Film Guides

Where to Start with Michael Haneke - Michael Haneke has crafted a canon of cinema that traverses the darkest depths of the human psyche. Here's where to start with Michael Haneke's oeuvre. By Grace Britten.
Scream Movies Ranked - 'Scream' movies ranked from worst to best, from the original 1996 slasher to 2023 horror 'Scream VI' via Wes Craven's final film, 'Scream 4' (2011). List by Mark Carnochan.
Warner Animation Group Movies Ranked - The Lego Movie, Space Jam: A New Legacy, Smallfoot, Scoob! and more go head-to-head in Warner Animation Group Movies Ranked - a ranking of every WAG release. Article by Joseph Wade.
Where to Start with David Cronenberg - Critically-acclaimed director David Cronenberg is one of the most impressive and daring filmmakers still working today. Here's Where to Start with David Cronenberg. Article by Grace Britten.
I’m With Terry: Marlon Brando’s Method Performance in ‘On the Waterfront’ - How Marlon Brando's Method acting enhanced 'On the Waterfront' and added nuance and sympathy to his character Terry. Essay by Jacob Davis.
A Career-Saving Change: Katharine Hepburn’s Natural Performance in ‘The Philadelphia Story’ - Katharine Hepburn saved her career through adapting a new acting style in 1940 rom-com 'The Philadelphia Story'. This essay explores how and why she did it. By Jacob Davis.
Every Non-English Language Best Picture Nominee Ranked - Every Best Picture Oscar nominee not in the English language ranked from worst to best. List includes 'Parasite', 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' and 'Z'. By Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Baz Luhrmann Films Ranked - Each of director Baz Luhrmann's feature films ranked from worst to best. List includes 'The Great Gatsby', 'Moulin Rouge!' and 'Elvis'. By Grace Britten.
Stop Motion Animated Feature Oscar Nominees Ranked - Every stop motion film ever nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar ranked worst to best. List includes 'Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio'. By Emily Nighman.
Andrea Riseborough: 3 Career-Defining Performances - Oscar-nominated actor Andrea Riseborough is one of the most exciting performers working today. Here are her 3 career-defining performances. Article by Grace Britten.
Best Animated Feature Oscar Winners Ranked - Every Oscars Best Animated Feature winner ranked. List includes 'Shrek', 'Spider-Verse', 'Spirited Away', 'Frozen' and 'Encanto'. By Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Damien Chazelle Movies Ranked - The feature directorial efforts of Oscar-winning filmmaker Damien Chazelle ranked (from worst to best). List includes 'La La Land' and 'Babylon'. By Jacob Davis.
Every $1Billion+ Best Picture Nominee Ranked - Every billion-dollar box office megahit to ever be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars ranked from worst to best. List includes 'Titanic' and 'Avatar: The Way of Water'. By Margaret Roarty.
2023 Oscars Best Picture Nominees Ranked - All 10 movies nominated for Best Picture at the 95th Academy Awards (the 2023 Oscars) ranked from worst to best. List includes 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' and 'The Fabelmans'. By Joseph Wade.
James Wan Movies Ranked - From 'Saw' to 'Malignant', via 'Furious 7', 'Aquaman' and 'The Conjuring', these are the James Wan movies ranked from worst to best. List by Grace Britten.
Where to Start with Jonathan Demme - Jonathan Demme is one of the most prestigious contemporary filmmakers, enlightening cinema with his dense and emotive work. Here is where to start with Jonathan Demme. By Grace Britten.
Where to Start with Mike Leigh - Critically-acclaimed British filmmaker Mike Leigh holds a mirror up to British society, capturing the mundane with a beautiful eye. Here's where to start with Mike Leigh. Article by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Every Darren Aronofsky Directed Film Ranked - Every Darren Aronofsky film ranked worst to best, from 'Pi' to 'The Whale' via 'Requiem for a Dream', 'Black Swan', 'The Wrestler' and more. List by Joseph Wade.
M. Night Shyamalan Directed Movies Ranked - Every feature film directed by M. Night Shyamalan ranked from worst to best, including The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Split and Knock at the Cabin. Article by Joseph Wade.
Joseph Kosinski Movies Ranked - From 'Tron: Legacy' to 'Top Gun: Maverick', via 'Only the Brave' and more, these are the Joseph Kosinski movies ranked from worst to best. List by Joseph Wade.
