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
Cast Change for George Miller’s Prequel Furiosa: Tom Burke Replaces Yahya Abdul‑Mateen II George Miller’s long-anticipated follow-up to Mad Max: Fury Road has been gradually taking shape since it was first hinted at in 2019. The project, titled Furiosa, is a prequel set to explore the origins of the character introduced by Charlize Theron in … Read more
House of Gucci (2021) Director: Ridley Scott Screenwriters: Becky Johnston, Roberto Bentivegna Starring: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Salma Hayek, Jack Huston, Reeve Carney, Camille Cottin, Vincent Riotta, Youssef Kerkour Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci adapts Sara Gay Forden’s book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, … Read more
Beauty and the Beast (1991) Directors: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise Screenwriters: Linda Woolverton, Brenda Chapman, Chris Sanders Starring: Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Angela Lansbury, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Jesse Corti, Rex Everhart, Bradley Pierce One of the most enduring and frequently adapted Western fairy tales is the 18th-century French story “La Belle … Read more
Ali & Ava (2021) Director: Clio Barnard Screenwriter: Clio Barnard Starring: Adeel Akhtar, Claire Rushbrook, Ellora Torchia, Shaun Thomas, Natalie Gavin Clio Barnard, the single creative force behind films such as The Arbor, The Selfish Giant and Dark River, returns with Ali & Ava, a tender, location-rooted love story set in Bradford, West Yorkshire. As … Read more
Mothering Sunday (2021) Director: Eva Husson Screenwriter: Alice Birch Starring: Odessa Young, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Olivia Colman, Sope Dirisu Mothering Sunday (2021) is a British post‑war drama adapted from Graham Swift’s novel, with a screenplay by Alice Birch and direction by Eva Husson. Rather than following the more familiar contours of period melodrama, this … Read more
The nominees for the 2021 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) were announced on Thursday, 4 November 2021, ahead of the organisation’s awards ceremony scheduled for 5 December 2021. The BIFAs celebrate the creativity, talent and technical achievements of independent British cinema, highlighting both established figures and emerging voices across performance, directing, writing and crafts. This … Read more
