This article was written exclusively for The Film Magazine by Paul A J Lewis of paul-a-j-lewis.com. ‘The filmmaker must […] attack on all fronts!’ – José Mojica Marins (1936-2020) “Making a film in Brazil is like building a spaceship and sending it to the moon. We have no resources. The filmmaker must invent a persona. … Read more

CGI vs Animatronics: When Practical Effects Still Matter CGI is most effective when you don’t notice it. Like invisible seams on a garment, visual effects can hold a film together without calling attention to themselves. Whether it’s touching up a set, filling out a crowd, or changing an actor’s eye colour, computer graphics let filmmakers … Read more

  For his 2003 film, Dogville, Danish director Lars von Trier tried a bold experiment. Known for creating deeply flawed, often reprehensible male characters, von Trier decided to give his next protagonist a conscience. That man is Tom Edison (Paul Bettany). The film functions as a searing critique of American classism, depicting a small town … Read more

Host (2020) Director: Rob Savage Screenwriters: Gemma Hurley, Jed Shepherd, Rob Savage Starring: Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb, Radina Drandova, Caroline Ward, Edward Linard, Seylan Baxter 2020 transformed how we communicate, perhaps permanently. Video conferencing tools such as Zoom and Skype moved from convenience to necessity, keeping colleagues, friends and families connected while … Read more

Why is it so difficult to make a great shark movie? We know it can be done—after all, one of the greatest films ever made is a shark movie. Jaws (1975) When Jaws celebrated its 45th anniversary, it stood as proof that a shark film can be transcendent. Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic became a global … Read more

Babyteeth (2020) Director: Shannon Murphy Screenwriter: Rita Kalnejais Starring: Eliza Scanlen, Toby Wallace, Ben Mendelsohn, Essie Davis, Eugene Gilfedder, Emily Barclay Bathed in the warm glow of Sydney sunlight, Shannon Murphy’s debut feature Babyteeth captures the dizzying rush of first love with a tender, uncompromising voice. The film opens with an image that quietly sets … Read more

Bad Education (2019) Director: Cory Finley Screenwriter: Mike Makowsky Starring: Hugh Jackman, Ray Romano, Allison Janney, Rafael Casal, Geraldine Viswanathan Bad Education dramatizes one of the largest embezzlement scandals in the history of the American public school system, focusing on Superintendent Frank Tassone (Hugh Jackman) and the unraveling of a carefully cultivated reputation. Based on … Read more

Mulan (1998) Directors: Barry Cook, Tony Bancroft Screenwriters: Rita Hsiao, Philip LaZebnik, Chris Sanders, Eugenia Bostwick-Singer, Raymond Singer Starring: Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, Miguel Ferrer, James Hong, Harvey Fierstein, Pat Morita, George Takei Disney’s animated Mulan (1998) remains one of the studio’s memorable entries from the late 1990s, blending a classic Chinese folktale … Read more

Scoob! (2020) Director: Tony Cervone Screenwriters: Matt Lieberman, Adam Sztykiel, Jack Donaldson, Derek Elliott, Eyal Podell, Jonathon E Stewart Starring: Will Forte, Mark Wahlberg, Jason Isaacs, Gina Rodriguez, Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried, Kiersey Clemons, Ken Jeong, Tracy Morgan, Frank Welker Scoob! arrived in 2020 as a modern, big-budget take on the classic Scooby-Doo franchise, and … Read more

About Schmidt (2002) Director: Alexander Payne Screenwriters: Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor Starring: Jack Nicholson, Kathy Bates, Hope Davis, Dermot Mulroney About Schmidt is a contemplative comedy-drama from director Alexander Payne, arriving three years after his acclaimed debut Election. The film pairs Payne’s keen observational style with a late-career, understated turn from Jack Nicholson, who anchors … Read more