As the days grow shorter and Christmas approaches, there’s no better time to settle in for some familiar seasonal film-watching. From The Holiday to Home Alone, December brings out movies we tend to revisit only at this time of year. Between those classics, a number of films spark debate about whether they really qualify as … Read more

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) Director: Frank Capra Screenwriters: Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers Although it failed to recoup its budget during its initial 1946 release, It’s a Wonderful Life has grown steadily in stature and affection over the decades. Thanks largely to … Read more

From the screenwriter behind Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Bridget Jones’ Diary, Richard Curtis’ Love Actually (2003) is widely considered one of the greatest romantic comedies of the modern era. Since its release it has become synonymous with the holiday season; for many viewers, Christmas wouldn’t feel complete without its ensemble cast, … Read more

For every twenty forgettable made-for-TV holiday films, a handful become genuine classics that audiences return to year after year. These include timeless favorites like It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), the raucous National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989), and the wildly popular Home Alone (1990). For many members of Gen Z, the early-2000s comedy Elf (2003) has … Read more

The nominees for the 79th Annual Golden Globes were announced on Monday, 13 December 2021, by the newly elected Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) president Helen Hoehne and musical artist Snoop Dogg. The list highlights films and performances that defined the year in cinema and television and sets the stage for awards season, even as … Read more

Elf (2003) Director: Jon Favreau Screenwriter: David Berenbaum Starring: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Zooey Deschanel, Ed Asner, Mary Steenburgen Warmhearted, joyful, and genuinely kind, Elf has grown into a modern Christmas classic. The story of a fully grown man raised as an elf who arrives in New York City to find his biological … Read more

Christmas films are a unique cultural tradition: standalone movies that resurface in our minds every November as the air sharpens and we begin to decorate. When the days grow shorter and the nights longer, we revisit these stories for the comfort of their resolutions—triumphant returns, reconciliations, tears and laughs that remind us why the season … Read more

West Side Story (2021) Director: Steven Spielberg Screenwriter: Tony Kushner Starring: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Rita Moreno, Brian d’Arcy James, Corey Stoll Tackling an adaptation of the 1961 film version of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s stage musical West Side Story was always going to be a formidable undertaking. … Read more

Bad Santa (2003) is a bold, subversive Christmas comedy starring Billy Bob Thornton and Tony Cox as Willie and Marcus, a renegade Santa and his partner in crime. They’re conmen, thieves and chaos-makers, and their ragged scheme centers on exploiting mall goodwill during the holidays. Marcus is the schemer and the planner; Willie is a … Read more

The 24th British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) were held live in London on Sunday 5 December 2021. The ceremony, hosted by comedian Asim Chaudhry, celebrated excellence in British independent cinema with 24 awards presented across acting, directing, writing, and technical categories. The event was broadcast live online and highlighted a strong year for character-driven storytelling … Read more