The Disappearance of Shere Hite (15)
Directed by Nicole Newnham
★★★★

 
IN the late 1970s trailblazing feminist sex researcher Shere Hite rocked the US Establishment with her bestselling book The Hite Report, which lifted the lid on the female orgasm, liberating women and scaring men.  

If you have not heard of her you are not alone, even though she was a household name back then, and it is a wrong that film-maker Nicole Newnham aims to right in this ambitious and eye-opening documentary which investigates how and why she disappeared from public life. And, essentially, was cancelled. 

Her 1976 work featured candid revelations about women’s sex lives, based on the findings of an anonymous questionnaire to which 3,000 women responded. The findings revealed that penetrative intercourse did not automatically result in an orgasm whereas masturbation did, thus dispelling years of long-held misconceptions. 

Using exclusive archives, as well as Hite’s personal journals, which are read by Dakota Johnson (one of the film’s producers), the original survey responses and interviews with friends, associates and colleagues of Hite, Newnham shows the sexism, misogyny and unbelievable backlash Hite faced and how they tried to silence her. 

The film demonstrates how she was ridiculed, discredited and patronised on national television by male interviewers and male guests alike, which is appalling to watch. Her 1981 follow-up book on male sexuality which outlined the results of around 7,200 anonymous questionnaires completed by men sparked even more furore. 

Sadly women are still being told to watch their tone today. Hopefully this intimate, thought-provoking and must-see documentary will give Hite the recognition that she deserves. 

Out in cinemas tomorrow.
 

The Boys in the Boat (12A)
Directed by George Clooney
★★★

 
GEORGE CLOONEY gets behind the camera for this old-fashioned drama and underdog tale based on the true story of how the University of Washington’s working-class rowing team made it to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. 

The film, which is an adaptation of Daniel James Brown’s book of the same name, outlines all the discrimination and adversity that the nine-man team faced in order to qualify because they were poor. They only joined up in order to be able to pay their tuition fees.  

The story is told through the eyes of student and rower Joe Rantz (Callum Turner), who is troubled  and struggles to learn to be a team player. Joel Edgerton brings gravitas as the long-suffering coach who is desperate for a win. 

While the male characters feel grounded, the few female ones seem like window dressing. 

Beautifully shot, the rowing scenes prove surprisingly tense, particularly when the action moves to Nazi-run Germany. It is a solid and heartfelt drama. 

Out in cinemas tomorrow.

Freaks Vs The Reich (15)
Directed by Gabriele Mainetti 
★★★

 
Set in 1943 Rome, four circus performers with super-powers are being pursued by a psychotic six-fingered Nazi who believes they could be the answer to winning the war for the Fuhrer in this surreal fantasy adventure. 

Co-written and directed by Gabriele Mainetti, the film follows teenage Matilde (Aurora Giovinazzo) who is electrically charged, Cencio (Pietro Castellitto) an Albino who can control insects, Mario (Giancarlo Martini) a dwarf with magnetic powers, and Fulvio (Claudio Santamaria) a hairy strongman who looks like Chewbacca’s twin brother. They become lost and rudderless when their leader Israel (Giorgio Tirabassi), who is Jewish, goes missing.

It is a bizarre and brutal reimagining of history with these weird characters who are surprisingly charismatic. In particular Giovinazzo as the big-hearted Matilde who cannot touch anyone without giving them a lethal electric shock. 

Visually compelling, you can’t help but root for them while praying for the Nazis’ painful demise.  

Out in cinemas tomorrow.

The Beekeeper (15)
Directed by David Ayer
★★★

 
It is strangely satisfying to watch Jason Statham bring scumbags ripping off the elderly and less fortunate to justice in this revenge thriller. 

Statham plays a beekeeper who goes on the rampage when his neighbour (Phylicia Rashad) kills herself after all her bank accounts (which include a charity worth $2 million) are emptied by computer scammers. He tracks them down and makes them pay before hunting down their boss, rich kid Derek Danford (Josh Hutcherson), who is being protected by a former CIA boss (Jeremy Irons hamming it up) and his wealthy mother (Gemma Redgrave). 

Statham is on killer form as a one man killing machine and a former operative of a powerful and clandestine operation called “Beekeepers” who keep the government in check. It is hilarious to watch Irons trying to explain the workings of the hive while keeping a straight face. 

With bee jokes galore and a high body count, this ludicrous film is stupidly fun. 

Out in cinemas tomorrow.