‘frances ha’, directed by noah baumbach, follows a 27-year-old aspiring dancer in new york navigating friendship shifts, financial strain, and uncertain ambitions.

positioned almost as a coming-of-age story for people in their 20s, it is such a bittersweet take on youth and finding yourself in a scary, constantly changing world.

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‘frances ha’ is incredible in the way that you can rewatch this movie at different points in your life and experience the story and the characters in vastly different ways. members of the film club mentioned how earlier in their lives, they may not have connected with the movie or the character, barely giving it thought. however, after revisiting years later, they found themselves seeing themselves in the story and frances’ journey - relating to her struggles with her career, friendships, and love.

i, myself, am not yet frances’ age, but i found this messy, imperfect character so comforting. adulthood is a very scary time in our lives, and alongside trying to navigate our careers and achieve financial security, we are also dealing with the ever-changing aspects of every single other part of our lives. it was a breath of fresh air to watch a movie filled with so much imperfection and humanity, that doesn’t try and shy away from discomfort and failure - things everyone in life can relate to.

it was equally as special to gather with stara film club and hear the varying receptions of experiences that tend to make us feel so alone and lost, and feel united and connected in them. it was incredibly validating and offered such comfort after watching the film.

movies tend to romanticise life. i believe my love of cinema and stories from a young age impacted my view of the world in every way. you compare your friendships, your relationships, your career, and your day-to-day life to a film so carefully constructed for our entertainment, and condensed into two hours. and while i love to escape through film, fantasy, adventure, and excitement, i think it’s refreshing to see such a beautiful film be a harsh reflection of growing up, without being afraid of appearing mundane or boring. it trusts the right audience to love and connect with it.

i know i definitely felt (among the existential panic), a lot of comfort and reassurance that i am not alone in my struggles, and it is natural to think ‘i have absolutely no idea what i am doing, or where i am going.’

early on in the discussion, we spoke about character development. frances is an incredibly complex and interesting character. she struggles in her career, but refuses to face it. she has an overwhelming need to be loved, at the expense of her own self-respect. she is socially awkward. she is very financially unstable, but also makes terrible decisions. she is co-dependent - particularly with her best friend and roommate sophie. and most of all, she refuses to grow up.

the development may have felt so slight, but i believe it was there. nothing was perfectly ironed out, but there was some acceptance in who she is and where she is in life. she formed a sense of independence and settled into a stable, adult life, which she ran away from for so much of the movie. while it ended in a somewhat incomplete way, being open-ended, it was refreshing to see an unglamorous and imperfect depiction of growth.

additionally, we discussed sophie and frances’ friendship, which i believe was the catalyst for her growth. in the first scene, frances and her boyfriend break up as she refuses to take the step to move in with him, stating that sophie would want to renew the contract to their apartment and prioritising their friendship and her fear of change over moving forward. however, given the opportunity to move into a better apartment, sophie tells frances she will not be renewing their contract. following this comes major changes to their friendship and dynamic that impacts frances significantly. with sophie taking steps to grow up, and frances rejecting it and struggling with change, their friendship takes a hit.

this was the most defining theme of the film, in my opinion. adult friendships can be so tough, and with the constantly changing nature of our lives as we dive into the big bad world, your relationships begin looking different. ‘frances ha’ depicted this in such a harsh but human way. you see frances’ loneliness, as she mourns the loss of her life with her best friend, and you see her scramble to recreate that same friendship and life with anyone else that she comes across. which made her character development more apparent as shown through her eventual acceptance of the nature of her friendship with sophie, her growing confidence, and her independence.

the entire movie is in black and white, which is quite a bold decision to make as a modern filmmaker. this was an interesting topic of discussion among the film club, with people receiving and understanding this choice in various ways.

the film as a whole has this french new wave flair - a revolutionary film movement in the late 1950s and 1960s that rejected traditional filmmaking conventions, emphasising personal expression, experimentation, and realism - but i felt this decision also made sense for frances.

frances romanticises life and the world around her, which can often cause her to struggle accepting reality and making any real changes to her life. the black and white offers a romantic and timeless feel, while watching this very harsh reality of modern adulthood that so many people experience. it’s such an interesting contrast.

alongside this, the editing and pacing is chaotic and messy, with the film being divided into episodes. it was a technical decision that mirrors the feeling of being in your 20s - overwhelming and abrupt.

i found the soundtrack and score to be very fun. the pop musical sequences were a fascinating decision, especially in the context of what we know about frances as a character. from the loneliest moments to the most awkward ones, she was accompanied by upbeat pop music. once again, it felt like we were drawn into the way she constantly romanticises everything. the most mundane struggles get to be this beautiful, cinematic moment, contrasting her reality with what she wishes her life was like.

besides the creative and unique technical decisions, greta gerwig’s performance of frances is authentic, playful, and complex. her physicality is particularly impressive, especially during the more awkward moments. she manages to maintain a charm, while playing a character that does not seem to be well-received by others within the movie. frances is impulsive and frustrating, but the audience still connects with and roots for her. and within a world where not much excitement is playing out, and we are watching a mundane story about a life so many of us can relate to, she manages to bring so much heart and colour.

ultimately, ‘frances ha’ teaches us that progress and development are in no way linear. our age does not define our timelines and our journey, especially in a social media age where we see the most polished versions of people’s lives. by sitting in this one-hour discussion of ‘frances ha’, i understood truly why this movie was made.

i cannot wait for the next one.

make sure to continue to submit movie suggestions so you can be involved in deciding what the next stara film club movie will be.

here’s everything you need to know about joining the film club!

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stara film club: all you need to know

before i get into everything, i want to say a massive thank you. i started my substack over a month ago and i’m so grateful i did. i am so excited to actually get to launch stara film club and begin growing this community with all of you! please subscribe for updates - i also post reviews, recommendations, essays, and so much more on all things film…

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5 months ago · 45 likes · 4 comments · tara ⭐️

and the previous breakdowns:

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stara film club: in the mood for love

the second stara film club discussion took place on sunday, and what a great way to end the weekend. with more people attending than last month, we spent just over an hour talking about our thoughts, feelings, and experiences with film, while getting to know one another…

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2 months ago · 26 likes · 7 comments · tara ⭐️

stara film club ⭐️

stara film club: cinema paradiso

i recently had the opportunity to host a discussion of cinema paradiso for stara film club, and it was such a rewarding experience. it was the very first stara film club session, so i was quite nervous going into it, but being able to talk in depth about film with other people who genuinely love cinema is exactly what i had in mind when i first thought …

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3 months ago · 29 likes · 5 comments · tara ⭐️

So, while trying (and mostly failing) to avoid reviews, I found myself watching one too many videos on how the movie was made, how it was developed, and how it was edited. My wonder grew, and my excitement grew with it.

I did go through a phase in my teenage years, like many others, where I hyperfixated on Greek mythology. I was so fascinated by these stories and the beautiful tales that continue to shape our literature and art to this day. I currently have Penguin’s hardback clothbound edition of The Odyssey sitting on my bookshelf (although I am due a reread).

The Odyssey is an epic poem that has been retold, translated, and adapted countless times over the last 3,000 years, although none as grand and ambitious as Nolan’s treatment.

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What is The Odyssey actually about?

Odysseus (Damon), King of Ithaca, is yet to return home ten years after the Trojan War ended. The Trojan War is a legendary siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek armies. The war began after Helen (Nyong’o), the wife of Spartan King Menelaus (Bernthal), was taken by the Trojan prince Paris.

Using the clever ruse of the Trojan Horse, which posed as a gift to the Trojans, Greek soldiers hid inside it while the rest of the army pretended to sail away. The Trojans were tricked into bringing the horse inside their city walls, ultimately allowing the Greeks to win the war through deception and surprise.

