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

Onward (2020) Director: Dan Scanlon Screenwriters: Dan Scanlon, Jason Headley Starring: Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Octavia Spencer, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Lena Waithe “Long ago, the world was full of wonder. It was adventurous. There was magic. But it wasn’t easy to master. So the world found a simpler way to get by. But I hope there’s … Read more

The Railway Children (1970) Director: Lionel Jeffries Screenwriter: Lionel Jeffries Starring: Jenny Agutter, Gary Warren, Sally Thomsett, Dinah Sheridan, Bernard Cribbins, William Mervyn, Ann Lancaster The Railway Children remains a beloved British family film that blends nostalgia, community spirit, and understated drama. Directed and adapted for the screen by Lionel Jeffries, the 1970 adaptation of … Read more

The D’Innocenzo Brothers returned to the Berlinale with their second feature, Bad Tales (Favolacce), marking a significant milestone for emerging filmmakers who find their voice through international festivals. Their debut, Boys Cry, screened in Berlin’s Panorama section in 2018. Bad Tales later competed in the main competition alongside established auteurs, vying for the Golden Bear … Read more

The Invisible Man (2020) Director: Leigh Whannell Screenwriter: Leigh Whannell Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Harriet Dyer, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Michael Dorman Please be warned: if you have experienced an abusive relationship, some scenes and themes in this film may feel distressingly familiar. Universal’s iconic monsters have been reimagined many times in recent years, … Read more

Hong Kong Cinema: Identity, the Handover, and the City’s Stories This article was written exclusively for The Film Magazine by James Southcott. At the southern edge of China, the compact territory of Hong Kong has produced some of the most inventive and influential cinema of the past half-century. Its filmmakers have created a rich, distinct … Read more

Welcome to the revival of “So Bad It’s Good,” a feature series originally presented in The Film Magazine. This relaunch continues a celebration of films whose failures become their chief entertainment value. As a devoted bad-movie enthusiast, Jacob Davis takes the reins for this edition and will examine what makes certain films entertaining precisely because … Read more

Misbehaviour (2020)Director: Philippa LowthorpeScreenwriters: Gaby Chiappe, Rebecca FraynStarring: Keira Knightley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jessie Buckley, Keeley Hawes, Phyllis Logan, Rhys Ifans, Greg Kinnear Misbehaviour, directed by Philippa Lowthorpe of television acclaim, dramatizes the Women’s Liberation protests that disrupted the 1970 Miss World contest. On paper it’s a historical drama; in tone it often chooses charm, warmth … Read more

This article was written exclusively for The Film Magazine by Leoni Horton of Leoni Horton Movies. The Last Thing He Wanted (2020) Director: Dee Rees Screenwriters: Marc Villalobos, Dee Rees Starring: Anne Hathaway, Ben Affleck, Rosie Perez, Willem Dafoe, Edi Gathegi, Toby Jones Joan Didion’s fiction has long been regarded as difficult to adapt, its … Read more