Hours before the 2024 MUBI Fest in Istanbul was set to begin, the festival received notification from the Istanbul Kadıköy District Governorship that Luca Guadagnino’s Queer, scheduled as the opening night film, had been banned in Turkey. The official government statement cited the film’s “provocative content that could disrupt public order” and said the ban… Continue reading MUBI cancels Istanbul 2024 festival after Turkish government bans Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Queer’
Ridley Scott’s 1977 debut, The Duellists, is often hailed as one of his most visually stunning films, and any list of the best Scott films would be incomplete without it. Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, The Duellists received critical acclaim and won the prestigious Best First Film prize. However, according to Scott, it was… Continue reading Ridley Scott claims ‘The Duellists’ was supposed to win the Palme d’Or, but the jury was “bribed”
The Dr. Strangelove stage adaptation at London’s Noel Coward Theatre delivers a hilarious, engaging, and thought-provoking experience. Armando Iannucci’s adaptation, directed by Sean Foley, stays faithful to Stanley Kubrick’s Cold War satire while providing a fresh theatrical spin. Steve Coogan, taking on the roles of Captain Mandrake, Dr. Strangelove, President Muffley, and Major TJ Kong,… Continue reading Steve Coogan shines in Dr. Strangelove: a hilarious, faithful spin on Kubrick’s classic from Armando Ianucci
Alice Lowe’s Timestalker is an inventive, genre-bending dark comedy that traverses time, love and existential questions with her signature sharp wit and emotional depth. Following her critically acclaimed debut feature Prevenge (2016), Lowe returns with a more ambitious and stylistically experimental project. In Timestalker, she once again demonstrates her unique voice, blending comedy with moments… Continue reading Timestalker: Alice Lowe’s darkly hilarious journey through love and time
Queer East Festival: On The Road will head out across the country from September to December, offering its biggest tour yet and showcasing a remarkable line-up of contemporary feature films, documentaries and shorts as well as special events that highlight a wide range of LGBTQ+ stories from East Asia, Southeast Asia and their diaspora communities.… Continue reading Queer East Festival: On The Road 2024
Pascal Plante’s Red Rooms is a chilling exploration of obsession, voyeurism, and the twisted nature of our fascination with true crime. Set against the backdrop of a high-profile trial for a series of horrific dark web murders, the film lures us into an unsettling psychological thriller where the lines between curiosity and complicity blur, and… Continue reading Red Rooms: a haunting dive into obsession and the dark web
Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-anticipated sequel to his 1988 cult classic, lands with all the macabre flair you’d expect from the director. While the film doesn’t quite capture the lightning-in-a-bottle energy of the original, it’s still a gleefully twisted ride that manages to stay true to its roots while offering up some fresh, if… Continue reading Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: a spirited return to Tim Burton’s gothic playground
In Starve Acre, director Daniel Kokotajlo delivers a haunting, slow-burning folk horror adaptation of Andrew Michael Hurley’s novel. Set in 1970s Yorkshire, the film stars Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark as a grieving couple whose lives unravel as they encounter ancient, malevolent forces lurking beneath their home. Despite its strong performances and eerie atmosphere, Starve… Continue reading Starve Acre: a brooding dive into folk-horror with atmospheric weight, but lacking in scares
In 2024, AI is making headlines daily. We may be aware of the science, but how do we imagine AI and our relationship to it both now and in the future? Fortunately, film may provide us with some insights. Probably the best-known AI in film is HAL 9000 from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). HAL is an… Continue reading What 70 years of AI on film can tell us about the human relationship with artificial intelligence
Daniel Craig’s next cinematic venture appears to be his long-gestating passion project, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello set against the backdrop of the Iraq War. This modern reimagining of the classic play has been in the works for several years, with Craig and Bond producer Barbara Broccoli tirelessly seeking funding and finalizing production details. Craig… Continue reading Daniel Craig to star in ‘Othello’ set during Iraq War; production may begin next year
