#film-themes

[ follow ]
Independent films
fromInsideHook
1 day ago

Did an Unexpected Culprit Hurt Modern Filmmaking?

American cinema faces a paradox of thriving box office revenues while struggling with the decline of mid-budget films and the impact of YouTube.
Parenting
fromScary Mommy
8 hours ago

The Best Thing I've Done For Myself Lately Is Going To The Movies Alone

Going to the movies alone is an underrated form of self-care for moms.
Film
fromThe Independent
1 day ago

The 19 most problematic movies of all time

Filmmakers often desire public engagement, but some films face scrutiny for problematic content due to evolving social standards.
#filmmaking
Photography
fromwww.nytimes.com
3 days ago

How Technology Has Transformed Cinematography

The MiniDV camera revolutionized filmmaking by enhancing accessibility and enabling a raw visual language, leading to significant industry shifts.
Media industry
fromIndieWire
5 days ago

What A24 and MUBI's Investor Reveals About the Future of Film Financing

Filmmakers must adapt to a shifting landscape where audience engagement and monetization across multiple formats are crucial for success.
Writing
fromThe New Yorker
2 weeks ago

Lena Dunham on Falling in Love with the Movies

A young filmmaker's journey begins with a short film, leading to acceptance at Slamdance and a memorable festival experience.
fromwww.bbc.com
2 days ago

Independent cinema founder honoured with plaque

Clara was a visionary businesswoman and pioneer of early British cinema. I wish she could have known that her legacy would be The Rio, still programming for everyone in the borough.
London
#steven-soderbergh
Independent films
fromPortland Mercury
6 days ago

The Christophers Is Another Small Masterwork by Steven Soderbergh - Portland Mercury

Steven Soderbergh has directed 11 films since 2017, showcasing a prolific and controlled creative process.
Independent films
fromPortland Mercury
6 days ago

The Christophers Is Another Small Masterwork by Steven Soderbergh - Portland Mercury

Steven Soderbergh has directed 11 films since 2017, showcasing a prolific and controlled creative process.
Berlin
fromwww.nytimes.com
3 days ago

Greta Lee on Her Favorite Performances, Films, Foods and More

Pablo Neruda's appreciation for simple objects inspires a love for cooking and art, emphasizing naturalism and emotional depth in various forms of expression.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 days ago

The best recent crime and thrillers review roundup

Cal Hooper investigates a suspicious death in a small Irish town, revealing deep-rooted connections and conflicts among its residents.
fromInside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
4 days ago

Faculty Consulted on Blockbusters Like "The Pitt," "Sinners"

Wendy Ross suggested a scene in which the doctor communicated with a patient who was autistic more effectively than another non-autistic doctor had. She emphasized that the portrayal of autism should be subtle, especially for female characters, as many women may not even realize they are autistic.
Medicine
Media industry
fromBusiness Insider
4 days ago

Blumhouse founder says AI won't improve movies, but can't be ignored

Jason Blum's Blumhouse continues to thrive in Hollywood by adapting to AI changes and shifting consumer behaviors.
NYC LGBT
fromNew York Post
4 days ago

Exclusive | BK's hottest movie night is at a century-old, Italian-American social club - and hipsters can't get enough

A 138-year-old Italian-American social club in Brooklyn hosts a popular film night, attracting diverse crowds with classic movies and homecooked meals.
Digital life
fromIndieWire
5 days ago

What Does Barbie Ferreira Really Want Now? An Indie Film Career, on Her Terms

Barbie Ferreira expresses fear of her laptop, believing hackers are watching her, and reflects on her changing relationship with the internet.
fromFast Company
6 days ago

Adam McKay's new movie offers a glimpse at advertising's final frontier: your dreams

Publicly traded companies are by legal definition and requirement completely amoral. They want only one thing, to raise their stock price, and the public good and common decency are just obstacles to be overcome or spun in that quest.
Marketing
Television
fromThe Atlantic
1 week ago

Seven Documentaries for Fans of Fiction

Documentaries can effectively tell engaging stories, appealing even to those typically averse to the genre.
Film
fromwww.businessinsider.com
2 days ago

