Why you can trust GamesRadar+
A minor drama built around a major performance, Being Julia stars Annette Bening as a fortysomething theatre diva who's queen of the West End in 1938. Emotionally divorced from manager husband Jeremy Irons, she falls into bed with a young admirer (Shaun Evans) whose ulterior motives inspire Julia to do some scheming of her own...
Eventually, the stage is set for an uproarious revenge scene that deserves a standing ovation. Problem is, Hungarian helmer István Szabó leaves his grand finale waiting in the wings for so long you're almost past caring by the time it arrives. It doesn't help that our heroine is so self-absorbed, but Bening invests her with enough spark and presence to ensure the film holds together, even in its driest patches. There's punchy work from the other players (Irons in particular) - but her's is the only name likely to reach gong-givers' shortlists come awards season.
The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine.
Sony becomes the largest shareholder in Elden Ring and Dark Souls' parent company, despite acquisition chatter
10 PC exclusives to play through PC Game Pass this year
Sonic 3 cast have their say on whether the threequel is the end of the series: "If you keep liking what we're putting out there, we'll continue to make these movies"