Richard J. Moir selects his Five Essential Films of Jean-Pierre Jeunet… 5. The City of Lost Children (1995) Dark, stylish and quirky as anything you’ve ever seen before, this is a truly original film. In a futuristic city, a scientist named Krank uses the help of his clones to kidnap children and steal their dreams, […]
Classic Movies – It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
It’s a Wonderful Life, 1946. Directed by Frank Capra. Starring James Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore. SYNOPSIS: On the verge of suicide after finding out he might be bankrupt, George Bailey is visited by guardian angel Clarence on a mission to save George’s life, thereby getting his angel wings. Clarence displays to George what […]
Five Essential… British Movies
In a new column, Richard J. Moir selects his Five Essential British Movies… 5. The Full Monty (1997, dir. Peter Cattaneo) The Full Monty is the film you heard about when you were a child, but were far too young to know anything about. When I finally got round to watching it, I was half […]
Knowing Screenwriters Talk Birds and Poltergeist Remakes
Fresh off the success of sci-fi thriller Knowing, which opened in first place at the U.S. box-office this past weekend, screenwriting couple Juliet Snowden and Stiles White have been talking to The Wrap about their upcoming projects – remakes of both The Birds and Poltergeist. Acknowledging fans’ concern towards these new versions of the classic […]
World Cinema – The 400 Blows (1959)
The 400 Blows, 1959. Directed by François Truffaut. Starring Jean-Pierre Léaud. SYNOPSIS: The 400 Blows follows normal adolescent boy Antoine Doinel as he struggles to contend with all authority figures in his life, from schoolteachers to parents. As we are invited into this character study of Antoine it becomes increasingly clear that he is already […]
John Wayne: World War II Propagandist
Santosh Sandhu profiles the career of silver-screen legend John Wayne and examines the influence of World War II on his body of work… John Wayne (1907-1979) was the very embodiment of everything America would like to be. Jingoistic, brave, forthright and a fierce defender of the American way of life. After shooting to fame playing […]
British Cinema – Dead Man’s Shoes (2004)
Dead Man’s Shoes, 2004. Directed by Shane Meadows. Starring Paddy Considine, Gary Stretch and Toby Kebbel. SYNOPSIS: Richard, an intense loner and former soldier, returns to his native Midlands village seeking vengeance against the small-time drug dealers who cruelly bullied his mentally disabled brother Anthony while he was away on duty. Richard’s determination to achieve […]
Classic Movies – Psycho (1960)
Psycho, 1960. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Starring Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles and John Gavin. SYNOPSIS: After embezzling $40,000 from her employer, Phoenix office-worker Marion Crane flees the monotony of her mundane existence with dreams of starting a new life in California with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis. As night begins to fall, an exhausted […]
Classic Movies – To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
In tribute to the screenwriter and playwright Horton Foote, who died yesterday March 4th aged 92, a look at the film for which he received an Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay… To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962. Directed by Robert Mulligan. Starring Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Phillip Alford, Brock Peters. SYNOPSIS: A young girl growing […]
Superhero Showdown 2009: Watchmen vs. X-Men Origins – Wolverine
With the release of the highly anticipated movie adaptation of Watchmen now less than a week away, and the return of Hugh Jackman as everyone’s favourite feral mutant in May’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which film will reign supreme? Welcome to Superhero Showdown 2009! 2008 was the year that Hollywood legitimised the comic-book genre. With the […]