Forget franchises: these 12 movies stole the show at CinemaCon

CinemaCon showcases both franchise and non-franchise films, highlighting the excitement for original storytelling in cinema.
Relationships
fromInsideHook
2 weeks ago

What Men Can Learn From 17 Unforgettable On-Screen Proposals

Real-life proposals differ from romantic comedies, but lessons from memorable on-screen moments can guide men in crafting meaningful proposals.
Graphic design
fromdesignyoutrust.com
1 week ago

Breathtaking Cinematic Illustrations That Will Make You Rethink Sci-Fi Concept Art

Katerina Belikova is a renowned Ukrainian digital illustrator known for her work in science fiction and dark fantasy, particularly with the Star Wars franchise.
fromThe New Yorker
20 hours ago

The Action-Film Director Who's Taking On Michael Jackson

"Michael" was designed to be an international crowd-pleaser—the kind of film that executives hope will drag audiences away from their small screens and deposit them in front of big ones, where they can watch and sing along and even dance, if theatres permit it.
Independent films
Books
fromSlate Magazine
6 days ago

How Stephen King Made The Shining Even Scarier

Stephen King's revisions in The Shining enhance the story's horror through specific imagery and the removal of explicit references to violence.
fromInverse
3 days ago

'Mother Mary' Ending Explained: Director David Lowery Reveals Whether The [SPOILER] Is Real

The first half of the movie plays out as an intimate chamber piece between Mary and Sam, the two of them rehashing long-buried grudges and betrayals, as we get occasional flashes to Mary's extravagant concert performances.
Film
fromwww.nytimes.com
3 days ago

Essential Films From Iran, India, Brazil and Nigeria

Nair calls Ray a beacon for her, emphasizing the impact of his work on her perspective of cinema and storytelling in the context of Indian culture.
Independent films
fromThe New Yorker
3 days ago

The Calculated Uplift of "I Swear"

The film's title, an obvious reference to profanity, also alludes to an incident dramatized later on, when John, on trial after inadvertently triggering a pub brawl, must give sworn testimony in court.
Film
Film
fromArs Technica
3 days ago

Ridley Scott's post-apocalyptic The Dog Stars drops first trailer

The Dog Stars is a post-apocalyptic film directed by Ridley Scott, based on Peter Heller's novel, focusing on survival and humanity.
Independent films
fromIndieWire
3 days ago

How the 'Blue Heron' Editor Turned the Director's Childhood Into One of 2026's Best Films

The film 'Blue Heron' explores time and memory through the lens of a family's emotional journey on Vancouver Island.
fromVulture
3 days ago

The 9 Best Movies and TV Shows to Watch This Weekend

The second season appears to go in a The White Lotus-esque direction with Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan as a couple whose fight is witnessed by two country-club employees.
Film
Paris food
fromFilmmaker Magazine
3 weeks ago

Cannes Film Festival Head Thierry Fremaux on the Past and Future of Movies

Thierry Frémaux plays a crucial role in film programming and history, connecting past cinema with contemporary selections.
fromwww.nytimes.com
3 days ago

8 Essential Animated Films

The gunshot scene in Bambi allows the audience to build fear, making them feel as frightened as Bambi, with visuals that resemble looking through tears.
Independent films
#ridley-scott
Film
fromInverse
3 days ago

9 Years Later, A Wildly Influential Sci-Fi Director Returns To His Roots

Ridley Scott's next film, The Dog Stars, is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi adventure based on Peter Heller's novel.
Film
fromEsquire
5 days ago

Exclusive First Look: Ridley Scott Says 'The Dog Stars' Will Surprise You

Ridley Scott reflects on hope and survival in adapting The Dog Stars, emphasizing the importance of small comforts in a post-apocalyptic world.
fromVulture
3 days ago

The Masterful Blue Heron Uses Cinema As a Seance

"It's true I spent most of my life being angry at him. The older I get, the more I feel like I never even knew him at all. My image of him now, I know, falls flat compared to reality."
Independent films
fromAnOther
4 days ago

