When future generations recall the decade-defining horror films of the 2000s and 2010s, a few titles will undoubtedly surface: Saw (2004), Insidious (2010), and the sprawling Conjuring universe. Many of these modern staples come from director James Wan, a filmmaker whose influence reshaped mainstream horror and crossover blockbuster cinema. Born in Malaysia in 1977 and … Read more

Civil War (2024) Director: Alex GarlandScreenwriter: Alex GarlandStarring: Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Sonoya Mizuno, Nick Offerman, Jesse Plemons, Nelson Lee, Evan Lai, Jefferson White Alex Garland’s fourth film, Civil War, lands as a sharp, unnerving satire that feels increasingly relevant. Written several years before its release, the screenplay anticipated tensions … Read more

Charade (1963)Director: Stanley DonenScreenwriter: Peter StoneStarring: Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau, James Coburn, George Kennedy, Dominique Minot, Ned Glass, Jacques Marin, Paul Bonifas, Thomas Chelimsky Released less than a month after President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Stanley Donen’s Charade arrived at a time of seismic cultural change. The early 1960s were a hinge between … Read more

Monkey Man (2024)Director: Dev PatelScreenwriters: Paul Angunawela, John ColleeStarring: Dev Patel, Sikander Kher, Vipin Sharma, Pitobash, Sharlto Copley From the opening image of a bloodstained, monkey-mask-wearing Dev Patel standing in the glare of a boxing-ring spotlight, Monkey Man announces itself as uncompromising cinema. That single image sets the tone for a film that rarely lets … Read more

Certain performers become legends—actors whose presence elevates every production they join. Max von Sydow belongs to that rare class. Like the great Shakespearean actors before him, von Sydow brought an imposing, unforgettable authority to each role. Whenever he appears on screen, even briefly, the film world brightens and the history of cinema gains another indispensable … Read more

The First Omen (2024)Director: Arkasha StevensonScreenwriters: Tim Smith, Arkasha Stevenson, Keith ThomasStarring: Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Sônia Braga, Ralph Ineson, Bill Nighy There is a distinct trend in contemporary horror that leans into religious settings and the taboo energy of cloistered life — a resurgence of what was once called nunsploitation, or more broadly, … Read more

The Iron Claw is a deeply affecting film that examines the tragic story of the Von Erich wrestling family while also exploring broader themes of myth, identity, and American folklore. On the surface the film documents the hardships of a travelling wrestling troupe: the physical cost of performing, the pull of addiction, and the long … Read more

Professional wrestling and cinema intersect infrequently, despite wrestling being a vocation built on crafted bodies, costumes, characters and stadium-sized spectacle. The theatricality, flamboyance and often astonishing true stories behind the curtain would seem ideal material for filmmakers. Yet, outside of a handful of notable titles and company-controlled productions, relatively few films have convincingly captured what … Read more

Spellbound (1945)Director: Alfred HitchcockScreenwriters: Ben Hecht, Angus MacPhailStarring: Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Michael Chekhov, Leo G. Carroll, Rhonda Fleming Spellbound occupies an interesting place in Alfred Hitchcock’s filmography: it is widely admired by many fans and critics, yet it often slips under the radar when people list his most iconic works. The film is carefully … Read more

Psycho (1960)Director: Alfred HitchcockScreenplay: Joseph StefanoStarring: Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Janet Leigh, Martin Balsam, John McIntire Some films lodge themselves in cultural memory almost by accident. They may not aim to be the grandest technical achievements, yet a single shot, a line of dialogue, or a character’s nuance triggers a collective response that … Read more