Following their victory, Odysseus endures ten years of misfortune and adventures as he attempts to return home, facing monsters, witches, the wrath of the gods, and other mythical creatures. He eventually ends up as a captive of the nymph Calypso.

Queen Penelope of Ithaca (Hathaway), who still waits for her husband to return, is besieged by dozens of suitors, but she refuses to remarry. Her son, Telemachus (Holland), leaves home in search of his father, looking for answers.

Let’s talk format

Nolan’s The Odyssey is the first feature film shot entirely using IMAX 70mm cameras. The equipment is highly specialised, and only around 40 theatres worldwide can project the film in its intended format. Essentially, as Anne Hathaway explains, the film was shot and designed to be experienced on the largest screen possible, immersing you fully for the best cinematic experience.

In IMAX 70mm, the film will be presented in IMAX’s 1.43:1 Expanded Aspect Ratio. Each film frame has 15 perforations and runs horizontally through the projector. It is the largest and highest-resolution format available.

I’ve actually seen quite a lot of discourse and upset surrounding how much you miss out on when watching The Odyssey in any other format. Particularly with regular 35mm screens, where a large portion of the image is cropped from either side of scenes.

I would love to know more about aspect ratios in cinema and why cinemas cannot scale to fit, allowing people who don’t have access to IMAX 70mm to still experience the full scale of the film as it was intended.

I can’t move on without mentioning the editing process, as it was utterly insane. The Odyssey was put together almost entirely by hand.

Two million feet of IMAX film was shot for The Odyssey. That’s 378 miles of film and 100 hours of footage that needed to be cut down to three hours. The film was scanned into a computer and edited using software, but rather than producing a finished movie, once the edits were locked, the computer produced a list of numbers. This list was essentially instructions detailing where to cut the negatives.

The film then went to a lab in Burbank because it is the only lab left on Earth that can still perform this process. The original film is then cut and glued by hand using a glue pot and splicer. This is done for every single cut in the movie. There is only one original negative, so if a mistake is made, the film is essentially gone forever.

The colour grading was also done by hand, with filters being held up against the film on a light table until Nolan was satisfied with the result. Valves then open and close to physically expose the print with light. It is run through a chemical bath and dried in a glass enclosure.

This process is done reel by reel, leading to a finished print that weighs 600 pounds, stretches 11 miles long, and costs around $80,000.

A team then has to build it onto two different platters for the IMAX 70mm projector, which only around 90 people on Earth know how to operate.

This film is going down in history.

While I am utterly fascinated by the way this film was made, appreciate the level of artistry and history being created through this process, and have delved so deeply over the last few days into the incredibly unique way this movie was filmed and edited, I’ve found myself having an internal debate.

On one hand, this is pure artistry. It is so far beyond anything most people can comprehend, and Nolan has created a film so meticulously thought through and built, doing something that has never been done before. It is amazing to watch and also to learn about. Even while watching it, I couldn’t help but marvel at every single scene and everything that went into creating it. It’s pure cinema.

On the other hand, I do have to address that, with such a limited number of people being able to see it in its intended format - with large amounts of the image inaccessible to the average cinema-goer, tickets selling out months in advance, and resales reaching astronomical prices - I have found myself wondering whether this new cinematic experience might be rooted in elitism, contradicting the idea that cinema and art should be accessible to all.

I’m not necessarily upset that I didn’t get to experience it in Nolan’s intended format, but part of me is not entirely impressed by the idea that this movie was essentially created for a very small group of people, both geographically and economically.

I, myself, saw it in regular IMAX. I would have loved to see it at the BFI, but I am out of the country and had to settle for the only IMAX screen in my city (I believe the aspect ratio was 1.90:1). This means 24.7% less vertical image height than the intended format. For those watching in regular widescreen format, that’s a 40% loss.

The movie itself

There’s no denying that this is a movie of epic proportions. We’ve heard and read that line almost a million times, but it genuinely is grand and unlike anything you’ve seen or will see again. The experience was mind-blowing, and for three hours, I felt myself glued to the screen, never experiencing boredom or losing my attention for even a moment.

It is loyal to its source material, adapting the mythical creatures and characters we know all too well in a way that I believe is expertly crafted. While it remains faithful to the original story, it also offers an incredible alteration to Odysseus’ character, as he grapples with what he and his men have done during the war, dealing with the shame and guilt that follows him as he revisits his journey home and comes to terms with the horror and violence they committed while “breaking Zeus’ law” that once held their civilisation together.

I believe that, regardless of the mythical aspects of the story, Greek mythology, and The Odyssey in particular, has always been a very human story about mankind. However, this adaptation offers even more depth and humanity, reminding us why the story remains as relevant and important as ever.

This haunting and beautiful masterpiece was punctuated by elements of horror. Without ever relying on CGI, intense body horror is somehow masterfully woven throughout the film, creating moments that feel almost difficult to look at.

Particularly, Circe’s (Morton) scenes reminded me of the moment in Spirited Away where the parents are transformed into pigs. It was disgusting and perfect at the same time. As the men shovel meat and food into their mouths, Circe transforms them into pigs. We watch as their bodies contort, stretch, and change, while meat and broth spills from and fills their mouths.

I had to stop myself from looking away because, alongside the cringe-worthy (in the best possible way) body horror, comes the complexity of Circe’s character and her rage towards men and soldiers. While we are watching this story largely from the perspective of these characters, you can’t help but understand and sympathise with the witch. Her anger feels rooted in something so many can understand.

Another scene that felt horror-adjacent was the Cyclops sequence.

There are always worries with character designs, especially when creating something so unreal, that it may cross the line into feeling silly and ultimately break immersion. I’ve seen it many times in films where I can’t help but scoff at the design of a character, particularly monsters in horror films, because the visual choices end up pulling me out of the experience. This was absolutely not the case with Nolan’s The Odyssey, despite my worries.

The Cyclops was both horrifying and expertly crafted. What makes the scene even more powerful is the contrast between viewing this terrifying monster and witnessing the pain and suffering after he is attacked in his own home. Watching him wail and beg to his father, Poseidon, creates the same emotional push and pull as the Circe scene. We are afraid of him, but we also understand him.

I think this naturally leads us onto sound design, as that was personally my favourite part of the film. I am a musician, so scoring and the way sound, silence, and music are used not only to elevate a film but also to tell a story has always fascinated me. We feel so intensely through sound, and the way it is used as an instrument in this film is unbelievable.

Composer Ludwig Göransson worked with historians to recreate Ancient Greek instruments for the score, resulting in a movie that features instruments that no longer exist today. Just another groundbreaking aspect of this film.

He was banned by Nolan from using a traditional orchestra, so instead crafted the soundtrack using 35 bronze gongs, industrial scrap metal, synthesizers, and the aforementioned revived ancient instruments such as the aulos and lyre. The score also leans heavily into the epic poem’s roots by featuring vocals that add emotional pacing and storytelling to the music.

Aside from the fact that the music itself is breathtaking, the sound design is utterly overwhelming and heartbreaking. The tension never lets up, and I found myself clutching my chest on multiple occasions purely because of the physical response the score created. Polyphemus’ wail was an echoed, painful, hyper-realistic vocalisation that almost sounded like music itself. There were often moments during violence and battle where the sound alone felt like earth-shaking, immersive effects blended with traditional musical composition.

It felt as though the world was truly ending, and I was completely taken by the scale of it all.

A ginormous set filled with thousands of people on screen, combined with a growing, unsettling, and completely overwhelming score in the background, made me feel as though I was standing on that battlefield alongside the characters.

“Another Name,” one of the tracks from the score, made me indescribably emotional. The way the tension and pain build within the music, creating that feeling of pressure in your chest, can only come from the most masterful musicians. I have to repeat: it was my absolute favourite aspect of this film.