Five Groundbreaking Dream Sequences From Silent Cinema

Film is like that. It developed from [the silent era] into Fellini and Bergman, Buñuel and David Lynch. [They] took these ideas and created a film that was really like a dream.
Film
Independent films
fromDefector
3 days ago

Steven Soderbergh And Ed Solomon Talk About Their Best Collaboration Yet | Defector

The Christophers explores the complexities of art, legacy, and the artist's relationship with public perception through a unique narrative.
#warner-bros
fromIndieWire
3 days ago
Film

Warner Bros.' Future Slate, Disney's 'Infinity Vision,' Dirty Sodas, and More Lingering Thoughts from CinemaCon

Warner Bros. is committed to delivering numerous films through 2027 and beyond, despite uncertainties from the Paramount acquisition.
fromEsquire
5 days ago
Independent films

'Weapons' Really Doesn't Need a Spin-off

Warner Bros. is developing a prequel to the horror film Weapons, focusing on the character Gladys, indicating a trend towards franchise expansion.
Film
fromIndieWire
3 days ago

Warner Bros.' Future Slate, Disney's 'Infinity Vision,' Dirty Sodas, and More Lingering Thoughts from CinemaCon

Warner Bros. is committed to delivering numerous films through 2027 and beyond, despite uncertainties from the Paramount acquisition.
Independent films
fromEsquire
5 days ago

'Weapons' Really Doesn't Need a Spin-off

Warner Bros. is developing a prequel to the horror film Weapons, focusing on the character Gladys, indicating a trend towards franchise expansion.
Film
fromSlate Magazine
4 days ago

An Acclaimed Filmmaker Made a Psychological Horror Movie Based on Footage of Taylor Swift. It's Something Else.

David Lowery's 'Mother Mary' features a ghostly presence symbolized by fabric, exploring themes of grief, friendship, and self-reinvention.
Independent films
fromKqed
4 days ago

What is 'Trans New Weird'? An Emerging Film Genre Screens at YBCA

Both Poison and The People's Joker challenge traditional narrative forms while addressing contemporary social issues through innovative storytelling.
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 days ago

First trailer released for western starring AI version of Val Kilmer

Val Kilmer was cast in 'As Deep As the Grave' before his death, with an AI voice created from his old recordings and a visual deepfake developed in collaboration with his estate.
Film
Film
fromQueerty
5 days ago

Coming out goes off the rails in this taboo thriller that pushed the boundaries of queer Asian cinema - Queerty

Ethan Mao portrays the intense struggles of a queer Asian youth facing family rejection and the complexities of identity and revenge.
Photography
fromThe New Yorker
1 month ago

Films Are Fantasies. Here Are Their Realities.

Atsushi Nishijima, an on-set stills photographer, has documented major films over the past decade and a half, capturing candid moments between takes on sets directed by prominent filmmakers.
Film
fromConsequence
6 days ago

Why Isn't There a Movies Hall of Fame?

Induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame recognizes artistic legacy through a democratic voting process, unlike many awards in Hollywood.
Film
fromThe Independent
5 days ago

Josh O'Connor's hot streak comes to an end with the stilted Rebuilding - review

Josh O'Connor portrays Dusty, a cowboy grappling with identity loss after a wildfire, in Max Walker-Silverman's film 'Rebuilding'.
#independent-film
Independent films
fromIndieWire
5 days ago

Hope Is Not a Distribution Strategy

Independent films often fail to secure distribution due to misalignment with market needs and lack of a clear distribution plan.
Independent films
fromIndieWire
1 week ago

Brands Won't Save Indie Film: They're Changing It

Independent filmmakers face financing challenges while brands are shifting towards storytelling, but brands won't fill the financing gap for traditional filmmaking.
Independent films
fromIndieWire
5 days ago

Hope Is Not a Distribution Strategy

Independent films often fail to secure distribution due to misalignment with market needs and lack of a clear distribution plan.
Independent films
fromIndieWire
1 week ago

Brands Won't Save Indie Film: They're Changing It

Independent filmmakers face financing challenges while brands are shifting towards storytelling, but brands won't fill the financing gap for traditional filmmaking.
Film
fromWIRED
6 days ago

A New Horror Movie Depicts Realistic Snuff. That's Not the Most Disturbing Thing About It

