Mona Fastvold directs The Testament of Ann Lee, a visually stunning period drama co-written with Brady Corbet, following their collaboration on The Brutalist (2024). This intense film explores themes of religion, prejudice, feminism, and architecture in 18th-century England and America.
The Testament of Ann Lee (15, 137 mins)
Verdict: Won’t shake you up
Fastvold, working with cinematographer William Rexer, crafts breathtaking visuals reminiscent of Thomas Gainsborough’s paintings, bringing the 1700s to life in picturesque detail. Amanda Seyfried leads with a fiercely committed performance as Ann Lee, the Lancastrian founder of the Shaker movement—initially called the ‘Shaking Quakers’ for their ecstatic twitching during worship, later known as the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Coming.
The story follows Ann and her devoted followers, who view her as Christ’s second embodiment, from Manchester’s industrial mills to a Hudson River settlement. They sing adapted Shaker spirituals and dance with elaborate choreography, undeterred by ocean voyages. The film highlights Shaker principles like sexual abstinence, influenced by Ann’s loss of four infants and her husband Abraham’s preferences for oral sex and sado-masochism.
Ann Lee declared, “No one can reach God while wallowing in the lust of the flesh.” Christopher Abbott portrays Abraham, Lewis Pullman plays her brother William, and Thomasin McKenzie serves as narrator Mary, Ann’s loyal disciple.
Strong acting and the evolution of minimalist Shaker design captivate, but the drama remains dreary until a lively finale where Ann faces witchcraft accusations. Mary narrates of young Ann, “She yearned to find purpose amidst the dullness of her lot,” echoing the film’s pacing at times.
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (12A, 90 mins)
Verdict: Will shake you up
Baz Luhrmann’s documentary complements his 2022 biopic Elvis, drawing from research that uncovered 65 boxes of unseen 1970s concert footage from Warner Brothers’ Kansas salt mine archives. Restored and synced with audio, it showcases Elvis’s Vegas era as a pinnacle of charisma and musicality, dispelling notions of decline.
Beyond performances, Luhrmann includes a rare audiotape of Elvis discussing his career, plus off-stage moments with admirers like Cary Grant and Sammy Davis Jr. Davis marveled, “You started to rev up and you never stopped.” Highlights include a riveting Suspicious Minds with an immersive drum solo, evoking spiritual fervor Ann Lee might have admired.
Both films screen in cinemas now.
Also Showing: Molly Vs The Machines (15, 91 mins)
This powerful documentary examines the deadly impact of toxic social media on teens, focusing on 14-year-old Molly Russell’s 2017 suicide amid self-harm content. Director Marc Silver spotlights her father Ian’s campaign against unaccountable platforms and resistance to regulation. Ian persists despite challenges, and wider viewership bolsters his cause. In cinemas Sunday; Channel 4 at 9pm, March 5.
