Pride (2014) stands out as one of the most affecting British films of the 21st century. In just 122 minutes, director Matthew Warchus and screenwriters manage to weave together the 1984–85 miners’ strike, the emerging gay liberation movement, and the early days of the AIDS crisis into a single uplifting and political story. Pride is … Read more
It can be difficult to explain why Laurel & Hardy remain so cherished more than a century after their first Hollywood appearances. They were neither politically driven like Charlie Chaplin nor the athletic daredevils of Buster Keaton. They did not trade on satire the way Abbott & Costello sometimes did, nor were they lauded as … Read more
Minari (2021) Director: Lee Isaac Chung Screenwriter: Lee Isaac Chung Starring: Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Alan Kim, Noel Cate Cho, Youn Yuh-jung, Will Patton A24’s emergence as a powerhouse in independent cinema has introduced audiences to a steady stream of acclaimed filmmakers and memorable films, and Lee Isaac Chung’s semi-autobiographical drama Minari stands among the … Read more
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) Director: Wes Anderson Screenwriters: Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Michael Gambon, Brian Cox, Owen Wilson After establishing a distinctive voice across five live-action features, Wes Anderson made an unexpected — yet inspired — turn into stop-motion animation with his 2009 adaptation of Roald … Read more
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
