For Hollywood cinema, sequels and prequels, reboots and remakes are the order of the day. In 1977, as an excited 7-year old, I queued up outside the Gaumont Cinema in Birmingham, England, with my father and a cousin. We were waiting to see Star Wars, a film that had taken both audiences and...
The movie got some predictions right on what Doc and Marty would find when they arrive in the “future” today. But what could they find if they took another 30 year leap into the future? When Doc and Marty traveled forward in time from 1985 and landed the DeLorean on October 21, 2015, they...
In a climate of media sensationalism, Michael Winterbottom explores the murder of Meredith Kercher on the big screen. In November 2007, Meredith Kercher, a student at Leeds University on a study abroad program, was viciously murdered in Perugia, Italy. Amanda Knox, a University of Washington...
The latest Terminator film marks a recovery from its predecessors, but its treatment of time travel is still implausible. Franchise reboots using alternative timelines are currently all the rage, blurring the lines between sequels and prequels on screens across the globe. J.J. Abrams’...
Egyptian actor Omar Sharif was a citizen of the world, someone who crossed cultural boundaries with apparent ease. Omar Sharif has died at 83. Born as Michel Chalhoub in Alexandria to Lebanese Christian parents in 1932, he changed his name and converted to Islam in 1955 in order to marry his...
In films like American Sniper and The Interview, Americans are the heroes and “furriners” are the targets — an undifferentiated group of people so alien that they're practically subhuman. I was waiting to buy a ticket to see the new film American Sniper when the guy next to me provided a...
In a world full of real violence, industry executives should reconsider making movies and money from the glory of assassinations. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am having a grand time watching Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep sweat. Next thing you know, somebody who really hates...
Under the Skin, starring Scarlett Johansson, pushes the boundaries of cinema in Jonathan Glazer’s unique project. If you’re planning to watch Under the Skin because you've heard it’s a film about sex and that Scarlett Johansson appears naked, then think again. This ambitious masterpiece...
Two female filmmakers from Yemen and Saudi Arabia are using film to fight for change. In the midst of a nascent film industry, a handful of female filmmakers have emerged in the Arabian Peninsula, pioneering film in the region and using it as a tool to fight for change. Saudi Arabia and Yemen both...
