You know a Tim Burton movie the moment you see one. His films have become so unmistakably recognisable – twisty and dark, yet quirky and fun — that the term ‘Burtonesque’ is now a part of our everyday lingo. Few directors can juxtapose gothic horror with social satire the way Burton can. Sure, most of his films spring from recycled fairytales, horror films, comics and TV sitcoms, but this doesn’t [...]

In the cutthroat world of Hollywood, it can be hard to make an impression as an aspiring actor, especially when it comes to escaping the range-limiting teen roles that often kick-start young careers. As a result, many fresh-faced stars fail to make the time-limited transition from child star to mature actor, struggling to deal with the scrutiny that comes with any breakout success. The following five female actors, however, have [...]

In 2011, I made close to one hundred and fifty trips to the cinema. The films I viewed came in all shapes and sizes, genres and languages, and ranged from good to bad to just plain unbearable. It’s a feat I’m both pleased and slightly embarrassed by (and one I suspect I may top before this current year comes to a close).

But even the biggest film buff (and I’m certainly [...]

Of all the filmic things I write about on this little corner of the internet, I look forward to sharing my thoughts on year’s best movie posters the most. I just adore good graphic design, almost as much as I adore good movies. Heck, I’m the guy who’ll flick through a magazine just to look at the composition of the ads, shaking my head in awe at the inventive ways [...]

So you think a job where you’re required to watch lots of movies is a breeze. Well… you’re right! It’s a pretty good gig, no question. Or at least it is most of the time. You see, moviegoers such as yourself have the option – the right – to not see a movie. I suppose we critics do too, but we’re often left feeling guilty about enacting that right. And [...]

It’s 2012 now, in case you didn’t notice, so before the world comes to an end and Roland Emmerich can say “I told you so!”, I think it’s best we reflect on the year that was.

Speaking for myself here – and not for Tom Clift, whose list is also below — 2011 was one of those years where the average quality of movies was quite high, [...]