Black Narcissus (1947) Directors: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger Screenwriters: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger Starring: Deborah Kerr, David Farrar, Kathleen Byron, Sabu, Flora Robson, Jenny Laird, Judith Furse, Esmond Knight, Jean Simmons, May Hallatt, Eddie Whaley Jr A technical masterclass in its day and a key artistic influence on filmmakers over the decades, including but not […]
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Where The Crawdads Sing (2022) Director: Olivia Newman Screenwriter: Lucy Alibar Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson, Michael Hyatt, David Strathairn If you want to get your story made into a movie, the formula seems to be fairly simple these days. Simply write a novel, preferably in the 300–450 page range, make it
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Peninsula (2020) Director: Yeon Sang-ho Screenwriters: Yeon Sang-ho, Park Joo-Suk Starring: Gang Dong-won, Lee Jung-hyun, Kim Min-jae, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kim Do-yoon, Kwon Hae-hyo, Lee Re, Lee Yi-won There have been few films released in recent years that have been as shamelessly derivative as Train to Busan sequel Peninsula, especially outside of Hollywood. That said, American
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This review was originally published by its author Sam Sewell-Peterson on SSP Thinks Film. The Assistant (2019/20) Director: Kitty Green Screenwriter: Kitty Green Starring: Julia Garner, Matthew Macfadyen, John Orsini, Noah Robbins, Kristine Froseth, Mackenzie Leigh, Purva Bedi There are plenty of films about the artistic side of filmmaking, but very few about the business
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Directors: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger Screenwriters: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger Starring: David Niven, Kim Hunter, Roger Livesey, Marius Goring, Raymond Massey, Abraham Sofaer, Robert Coote, Kathleen Byron Not many metaphysical romantic dramas open with two jokes, but Powell and Pressburger’s A Matter of Life and Death does. First we get the disclaimer – “Any resemblance
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Gretel & Hansel (2020) Director: Oz Perkins Screenwriter: Rob Hayes, Oz Perkins Starring: Sophia Lillis, Sam Leakey, Alice Krige Gretel & Hansel is a modern retelling of the classic folk story of an almost identical name. In case you don’t remember, the original tale follows a brother and sister who are abandoned by their parents.
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This article was originally published to SSP Thinks Film by Sam Sewell-Peterson. The Host (2006) Director: Bong Joon-ho Screenwriters: Bong Joon-ho, Ha Won-jun, Baek Chul-hyun Starring: Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Doona, Ko Ah-sung To shamelessly appropriate and warp the catchphrase of a beloved cartoon character, The Host is smarter than the average monster movie. I
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Billy Madison (1995) Director: Tamra Davis Screenwriters: Adam Sandler, Tim Herlihys Starring: Adam Sandler, Bradley Whitford, Bridgette Wilson, Josh Mostel I loved Billy Madison when I was a kid. My friend and I would quote it incessantly because it’s an irresistible cornucopia of school humor. After a few reenactments of “t-t-t-today, Junior,” teachers lose the
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The Personal History of David Copperfield (2020) Director: Armando Ianucci Screenwriters: Simon Blackwell, Armando Ianucci Starring: Dev Patel, Hugh Laurie, Tilda Swinton, Peter Capaldi, Ben Whishaw, Ranveer Jaiswal, Daisy May Cooper, Darren Boyd, Gwendoline Christie The idea of the departed looking down upon the world of the living with confusion and exasperation has been a
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The Turning (2020) Director: Floria Sigismondi Screenwriter: Carey W. Hayes, Chad Hayes Starring: Mackenzie Davis, Finn Wolfhard, Brooklyn Prince In 2017, The Snowman was unleashed upon audiences. What looked like an intriguing serial killer story with gorgeous photography failed to reach its full potential. A lot of the strands in the film failed to come
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