Alive (2020) Director: Jimmy Olsson Screenwriter: Jimmy Olsson Starring: Eva Johansson, Madeleine Martin, Joel Ödmann Swedish writer-director Jimmy Olsson returns with Alive (2020), a tender short that balances warmth and melancholy with subtle humor. Following his earlier short work, Olsson crafts a compact, affective story that centers on connection, choice, and dignity. Shot and paced … Read more

This article was written exclusively for The Film Magazine by Scott Z. Walkinshaw. King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) Director: Ishirō Honda Screenwriter: Shinichi Sekizawa Starring: Haruo Nakajima, Shoichi Hirose, Ichirō Arishima Note: This is a review of the original Japanese cut. The Godzilla series depends as much on the viewer’s imagination as on what appears … Read more

Hannibal (2001) Director: Ridley Scott Screenwriters: David Mamet, Steven Zaillian Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Gary Oldman, Ray Liotta, Frankie Faison, Giancarlo Giannini, Francesca Neri, Zeljko Ivanek, Hazelle Goodman Hannibal is a film that frequently frustrates. Tasked with following up the extraordinary cultural and critical success of The Silence of the Lambs a decade earlier, … Read more

Muppet Treasure Island (1996) Director: Brian Henson Screenplay: Jerry Juhl, Kirk R. Thatcher, James V. Hart Starring: Tim Curry, Billy Connolly, Jennifer Saunders, Kevin Bishop, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, Kevin Clash, Bill Barretta, Frank Oz Overview: Muppet Treasure Island is the Muppets’ fifth theatrical film, directed by Brian Henson, which blends classic adventure … Read more

Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) Director: Shaka King Screenwriters: Shaka King, Will Berson Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, Dominique Fishback, Jesse Plemons “You can murder a revolutionary, but you can’t murder a revolution.” That line, delivered by Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton, encapsulates the urgency and tragedy at the heart of Judas and the … Read more

To All the Boys: Always and Forever (2021) Director: Michael Fimognari Screenwriters: Katie Lovejoy, Jenny Han Starring: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart The third and final installment of Jenny Han’s beloved Netflix franchise returns to the familiar, tender world of Lara Jean Covey. To All the Boys: Always and Forever follows the … Read more

Between enforced isolation, rising anxiety and the sudden dependence on video calls, the terrifying Zoom séance feature Host became one of the clearest cinematic reflections of 2020. Created under lockdown conditions, the film captured the fear and claustrophobia of the year while turning our everyday communication tools into the setting for a genuinely unsettling horror … Read more

This article was originally published to SSP Thinks Film by Sam Sewell-Peterson. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Director: Jonathan Demme Screenwriter: Ted Tally Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Ted Levine, Scott Glenn, Brooke Smith, Frankie Faison, Anthony Heald, Kasi Lemmons, Diane Baker, Stuart Rudin Thomas Harris, who created Hannibal Lecter, admitted in a 2000 … Read more

Cinema’s Most Romantic Moments — An Audio Essay Series from The Film Magazine The Film Magazine presents a concise audio series exploring some of cinema’s most memorable and moving romantic moments. Seven contributors—writers and experienced commentators—each chose a film moment that resonates with them and recorded a short audio essay. These pieces blend critical insight, … Read more

Romantic comedies are supposed to be light, enjoyable films about love, but when they rely too heavily on traditional gender roles and predictable plotting, they can quickly become tedious. The genre’s tendency toward mundanity is a recurring theme in critical conversations, and it shapes how we judge these films. While some rom-coms are harmless formulaic … Read more