Who doesn’t enjoy watching a great comic-book movie villain do their worst? Put your hand down, Captain America. Over more than a decade and dozens of films, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has subjected its heroes to apocalyptic threats and impossible odds. Its villains—crazed scientists, treacherous agents, ruthless warlords, amoral industrialists, gods and monsters—have driven those … Read more

It might feel predictable to begin a countdown of every entry in the biggest movie franchise in history with an oft-used line from that very universe. Still, we’ll do it anyway. Take it away, Nick Fury: “There was an idea…” That idea was a departure from earlier superhero movies: instead of each costumed protagonist existing … Read more

Twisters (2024)Director: Lee Isaac ChungScreenwriter: Mark L. SmithStarring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane Blockbusters often invite criticism: massive budgets, glossy surfaces, and an emphasis on spectacle over substance. Many of them feel formulaic, prioritizing effects and marketing over character and story. Yet Twisters (2024), produced by Amblin Entertainment … Read more

When Harry Met Sally (1989), written with razor-sharp wit by Nora Ephron and directed with genuine tenderness by Rob Reiner, follows two strangers whose chance encounters over twelve years reshape their lives. It’s a concise, affecting 90-minute film that makes you laugh as much as it moves you. This definitive romantic comedy is packed with … Read more

In a year shaped by consequential elections, the right to vote feels especially urgent. Paola Cortellesi’s 2023 directorial debut, C’è Ancora Domani (There’s Still Tomorrow), brings that urgency to the foreground by dramatizing the struggle Italian women faced as they won and exercised the vote for the first time. The film sensitively charts their journey … Read more

MaXXXine (2024)Director: Ti WestScreenwriter: Ti WestStarring: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Bacon Ti West’s horror trilogy began with X (2022) and its companion prequel Pearl (2022). Both films mix unsettling violence with layered commentary on the shifting relationship between sex, censorship and spectacle in … Read more

After months of negotiation, Paramount and Skydance Media have reached an agreement to merge, creating a major new player in the entertainment industry. The combined company is valued at roughly $28 billion. This agreement follows a series of proposals and detailed discussions between both parties and their shareholders. Skydance founder David Ellison will lead the … Read more

Marnie (1964)Director: Alfred HitchcockScreenwriter: Jay Presson AllenStarring: Tippi Hedren, Sean Connery, Diane Baker, Martin Gabel, Louise Latham, Bob Sweeney Alfred Hitchcock’s reputation as a master of suspense rests on a body of work that includes unmistakable highlights. For many viewers, the director’s last truly iconic film arrived in 1963 with The Birds, a movie that … Read more

North by Northwest (1959)Director: Alfred HitchcockScreenwriter: Ernest LehmanStarring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Jessie Royce Landis, Leo G. Carroll, Philip Ober, Martin Landau, Adam Williams By 1959 Alfred Hitchcock had been directing films for more than three decades and had explored a wide range of styles. Some of his experiments missed the mark, … Read more

Donald Sutherland, a towering figure of screen and stage, died on 20 June 2024 at the age of 88. Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, on 17 July 1935, he endured a frail childhood marked by rheumatic fever and polio, among other illnesses. Despite these early health challenges, he recovered and embraced life with remarkable … Read more