveting stuff in Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation. Filmmaker Lisa Immordino Vreeland folds archival footage of the legendary writers together with recitations from their life and art spoken by Jim Parsons and Zachary Quinto.

The Artist's Wife review - uninspired portrait of dementia in the Hamptons

★★★ THE ARTIST'S WIFE  Uninspired portrait of dementia in the Hamptons

An artist's wife rediscovers her own creativity: Lena Olin and Bruce Dern star

“The only child I’ve ever had is you,” the artist’s wife (Lena Olin), spits at the artist, her considerably older husband (Bruce Dern), who retorts, “That was your goddamn choice so don’t blame it on me.”