The reboot of Faces of Death reflects modern society's exposure to real violence through social media and its impact on viewers.
Film
fromEsquire
6 days ago

'The Social Network' Sequel Sounds Totally Insane-and Incredible

The Social Reckoning explores the profound impact of Facebook's algorithm on society and presents a high-stakes legal thriller narrative.
Independent films
fromThe Independent
1 week ago

Steven Spielberg shares huge admission about Christopher Nolan film Interstellar

Interstellar was originally intended to be directed by Steven Spielberg before Christopher Nolan took over the project.
Independent films
fromFilmmaker Magazine
1 week ago

"Personal Storytelling, Experimentation, and a DIY Spirit": A Look Inside LAFM 2026

This year's festival showcases debut features emphasizing personal storytelling and experimentation from both international and local filmmakers.
#romantic-comedy
fromInsideHook
2 weeks ago
Film

"The Drama" Has No Idea How to Handle Its Controversial Twist

The Drama presents a romantic comedy that takes a dark turn with a shocking revelation about a character's past involvement in a school shooting plot.
fromThe New Yorker
2 weeks ago
Film

"The Drama" Struggles to Justify Its Combustible Premise

Charlie and Emma navigate their relationship's challenges through humor and the concept of starting over.
Film
fromInsideHook
2 weeks ago

"The Drama" Has No Idea How to Handle Its Controversial Twist

The Drama presents a romantic comedy that takes a dark turn with a shocking revelation about a character's past involvement in a school shooting plot.
Film
fromThe New Yorker
2 weeks ago

"The Drama" Struggles to Justify Its Combustible Premise

Charlie and Emma navigate their relationship's challenges through humor and the concept of starting over.
Independent films
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

Cannes looks beyond Hollywood as US film-makers mostly fail to make the grade

Cannes 2023 selection favors world cinema over Hollywood, showcasing prominent international directors and reflecting geopolitical tensions.
fromApaonline
1 month ago

Recently Published Book Spotlight: Anticolonialism, Ontology, and Semiotics: A Cinematic Exploration

Anticolonialism, Ontology, and Semiotics draws upon Africana anticolonial philosophy-especially the work of Frantz Fanon and two of his most influential interpreters, Eldridge Cleaver and Sylvia Wynter-to develop a basic analytical model for doing anticolonial political theory. I wanted to show that there is something distinctive, something special, to be found in this tradition of thought that has not been fully appreciated by philosophers and theorists in other fields.
Philosophy
Arts
fromwww.npr.org
1 month ago

If you loved 'Bugonia,' here's what to watch next

Bugonia, a Yorgos Lanthimos remake of a 2003 Korean thriller starring Emma Stone, combines tonal shifts and violence with accessibility, earning four Academy Award nominations.
fromThe New Yorker
2 weeks ago

In Film, Sometimes the Greatest Drama Is Offscreen

"Cinematic Immunity" offers a workers'-eye view of Hollywood on the Hudson, revealing the intricate dynamics of filmmaking in New York City from 1954 to 9/11.
Independent films
Film
fromVulture
2 weeks ago

Should A24 Be Worried About The Drama's Plot-Twist Drama?

The Drama features a controversial plot twist involving a character's admission of a near mass shooting, sparking significant backlash.
Film
from48 hills
2 weeks ago

Screen Grabs: Aliens, witches, mermaids, and other swell company - 48 hills

Love can take unconventional forms, as seen in films featuring relationships with aliens, witches, and other offbeat characters.
Arts
fromwww.npr.org
2 months ago

An AI judge, a time-traveling 10-year-old and more in theaters

An AI courtroom thriller traps a hungover detective in a lethal chair with 90 minutes to prove his innocence using pervasive surveillance archives.
Independent films
fromIndieWire
1 month ago

Indie Film Has an Architecture Problem

The indie film model is structurally designed to fail, with misaligned incentives between investors, filmmakers, distributors, and audiences, resulting in only 0.025% of screenplays achieving profitable theatrical outcomes.
Film
fromEsquire
1 month ago

Do Original Movies Have Any Hope Left? I Went on a Journey to Find Out.