Martin McDonagh Films Ranked - From 'In Bruges' to 'The Banshees of Inisherin' via 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri', the feature filmography of Martin McDonagh ranked worst to best. List by Joseph Wade.
Six Decades of Spielberg - Steven Spielberg is one of cinema's most famous names and influential directors. Here's one film per decade that best defines his filmography. By Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Where to Start with Steven Spielberg - Answering the question: where should I start with Steven Spielberg? The best entry points into the work of one of Hollywood's most influential directors. Article by Kieran Judge.
Where to Start with Jim Jarmusch - Few filmmakers embody the true essence of American independent cinema quite like this director. Here is our guide on where to start with the cinema of Jim Jarmusch. Article by George Taylor.
Rian Johnson Movies Ranked - Which Rian Johnson film is the best? All 6 feature films directed by Rian Johnson, from 'Brick' to 'Glass Onion' via 'Looper' and 'The Last Jedi' ranked. List by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
A Ghost Story for Christmas Films Ranked - Every short film released as a part of the BBC's fifty-plus-years-old 'A Ghost Story for Christmas' series ranked from worst to best. Article by Kieran Judge.
10 Best Films 2022: Joseph Wade - From the heart-wrenching dramas to form-shaping blockbusters, these are the 10 best movies of 2022 as chosen by editor-in-chief Joseph Wade.
2022 Reading List – The Film Magazine - An eclectic and diverse reading list of exceptional articles published by The Film Magazine in 2022 as selected by editor-in-chief Joseph Wade.
22 Most Popular Articles 2022 - Our reading list of the most popular articles published to thefilmagazine.com in the year 2022, as chosen by you the readers.
10 Best Films 2022: Sam Sewell-Peterson - The best films released in the UK in 2022, from the mind-boggling adventures of 'Everything Everywhere' to the quiet dramas like 'The Quiet Girl'. List by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
10 Highest-Scoring Films 2022 – The Film Magazine - The 2022 movies that have earned the highest-scoring reviews from The Film Magazine's team of film writers and established contributors.
2022 Comic Book Movies Ranked - All 9 feature-length comic book movie adaptations, from 'The Batman' to 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' via 'Black Adam', ranked worst to best. Ranked list by Joseph Wade.
10 Best Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Moments - The best moments from Shane Black's cutting edge and subversive spy thriller/comedy 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' starring Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer. List by Martha Lane.
10 Best Bridget Jones’s Diary Moments - The best moments from Sharon Maguire's staple of the rom-com genre, 'Bridget Jones's Diary' (2001) starring Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. List by Emily Nighman.
10 Best Gremlins Moments - From the dark horrors of a Christmas nightmare to the laughs of carolling creatures, the 10 best moments from 'Gremlins' (1984). List by Grace Britten.
A Christmas Carol Films Ranked - Each major film adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", from 'Scrooged' to 'The Muppet Christmas Carol' and beyond, ranked from worst to best. List by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
What Novelists Are For: ‘Atonement’ at 15 - Joe Wright's Oscar-winning period drama 'Atonement' is 15, and it remains an affecting film about stories and the very act of filmmaking. Essay by Margaret Roarty.
MCU Movies Ranked – The First 15 Years - All 30 Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, from 'Iron Man' to 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' released 2008-2022, ranked from worst to best. List by Joseph Wade.
10 Best Matilda Moments - The 10 best moments from 'Matilda' (1996), Danny DeVito's beloved family fantasy adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel starring Mara Wilson. List by Emily Nighman.
Where to Start with Terry Gilliam - Where to begin with the work of iconic off-kilter filmmaker, and former Monty Python member, Terry Gilliam, the director of '12 Monkeys', 'Brazil' and more. Article by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
11 Mutants the MCU Should Introduce - These 11 mutant Marvel comic book characters should be introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) following 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' (2022). List by Paul Klein.
Where to Start with Martin Scorsese - Where to start with Martin Scorsese, one of the most important Hollywood directors of all time, the fifty-plus year veteran of great gangster films and more. Article by Jacob Davis.
Pokémon Anime Movies Ranked - All 24 entries from the franchise of Pokémon anime films ranked from terrible to great, including 'Mewtwo Strikes Back', '4Ever', 'The Rise of Darkrai' and more. List by George Taylor.