The performances were as incredible as you would expect when an established actor is asked to work on a Nolan set. It felt as though every performer pushed themselves to their physical and emotional limits in order to provide the level of commitment you would expect from a movie of this scale.

Matt Damon was out of this world. I don’t like to place too much value on awards when it comes to cinema, but I would love to see him recognised in the Best Actor category next year. There is one particular scene where he is tied to a mast at sea as they pass the sirens that completely moved me.

He brings so much complexity and depth to this role, balancing a man who led an army of men driven by primal, violent urges through a brutal war, while also portraying someone who is intelligent, loyal, and deeply human in the guilt, grief, and shame that follows him throughout the ten years after.

Robert Pattinson as Antinous was another standout performance.

I am always impressed by Pattinson and the way he completely throws himself into his characters. Every twitch of his mouth, every look, every exchange feels intentional. We see every thought pass through his mind, and we can’t help but despise him while simultaneously remaining fascinated by his presence.

I also want to mention Himesh Patel as Eurylochus, who despite barely being seen in press, had a very large role in this film, and I found him to be incredible in it.

I’ve seen a lot of debate surrounding the modern, Americanised language used in this movie. I think we are so used to hearing British accents and more traditional dialogue in films like this that hearing phrases like “dad” rather than “father” can initially feel slightly jarring.

The use of the adjective “fucking” especially took me aback both times I watched it.

However, I can also understand why Nolan made this choice. The Odyssey has been retold, translated, and adapted countless times throughout history. It has become so much more than simply a Greek myth - it has become a story that belongs to the world.

Nolan’s The Odyssey, while remaining loyal to the original text, is also making a stylistic choice. It is not simply a historical tale; it is a story about lust, violence, power, PTSD, and the experience of returning home after battle. These ideas are not unfamiliar to us now. This is a story that remains important because the struggles and mistakes it explores continue to happen today.

There is a reason this story has been taught, interpreted, and reinterpreted for over 3,000 years.

“Dad” and “mom” might feel slightly strange at first in the context of this movie, but they also help these characters feel like real humans rather than distant figures from mythology.

This also applies to the casting.

The backlash against the casting of people of colour, or against Elliot Page, a trans actor, playing the role of a soldier because it is supposedly not “historically accurate”, is ultimately irrelevant because The Odyssey is a work of fantasy and mythology.

Nolan is not attempting to create a documentary about Ancient Greek military history. He is bringing one of humanity’s greatest stories to a modern audience in 2026.

Sinon (Page) likely has around five lines in the entire film. He is important to the story, particularly as the soldier responsible for granting the Trojans the horse, but he is never portrayed as a legendary warrior. His importance comes from his bravery and willingness to sacrifice himself for his people.

Ultimately, Nolan perfectly captures the enduring historical truths of war and humanity.

Odysseus’ final monologue to Penelope is the culmination of this theme. He explains why he did not return sooner and describes the way his experience changed him, as he realises that you cannot go through something as devastating as war and return to the world unchanged.

It is an agonising portrayal of impermanence - the feeling of returning home while no longer being the person who left.

During this monologue, we also see Athena (Zendaya), who appears several times throughout the film beside Odysseus as a stripped-back, psychologically ambiguous presence. She acts as both a guiding voice and a haunting memory.

I couldn’t stop thinking about why the goddess takes the form of the girl Odysseus watched beg for her life in Troy before his soldiers slaughtered her. As she is ruthlessly killed, we watch the statue of Athena’s head being destroyed.

My interpretation was firstly that this represented the physical destruction of everything civilisation had worked to build. Zeus’ law, unity, and peace were destroyed in that moment. The very foundations that held their society together were broken.

Secondly, I saw Athena as a physical manifestation of Odysseus’ guilt. When he sees this haunting version of Athena, he is forced to confront the memory of the innocent girl who was murdered before him in battle, and the moment when it became clear what he and his men had done.

While, historically, there have been many instances of gods and goddesses taking the forms of humans in mythology in order to test or guide them, I am more convinced by this interpretation.

Partly because I think it makes the story darker and more complex, but also because it strengthens the message behind the film. Athena becomes less of a divine figure and more of a reminder of the humanity Odysseus lost along the way.

After the first and second acts, I truly did not think The Odyssey could get any better or more exciting.

The third act was thrilling beyond belief. Queen Penelope’s challenge leading into the confrontation between Odysseus and the suitors was the moment I knew, without a doubt, that this film would receive five stars from me.

There were so many layers, moments, and characters involved, but everything was executed in a way that kept your attention completely. The moment Odysseus picks up his bow and Penelope turns her head, I felt myself buzzing with excitement.

There is always that fear with a three-hour movie that, by the time you reach the ending, you begin to lose focus. Somehow, the opposite happened here. The final act gripped me even more.

Right up until the moment Odysseus and Penelope sail away together, chasing the escaping sun and leaving Telemachus to rule as king, I was completely glued to the screen.

It upsets me that I will never be able to watch this film for the first time again.

This movie is 100%, without competition, and by far my favourite film of this year - maybe even one of my favourite films in years.

The Odyssey is a reminder of the complete and utter artistry of filmmaking. You cannot watch a movie of this scale and beauty and not appreciate just how incredible it is, both in the process of its creation and in the final product.

It is inspiring, and almost heartbreaking, to think about the fact that I will never experience being a part of something like this.

Not to repeat myself, but this is epic, ginormous filmmaking of the highest order, and I am certain that it will go down in history.

I host a film club - join us!

one of the attendees posed a really interesting question early on, asking the film club whether they go into watching and rating movies analytically or purely with the intention of enjoying them. it really got the gears turning in my head about how interesting the different ways we experience movies are.

when watching movies for the film club, and even more recently as i’ve started writing on substack, i have found myself approaching films with a more analytical mindset. i dissect the technical elements of a movie, thinking about how the framing serves the story, the relevance of the score, whether the story is paced and written well…

i have always, to a certain extent, naturally considered these things. i love movies, after all, and i’m fascinated by all the time, effort, money, and countless components that come together to create the finished masterpiece that we eventually watch over the course of two hours or so. however, i can also appreciate that film is an art to be felt, rather than analytically picked apart. so many great movies are driven by their ability to simply make you feel so deeply. while, technically, a movie often has to excel for this to happen, it can sometimes serve you better to experience it with a more open, emotional mind.

the first time i watched cinema paradiso, in order to come up with questions and discussion points for the film club, i found myself experiencing it through that more analytical lens. i needed to think about literally every building block and element of the movie because i wanted to: 1) really understand how attendees might experience it so we could have meaningful discussions, and 2) be as knowledgeable as possible about the film in order to keep the conversation flowing and make sure all the right questions were being asked.

i recently watched cinema paradiso again at a cinema screening and found myself completely overcome by emotion and wonder. i experienced the movie fully - laughing, crying, completely in awe. it felt as though i was one of the characters. completely swept away by cinema and able to escape from the world through it.

i guess my conclusion was that, as a movie lover, it’s important to experience film both ways. to understand everything that goes into making a movie, allowing you to appreciate the craftsmanship behind it, but equally, to simply get lost in the art.

