The High School Musical franchise defined the tween years for many millennials. When Disney Channel released the first film in 2006, it quickly became a cultural phenomenon — the franchise generated impressive revenue, with Disney earning more than $100 million from DVD sales alone. Two sequels and several spin-offs followed, and in 2019 Disney+ revived … Read more

2020 has been a year of extremes. With headlines often heavy and attention stretched thin, many people are seeking comfort and escape through cinema. Musicals, classic adventure films and reliable comedies have seen renewed interest as viewers look for films that lift the mood and offer a few hours of distraction. To help you find … Read more

Dark Waters (2020) Director: Todd Haynes Screenwriter: Mario Correa, Matthew Michael Carnahan Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Camp, Victor Garber, Mare Winningham, Bill Pullman Dark Waters follows Robert Bilott (Mark Ruffalo), an unassuming corporate defense attorney who becomes the unlikely advocate for a community facing severe environmental contamination. Directed by Todd Haynes … Read more

Arrietty (2010) Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi Screenwriters: Hayao Miyazaki, Keiko Niwa Starring: Mirai Shida, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Shinobu Otake, Tomokazu Miura, Kirin Kiki, Keiko Takeshita Studio Ghibli’s Arrietty (released as The Secret World of Arrietty in the United States) is a visual delight that balances a faithful adaptation of Mary Norton’s classic novel The Borrowers with the … Read more

Film lovers often polarize over Quentin Tarantino, but few dispute the enormous influence his films have had on modern cinema and popular culture over the past three decades. Tarantino rose to prominence by blending nonlinear storytelling, carefully curated soundtracks, and strikingly stylized violence into films that have become both commercially successful and culturally resonant. He … Read more

The Truth (2019)Director: Hirokazu KoreedaScreenwriter: Hirokazu KoreedaStarring: Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche, Ethan Hawke, Clémentine Grenier, Alain Libolt, Manon Clavel, Christian Crahay, Roger Van Hool Hirokazu Koreeda, the acclaimed Japanese filmmaker known for his intimate family dramas, makes a deliberate and affecting departure from his previous work with The Truth, his first film made outside Japan … Read more

Today I want to invite you to look at windows. Before you scroll on, hear me out — in Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning 2020 film Parasite, windows are far more than set dressing. They are deliberate stylistic choices that reinforce the film’s concerns about class, separation, and perception. When we focus on how Bong uses panes … Read more

Porco Rosso (1992) Director: Hayao Miyazaki Screenwriter: Hayao Miyazaki Starring: Shūichirō Moriyama, Akio Ōtsuka, Tokiko Kato, Tsunehiko Kamijō, Sanshi Katsura, Akemi Okamura Porco Rosso is an unusual and quietly enchanting film from Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki. It imagines an inter-war Mediterranean populated by colorful pilots, sky pirates, privateers and freelance mercenaries, all flying charming, … Read more

I recently rewatched David Fincher’s The Game (1997). The plot follows Michael Douglas’s character as he’s stalked through an elaborate “game” staged by an organisation with vast resources and an unnerving ability to anticipate his every move. The film’s ending prompted me to think about one of the most debated elements in storytelling: the plot … Read more

This article was written exclusively for The Film Magazine by Sophie Butcher. Our Ladies (2020) Director: Michael Caton-Jones Screenwriter: Michael Caton-Jones Starring: Abigail Lawrie, Tallulah Greive, Sally Messham, Rona Morrison, Marli Siu, Eve Austin, Kate Dickie High school films about teenage girls can sometimes feel familiar: rival cliques, awkward first experiences, and nights out that promise transformation. … Read more