Yes Seyfried shines, but these Shaking Quakers didn’t stir me

by

The Testament Of Ann Lee (15, 137 mins)

Verdict: Won’t shake you up

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (12A, 90mins)

Verdict: Will shake you up 

Mona Fastvold and Brady Corbet most recently co-wrote the 2024 film, The Brutalist. It’s a long, immersive story about a Hungarian Holocaust survivor who goes on to become a famous architect in America after the war.

The filmmaking couple are back with The Testament of Ann Lee, a serious and emotional new film. It’s a historical drama set in the 1700s, exploring themes of religion, bias, women’s rights, and even building design. You have to give them credit – they’ve really found a unique area to focus on.

Corbet previously directed The Brutalist, but now Fastvold takes the helm. Along with cinematographer William Rexer, she’s created a visually stunning film that is often breathtaking.

Outside the paintings of Thomas Gainsborough, the 1700s never looked so picturesque.

Amanda Seyfried is incredibly compelling in the lead role, delivering a committed performance and convincingly maintaining a northern English accent.

Ann Lee led the Shakers, a religious group originally nicknamed the ‘Shaking Quakers‘ because of their lively, energetic worship. They later became known as the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Coming, a much longer name, but still reflected their core beliefs.

The movie follows Ann and her devoted followers—who believe she is the second coming—as they journey from the industrial heart of Manchester to a new settlement on the Hudson River. They travel with spirited singing and fervent shaking, remaining hopeful even when facing rough seas in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

The music is based on real Shaker hymns, but I suspect the original Shakers weren’t quite as musically polished or had such elaborate dances as presented here. It’s like a Broadway-style take on their passionate beliefs, reminiscent of Stephen Sondheim’s work.

At the very least, this portrayal should significantly increase your understanding of the Shakers, and especially of Ann Lee, who considered celibacy central to her faith. Historians suggest this emphasis stemmed from the personal tragedy of losing four children in infancy, as well as from troubling aspects of her husband Abraham’s sexual preferences.

She believed that someone preoccupied with physical desires couldn’t connect with the divine. Perhaps if he’d been less driven by those desires, she might have seen things differently.

Christopher Abbott stars as Abraham, and Lewis Pullman plays Ann’s dedicated brother, William. Thomasin McKenzie portrays Mary, Ann’s faithful follower and the film’s narrator. The acting is superb throughout, and the film is visually stunning.

It’s interesting to learn about the origins and growth of the simple, clean designs found in Shaker architecture and furniture.

Honestly, while the story picked up a little when Ann was accused of witchcraft, overall I found it pretty slow and lacking in real drama. It just didn’t quite grab me, you know? As someone who loves a captivating story, I was hoping for something a bit more exciting.

Mary describes young Ann as longing for meaning in her ordinary life. I felt similarly uninspired while watching the film at Monday’s press screening.

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert isn’t a typical biography. This documentary by Baz Luhrmann is a fascinating follow-up to his excellent 2022 film Elvis, and actually grew out of the research he did while making the movie.

Surprisingly, in salt mines in Kansas, they discovered 65 boxes of previously unreleased concert footage from Elvis Presley’s early 1970s Las Vegas performances while searching the Warner Brothers archives.

The films have been fixed and now include the missing audio. The result is a captivating look back at how amazing Elvis was, even towards the end of his career.

People sometimes dismiss him because of the over-the-top Vegas performances, suggesting he’s a faded version of his former glory. But he’s still as talented as ever. It’s not just his captivating personality, but also his incredible musical skill that continues to thrill even his most dedicated fans.

EPiC isn’t just a concert film; it’s a look into Elvis’s life and career. Director Baz Luhrmann discovered a previously unreleased audio recording of Elvis discussing his work, which is woven into the film. We see him performing and behind the scenes, and the film features moments with fans like Cary Grant and Sammy Davis Jr. admiring his talent. Davis himself notes, ‘You just kept going and going!’ recognizing Elvis’s incredible energy and dedication.

Ultimately, the concert is all about the music. The performance of ‘Suspicious Minds’ is incredible, culminating in a drum solo where Elvis seems completely lost in the moment, vibrating with energy like someone experiencing a powerful religious awakening. It feels like Ann Lee herself would have been a fan.

Both films are in cinemas now. A longer review of EPiC ran last Saturday.

 

 Also showing…

Molly Russell, a 14-year-old from England, tragically ended her life in 2017. She had been deeply affected by harmful content online that focused on self-loathing and negativity.

“Molly Vs The Machines” (rated PG-13, 91 minutes, four stars) is a compelling new documentary exploring the harmful effects of social media. It focuses on the platforms created by Silicon Valley leaders who avoid responsibility for the damage they cause and often react angrily to attempts to regulate them, dismissing such efforts as censorship. Mark Zuckerberg is a key figure highlighted in the film.

The true hero of Marc Silver’s film is Molly’s father, Ian. He tirelessly fights against those who allow harmful substances to be given to children, even though he often feels defeated. The more viewers this powerful documentary reaches, the greater his chances of success.

In cinemas on Sunday and on Channel 4 at 9pm on Thursday, March 5.

Read More

2026-02-27 04:49