“Your father’s lightsaber. This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster, but an elegant weapon for a more civilised age.” Few cinematic devices are as instantly thrilling as a well-executed sword fight. Beyond spectacle, blade clashes force protagonists and antagonists into decisive confrontations, often letting them settle … Read more

The Back to the Future trilogy remains a worldwide phenomenon. Since the original film’s release in 1985, the franchise has expanded beyond cinema into an animated series, a Universal Studios motion-simulation ride and a popular stage musical. The three films—celebrated for their inventiveness and charm—earned widespread acclaim, including an Academy Award for Sound Editing and … Read more

Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020) Director: Eliza Hittman Screenwriter: Eliza Hittman Starring: Sidney Flanigan, Talia Ryder, Théodore Pellerin, Kelly Chapman “Don’t you ever just wish you were a dude?” “All the time.” Eliza Hittman’s Never Rarely Sometimes Always is an intimate, quietly devastating film that tackles vast and urgent issues through the narrow, urgent lens … Read more

This article was written exclusively for The Film Magazine by Angel Lloyd. The Elephant Man (1980) Director: David Lynch Screenwriters: Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergen, David Lynch Starring: John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft Forty years on, David Lynch’s The Elephant Man remains one of cinema’s most compassionate and tender portrayals of human dignity in the face … Read more

This article was written exclusively for The Film Magazine by Mark Carnochan. The Battle of the Sexes (1960) Director: Charles Crichton Screenwriter: Monja Danischewsky (based on a short story by James Thurber) Starring: Peter Sellers, Constance Cummings, Robert Morley Charles Crichton’s The Battle of the Sexes (1960) is notable not only for its sharp comedic … Read more

Judy (2019) Director: Rupert Goold Screenwriter: Tom Edge Starring: Renée Zellweger, Finn Wittrock, Jessie Buckley, Rufus Sewell, Michael Gambon Rupert Goold, a director known primarily for his acclaimed stage work, makes a confident and affecting transition to film with Judy, a biographical drama that examines the later years of Judy Garland’s life. The film focuses … Read more

Love Wedding Repeat (2020) Director: Dean Craig Screenwriter: Dean Craig Starring: Sam Claflin, Olivia Munn, Eleanor Tomlinson, Joel Fry, Tim Key, Aisling Bea, Jack Farthing, Allan Mustafa, Freida Pinto Adapted from the French film Plan de Table by Francis Nief and Christelle Raynal, Love Wedding Repeat is a remake that struggles to find its own … Read more

Brassed Off (1996) Director: Mark Herman Screenwriter: Mark Herman Starring: Pete Postlethwaite, Ewan McGregor, Tara Fitzgerald, Stephen Tompkinson, Jim Carter, Philip Jackson, Peter Martin, Sue Johnston, Mary Healey, Melanie Hill Mark Herman’s Brassed Off (1996) is a British drama that balances social critique and emotional storytelling through the lives of a Yorkshire mining community and … Read more

This article was written exclusively for The Film Magazine by Emma Kershaw. Reel Women’s Network: A Streaming Platform Dedicated to Female Filmmakers Reel Women’s Network is a new streaming platform that spotlights films, television, web series and documentaries created by women. Launched in April 2020, the service was developed by producers who identified a persistent … Read more

This article was written exclusively for The Film Magazine by Gillian MacLeod. For more than a decade, mainstream cinema has been dominated by the superhero film. From the early landmark of Superman: The Movie (1978) to the contemporary, high-budget blockbusters that define the industry today, the genre has grown into a multi-billion-dollar phenomenon. Like other … Read more