Leigh Singer

Leigh Singer is a film journalist, programmer and video essayist for Sight and Sound, The Guardian, Little White Lies and Second Sight Films, among others. He oversees audiovisual MA dissertations at the UK’s National Film and Television School and can be found on IG: @film_leigh or B/Sky @leighsinger

All articles by Leigh Singer

Reviews

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues: the rockers reunite for a self-congratulatory meta-sequel

Rob Reiner’s follow-up to This Is Spinal Tap (1984) has plenty of great gags, but without the sharp satire of the original, it feels too close to the hagiographic music docs it once mocked.

By Leigh Singer

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues: the rockers reunite for a self-congratulatory meta-sequel

Interviews

“Some things I can’t talk about”: director Fax Bahr on Francis Coppola and the making of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse

By Leigh Singer

“Some things I can’t talk about”: director Fax Bahr on Francis Coppola and the making of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse

Reviews

Jurassic World Rebirth: satisfying thrills, thin storytelling

By Leigh Singer

Jurassic World Rebirth: satisfying thrills, thin storytelling

Interviews

“I can think of nothing more boring than a live concert film”: Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard and Emiliana Torrini on The Extraordinary Miss Flower

By Leigh Singer

“I can think of nothing more boring than a live concert film”: Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard and Emiliana Torrini on The Extraordinary Miss Flower

Reviews

The Rule of Jenny Pen: John Lithgow terrorises the elderly with a glove puppet in this one-note nursing home nasty

By Leigh Singer

The Rule of Jenny Pen: John Lithgow terrorises the elderly with a glove puppet in this one-note nursing home nasty

Festivals

Tornado: John Maclean brings exhilarating samurai action to Scotland

By Leigh Singer

Tornado: John Maclean brings exhilarating samurai action to Scotland

Reviews

Hard Truths: Mike Leigh’s graceful tragicomedy shows how irreplaceable he is in British cinema

By Leigh Singer

Hard Truths: Mike Leigh’s graceful tragicomedy shows how irreplaceable he is in British cinema

Reviews

A Complete Unknown: a heartfelt and dutiful biopic of Bob Dylan’s formative freewheelin’ years

By Leigh Singer

A Complete Unknown: a heartfelt and dutiful biopic of Bob Dylan’s formative freewheelin’ years

Interviews

“The film should continue with you, otherwise I’m just preaching”: Raoul Peck on his documentary Ernest Cole: Lost and Found

By Leigh Singer

“The film should continue with you, otherwise I’m just preaching”: Raoul Peck on his documentary Ernest Cole: Lost and Found

Festivals

We Live in Time: an eminently watchable but contrived weepie

By Leigh Singer

We Live in Time: an eminently watchable but contrived weepie

Features

Sweet Dreams: an immersive multimedia exhibition that plays chicken with our take on fast food

By Leigh Singer

Sweet Dreams: an immersive multimedia exhibition that plays chicken with our take on fast food

Reviews

Agent of Happiness: gentle documentary explores the question – can joy be quantified?

By Leigh Singer

Agent of Happiness: gentle documentary explores the question – can joy be quantified?

Interviews

Peel slowly and see... The return of Billy Connolly: Big Banana Feet

By Leigh Singer

Peel slowly and see... The return of Billy Connolly: Big Banana Feet

Interviews

Silver Haze: how we made our arson-attack survivor drama

By Leigh Singer

Silver Haze: how we made our arson-attack survivor drama

10 great

10 great films set over one night

By Leigh Singer

10 great films set over one night

Interviews

How Britain got its groove back: the return of Cymande

By Leigh Singer

How Britain got its groove back: the return of Cymande

Reviews

The Color Purple: showstopping musical adaptation is determined to accentuate the positive

By Leigh Singer

The Color Purple: showstopping musical adaptation is determined to accentuate the positive

Where to begin

Where to begin with Werner Herzog

By Leigh Singer

Where to begin with Werner Herzog

Festivals

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget: an endearing second helping of fowl play

By Leigh Singer

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget: an endearing second helping of fowl play

Festivals

Fallen Leaves star Alma Pöysti on working with Aki Kaurismäki: “Everyone was surprised he made this movie”

By Leigh Singer

Fallen Leaves star Alma Pöysti on working with Aki Kaurismäki: “Everyone was surprised he made this movie”

Features

The enigmatic ‘pillow shots’ of Yasujiro Ozu

By Leigh Singer

The enigmatic ‘pillow shots’ of Yasujiro Ozu

Reviews

Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis): a nostalgic ode to the album cover

By Leigh Singer

Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis): a nostalgic ode to the album cover

Reviews

The Old Man Movie: Lactopalypse: a madcap Estonian stop-motion comedy

By Leigh Singer

The Old Man Movie: Lactopalypse: a madcap Estonian stop-motion comedy

Festivals

Close Your Eyes: a triumphant return for Víctor Erice

By Leigh Singer

Close Your Eyes: a triumphant return for Víctor Erice

Reviews

Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom: gentle Bhutanese drama

By Leigh Singer

Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom: gentle Bhutanese drama

Reviews

Knock at the Cabin: by-the-numbers Shyamalan

By Leigh Singer

Knock at the Cabin: by-the-numbers Shyamalan

10 great

10 great puzzle films

By Leigh Singer

10 great puzzle films

Reviews

All Quiet on the Western Front: the horror, the horror

By Leigh Singer

All Quiet on the Western Front: the horror, the horror

What to watch at LFF

Haunted Hotel: A Melodrama in Augmented Reality: well worth checking into

By Leigh Singer

Haunted Hotel: A Melodrama in Augmented Reality: well worth checking into

Reviews

Emily: a creative rewriting of the life of Emily Brontë

By Leigh Singer

Emily: a creative rewriting of the life of Emily Brontë