Breach (2020) Director: John Suits Screenwriters: Edward Drake, Corey Large Starring: Bruce Willis, Cody Kearsley, Rachel Nichols, Kassandra Clementi, Johnny Messner There’s a persistent myth that once actors reach a certain stature they only appear in high-quality projects. The reality is messier: budgets, schedules, personal decisions and industry dynamics all shape careers, and big names … Read more

Soul (2020)Directors: Pete Docter, Kemp PowersScreenwriters: Pete Docter, Kemp Powers, Mike JonesStarring: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Questlove, Angela Bassett This review considers Pixar’s Soul, a film that arrived at a strange moment for many viewers who first saw it at home. Whether or … Read more

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