Yasmine Kandil

London

Senior Film Critic at Discussing Film

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Articles

Rami Malek Feels Miscast in Tense Spy Thriller

1 month ago | discussingfilm.net | Yasmine Kandil

In recent years, it feels like the espionage genre has dried up. Most spy thrillers have fallen into a particularly stale formula, resulting in unmemorable, cookie-cutter projects. That being said, 2025 has been off to an excellent start for the genre after the critical success of Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag. Yet, after numerous delays, the bar was set relatively low going into The Amateur (2025), with the marketing teasing by-the-book action sequences and monotonous performances.
'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy' Review

Feb 13, 2025 | discussingfilm.net | Yasmine Kandil

Not all romantic comedies have stood the test of time quite as well as 2001’s Bridget Jones’s Diary. Director Sharon Maguire and her close friend Helen Fielding, who wrote the 1996 romance novel it was based on, crafted one of the true greats of its genre: witty, charming, and, in many ways, before its time. Bridget Jones’s Diary is so specific and tuned into British culture, and yet has simultaneously proved to be a universal story that continues to transcend generations.
Moana 2 review - a tidal wave of joy on the big screen

Nov 27, 2024 | lwlies.com | Yasmine Kandil

About Little White Lies Little White Lies was established in 2005 as a bi-monthly print magazine committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them. Combining cutting-edge design, illustration and journalism, we’ve been described as being “at the vanguard of the independent publishing movement.” Our reviews feature a unique tripartite ranking system that captures the different aspects of the movie-going experience. We believe in Truth & Movies.
'Paddington In Peru' Review

Nov 10, 2024 | discussingfilm.net | Yasmine Kandil

In the decade since the first Paddington film delighted audiences across the globe, the clumsy yet immensely loveable titular Andean bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) has gone from being an integral piece of British iconography to arguably one of the most universally adored fictional characters.
Nicole Kidman Dominates this Tale of Lust

Sep 26, 2024 | discussingfilm.net | Yasmine Kandil

Dutch actress-turned-director Halina Reijn burst onto the scene two years ago with Bodies Bodies Bodies, a comedic slasher that showcased some of the best young talent the industry has to offer. While the A24-produced horror comedy made waves (much in part due to Rachel Sennott’s hilarious line deliveries), it felt as if Reijn’s direction was far stronger than the screenplay at hand.
A Timeless Masterwork of Epic Proportions

Sep 9, 2024 | discussingfilm.net | Yasmine Kandil

Through the overwhelming darkness, not much can be deciphered except for the frantic shuffling of bodies desperately escaping captivity, one of whom is Hungarian-born Jewish architect László Tóth (Adrien Brody), the life and soul of Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist. This unnerving chaos is soothed ever so slightly by the voice of Erzsébet (Felicity Jones), the wife László was forcibly separated from in Budapest during the Nazi’s World War II invasion of Hungary.
‘Harvest’ Review: Transplanting English to Scottish Locales Does No Favors for Athina Rachel Tsangari’s Adapted Historical Tale | Venice

Sep 5, 2024 | awardswatch.com | Yasmine Kandil

Two names come to mind on mention of filmmakers who found their feet in the Greek New Wave Cinema movement; Yorgos Lanthimos and Athina Rachel Tsangari. Though both have forged fascinating careers for themselves individually, their combined strength as a director and producer duo has resulted in the films Kinetta, Dogtooth and Alps. After nine years of not directing, Tsangari has premiered her debut English-language feature Harvest in competition at the Venice Film Festival.
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Review: Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga Sing and Dance a Deranged Duet of Musical Mischief | Venice

Sep 4, 2024 | awardswatch.com | Yasmine Kandil

Five years after Joker (2019) premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it was awarded the top prize, director Todd Phillips and star Joaquin Phoenix have returned to the Venice Film Festival with a long-awaited sequel. In the wake of killing five people to public knowledge, and six including the sly murder of his mother, Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) is confined to the grimy maximum security ward of Arkham State Psychiatric Hospital.
‘2073’ Review: Asif Kapadia Conjures a Taut Sci-Fi Thriller in a Post-Apocalyptic World | Venice

Sep 3, 2024 | awardswatch.com | Yasmine Kandil

We often associate the term dystopia with films or novels, fictional stories detached to some degree from our reality, but perhaps we already reside within one and have done so for a while. This is one of the many feelings that you walk away upholding following Asif Kapadia’s latest project, 2073.
'Maria' Review - Angelina Jolie Does Her Best to Elevate Pablo Larraín's Restrained Biopic | Venice 2024

Sep 2, 2024 | discussingfilm.net | Yasmine Kandil

Director Pablo Larraín’s ability to craft cinematic portraits of iconic women throughout history is no secret. It all began with Larraín’s 2016 English-language debut Jackie, which starred Natalie Portman as Jacqueline Kennedy in the days following the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy. A “spiritual trilogy” of sorts began to take shape, with the second installment manifesting in the form of 2021’s Spencer — the Kristen Stewart-led character study on Princess Diana.