“Everything I learnt, I learnt from the movies.” – Audrey Hepburn. Why Cinema Matters to Me Cinema is far more than entertainment—it is a lens through which I understand the world. After my family and closest friends, film is the richest and most constant part of my life. I work in casting, so my professional … Read more

Back There in the Dark You’ve been quiet for too long — the cinema, that temple of dreams and imagination, has sat with empty seats and deserted aisles. For many of us the big screen is not merely a place to watch a story unfold; it is a ritual, a communal act of wonder. We … Read more

93rd Academy Awards (2021) — Winners and Ceremony Highlights The delayed 93rd Academy Awards took place on Sunday, 25 April 2021. The ceremony combined in-person attendance in Los Angeles with remote participation from several venues worldwide. Directed by Steven Soderbergh and limited to essential guests, the event departed from the traditional Oscars format. It resembled … Read more

The Best Picture nominees at the 2021 Oscars demonstrate that, even in our darkest times, exceptional cinema can be made, shared and celebrated. The theatrical experience may have been disrupted and the industry thrown into uncertainty, but The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences still had a wealth of outstanding films to choose from—reminding … Read more

Wings (1927) Director: William A. Wellman Screenwriters: John Monk Saunders, Hope Loring, Louis D. Lighton Starring: Clara Bow, Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers, Richard Arlen, Jobyna Ralston, El Brendel, Richard Tucker, Gary Cooper Wings stands as a landmark of early cinema: a silent-era spectacle that not only captured audiences with its daring aerial sequences but also earned … Read more

News of the World (2021) Director: Paul Greengrass Screenwriters: Paul Greengrass, Luke Davies Starring: Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel, Tom Astor, Travis Johnson, Andy Kastelic, Ray McKinnon, Mare Winningham The Western genre often leans on familiar beats: lone riders, quickdraw showdowns, and sweeping images of open plains. While those elements can be comforting and entertaining, they … Read more

This article was written exclusively for The Film Magazine by Scott Z. Walkinshaw. Love and Monsters (2020) Director: Michael Matthews Screenwriter: Brian Duffield, Matthew Robinson Starring: Dylan O’Brien, Jessica Henwick, Michael Rooker, Ariana Greenblatt, Dan Ewing Michael Matthews’ Love and Monsters arrives as a welcome refresh in the post-apocalyptic young-adult subgenre, a film that favors … Read more

“It’s a pretty dark reflection of some of the more shadowy aspects of my interior life.” A festival standout last year, Black Bear earned praise for its claustrophobic relationship drama and a powerhouse performance from Aubrey Plaza. As the film approaches its digital release in the UK, writer-director Lawrence Michael Levine discusses the personal inspirations … Read more

Crip Camp (2020) Directors: James Lebrecht, Nicole Newnham Screenwriters: James Lebrecht, Nicole Newnham Starring: James Lebrecht, Judy Heumann, Ann Cupolo Freeman, Denise Sherer Jacobson, Neil Jacobson, Lionel Je’Woodyard, Joseph O’Conor, Corbett O’Toole, Eunice Fiorito, HolLynn D’Lil, Dennis Billups Crip Camp is a moving, clear-eyed documentary that tells how a small summer camp helped spark a … Read more

Burrow (2020) Director: Madeline Sharafian Screenwriter: Madeline Sharafian Burrow, part of Pixar’s SparkShorts program, is a compact and charming animated short that earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Short Film in 2021. Clocking in at roughly six minutes, director and writer Madeline Sharafian delivers a concise fable that mixes classic children’s storytelling with … Read more