Arguably, no other leading lady has done a more praiseworthy job of choosing projects in the modern era than Cate Blanchett. Since gaining international recognition with Elizabeth (1998), the Australian actress has proven she can express any accent, nationality, and emotion. Her remarkable range shines in films like Carol (2015), where she delivers a subtle yet powerful performance, and in The Aviator (2004), where she portrays the enigmatic Katharine Hepburn with authenticity. Even in lesser-known works like The Life Aquatic…

Fantasy is often listed as merely swords and sorcery. This is not to say it isn’t considered a serious cinematic force in the world. Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, as well as Game of Thrones, have helped catapult fantasy into the popular imagination, certainly, but often to a detriment. There seems to be a growing divide between what we call Fantasy and the Fantastical, although, of course, they are the same thing. What we do see is…

The beauty of Japanese horror movies lies in their subtlety. Instead of becoming CGI fests, these films solely depend on powerful storylines, elegant framing, and unnerving soundtrack effects. These ace filmmakers’ minimalist approach strikes us with raw, rampant scares. Among these selections are classics like "House (1977)", known for its surreal and nightmarish atmosphere, and Takashi Miike's unsettling "Audition (1999)", which slowly unravels into a horrifying descent into madness. Kiyoshi Kurosawa's haunting "Cure (1997)" delves into the depths of the…

The relationship between a father and his kids is strangely beautiful. Unlike the relationship you share with your mother, this is a pretty complex one. In one lifetime, the dynamics between you and your father keep changing. Sometimes, he plays an Authoritarian Teacher; on other days, he is a pal who is throwing balls at you. When you grow up, you two start behaving like acquaintances with little exchange of words until, one day, you see the wrinkles on your old…

Death, as the ultimate existential certainty, has captivated humanity for millennia and has long been a central theme in literature, art, and philosophy. It has simultaneously served as a deep source of fear, fascination, as well as critical inquiry. From ancient myths exploring the afterlife to modern scientific explorations of consciousness, we continue to grapple with death’s finality and its impact on the living. Cinema, as a powerful storytelling medium, has naturally become a mirror reflecting our complex relationship with…

This list includes films with female protagonists who have left an impact on me, moved me to tears, given me sleepless nights, and made me rethink the world around me. It includes timeless characters portrayed by women being real and raw, embracing themselves, and not merely playing out male fantasies. Films like Lady Bird, with its authentic depiction of adolescence; Arrival, showcasing intelligent communication beyond words Incredibles 2 and Frozen, redefining heroism and sisterhood; Birds of Prey, celebrating the emancipation of Harley Quinn; and Frances…

From refusing to wear clothes that weren’t accessible to his character in the year the film was set in, like in Lincoln, and contracting pneumonia, to demanding crew to wheel him around on set because his character can’t walk, as in My Left Foot, Daniel Day-Lewis will do anything for his character. In his character, rather. The English actor, son of Poet Laureate Cecil Day-Lewis and son-in-law of the great Arthur Miller, is currently retired by his own admission. In a…

Lars von Trier is one of those directors whose name evokes extreme responses. People seem to love him or hate him. What can be said for sure is that von Trier is an iconoclast who has questioned, defined, and redefined cinematic trends. From the haunting despair of Melancholia, the raw emotion of The House That Jack Built and Dancer in the Dark, to the controversial narrative of Antichrist, his work is not just with respect to visual style but also his approach to…

2014 marked a memorable year in cinema, brimming with iconic films that defied traditional genres. Yet, amidst these well-celebrated works, films like Enemy and Under the Skin left audiences pondering with their enigmatic narratives, while Locke and Frank offered unique cinematic experiences. Meanwhile, The Skeleton Twins and The Rover provided deep emotional journeys and gritty realism, respectively. As we reflect on the films that captivated audiences, it’s evident that numerous powerful works did not receive their due recognition. In tribute to these hidden treasures.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have never been (radio) silent in their citation of the horror classics that have shaped their work, and “Abigail” marks no exception in that respect. Some might call that approach derivative of those much better films, but there is at least a certain energy to films like “Abigail” that makes them watchable while they remind you of horror films that are probably more worth your time. Once more, you can consider this list less as…

Zack Snyder is one of the most polarising filmmakers working today. While film critics often do not like his works, his fans shower him with praise, no matter what. Recently, Christopher Nolan spoke about Snyder’s influence on Superhero films. He also praised “Watchmen” and called it to be ‘ahead of its time.’ That’s why many movie lovers across the globe were excited to check out Snyder’s latest project for Netflix.