DCEU Movies Ranked - Every film released as a part of Warner Bros and DC's shared superhero universe The DCEU ranked from worst to best, including Justice League, Aquaman, Birds of Prey, Suicide Squad. List by Joseph Wade.
Schindler’s List, Inglourious Basterds: Cementing and Reclaiming History in Cinema - Steven Spielberg's 'Schindler's List' and Quentin Tarantino's 'Inglourious Basterds' prove that populist approaches can deal with horrific events with subtlety and introspection. Essay by Robert Mitchell.
That Kind of Man: What L.A Confidential Taught Me About Masculinity - Curtis Hanson's all-star crime drama 'L.A. Confidential' is 25, and it remains a concise analysis and presentation of masculinity. One that hit Craig Gent in a particularly personal way.
How ‘The Night of The Hunter’ Highlights Religious Manipulation for Personal Gain - Charles Laughton's 1965 horror film 'The Night of the Hunter' presents Robert Mitchum's preacher as a man who "manipulates people through their religious beliefs". Essay by Nicole Sanacore.
Friday the 13th Movies Ranked - All 12 'Friday the 13th' movies ranked. List includes every feature release, from the original in 1980 to the reboot of 2009, via 'Freddy vs Jason' and 'Jason X'. List by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
John Carpenter Movies Ranked - All 18 John Carpenter movies ranked from worst to best, including 'Halloween', 'The Thing', 'Escape from New York' and more. List by Kieran Judge.
10 Best Twilight Moments - The 10 best moments from Twilight, the young adult cinema phenomenon starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson adapted from Stephenie Meyers' best-selling book. List by Holly Carter.
10 Best In Bruges Moments - The 10 best moments from 'In Bruges' (2008), Martin McDonagh's dark comedy starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson set in one of Belgium's most idyllic cities. List by Martha Lane.
10 Sexiest Movie Vampires - The 10 sexiest movie vampires ever. From the silent era to the modern day, gory films to teen classics, the sexiest vampires in cinema history. List by Margaret Roarty.
Original vs Remake: Nosferatu vs Nosferatu the Vampyre - 'Nosferatu' (1922) vs 'Nosferatu the Vampyre' (1979), the F.W. Murnau film versus the Werner Herzog adaptation based on Bram Stoker's "Dracula". Article by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Halloween Franchise Movies Ranked The ‘Halloween’ Franchise Ranked - All 13 'Halloween' films, from the John Carpenter original 'Halloween' (1978) to 'Halloween Ends' (2022) ranked from worst to best in terms of quality and scares. List by Kieran Judge.
Jordan Peele Movies Ranked - Jordan Peele movies ranked from worst to best. List includes 'Get Out' (2017), 'Us' (2019) and 'Nope' (2022). List by Emi Grant.
The Closure of Edinburgh Filmhouse, Edinburgh International Film Festival: What It Means to Me - The instant closures of Edinburgh Filmhouse and Edinburgh International Film Festival will have profound effects on wider culture, as explained in this personal essay from Mark Carnochan.
Where to Start with Christopher Lee - Here is where to start with the films of Christopher Lee, a man whose personal life and acting career can be considered most extraordinary. Article by Katie Doyle.
Edgar Wright Movies Ranked - Every film directed by Edgar Wright ranked from worst to best. List includes 'Shaun of the Dead' and the rest of the Cornetto Trilogy, plus 'Scott Pilgrim' and more. Article by Christopher Connor.
5 Hilariously Bad Horror Movie Rip-Offs - Forget 'Scream', this is 'Final Scream'. Forget 'Halloween', this is 'Halloween Night'. The most hilarious horror movie rip-offs ever made. List by Mark Carnochan.
10 Highest-Grossing Horror Films Ranked - The 10 highest-grossing horror films of all time ranked from worst to best in terms of filmmaking quality. List includes 'Jaws', 'The Exorcist', 'It' and more. Written by Joseph Wade.
Where to Start with Jean-Luc Godard - Where to start with the cinema of Jean-Luc Godard, one of the fathers of the French New Wave and one of cinema's most radical and true artists. Article by George Taylor.
Vitaly Mansky’s Two Gorbachevs - Vitaly Mansky used Hollywood's reboot formula to delve into the mind and legacy of Mikhail Gorbachev, the final Soviet leader, across two distinct eras. Essay by Ben Stoll.