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in the mood for love, i would describe as a film to be experienced through feeling and emotion. it is a movie you’re meant to lose yourself in completely. where more modern hollywood films are packed with plot and action, designed to stop the viewer from ever experiencing boredom or having time to think, in the mood for love is a masterpiece of slow, restrained storytelling.

that being said, i want to dive into every aspect of this movie and break down our discussion at stara film club, including the technical elements, the things we agreed on, the things we disagreed on, and our general thoughts and opinions.

in the mood for love is a romance directed by wong kar wai, following two neighbours who move into adjoining apartments in 1962 hong kong. they both discover that their spouses are having an affair with one another, and slowly begin developing feelings for each other while trying to understand how the affair began.

in 1962 hong kong, many shanghainese families had relocated following the chinese civil war. communities lived in crowded apartment buildings with shared kitchens, nosy neighbours, and rigid social expectations.

the leads, chow and su, are riddled with shame and guilt while dealing with their spouses’ affair, desperately trying to fight their growing feelings so they don’t end up becoming like their partners. they become trapped by this promise. throughout the film, themes of love, morality, restraint, and societal expectation are ever-present.

i absolutely loved this film. i think even those who didn’t enjoy it all that much could still appreciate the artistry and technique behind it. it’s a movie where nothing wildly dramatic happens, yet somehow every shot grips and moves you. every scene left me with a new emotion and a stronger pull towards the characters.

we began by discussing our expectations going into the film. for some, it was their first viewing; for others, it had long remained a favourite. i shared that i expected it to be a more conventional romance. i thought it might play out like a typical love story but was pleasantly surprised by what it actually was. in the mood for love presents an entirely fresh take on romance. it portrays love in a way that feels completely foreign compared to the modern romances we’re used to, which are often packed with intimacy and grand, loud displays of affection. i was captivated by how beautifully it portrayed human connection in such a different and pure form, and it affected me far more emotionally than most romances i’ve watched.

the technical elements - the cinematography, score, pacing, and production design - carry so much of the storytelling. to notice and understand them is to become even more immersed in the film. even before i posed the question, members of the film club found themselves excitedly pointing out the details they had noticed while watching.

the most common response when discussing the technical elements that stood out was the framing. the film takes place during a deeply conservative period. during their moments together, chow and su are constantly shown through doorways, windows, mirrors, and partially obscured spaces. the effect is as though we’re spying on them, as if we shouldn’t be witnessing what is unfolding between them. it reinforces the shame and guilt surrounding their connection, while also reflecting the society they live in, where communities closely monitor one another and any behaviour outside the norm is judged.

there was one particular scene where su becomes trapped in chow’s apartment when a group of neighbours enter the communal space to play mahjong. she ends up waiting overnight before quietly slipping back to her own apartment. the camera is positioned low in the corner of the room, almost as though we’re hiding inside a cupboard, watching her shamefully hurry out. it’s such a masterful shot because it makes us feel the urgency and guilt right alongside her.

wong kar wai also never really shows their spouses’ faces. we never properly see the husband or wife, despite the entire relationship beginning because of their affair. that’s because the movie simply isn’t about them. it also allows us to connect more deeply with chow and su, empathising with their situation without constantly being reminded of the people they’ve been betrayed by. we follow only their story.

additionally, the set design works hand in hand with the framing. everything feels cramped. the apartments are small, the hallways feel like they’re closing in, and the constant stream of neighbours crossing paths in these confined spaces creates a genuine sense of claustrophobia. it’s important that we feel this through the screen because it’s the characters’ reality. they are trapped by societal expectations, by the truth of their partners’ affair, and by living in a place where every movement is watched as their relationship slowly develops.

i was particularly interested in the costuming. wong kar wai described in the mood for love as almost being a fashion show, with around 20–25 qipaos designed specifically for su’s character. when i brought this up, most of the film club appreciated how beautiful the dresses were but didn’t feel they stood out beyond their visual appeal. i, however, felt that the traditional nature of the dresses, and the fact that su consistently wears them throughout the film, allows us to feel her rigidity, restraint, and commitment to upholding social expectations. as the story progresses, su and chow also begin dressing more and more in sync, with similar colours and patterns appearing in both of their wardrobes.

the music is, understandably, one of the most talked-about aspects of the film. yumeji’s recurring violin theme has become synonymous with in the mood for love. many attendees mentioned how beautiful it was. i felt the repetition perfectly reflected the story itself. one of my favourite aspects of the film is its portrayal of routine and the quiet passing of time. we watch similar scenes unfold over and over, but each carries slightly different emotions and subtle shifts in the relationship. it’s a testament not only to wong kar wai’s direction but also to the performances of the actors. though everything changes after they discover the affair, life continues. they cross paths in the hallway, buy noodles, go to work, and carry on. the repeated violin theme beautifully reinforces both this routine and the passage of time.

the pacing is intentionally slow, almost painfully so, pulling us through their journey with lingering shots and slow-motion sequences that allow us to truly sit with the heartache and restraint the characters are experiencing. the yearning radiates through every quiet interaction, every lingering glance, every almost-touch.

the ending was by far my favourite part of the movie. chow whispers the secret of their love into a hole in an ancient stone wall before sealing it with mud. it references an old legend that, if you have a secret you cannot tell anyone, you whisper it into a tree or a stone and seal it away forever. it’s such a beautiful image of unresolved grief that i somehow felt both satisfied and completely heartbroken.

i asked whether anyone had hoped the movie would end like a more conventional romance, with the two leads ending up together. it was a pretty unanimous vote of no. everyone agreed that it would have been an entirely different film, undermining everything the story had spent its runtime building towards.

i also found myself questioning certain elements of their relationship. how much of it was formed because of the shared trauma they endured, and because of the role-playing they undertook in an attempt to understand how the affair had begun? were the lines eventually blurred in the same way actors sometimes fall in love while playing opposite one another? and, perhaps most interestingly, to what extent was their emotional intimacy itself a form of infidelity? the very thing they worked so hard to avoid - becoming like their partners - can certainly be debated.

i love asking these questions because i believe art is almost entirely open to interpretation. especially films like this one. everyone leaves with different thoughts, perspectives, and questions. we all notice different things, interpret scenes differently, and connect with stories in our own unique way.

i loved this movie, and i’m already so excited for the next stara film club meeting.

join the film club and i’ll see you at the next sfc discussion.

make sure to submit your movie suggestions from now, as i’ll be randomly generating three options this week for everyone to vote on for next month’s sfc.

and read by last discussion breakdown:

i love the cliché template. the elaborate fight choreography. the bright colours. the ridiculous costumes. the cheesy one-liners. i grew up on marvel films and comics, obsessing over every detail of the stories and characters, convincing myself that one day i’d be a superhero too - saving the world while somehow looking effortlessly cool.

despite all that, i’d never really cared much about DC. i never followed the universe in the same way i did marvel, and the characters never quite clicked for me.

then superman came out.

i saw it once. then i went back. and then i went back again.

i absolutely loved it.

the score gave me goosebumps, the action felt genuinely exhilarating, and every fight carried real weight. it was hopeful, colourful, and heartfelt, with a real sense of its message and what it was. it somehow managed to feel incredibly relevant while still embracing everything that makes superhero films fun. every character brought something distinct to the story, and the entire film overflowed with personality. i remember watching in complete awe, catapulting between emotions, never once feeling bored.

going into it, i knew almost nothing about these characters. i actually worried that my lack of attachment to DC would make the film less impactful. instead, it completely pulled me into the universe.

for the first time, i was genuinely excited about where the new DCU was heading. especially supergirl.

