Released in 1982, the John Carpenter directed classic The Thing has long been a premier example of high quality science fiction horror. Starring Kurt Russell alongside a fantastic ensemble cast, this tale of dread positions a group of American researchers in the middle of desolate Antarctica, invaded by an extraterrestrial foe. 36 years later and this picture is as effective as ever. Offering a horrific experience that is wrapped in drama and mystery, elevated by its truly terrifying titular creature. Continue reading

This article contains spoilers for The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. Read at your own risk.

When The Force Awakens was released in 2015, it had been ten years since the last Star Wars movie, Revenge of the Sith. Excitement was at an all time high as the marketing was able to perfectly hype up both the hardcore and casual audiences. While many were interested to see how heroes such as Rey and Finn were going to be characterised, the history of Star Wars made it so people were just as intrigued to see the villains, one of these being Kylo Ren. We all had questions such as “Will he be the new Darth Vader?” and “Is he a sith?”. As The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi came out, we realised that he was neither of these things. It turned out, he was the perfect villain for a new era. Continue reading

Making a film that is truly scary is not an easy feat. With the plethora of horror releases that we see throughout the year, it is not often that a picture is able to effectively give us real goosebumps. Sure, there are many movies that make us jump. Although, this is often an example of being startled, not scared. I spoke a little bit about how menace is more important than jump scares in a recent article. To build on this, we must look deeper into what makes the threat in a horror film terrifying. Grotesque demons and ghouls can obviously give us a fright but it is those villains that are not seen much (or at all) that are able to keep us up at night. It is far more petrifying when things are left up to our imagination. Continue reading

Film is an all encompassing form of expression. While certain types of art focus mainly on a single sense, cinema is able to deliver its product via multiple channels. In the end, all these methods are fused together to evoke a feeling in the audience. When done right, music can be one these most important factors. A well crafted original score can summon emotions from viewers as they are written specifically for the story and the scenes. However, great film makers are able to do this even with music that has existed before. Continue reading

As is the case with many art forms, film is often seen as an escape from regular life. Even for us film lovers who dissect everything, being swept away to a different backdrop can be the best medicine for our troubles. Whether it’s within the halls of Hogwarts or across the hills of Middle-earth, the world that a movie inhabits can factor greatly into its enjoyment. With this in mind, it’s clear that certain types of settings have become more popular than others.  It can then be seen as quite surprising that one of cinema’s most enduring sub-genres is dystopian science fiction. Continue reading