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LOLA

Play trailer Poster for LOLA Released Aug 4, 2023 1h 19m Sci-Fi War Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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98% Tomatometer 40 Reviews 68% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
1941, sisters Thom and Mars have built a machine, LOLA, that can intercept radio and TV broadcasts from the future. This allows them to listen to iconic music before it has been made, place bets knowing what the outcome will be and embrace their inner punk well before the movement came into existence. But with the Second World War escalating, the sisters decide to use the machine for good to intercept information from the future that could help with military intelligence. The machine initially proves to be a huge success, rapidly twisting the fortunes of the war against the Nazis. While Thom becomes intoxicated by LOLA, Mars begins to realize the terrible consequences of its power.
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Critics Consensus

LOLA stylishly fuses time-travel and found footage elements to craft a clever what-if story that buzzes with timeless ingenuity.

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Critics Reviews

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Mark Kermode Kermode and Mayo's Take (YouTube) A very independently spirited film that deserves to find an audience. Aug 27, 2024 Full Review Donald Clarke Irish Times Working with vintage film cameras and period lenses, the cinematographer Oona Menges creates images that seem infused with rationed cigarette smoke. Rated: 3/5 Dec 11, 2023 Full Review Kaleem Aftab Time Out There’s much to admire here, but with Legge’s keen eye for the technical side of cinema stronger than his narrative impulses, LOLA ultimately has to go down as an ambitious failure. Rated: 2/5 Dec 11, 2023 Full Review Clotilde Chinnici Loud and Clear Reviews As the film goes on, it seems to ask us – and its protagonists – if it is really possible to change the future for the best. Rated: 3.5/5 Sep 15, 2024 Full Review Milana Vujkov Lola On Film Stylish and perfectly-formed cinematic coup, with a genius archival mix of film stock [...] a zany and witty Gen Z fantasy of saving-the-world, while elegantly sipping wine in chichi period clothes, in a fashionably derelict mansion. Rated: 4/5 Nov 1, 2023 Full Review Norman Gidney HorrorBuzz A cerebral, sci-fi thriller that works. Rated: 8/10 Aug 27, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ben D You make movies but it’s lockdown. What do you do? Andrew Legge, Emma Appleton, Stephanie Martini, et al. create LOLA, probably the most interesting and original “lockdown” movie to come out of that crappy period. Sisters, Thomasina (Appleton) and Martha (Martini) create a machine that cannot transport them through time, but can show images/broadcasts from the future — it’s 1941 and a lot of culture is ahead. Right away I loved this movie because the sisters bet on sports to financially support themselves, something that any of us would do given the same privileged knowledge. They also use their knowledge of pop music to become sensations and even are responsible for the national slogan during the “Battle of Britain” — “You Really Got Me” (of Kinks fame), a sort of taunt to Hitler, overshadows any “Keep Calm and Carry On” that might be emanating from Buckingham Palace or 10 Downing Street. However, like any good “time travel” movie, the ripple effects are wide and infinite, and the future of Britain, pop culture, — President Lindbergh! Fascist Pop Rock! — and WWII is forever changed. LOLA is the best kind of “found footage” movie. Although its vision is grand, for the most part, it remains local while showing the broader world through broadcasts. Finding movies like LOLA and recommending them to readers and friends is what makes running this blog so enjoyable. It’s only 79 minutes. It’s stylish, thought-provoking, and fun. Absolutely check it out. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/14/24 Full Review Jonathan K LOLA is inventive in both concept/story and style/execution. A dark alt-history script is always going to be intriguing to me, and it's well executed in that regard. It also serves as an interesting commentary on the attractiveness of fascism to someone with an engineering mind, who wants to feel in control and for things to be tidy and neat and ideal, i.e. engineered. What's more, there's a really clever sci-fi time manipulating angle to the story, and the quasi-plausible bow-tying at the end they accomplish given that storytelling device is quite satisfying. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/14/24 Full Review Geoff C Ten minutes in I was hooked, and so should you be. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/29/24 Full Review J. Gregory W This is remarkably well done. A fresh take on a sci-fi concept, set in WWII. That description should lead to lots of criticisms, but …. No. Impeccably well written, acted, directed, filmed, and edited. If you like WWII movies, alt-history, sci-fi, or independent films, this is a must see. I am interested in discovering other films by the producer, writers, director, and lead actresses. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/15/24 Full Review Jeff M This is a low budget film with big ideas. It works surprisingly well. I loved the honesty in how they approached the tradeoffs of changing history. Like Stephen King's 11/22/63 we see the unintended consequence of doing good. Loved it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/04/24 Full Review Thom G LOLA stands out by presenting viewers with an intriguing "what if" story that offers a unique historical experience. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/05/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis 1941, sisters Thom and Mars have built a machine, LOLA, that can intercept radio and TV broadcasts from the future. This allows them to listen to iconic music before it has been made, place bets knowing what the outcome will be and embrace their inner punk well before the movement came into existence. But with the Second World War escalating, the sisters decide to use the machine for good to intercept information from the future that could help with military intelligence. The machine initially proves to be a huge success, rapidly twisting the fortunes of the war against the Nazis. While Thom becomes intoxicated by LOLA, Mars begins to realize the terrible consequences of its power.
Director
Andrew Legge
Producer
Alan Maher, John Wallace
Screenwriter
Andrew Legge, Angeli MacFarlane, Andrew Legge, Angeli Macfarlane
Distributor
Dark Sky Films
Genre
Sci-Fi, War, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 4, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 4, 2023
Runtime
1h 19m
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