In 1993, Jurassic Park thundered into cinemas and quickly became a modern classic. Its visual effects set a new standard, the screenplay and direction were exemplary, and the ensemble cast delivered memorable performances. With supporting actors like Richard Attenborough, Wayne Knight and Samuel L. Jackson, the film had both gravitas and charisma. At the center … Read more

West Side Story (1961)Directors: Robert Wise, Jerome RobbinsScreenwriter: Ernest LehmanStarring: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, George Chakiris, Rita Moreno, Russ Tamblyn, Simon Oakland, William Bramley Like great films, music often surprises us by how well it understands who we are. Without any prior meeting, the right score or song can reveal hidden emotions, lift us up, … Read more

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)Director: Tim BurtonScreenwriters: Alfred Gough, Miles MillarStarring: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe Tim Burton’s career has long balanced whimsical imagination with a dark, gothic sensibility. Over the past decade and a half his aesthetic has sometimes drifted toward glossy studio spectacle, and many critics … Read more

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)Director: Stanley KubrickScreenwriters: Stanley Kubrick, Terry Southern, Peter GeorgeStarring: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Slim Pickens, Peter Bull, Keenan Wynn, James Earl Jones, Tracy Reed, Jack Creley Stanley Kubrick originally set out to adapt Peter George’s novel “Red Alert” as … Read more

Sing Sing (2024)Director: Greg KwedarScreenwriters: Clint Bentley, Greg KwedarStarring: Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Sean San Jose, Paul Raci, David Giraudy, Patrick Griffin, Mosi Eagle, James Williams, Sean Dino Johnson In recent years cinema has repeatedly turned inward: films about filmmakers, plays about plays, and stories that meditate on the creative act itself. These works examine … Read more

AfrAId (2024)Director: Chris WeitzScreenwriter: Chris WeitzStarring: John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Havana Rose Liu, Lukita Maxwell, David Dastmalchian, Keith Carradine Blumhouse, the studio that has delivered a handful of notable horror hits amid many lesser efforts, found a surprising success with 2023’s M3GAN: a smart, brisk sci-fi horror about a sentient doll that bonded with a … Read more

The Third Man (1949)Director: Carol ReedScreenwriters: Graham GreeneStarring: Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, Trevor Howard, Bernard Lee The Third Man has grown into a cinematic legend. Released in 1949 and awarded the Palme d’Or that year, the film later won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography (Black and White) for Robert Krasker. From its … Read more

A controversial figure from late-1990s and early-2000s American pop culture, Michael Bay remains difficult to define precisely. Once the unmistakable face of glossy, schlocky Hollywood blockbusters, Bay now stands as both a relic of a particular studio era and an artist undergoing critical reassessment. His signature excess—often called “Bayhem”—has long divided critics and audiences, but … Read more

Black Dog (2024)Director: Hu GuanScreenwriters: Rui Ge, Hu GuanStarring: Eddie Pang, Tong Liya, Jia Zhangke, Zhang Yi, Zhou You, Yuan Hong, Vision Wei, Wang Yanhui, Hu Xiaoguang Winner of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard award, Black Dog is a quietly powerful piece of social realism that interweaves everyday hardship with moments of … Read more

Strange Darling (2023)Director: JT MollnerScreenwriter: JT MollnerStarring: Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Barbara Hershey, Ed Begley Jr. Serial killer films and true crime stories have long held a firm grip on popular culture, and while the market is crowded, filmmakers can still find new ways to engage audiences. Strange Darling, written and directed by JT Mollner, … Read more