Theaters must create unique event experiences to compete with home entertainment, driving elaborate marketing stunts and premium screen innovations.
Film
fromEntrepreneur
1 month ago

This Cult Filmmaker Learned Something About Audiences Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know'Make Them Feel Something'

Kevin Smith built a personal brand by connecting directly with fans, which created lasting career opportunities beyond individual film projects in an unpredictable industry.
Independent films
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Which are more like life, novels or films?

Films display character thoughts primarily through facial expressions and actions, making them more mysterious and potentially more realistic than novels, which explicitly describe inner thoughts.
fromVulture
1 month ago

17 Movies With Exclamation-Point Titles, Ranked!

During a junket interview with OutNow, Gyllenhaal explained that the punctuation mark was included to represent the "whole lot of energy" that comes out when the historically muted Bride of Frankenstein is finally allowed to speak. That's all well and good, but to viewers the titular exclamation point is less of a metaphor and more of a golden arrow saying, "This movie is going to be crazy."
Film
fromThe Independent
1 month ago

17 great movies ruined by terrible endings

10 Cloverfield Lane Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman and John Gallagher Jr are locked in an underground bunker for the majority of this left-field sequel to Cloverfield, with thrilling results. In the film's final throes, Winstead's character exits the bunker, and finds that her captor was telling the truth about an alien invasion above - a twist that completely and ruinously dissipates the hard-earned tension that came before.
Film
Film
fromInsideHook
2 months ago

In Defense of Movie Sex Scenes

Onscreen sex scenes can be narratively essential but are often gratuitous, harmful, or disruptive when objectifying participants, reinforcing stereotypes, or damaging a film's flow.
Film
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

The Real Secret to a Filmmaker's Success

Coppola, Lucas, and Spielberg in the 1970s combined artistic daring with commercial ambition, reshaping Hollywood through auteurism and blockbuster filmmaking.
Film
fromVulture
2 months ago

Why Are So Many Movies About Kidnappings Right Now?

Contemporary hostage films use captivity to interrogate power imbalances, allowing marginalized figures to confront untouchable elites and reflect wider social anxieties.
Film
fromThe New Yorker
1 month ago

Nonprofessional Actors Are the Heart of the Movies

This year's Oscar contenders feature nonprofessional actors alongside established performers, creating authentic performances that distinguish these films in the new casting achievement category.
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

The Guide #229: How an indie movie distributed by a lone gamer broke the US box office

Two unusual releases contrasted a costly, widely distributed first-lady documentary with a self-financed YouTuber-made indie horror that achieved notable box-office success.
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Top of the props: meet the unsung heroes behind the memorable objects in your favourite films

It's nice that you are asking about props, because they're not really acknowledged, says Jode Mann, a TV prop master in Los Angeles. When Mann worked on the children's comedy show Pee-wee's Playhouse in the 1980s, she got a call from its star, Paul Reubens, who said he was nominating her for an Emmy. It was only after Mann told her mother and promised to thank her if she won that Reubens called back to say he couldn't nominate her because there's no category for you.
Film
Film
fromwww.mercurynews.com
1 month ago

Pillion' stars, director enjoyed their walk on the wild side

Pillion centers a gay dom–sub love story that celebrates leather community visibility, sparking enthusiastic, costumed screenings and earning strong critical acclaim.
Film
fromTechCrunch
1 month ago

AI's promise to indie filmmakers: faster, cheaper, lonelier | TechCrunch

An AI-created short film recreates tactile, dreamlike cinematic style to tell a Filipino-American, Ilocano-language, surreal family encounter in rural Hawai'i.
Film
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

It's already yesterday again: the 20 best time-loop movies ranked!

Time-loop films recycle the reset premise while varying stakes and constraints, with urgency or exposition determining whether repetition enhances drama or undermines suspense.
Film
from48 hills
2 months ago

Screen Grabs: All eyes on IndieFest and Mostly British's big cinematic ideas - 48 hills

Two long-running Bay Area festivals, SF IndieFest and Mostly British Film Festival, reopen with locally focused, daring films including documentaries on Santacon and Dennis Peron.
[ Load more ]