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i am an absolute sucker for a complicated female superhero. yelena belova has become one of my favourite characters in this phase of the MCU because she’s messy, funny, deeply traumatised and endlessly compelling, but equally as powerful and badass. so the moment kara appeared at the end of superman, i immediately started counting down the days until her film.

i watched supergirl the day before i travelled. i was stressed, distracted and completely unprepared, so when i left the cinema feeling oddly empty, i decided not to judge it too quickly. i was also conscious that a lot of the criticism surrounding the film felt rooted in misogyny, and i didn’t want to contribute to negative conversations unless i was completely certain about how i felt.

so a week later, i watched it again. empty cinema. no distractions. fully focused. and unfortunately… i walked away feeling exactly the same.

let’s start with the positives…

i love kara. i think she’s an incredibly interesting protagonist. she’s immensely powerful, but underneath that power is someone carrying unimaginable trauma. one line in particular really stayed with me: her mother tells her that she can be tough, she doesn’t have to be nice, but she must always be good.

that feels like the emotional core of kara’s character, and i loved watching her wrestle with that throughout the film.

i also think milly alcock is fantastic. she completely commits to the role, balancing kara’s arrogance, grief, humour and vulnerability effortlessly. if anything, i almost feel sorry that this was the film introducing her to such a huge cinematic universe, because i genuinely think she deserves stronger material. i’m still excited to see where this version of kara goes next.

another highlight was krypto. kara’s loyalty to him became the emotional heart of the film, and their relationship felt genuine.

although i should admit i have a dog that looks and behaves almost exactly like krypto, so every scene where he was hurt absolutely destroyed me. i spent an embarrassing amount of the film crying. those moments were very difficult to watch.

i also really enjoyed finally seeing kara’s memories of krypton and learning more about the life she lost before coming to earth. it’s something that’s often mentioned but rarely explored in much depth, and it helps us connect and understand her survivor’s guilt and why she is the way she is.

there are also fun moments throughout. some of the early fight scenes are exciting, kara’s dysfunctional personality is entertaining to watch, and there are flashes of something really special underneath it all, which somehow made the disappointment even bigger.

where it lost me…

for me, the biggest issue was the writing. it somehow managed to feel both repetitive and overcrowded at the same time. the film kept cycling through almost identical scenes: ruthye follows kara, kara gets annoyed, something attacks them, kara saves ruthye at the expense of the mission (probably so the movie doesn’t end immediately), they move on, and then the cycle repeats. i remember sighing repeatedly towards the end - tired of the lack of development, the same emotional beat, and the almost identical moments - just in varying locations - happening time and time again.

at the same time, the film introduces so many plotlines that none of them receive the attention they deserve. the storyline involving the trafficking of young girls is probably the clearest example.

i understand why the writers wanted to include it. it’s an important story. but stories like that need space and time. black widow has its flaws, but the red room storyline understands the weight of its subject matter. the opening credits alone communicate the horror these women experienced before the plot even begins. everything in that film continually returns to that trauma.

supergirl, on the other hand, introduces an already established revenge story against an underwhelming villain, a mission to save her dog, brings in ruthye, and then quietly reveals that young girls are being kidnapped and abused almost as another plot point to juggle. by the climax, kara is protecting ruthye, ruthye is confronting krem, an entirely separate rescue mission is unfolding in the background, and suddenly these girls we’ve barely spent any meaningful time with are freed in what is supposed to be an emotional payoff.

it barely lands. not because the subject matter isn’t powerful, but because the film never gave it enough room to matter. it felt less like a story the film wanted to tell and more like another idea squeezed into an already overcrowded screenplay.

i felt no attachment to the characters and their relationships.

ruthye is the greatest example of this.

this was probably the biggest surprise. i understand exactly what ruthye represents. she’s supposed to embody hope, innocence, and optimism despite unimaginable grief. she’s everything kara has lost.

their relationship should be the emotional centre of the film. but i never connected with her.

whether that’s the performance or simply the writing, i found her strangely monotonous throughout. she constantly reappears only to create the exact same situation: she follows kara somewhere she shouldn’t, kara gets frustrated, then kara abandons whatever she’s trying to do in order to save ruthye from another dangerous situation.

i kept waiting for a moment where ruthye would surprise me. where she’d demonstrate some kind of growth, resilience or ingenuity that made her feel like an active participant rather than someone constantly being rescued, but it never really happened. she has no powers and she can’t fight, so when she couldn’t even provide any heart or real message to the story, what was she providing?

even during the final battle, kara spends most of it flying in and out simply to stop ruthye from being killed.

instead of rooting for their partnership, i found myself growing frustrated every time ruthye wandered into another dangerous situation, hoping she’d stay behind and just let kara complete the mission.

lobo is another character who left me feeling conflicted.

i actually enjoyed him. he brought some genuinely funny moments to the film, and whenever he appeared, the energy noticeably lifted. but beyond being occasional comic relief, i’m not entirely sure what purpose he served. it almost feels like the film was trying to establish an unlikely trio.

from the moment kara and lobo meet in the bar, to the final act where he’s helping ruthye pursue her revenge before ultimately standing by as kara kills krem, it seems as though the intention was always to build this strange partnership between three completely different people who, despite their differences, end up relying on one another.

the problem is, it never really happens. it felt as though several scenes had been cut from the film - scenes that would have actually allowed that relationship to develop. instead, lobo appears, disappears, cracks a joke, and then reappears later without ever feeling properly woven into the story.

there’s one particular moment, during the jail sequence between lobo and ruthye, where i felt the film beginning to find something interesting. for a brief second, i found myself becoming invested in their dynamic and excited about where their relationship might go.

the film immediately moves on before that connection has any chance to grow.

it’s another example of supergirl introducing an idea with real potential, only to abandon it before it has the opportunity to become emotionally meaningful.

i also think this reinforces one of my main criticisms - that the film is full of almosts. almost a great partnership. almost an emotional subplot. almost a satisfying arc.

i don’t think the writers even knew what the core message of this movie was

throughout the film, kara repeatedly explains to ruthye why revenge won’t heal her. why carrying that anger forever isn’t the answer. the two characters are clearly meant to help one another process grief and survivor’s guilt in different ways.

then kara kills krem anyway, after spending the movie explaining to ruthye why she shouldn’t.

i understand what the writers were trying to say. kara is hardened. she’s protecting ruthye from becoming like her. she’s willing to carry that burden herself. but for me, it completely undercut the emotional journey.

if the entire film is about learning to move forward rather than remaining trapped by vengeance and survivors guilt, then having kara ultimately choose revenge anyway weakens everything that came before it.

i honestly think it would have been far more powerful if krem had simply been imprisoned. if ruthye had chosen to walk away and if kara had chosen to walk away too. then, when she finally returns to earth and tells clark she’s happy to be home, that moment would’ve actually felt earned.

the frustrating thing is i can see what the film should’ve been.

there are fantastic ideas here, a brilliant lead performance, an incredibly compelling version of kara, interesting themes about grief, trauma and identity, but none of it comes together.

it feels like the writers had six different stories they desperately wanted to tell and tried to fit all of them into one film, while simultaneously not understanding the real root and message of the film.

the result is something that feels crowded, repetitive and lacking in personality. especially after superman, which felt so confident in its identity. that framework that was established as the first film of this new phase of the DCU was completely abandoned for this film.

i hate that i didn’t like it.

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and read the first sfc breakdown:

i always joke that i spawn into existence during the summer months and spend the rest of the year hibernating (aka disassociating through everyday life). everything feels lighter. i’m happier, more motivated, more social, and somehow more like myself. because of that, i’ve always been drawn to films that capture that feeling, whether they’re actually set in summer or simply carry its warmth, freedom, and nostalgia.

for as long as i can remember, i’ve used films - and other media forms - as a way to hold onto summer a little longer.

i vividly remember becoming obsessed with emma chamberlain’s early vlogs as a teenager. watching her sunny life in san francisco - driving around in shorts and a high pony, grabbing iced coffees, wandering aimlessly - made me feel, even from freezing england, like i could reinvent my life overnight. for a couple of hours after every video, i wanted to spend more time outside, romanticise the ordinary, move my body, and appreciate the little things before reality inevitably set back in.

i felt the same watching outer banks. i never even finished the first season, but i envied the endless days spent on boats, swimming in the ocean, only wearing swimsuits, chasing sunsets, and living without much of a schedule.

then there was mamma mia, which convinced me my life’s purpose was to move somewhere on the mediterranean coast, spend my days swimming in the sea, singing, and eating outside until midnight.

recently, during the heatwave in england, i walked into a small shop to get passport photos. the man working there couldn’t stop complaining about the weather, insisting anything above 15 degrees was unbearable. he told me he was a winter person. i know everyone experiences seasons differently, but i genuinely struggle to understand preferring grey skies, icy mornings, and endless rain over blue skies and sunshine.

maybe it’s genetic. maybe my ancestors are simply refusing to let me thrive anywhere that isn’t warm.

i’m from lebanon, where the mediterranean sea is never far away, summers feel endless, and life naturally spills outdoors. every time i’m here, i feel like the best version of myself. i’m calmer, happier, and more present. maybe that’s why summer feels so much like home to me.

when i’m away from it, film becomes the closest thing i have. certain films don’t just remind me of summer - they let me experience it again. whether it’s through sun-drenched cinematography, slow afternoons, seaside towns, fresh food, that feeling of being surrounded by community, or simply the feeling of having nowhere urgent to be, they recreate something i miss deeply.

i’m writing this outdoors in lebanon as i put this list together. there’s a pool in front of me, the sea in the distance, mountains behind it, trees full of fruit, and people talking over long lunches while children run around laughing. it’s exactly the feeling i spend the rest of the year searching for.

these are some films that bring me back to summer, no matter what season i’m in.