Luca Guadagnino is a treasured specimen in the current landscape of arthouse cinema. He is one of the increasingly rare filmmakers capable of distilling the very essence of unconsummated desire into a palpable tension before bodies have even touched, as seen in his evocative film ‘Call Me by Your Name’. Even rarer, though—and arguably more valuable—is the auteur’s penchant for energetic expression behind the camera that complements, rather than superseding, the subtleties of his chosen material, a trait exemplified in the…

“Sometimes I dread the truth of the lines I say. But the dread must never show.”

British filmmaker Kenneth Charles Loach, better known as Ken Loach, has been crafting films for nearly six decades, curating a diverse portfolio of cinematic masterpieces that vividly depict the political and social experiences of working-class people. His early BBC plays and Palme d’Or award-winning films like The Wind That Shakes the Barley and I, Daniel Blake, as well as impactful works such as Kes and The Old Oak, persistently challenge the political status quo, often sparking controversy. Mr. Loach’s persistence…

Few actors’ screen presence reverberates with such genuine intensity as Benicio del Toro. Like Gary Oldman, Denzel Washington, Toshiro Mifune, Mads Mikkelsen, and so on. I feel Benicio del Toro is almost always good, irrespective of the quality of the film built around his character. From his Oscar-winning performance in Traffic to his compelling portrayal in Sicario and the iconic role in The Usual Suspects and Snatch, his versatility shines through. Born in Puerto Rico on February 19, 1967, to lawyer parents, Benicio del…

In the broadest terms possible, you can divide the history of American cinema into two periods: before and after John Cassavetes. The actor-turned-director revolutionized the form and content of post-war film with his highly personal, character-driven dramas such as ‘Opening Night’ and ‘A Woman Under the Influence,’ shot on a shoestring budget and assembled in his own home. For decades, and especially after he shunned the studio system altogether in the late ‘60s, he developed his own cottage industry, which has served as an…

Few actors can both exemplify the artistry of acting and the glamour of celebrity superstardom as Jack Nicholson. Having started his career in various Roger Corman films, he was known as a B-movie actor for many years until his breakout role in Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider (1969). An immaculate series of roles followed, including his Oscar-winning performance in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), which earned him comparisons with Marlon Brando and James Dean in his depiction of male outsiders through naturalistic Method…

Over the last thirty years, Hayao Miyazaki (and his company Studio Ghibli) have given us some of the greatest movies that the world of animation has seen. The Japanese animator and storyteller started his journey as a television director back in 1971 and since then has transitioned into one of the best animated filmmakers the world has ever seen. Over the years, his imaginative, vibrant, and other-worldly cinema has been a treat for audiences and cinephiles alike. Films like ‘Spirited Away’,…

It’s common knowledge that “Argylle” was heavily panned upon its release. After baiting viewers with the sultry photos of Henry Cavill and Dua Lipa, the film didn’t do justice to its promise, even if it meant subverting the tropes of conventionally attractive spies. The script introduces multiple twists and turns throughout its duration that collectively make it incredibly shoddy. After a point, it becomes mind-numbing to experience its progress as a spy thriller, which becomes needlessly messy. Despite its evident…

Embark on a chilling journey through the saga of “The Omen,” where the battle between good and evil unfolds in the most unexpected of ways. From the eerie calm before the storm in “Omen IV: The Awakening” to the harrowing origins revealed in “The First Omen,” each film weaves a tale of prophecy and peril. As we rank these iconic films from worst to best, we delve into the darkness that lurks within Damien, the child who was never meant…

It is a general idea that the Japanese cinema’s downfall started in the 1980s, and the 90s economic stagnation knocked the film industry down until its revival through J-horror (in the late 1990s). But since cinema history is often written from a Western perspective, we need to deeply examine such a one-dimensional outlook directed against any home-grown national cinema. It’s true that the spread of television reduced the number of theater-going audiences in Japan in the 1970s and 1980s. At…

Hollywood heartthrob, academy darling, fashion icon, et cetera. If you have seen a famous film in the past ten years, it probably starred Timothée Chalamet. From the windswept dunes of Arrakis in Dune: Part One and Two to the romantic streets of Northern Italy in Call Me by Your Name, his performances captivate audiences worldwide. As he steps into the whimsical shoes of Wonka, Chalamet continues to find a secure home for himself in the Hollywood media cycle promoting his next high-profile blockbuster or Indie Letterboxd favorite. However,…

While following a coming-of-age tale of an immigrant child, ‘“Música” explores the themes of race, culture clash, love, and ambition. Although a musical, it doesn’t follow the usual song-and-dance routine formula. Instead, it takes us through the creative process of this budding artist, who picks up the sounds around him and builds compositions. If you’re specifically interested in that manner of music creation, you can check out the works of British rapper M.I.A. or Indian composer Sneha Khanwalkar, who used…

McKay’s gradual transition to social satirist in the mid-2010s has been even more impressive, as he has since been able to gleefully and unabashedly criticize some of the worst elements of American culture, and some of the worst people, through films like "The Big Short" and "Vice", while maintaining a signature sense of self-enjoyment and satisfaction. His sharp commentary continued with the apocalyptic satire "Don’t Look Up". Add to that his helming of the popular Internet site, Funny Or Die, and his return…

Whether it's Baby Driver, Last Night in Soho, or Hot Fuzz, in the space of seven feature films, Edgar Wright has become one of the most popular and influential British directors at work today. With his distinctive kinetic directorial style, quirky humor, playful homages, and classic soundtrack needle drops, his films are a burst of escapist joy in an uncertain world.