Marilyn Monroe: 3 Career-Defining Performances - The performances that defined the career of Marilyn Monroe, one of the most iconic actresses in cinema history. List includes 'Some Like It Hot'. Written by Emily Nighman.
10 Best Lindsay Lohan Performances - Lindsay Lohan's 10 best movie performances, from her early career work on 'The Parent Trap' to later TV-movie offerings like 'Liz & Dick'. List by Jacob Davis.
10 Best Spirited Away Moments - The 10 best moments from 'Spirited Away', the Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli animated masterpiece about a young girl's adventures into another world. List by Margaret Roarty.
10 Unsung Women Filmmakers of the Silent Era - It's a well-kept secret that women were writing, editing, directing, and producing movies as early as the late 19th century. These are the unsung heroes of the silent era. Article by Cynthia Scott.
Where to Start with Powell and Pressburger - Have you ever thought about exploring the cinema of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger? Here's a handy guide on where to start with the filmmaking duo also known as The Archers. By Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre Movies Ranked - All 9 movies from the 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' franchise, from Tobe Hooper's 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre' (1974) to the 2022 Netflix film via 'Leatherface', ranked from worst to best. List by Luke Hinton.
Capturing Modernity: The Challenge of Portraying the Contemporary World - For the first time in cinema history, the most prominent filmmakers of the day are retreating from portraying modern life. Why is this? And what effect does this have? Essay by Noah Sparkes.
Making Sense of Alex Garland’s ‘Men’ - Understanding the filmmaking intent of Alex Garland: an analysis of Garland's philosophy and use of iconography in his 2022 feature film 'Men'. Essay by A. D. Jameson.
Marie Antoinette and the Art of Historical Inaccuracy - How Sofia Coppola mastered the art of historical inaccuracies in her modern and influential 'Marie Antoinette', starring Kirsten Dunst as the titular teenage royal. Essay by Emi Grant.
100 Unmissable BBC Films - From the unmissable British Broadcasting Corporation film 'Billy Elliot' to 'The Power of the Dog', 'Iris' to 'His House', the 100 best BBC Films. List by Katie Doyle, Sam Sewell-Peterson and Joseph Wade.
Cineworld Is Dead. Long Live Content. - Cineworld Group plc is filing for bankruptcy. Here's what happened, how it happened, and why you should care about it. Story by Joseph Wade.
Taika Waititi Films Ranked - From 'What We Do In the Shadows' to 'Thor: Love and Thunder', and including 'Jojo Rabbit' and 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople', the movies directed by Taika Waititi ranked from worst to best. Article by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Blue Sky Studios Animated Movies Ranked Worst to Best The Film Magazine Blue Sky Studios Animated Movies Ranked - Every feature animated film release from Blue Sky Studios - the people behind 'Ice Age', 'Ferdinand' and 'Rio' - have been ranked from worst to best.
10 Best Thor Ragnarok Moments - The 10 best moments from Thor: Ragnarok, Taika Waititi and Marvel's take on Chris Hemsworth's God of Thunder co-starring Hulk, Hela and Loki. List by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Jurassic Park / World Movies Ranked - All 6 'Jurassic Park' and 'Jurassic World' movies ranked. Which is the best Jurassic dinosaur movie? 'Jurassic Park' (1993) to 'Jurassic World Dominion' (2022) ranked worst to best. Article by Joseph Wade.
Top Gun: Maverick Is in Love With Companionship, Familiarity - 'Top Gun: Maverick' is the biggest hit of 2022 because it's more than an action movie, it's a romance flick dedicated to all the things we love, and love, and love again. Essay by Callum McGuigan.
Straightwashing Removes All Rainbows: Removing Bisexuals from Comic Book Films - In 2022, the blockbuster sphere's choices in representation must face more scrutiny, particularly with regard to straightwashing bisexual comic book characters. Essay by Paul Klein.
10 Best Moments from The Thing - The 10 best moments from John Carpenter's 'The Thing' (1982) starring Kurt Russell, from the dog to the defibrillator and beyond. List by Kieran Judge.
Jurassic Franchise Directors Ranked - The directors of the 'Jurassic Park' and 'Jurassic World' movies ranked from worst to best in terms of their overall directorial work. Ranked article by Joseph Wade.
