A Stitch in Time (2021), directed by Sasha Hannen

Liebe has lived with Duncan for decades, giving up her own work as a highly skilled dressmaker to support the aspiring musician. When he loses his last remaining gig at the RSL she wants to take up the needle professionally again, but he is less than enthusiastic. An old friend becomes a cheerleader and, very late in life, Liebe finally stands up for herself and her dreams. This is a really interesting story, with an unpredictable trajectory and ending. It is apparently based on a real person and something of a passion project for the director, who also wrote, edited and produced the film. Unfortunately the execution lets it down. The script needed several more drafts, the clunky dialogue and exposition difficult for the valiant cast to overcome. The acting is patchy – Glen Shorrock, as Duncan, is a very fine musician but no actor. Character actor Maggie Blinco has a lot to carry as Liebe and she is ably supported by Hoa Xuande, as fashion designer Hamish. Their friendship is the keystone of the film and makes up for many of its flaws. One major one is the terrible sound – what is meant to be background noise in several outdoor scenes sounds like a two-way radio. The supporting cast includes veteran actors Belinda Giblin and John Gregg, in his last film.

Red White & Royal Blue, by Casey McQuiston

It is 2020 and Ellen Claremont has begun the campaign to win her second term as the first woman US president. In his final year of college, her son, Alex Claremont-Diaz, is a charming and ambitious potential asset to the campaign. So what will happen to both their aspirations when Alex falls in love with Prince Henry, younger son of the heir to the British throne? A Royal romance with a difference, this is a clever, tender and funny exploration of a relationship developing in despite of the public eye. Queen Mary is on the throne and her heir is Princess Catherine of Wales, mother of Prince Philip, Princess Beatrice and Prince Henry. Some of the details are a little far-fetched, but it is ultimately a modern fairy tale and what could be a better alternative reality than one where Trump was never elected?

Delicious (2021), directed by Eric Besnard

An enormous divide between rich and poor in 18th century France has caused hunger and unrest. Former baker Pierre Manceron has been elevated above his humble background to become chef in the regional household of the gourmand Duke of Chamfort. But he is ambitious and wants to create his own recipes, not just cook to the Duke’s orders and this clash puts him out of favour and out of work. With his teenage son, Pierre returns to his childhood home in the middle of nowhere – a rundown inn that serves as a wayside stop for travellers to and from Paris. When jam maker Louise arrives and demands to be taken on as an apprentice, Pierre regains his interest in innovative cooking. Her smart ideas offer a chance of a bright future for the inn and its inhabitants, but her dark past and dangerous secrets could lead them to disaster. This entertaining tale of the invention of restaurants is set in the early days of the French Revolution and makes some serious political points about the dangers of inequality. It is done with a light touch, including some very funny jokes and superb subtitling. The cast is appealing and the setting and costumes enhance the wholly delicious experience.

Great Circle, by Maggie Shipstead

Marian Graves was a pilot, who disappeared in 1950 with her navigator when attempting a circumnavigation of the globe via both poles. Hadley Baxter is a young actress playing Marian in biopic many years later. Marian and her twin brother Jamie were raised by their uncle in rural Montana. Her story is told in a series of time and place-stamped short pieces, starting with the lives of her mentally unwell mother and oddball ship captain father. Orphaned as a toddler by a plane crash and also raised by her uncle, Hollywood brat Hadley tells her own tale of discovering Marian’s true story while playing her. The novel also contains potted histories of many intrepid female (and some male) aviators, which borders on the didactic but provides an interesting backdrop and context, especially the WWII pilots. At almost 600 pages this is not a quick read, but it is an absorbing tale that holds attention and takes a rather different direction just when it seems to be getting predictable. The author says this was cut down from an unwieldy 1000 pages, which may explain why Hadley’s story is left hanging. This makes her a vessel to advance Marian’s story, rather than a fully-rounded character in her own right, which is a little disappointing. Ultimately the tale celebrates love on its own terms and female achievement when up against incredible hardship and obstacles.

Licorice Pizza (2021), directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

The title probably says it all about this very strange film. Budding entrepreneur Gary Valentine is 15 and abounds with self-confidence. Alana Kane is 25-ish, directionless in a dead-end job. Their unlikely love story develops through a series of business opportunities and misadventures in early 1970s California. The film expounds some interesting themes along the lines of knowing yourself and discovering what you want – and don’t want, especially for Alana, but it really drags in places and there are many inexplicable shots of the leads running. Musician Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman are very good in debut performances. complemented by a fabulous soundtrack. But too much time is spent on the misadventures, which feature some truly bizarre cameos from the likes of Bradley Cooper, Tom Waits and Sean Penn in vignettes that smack of self-indulgent Hollywood in jokes. It is not surprising that the lead performances have been nominated in the upcoming awards season, but the film itself – really? A weird combination that sounds cool, but is actually just odd. It really is all in the name.

Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens

Miss Catherine Danielle Clark is Kya to her family and friends and ‘the Marsh Girl’ to the people of the small community near her shack in the marshlands of North Carolina. Her story begins in 1951 and tells of her lonely and neglected childhood, living in poverty and violence, abandoned by her family and ostracised by the community. It periodically leaps forward to 1969, where authorities are investigating the mysterious death of local golden boy Chase Andrews. With a few helping hands Kya raises and educates herself, eventually finding a level of success and security. But the naïve ‘wild child’ remains an outsider and an object of suspicion. Owens skilfully evokes the beauty of the marshes and the joy and sustenance Kya gains from the natural world. Her lyrical and lush descriptions sometimes tip over into florid and overblown and the story conveys a sense of unreality as elements of it require substantial suspension of disbelief. Kya is both alien and sympathetic, her damage, vulnerability and resilience elevating her tale above a kitchen sink drama. The ending is perhaps wrapped up a little too neatly in the far future; the shock twist not really much of a shock.

Rita (Netflix) series 1-5

This Danish series is funny, sad and frequently moving, offering a refreshing alternative to the plethora of Scandi noir. Rita is a school teacher and self-confessed fuck up, a single mother of three in her 40s who always wears jeans and checked shirts. A rebel with a cause, she is fiercely protective of the kids she teaches – especially those from difficult backgrounds. But she gets so caught up with her causes she can be oblivious to problems closer to home. She adores her three kids, but sometimes neglects them or ignores their problems. In a casually convenient relationship with the head teacher, Rasmus, Rita is often her own worst enemy - making some really bad decisions. Milla Dineson is perfectly cast as Rita; her character always retains the viewer’s sympathy, even when behaving badly. Rita is relatably human, deeply flawed and eminently loveable. The story arc over five seasons is broad and deep, delving into Rita’s troubled childhood and showing how she became who she is. Made from 2012 to 2020, Rita provides a fascinating insight into a different culture. A short spin-off series, Hjordis, is also delightful.