What We Do in the Shadows and the “Man Alone” in New Zealand Cinema In New Zealand film, the figure known as the “man alone” traditionally symbolizes humanity’s struggle to assert control over a harsh natural environment. Over time, this figure has evolved alongside urban growth and changing social identities that no longer cling to … Read more

The Midnight Sky (2020) Director: George Clooney Screenwriter: Mark L. Smith Starring: George Clooney, Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, Caoilinn Springall, Kyle Chandler, Demián Bichir, Tiffany Boone, Sophie Rundle, Ethan Peck George Clooney has experience with cinematic space stories, having been involved in high-profile films such as Steven Soderbergh’s 2002 Solaris and Alfonso Cuarón’s acclaimed Gravity … Read more

It will come as no surprise that the UK box office in 2020 fell dramatically compared with previous years. According to the annual Comscore report, total UK box office takings reached just £323 million in 2020. While that sum remains significant, it represents a 76% decline from 2019. For context, the preceding five years each … Read more

Pieces of a Woman (2020) Director: Kornél Mundruczó Screenwriter: Kata Wéber Starring: Vanessa Kirby, Ellen Burstyn, Shia LaBeouf, Iliza Shlesinger, Benny Safdie, Sarah Snook, Molly Parker Grief is a paradox: deeply personal yet universally recognizable. It can make a person feel as if they are nothing more than the scattered fragments of who they used … Read more

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) Director: Patty Jenkins Screenwriters: Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns, Dave Callaham Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal When Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman arrived in 2017 it felt like a turning point: a major studio superhero film centered on a woman and made by a woman, one that embraced the … Read more

Cinema exists to be watched, felt, experienced and examined. Great films reflect our best strengths, our deepest fears and our truest aspirations. They are collaborative works of art intended to be shared in darkened rooms, drawing audiences into other lives and perspectives, inviting empathy for characters across time and place. Film is more than a … Read more

In 2020, The Film Magazine published hundreds of pieces, from deep readings of classics and analyses of “so bad it’s good” films to reviews of new releases and coverage of major festivals. Our content ranges from Top 10 lists and ranked round-ups to thoughtful essays and interviews. A team of twenty regular writers, supported by … Read more

In a year that upended how we watch movies, compiling a list of the Best Films of 2020 highlights both resilience and creativity in cinema. After the historic success of Parasite—an internationally released film that won Best Picture, Original Screenplay, Director and Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars—2020 began with real momentum. Then the … Read more

The postponement of major studio releases like No Time to Die, Dune, Black Widow and entries in the Fast and Furious franchise into 2021 left a noticeable gap in our cinematic lives. With movie theaters largely closed, streaming services lacking many anticipated premieres, and only a handful of ardent cinephiles tracking awards-season contenders and select … Read more

10 Best Films Released in the UK in 2020 2020 was a year few will forget. The coronavirus pandemic reshaped daily life, cut many lives tragically short and forced cinemas to close their doors for months. The film industry was pushed to adapt: major releases were postponed, and studios experimented with premium video-on-demand and shorter … Read more