‘Blue My Mind’ and New Female Monsters - 'Blue My Mind' cathartically redefines the old-fashioned film logic that pain must be felt in the coming-of-age period and thus redefines the rulings of the monstrous feminine. Essay by Grace Britten.
Is Marvel’s Insistence on Being So Firmly On-The-Nose Rooted in a Distrust of Its Audience? - In 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness', Marvel, writer Michael Waldron and director Sam Raimi, tell rather than show. Is this because they don't trust us to understand film language? Essay by Callum McGuigan.
What Film Can Teach Us About Heartbreak - "Real life is often nonsensical and absurd – if art can truly mirror that experience, something special can occur." What abstract ideas in film can teach us about heartbreak. Essay by Sam Florsheim.
10 Best Sam Raimi Movie Moments - The 10 best Sam Raimi movie moments, from the upside down kiss in 'Spider-Man' to the chainsaw arm in 'Evil Dead II', ranked. List by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
The Before Trilogy: How to Capture a Moment - A love story is made of moments, and in no place are those moments captured better than in Richard Linklater's Before Trilogy - Sunrise, Sunset, Midnight. Essay on why, by Jack Fanning.
Cooper Raiff and the Strength of Vulnerability - Cooper Raiff uses his films 'Sh*thouse' and 'Cha Cha Real Smooth' to re-evaluate the limits of masculinity, confronting limited stereotypes to present vulnerability as a strength. Essay by Tina Kakadelis.
10 Best Moments from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man Trilogy - The 10 best moments from Sam Raimi's seminal superhero blockbuster trilogy, 'Spider-Man'. List includes moments from 'Spider-Man 2' and 'Spider-Man 3'. Article by Katie Doyle.
10 Most Important Comic Book Movies Ever - What are the most important comic book movies of all time? Which superhero films are the most influential? Find out in this Movie List from The Film Magazine by Joseph Wade.
1990s Superhero Movies Ranked - 1990s superhero films ranked worst to best. List includes 'The Crow', 'Guyver', 'The Mask', 'Blade', 'The Mystery Men'. Ranked article by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Spielberg’s ‘Jurassic Park’ VFX Remain the Industry’s Gold Standard - How Steven Spielberg's direction helped to make the visual effects on 'Jurassic Park' (1993) not only revolutionary but the Gold Standard of Hollywood CGI. Article by Joseph Wade.
21st Century Best Picture Oscar Winners Ranked - Every Oscars Best Picture winning movie, as chosen by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the 21st century, ranked from worst to best. 23 films from 23 ceremonies, taking place from the year 2000.
In Defense of the Happy Ending: Alice Wu and LGBTQ+ Movies - For so long, Hollywood has made it seem like only white, cisgender, non-disabled, heterosexual people fall in love. The films of Alice Wu offer condolence for those outside of that box. Essay by Tina Kakadelis.
Live-Action Batman Movies Ranked - Which Batman movie is the best? All 10 live-action Batman films, from Batman to The Batman via The Dark Knight, ranked from worst to best. List by Joseph Wade.
Live-Action Batmen Ranked - From Adam West to Robert Pattinson via Michael Keaton, Christian Bale and more, the live-action movie performances of Batman ranked worst to best. List by Joseph Wade.
How ‘The Worst Person in the World’ Redefines Romantic Cinema - How Joachim Trier rewrites the rules of silver screen romance to create one of the best romantic dramas of recent years, 'The Worst Person in the World'. Essay by Rehana Nurmahi.
2022 Oscars Best Picture Nominees Ranked - Every movie nominated for the Oscars Best Picture Academy Award, from 'Belfast' to 'West Side Story' via 'CODA', 'Dune' and 'Licorice Pizza' ranked from worst to best. Article by Joseph Wade.
Where to Start with Paul Thomas Anderson - Paul Thomas Anderson, director of numerous Oscar winners and film festival awards, may be the best filmmaker of his generation. Here's where to start. Article by Jacob Davis.
2022 Animated Feature Oscar Nominees Ranked - Five animated films are nominated in the Animation Feature category at the 94th Academy Awards (2022 Oscars); where do 'Encanto' and 'Luca' rank among them? Ranked list by Joseph Wade.
10 Things You Might Have Missed in ‘Encanto’ - The most important Easter eggs and details you might have missed from Walt Disney Animation's smash hit film 'Encanto'. List by Sophia Patfield.