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call me by your name

“in the summer of 1983, 17-year-old elio spends his days at his family’s villa in northern italy. when oliver, a graduate student, arrives to assist his father, the pair discover a summer that will change both of their lives forever.”

this is probably the first film i think of whenever someone says “summer movie.”

the italian villa, the cobbled streets, cycling through the countryside, eating fresh fruit (;)), the long table outside where family lunches happen, afternoons spent doing absolutely nothing except basking in the heat and dancing by the water with friends - it feels like summer distilled into a film.

it’s also an incredibly beautiful story. The romance hits hard, the score is stunning, and the cinematography is gorgeous.

i first watched it in 2018 and have revisited it countless times since. despite how heartbreaking the ending is, i always come away from it feeling strangely comforted.

whisper of the heart

“shizuku spends her summer reading and writing until she notices that every library book she borrows has already been checked out by the same person: seiji amasawa.”

i’ve always loved studio ghibli, but somehow this was one i’d never seen until i watched it on a flight recently.

although it’s literally set during summer vacation, i think what makes it feel so summery goes beyond the season itself. there’s something incredibly peaceful about its slower pace. it celebrates ordinary life in a way that feels almost nostalgic.

the opening scene alone perfectly captures that feeling. shizuku walks home through bustling streets wearing shorts and flip-flops, carrying groceries in a plastic bag as ‘take me home, country roads’ plays in the background. nothing remarkable is happening, but it’s one of the most comforting openings i’ve ever watched.

i also love how books and writing are woven into the story. there’s something about spending long afternoons reading, writing, and wandering that feels inseparable from summer to me.

it’s colourful, gentle, and quietly hopeful - the kind of film that makes ordinary life feel beautiful.

asteroid city

“in an american desert town in 1955, the itinerary of a junior stargazer convention is spectacularly disrupted by world-changing events.”

if i’m being honest, every wes anderson film feels like summer to me.

i think it’s partly because of his unmistakable visual style. everything is drenched in yellow, pink, and blue tones, high saturation, and soft vintage textures. his films almost feel sun-bleached, as though they’ve spent years sitting in the heat. they’re colourful, nostalgic, and just exaggerated enough to feel like stepping into another world.

i remember watching asteroid city for the first time and being completely taken by its cinematography and set design.

i could probably write an entire essay about this film, but when i think about why it belongs on this list, the answer is simple: it just feels like standing in the sun.

bornstars

“in crisis-stricken lebanon, five unlikely friends launch an online venture that unexpectedly sparks a movement for personal liberation and social change.”

the description makes this film sound far more serious than it actually is.

i’ll admit that, from a filmmaking perspective, i was disappointed. considering it’s directed by caroline labaki - nadine labaki’s sister, whose work i absolutely adore (oscar nominated film, capernaum) - I went in with incredibly high expectations.

the writing isn’t amazing. neither is the acting or the editing.

but despite all of that, i had so much fun watching it.

sometimes loving a film has very little to do with whether it’s technically brilliant. sometimes it’s about the memories attached to it, the people you watched it with, or simply how it made you feel for a couple of hours.

bornstars feels messy in the best way. it’s funny, chaotic, and mostly follows a group of friends causing absolute havoc around lebanon. i watched it there during the summer with friends who loved every second of it, and i think that experience became inseparable from the film itself.

it also features one of my favourite lebanese comedians, who completely steals every scene he’s in.

i’ll probably always hesitate before recommending this film, but i genuinely enjoyed myself, and i think that’s reason enough for it to be here.

hot milk

“rose and her daughter travel to the spanish seaside town of almería in search of treatment for rose’s mysterious illness. while there, sofia begins to break free from the life she’s always known after meeting the enigmatic ingrid.”

my first experience watching this film wasn’t ideal.

my nightmare, ex-roommate insisted on showing it to me because she knew people who had worked on it, and she spent the entire runtime treating it like some untouchable arthouse masterpiece. she had a habit of making cinema feel like a competition, and i think that completely distracted me from the film itself.

when i rewatched it alone, i appreciated it so much more.

yes, it’s a thoughtful and emotionally complex story, but what stayed with me most was its atmosphere.

the coastline, the architecture, afternoons spent by the sea, quiet moments outside reading, and the fleeting summer romance - it captures that feeling of being on holiday when time seems to stop moving.

it’s one of those films where you can almost feel the warmth coming off the screen (regardless of the much deeper, complex plot).

midsommar

“a group of friends travel to sweden to attend a summer festival held once every ninety years. what begins as the trip of a lifetime slowly descends into something far more sinister.”

i still think it’s a summer film.

look beyond... everything else... and there’s something undeniably summery about it. endless daylight. fields stretching for miles. huge communal tables overflowing with food. flower crowns. eating outside. everyone gathered together in nature.

obviously, the comfort ends there.

but every time i watch it, i’m transported somewhere completely different from grey, rainy england. for two and a half hours, i’m surrounded by sunshine, greenery, and a landscape that feels almost dreamlike before it slowly becomes a nightmare.

i absolutely love horror, and midsommar is one of my favourites. somehow, despite everything that happens, it’s become one of my favourite films to watch during the summer, which probably says something deeply concerning about me.

luca

“luca and his best friend, alberto, experience an unforgettable summer on the italian riviera. but all the fun is threatened by a deeply held secret: they’re actually sea monsters from another world beneath the water’s surface.”

this one almost feels too obvious.

it’s impossible not to think of summer when you think of luca. swimming in the sea, riding vespas, eating gelato, wandering colourful streets, and spending every day chasing the next adventure - it feels like someone bottled up the best parts of childhood summers.

on a more personal note, this film reminds me of my younger siblings in lebanon. they have countless films downloaded onto their laptops so we can project them onto a wall and have movie nights outside. i’ve lost count of how many times i’ve watched trolls, sing, despicable me, and minions with them.

luca was a first watch.

i remember sitting there with the ocean somewhere in the distance, completely overwhelmed by how comforting everything felt. not just the film itself, but the moment.

it’s funny how certain films become inseparable from the memories surrounding them.

for me, luca isn’t just about an italian seaside town. it’s about family, warmth, and one of those evenings you wish you could relive forever.

grown ups

“after their high school basketball coach passes away, five lifelong friends reunite with their families for a fourth of july weekend.”

i honestly can’t remember the first time i watched grown ups, but i know i’ve seen it more times than i could count.

there’s something about a huge group of people spending a weekend together that’s endlessly comforting to me. swimming, eating outside, playing ridiculous games, arguing over absolutely nothing, and causing complete chaos - it feels exactly how family holidays should.

i also have a soft spot for ensemble casts, and somehow this is one of the few mainstream american comedies that genuinely makes me laugh.

it’s loud, messy, nostalgic, and completely unserious.

