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

Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011) — Review Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa Screenwriter: Dan Fogelman Starring: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Kevin Bacon, Marisa Tomei, Analeigh Tipton, Jonah Bobo Well-written, stylishly cast romantic comedies are less common today than they once were, which makes Crazy, Stupid, Love. a welcome reminder of how rewarding … Read more

Malcolm & Marie (2021) Director: Sam Levinson Screenwriter: Sam Levinson Starring: John David Washington, Zendaya The Covid-19 pandemic closed theatres and production floors, forcing filmmakers to rethink how to create movies under strict limits. Malcolm & Marie is one of those lockdown productions: a contained, black-and-white chamber piece shot in a single house with a … Read more

The Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma has announced the nominees for the 2021 César Awards. This year’s shortlist highlights a strong showing for intimate dramas and character-driven comedies, with one film leading the pack in nominations and several others recognized across major categories. Top of the list with 13 nominations is Les Choses … Read more

Greenland (2021) Director: Ric Roman Waugh Screenwriter: Chris Sparling Starring: Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, Roger Dale Floyd, Scott Glenn Well-executed extinction-event films are rare, which is why the 1990s blockbusters such as Independence Day, Armageddon and Deep Impact remain fondly remembered despite mixed reviews. Since then the genre has oscillated between spectacle-driven tentpoles and lower-budget … Read more

Arrow Player: A New Streaming Home for Cult and Art-House Cinema Arrow, one of the UK’s leading distributors of physical media for cult and classic films, has launched Arrow Player, its curated streaming service aimed at cinephiles who value special editions, restorations and carefully selected catalogs. Rather than competing directly with mass-market platforms, Arrow Player … Read more

Rocks (2020) Director: Sarah Gavron Screenwriters: Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson Starring: Bukky Bakray, Kosar Ali, D’Angelou Osei Kissiedu, Shaneigha-Monik Greyson, Sarah Niles British cinema often gravitates toward period drama, literary adaptations, and war stories—productions where received accents, stiff-upper-lip stoicism, and traditional images of Britain dominate. While those films frequently attract awards attention, they can obscure … Read more