Taiwanese auteur Tsai Ming-liang was born in present-day Kuching, Malaysia, on October 27, 1957. Voted 18th by The Guardian among the world’s 40 best directors, Tsai has been a regular presence at major international film festivals for more than two decades and a poster figure of the Second New Wave of Taiwanese cinema.

The Alien movies hold a fascinating place in cultural history. They are stacked with iconic imagery, and the series is certified classic in two genres simultaneously (horror and science fiction). Yet these genres are often viewed as intrinsically inferior, and most of the iconicity is concentrated in its earliest entries like “Alien” (1979), “Aliens” (1986), and “Alien³” (1992), leaving it as a well-known franchise that is rarely discussed. It has endured over forty years across entries including “Alien: Resurrection” (1997)…

It would be an understatement to say that “The Notebook,” released in 2004, directed by Nick Cassavetes and based on Nicholas Sparks’ novel of the same name, has secured a special place in the hearts of audiences worldwide.

Alex Garland’s “Civil War” was anything but a glowing endorsement (to put it mildly), the film does offer a distinctly modern examination of how we view the unforgiving carnage of warfare. Part of its distinction admittedly comes from how Garland consciously chooses an apolitical stance that results in a rather ineffective overall film. However, from this point of origin, we can trace more than enough points of similarity and influence that achieve what “Civil War” fails to do. Films like…

For over 30 years, Texan auteur Richard Linklater has been crafting experiments in time, much like the surrealist master Luis Buñuel. While Linklater's works like 'Before Sunrise', 'Before Sunset', and 'Before Midnight' explore the passage of time in intimate relationships and his breakthrough Slacker, an unorthodox portrait of a lazy day-in-the-life. Each of these works, along with 'Dazed and Confused', and Everybody Wants Some!!, stands as an epoch moment in American independent cinema.

The Spanish-born director found fame through his star-crossed collaborations with Salvador Dali and spent the subsequent five decades refining and reshaping his surrealist instincts. His greatest works encompass sexuality, pathology, religion, and politics. He went globe-trotting to Mexico for a prolific period in the 1950s before his vaunted return to the continent in the 1960s. It would be then, in the autumn of his career, that he would create many of his most enduring masterpieces, films whose names continue to…

"It is this unique propensity within film to bring itself within its field of vision, to break the fourth wall, to address itself and make explicit its own construction, that has led to so many attempts across film history to represent and reflect upon the phenomenon of cinema itself. In this article, we explore a diverse range of such attempts across 30 great films about films, instances when cinema mirrored itself – encountering everything between the poles of fiction and…

From Hollywood to Hong Kong and everywhere in between, the film’s forebears and brothers can be found scattered across the globe. Whether the similarities come in genre, story, or visual style, Patel’s film offers no shortage of sturdy branches to trace back to those even sturdier roots.

Sriram Raghavan is a filmmaker India needs, and a filmmaker India deserves. Raghavan’s work has defined a cinematic aesthetic, a style, almost a genre, in the sense of the cultural imprint it leaves behind. While genre filmmaking is usually talked about synonymously with thematic filmmaking, there are multiple instances where a filmmaker’s body of work has stylistic elements which give shape to that filmmaker’s form of storytelling. It is this definition which finds relevance here. The impact here is the…

Powerful female characters, awkward coming-of-age antics, deconstructions of sexual desire, and Mark Ruffalo, there are plenty of reasons for many to absolutely adore what “Poor Things” has to offer. A distinctive concept, to say the least, but one primed for exploring a vast array of fascinating ideas regarding the female experience and everything that comes with it. If you are someone who appreciates this lavishly charming film and wants to spend more time soaking up a world both abnormal and…

The rigidity of emphasizing the narratives, character development, and steady linearity of the story is reflective of the quintessential methods associated with filmmaking and storytelling. Its resultant dissemination to the people associates ‘films’ with a mode of entertainment whose primary component in gathering an audience and enhancing viewership includes inspiring interests and thrill in the audience. In this view, Andrei Tarkovsky owes his position as an influential, often imitated, and renowned Soviet director to his very practice of deviating from…