roman holiday

“overwhelmed by her royal responsibilities, princess ann escapes for a day in rome, where she unexpectedly meets an american reporter who offers her a taste of ordinary life.”

my mum has always been obsessed with audrey hepburn.

growing up, we regularly had movie nights dedicated entirely to her films, and she even collected them all on dvd. i recently bought her an audrey hepburn poster for her bedroom, which somehow feels very fitting.

apparently, every film that makes me long for summer is also based in italy.

it’s the mediterranean atmosphere more than anything else. the vespas, the architecture, the little cafés, the cobbled streets, people wandering aimlessly through beautiful cities.

roman holiday makes all of that feel impossibly romantic.

every time i watch it, i become convinced i should disappear to italy and completely start over.

scott pilgrim vs. the world

“scott pilgrim falls for ramona flowers, only to discover he must defeat her seven evil exes before they can be together.”

this film is pure energy.

it’s colourful, ridiculous, endlessly creative, and feels like a live-action comic book brought to life.

i adore the editing, the performances, and the way every scene feels like it’s operating on its own bizarre logic. it never takes itself too seriously, and i think that’s exactly why it’s so much fun.

it reminds me of house parties at university during the summer. loud music, too many people squeezed into tiny flats, staying awake until sunrise, and feeling like life was one big adventure.

there’s something so youthful about scott pilgrim.

dirty dancing

“expecting another boring summer holiday with her family, seventeen-year-old frances ‘baby’ houseman finds herself stepping into the shoes of a professional hoofer - and unexpectedly falling in love.”

another film that hardly needs an explanation.

it’s one of the most joyful summer romances ever made.

music, dancing, long evenings, first love, endless optimism - everything about it feels warm.

i rewatched it a couple of summers ago with one of my closest friends at a rooftop cinema while we were on holiday. i don’t think i’ll ever separate that memory from the film itself.

watching the final dance scene under the night sky somehow made it even more emotional.

honorary mentions

there are so many more films i could have included.

the sound of music, teen beach movie, high school musical 2, hot summer nights, lady bird, mamma mia, moana... all of them remind me, in one way or another, of long sunny days and the version of myself i always seem to find during the summer.

summer has always felt like home to me, whether that’s because of where i grew up/am from or simply because it’s the season where i feel most myself.

unfortunately, it never lasts long enough.

so every winter, when the skies turn grey and i start counting down the months until it’s warm again, i find myself returning to these films.

they’re the closest thing i’ve found to experiencing summer all over again.

and don’t forget, i have a film club! the next discussion is coming up in a couple of weeks so don’t miss out.

i’ll be honest, i did briefly consider cancelling at the last minute, but i’m really glad i didn’t. it ended up being a really warm, engaging hour of conversation, and it left me even more excited to host future discussions.

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cinema paradiso is an italian coming of age drama directed by giuseppe tornatore set in post wwii sicily, about a boy growing up in a small village who forms a friendship with a movie projectionist at his local cinema.

it’s effectively split into three sections, showing toto at different stages of his life. as a young boy, as a teenager, and as an adult who has become a successful film director. we watch him grow through every stage of his life, witnessing his experiences with childhood, grief, love, and identity, with cinema remaining at the centre throughout.

cinema paradiso feels like a complete celebration of cinema, showcasing so many moments where the community comes together and experiences their happiest moments in front of the screen. we watch projections of old films alongside packed audiences who return to the theatre again and again, using the movies as a form of escape from everyday life. that’s what made this a perfect film club movie, because at it’s core it celebrates cinema and the wonderful impact it has on people. i think many of us connect strongly with this idea, as it reflects our own love of cinema and the way it continues to impact us in personal and meaningful ways.

i’ll break down my thoughts and discussion points by the review card criteria.

originality/creativity

one of the most remarkable aspects of cinema paradiso is its ability to take an intensely personal and specific story - a young boy growing up in post-war sicily and developing a profound love for cinema through his friendship with a local projectionist - and transform it into an experience that feels universally relatable. on the surface, most viewers share little in common with toto’s circumstances, yet the film’s creative storytelling allows audiences from vastly different backgrounds to connect deeply with his emotions, dreams, and memories.

the originality of the film lies not only in its premise but in the way it uses cinema itself as a metaphor for memory, growth, and human connection. rather than simply telling a coming-of-age story, giuseppe tornatore crafts a heartfelt reflection on nostalgia, the passage of time, and the bittersweet nature of one’s past behind.

what makes cinema paradiso particularly creative to me personally is its ability to evoke powerful emotions through seemingly ordinary moments. the village cinema becomes far more than a setting; it serves as the emotional heart of the community and a symbol of shared experience.

this universal emotional appeal is a key reason why cinema paradiso is regarded as one of the most beloved films ever made. its creativity does not rely on an unconventional plot or groundbreaking spectacle, but rather on its ability to reimagine a simple, deeply human story in a way that feels both unique and universally meaningful. the film demonstrates how originality can emerge from authentic storytelling, creating an emotional impact that continues to resonate with audiences and movie lovers around the world decades after its release.

originality and creativity averaged at 4.25/5 stars among the film club.

direction

the direction in cinema paradiso is nothing short of extraordinary. giuseppe tornatore demonstrates an exceptional level of control and artistry, with every element of the film feeling carefully considered and purposefully crafted. from the pacing of emotional moments to the visual composition of each scene, there is a sense of depth and sincerity that elevates the film far beyond a conventional coming-of-age story. many viewers argue that the director’s cut further strengthens the film, adding additional layers of emotional and narrative complexity, which speaks to the richness of tornatore’s vision (i still need to tick that version off my watchlist).

what makes the direction particularly compelling is the personal connection tornatore has to the material. the film is semi-autobiographical, drawing inspiration from his own childhood in a small sicilian town where the local cinema served as a place of wonder, education, and escape. this personal experience gives the film an authenticity that is difficult to manufacture; every frame feels infused with genuine affection for cinema and the community that surrounds it.

i was especially impressed by the way tornatore directs the relationship between toto and alfredo. their bond develops naturally over the course of the film. alfredo acts as a mentor, father figure, and friend, guiding toto through some of the most formative moments of his life. as a result, the emotional impact of their connection resonates deeply, becoming one of the key reasons why cinema paradiso remains so beloved. ultimately, it is tornatore’s direction that transforms a personal story into a universal one, allowing audiences to connect with the themes of friendship, memory, growth, and the enduring power of cinema.

the direction averaged at 5/5 stars among the film club.

cinematography

before i even start talking seriously about the cinematography, i want to say that i would frame every single shot of this film and hang it up on my wall if i could. every image feels like a work of art. i found myself completely immersed in the visual beauty of the film, particularly in the scenes involving the cinema itself. there was something so magical about the way these moments were captured that they drew out a deep sense of emotion, inspiration, and love for movies. as someone who loves film and has escaped through film for practically my entire life, i genuinely felt like i had found my place within this story.

the cinematography in cinema paradiso is absolutely stunning and plays a huge role in creating the film’s emotional impact. cinematographer blasco giurato uses warm, natural lighting and rich, sun-soaked imagery to create a nostalgic atmosphere that perfectly reflects toto’s memories of childhood. the sicilian village, specifically the cinema, is photographed with such affection and detail that it becomes a character in its own right, reinforcing the film’s themes of community, belonging, and the passage of time.

what impressed me most was how the cinematography continually supports the film’s emotional core. the close-ups between toto and alfredo allow us to feel the depth of their relationship, while wider shots of the town and the cinema highlight the importance of the community that gathers there. the cinema itself is filmed almost like a sacred space - the glow of the projector, the light dancing across the audience’s faces, and the collective reactions of those watching all serve as a reminder of the wonder and escapism that movies can provide. rather than simply looking beautiful, the visuals actively strengthen the film’s themes and emotions.

cinematography averaged at 5/5 stars

music/score

ennio morricone’s score is one of the film’s most powerful and memorable elements, perfectly capturing the nostalgia, love, and longing that run throughout the story. music has the ability to transport audiences into another world, and cinema paradiso’s iconic love theme achieves this effortlessly. during our discussion, the score was repeatedly highlighted as a key reason for the film’s emotional impact. morricone’s compositions do far more than accompany the narrative; they deepen every feeling the film seeks to convey, from joy and wonder to heartbreak and regret. the music enhances the emotional weight of pivotal moments, creating a stronger connection between the audience and the characters. as a result, the score elevates the film beyond its visual storytelling, becoming an essential part of the experience and contributing significantly to cinema paradiso’s lasting legacy. i also want to highlight cinema paradiso’s “love theme” as a perfect example of an iconic piece of film music that has become instantly recognisable within the world of cinema. it’s such a gorgeous piece of music.

the music/score averaged 5/5 stars.

pacing/editing

one point that the film club largely agreed on was the pacing of the film’s second act, which follows toto during his teenage years. compared to the richly developed childhood section, this portion of the film felt noticeably more rushed, with several plotlines passing by quickly and lacking the same emotional weight or significance. in particular, toto’s romantic relationship and his experience of military service felt underdeveloped. while these events are clearly intended to shape his growth and contribute to his journey into adulthood, they are given relatively little time to breathe, making them less impactful than other aspects of the story. as a result, we discussed that we felt that this section lacked the depth and emotional resonance that made the opening act so compelling. however, it is worth noting that there is a director’s cut of cinema paradiso that is approximately an hour longer and is often regarded more highly by audiences and critics. this suggests that some of the concerns surrounding pacing and character development may be addressed through additional scenes that further explore toto’s adolescence, relationships, and personal growth, allowing for a more complete and balanced narrative.

aside from this criticism, i thought the film’s pacing and editing were excellent. however, because cinema paradiso excels so strongly in almost every other area, this issue stood out more prominently than it might have in a less accomplished film. the film feels close to flawless in its direction, cinematography, performances, and score, so the comparatively rushed nature of the teenage section felt more noticeable by contrast. rather than being a major flaw, it was one of the few aspects of the film that seemed less refined than the rest of its otherwise exceptional craftsmanship.

this averaged at 3.75/5 stars.

entertainment factor

personally, i was captivated from start to finish. beyond the stunning cinematography and ennio morricone’s beautiful score, the story itself offers something meaningful for almost everyone. we follow toto through the different stages of his life, watching him grow, love, lose, and ultimately reflect on the choices that shaped him. the film is built around themes that are deeply relatable, regardless of our own backgrounds or experiences. in fact, i felt like i took away a few lessons from it myself - particularly about the importance of living in the present rather than becoming trapped in nostalgia. while the film celebrates memories and the comfort they can bring, it also suggests that holding too tightly to the past can prevent us from fully embracing our future.

one theme that came up several times during our discussion was community, and it was also one of my favourite aspects of the film. cinema paradiso beautifully portrays how people from all walks of life can come together through a shared love of storytelling. the village cinema becomes more than just a place to watch films - it becomes a gathering place where people collectively laugh, cry, dream, and escape from the realities of their everyday lives. there is something incredibly moving about seeing an entire community united by a single screen.

what i love most is how relevant this idea remains today. although the ways we engage with cinema and art have evolved, the desire for connection has not. we see people gathering on platforms such as letterboxd, substack (hi), film clubs (hi again), and countless online communities to discuss films, share recommendations, create edits, write reviews, and form friendships. the technology may have changed, but the human need to connect through art remains exactly the same. cinema paradiso captures this beautifully, reminding us that one of the most powerful aspects of cinema is not just the stories themselves, but the communities that form around them. there is something remarkable about people from completely different backgrounds, cultures, and parts of the world finding joy, comfort, and belonging through a shared love of film, and that message is a large part of what makes the film so entertaining and emotionally rewarding to watch.

one scene that came up several times during our discussion was when the cinema is completely full and a crowd gathers outside, hoping to get tickets. rather than turning people away, alfredo redirects the projector towards the town square, casting the film onto the side of a nearby building so that everyone can watch together. as the community gathers in excitement, alfredo encourages toto to leave the projection booth and join them. for me, this scene perfectly encapsulates everything that cinema paradiso is about and everything that makes it so special.

it brings together many of the film’s most important themes in a single moment: community and a shared love of cinema. seeing the familiar townspeople come together to experience the film as one collective audience is incredibly heartwarming, while alfredo’s decision to make cinema accessible to everyone reflects his deep understanding of its power to connect people. the scene also highlights toto and alfredo’s passion for film - not as something exclusive, but as something that should be shared. there is such a sense of joy, wonder, and excitement as the crowd watches together under the night sky, united by a story unfolding on a wall. watching this scene, it was impossible not to feel the same sense of warmth and appreciation that the film celebrates throughout.

and a final note for this section - one quote from the film has stayed with me ever since i heard it. As toto prepares to leave his village, alfredo emotionally tells him, “whatever you end up doing, love it,” and insists that he never look back or return. the scene is both heartbreaking and inspiring, and its message has stayed with me ever since.

entertainment factor averaged at around 4 stars.

average overall rating: 4.5 stars

what a beautiful movie that will sit in my top 4 for a while. we had the opportunity to have some wonderful discussions, including how we personally related to the characters, our emotional reactions to the movie, our favourite (and least favourite) moments, and so much more. it was such a fulfilling conversation and i’m so excited for the next one!

join the film club!

stara film club ⭐️

stara film club: all you need to know

before i get into everything, i want to say a massive thank you. i started my substack over a month ago and i’m so grateful i did. i am so excited to actually get to launch stara film club and begin growing this community with all of you! please subscribe for updates - i also post reviews, recommendations, essays, and so much more on all things film…

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5 months ago · 36 likes · 4 comments · tara ⭐️

as someone who spends an unreasonable amount of time consuming horror in every form possible - films, creepypastas, internet lore, conspiracy rabbit holes, horror podcasts/youtube videos, haunted reddit threads - i couldn’t resist putting together a ranking of 7 recent cinema releases i’ve seen.

a couple of these could probably swap places depending on the day you ask me, but as of right now, this is where i’m landing.

stay tuned to find out what’s number one for me, and let me know if you would rank them differently!

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7. passenger

passenger follows a young couple after they witness a gruesome highway accident. they soon realise a demonic presence known as “the passenger” won’t stop until it claims them both, turning their van-life adventure into an absolute nightmare.

i’d seen the trailer several times before release and, unfortunately, i think the trailer ended up being more exciting than the film itself.

i didn’t dislike it. i was entertained enough throughout, but the horror never really landed for me. what made ‘the passenger’ interesting was the mystery surrounding it, and i actually found it far more unsettling when it remained unseen. once the demon began appearing more frequently, a lot of that tension disappeared.

i also couldn’t stop getting frustrated with some of the decisions made by the main characters. horror protagonists don’t always make perfect choices, but the line was crossed into genuine, and consistent stupidity.

not much about the film was really bad, but nothing stood out either. unfortunately, it’s probably the movie on this list that i’ll think about the least moving forward.

6. lee cronin’s the mummy

a journalist’s young daughter disappears into the desert without a trace. eight years later, she suddenly returns home. what should be a miracle quickly becomes something far more sinister.

honestly, passenger and the mummy are pretty interchangeable for me.

that said, i absolutely adore may calamawy, and she was one of the main reasons i enjoyed the film as much as i did.

the body horror was also incredibly effective. and by effective, i mean disgusting.

there was clearly a lot of ambition here. reviving one of cinema’s oldest and most iconic monsters comes with huge expectations, and while i appreciate some of the risks the film took, it ultimately fell a little flat for me.

there are definitely moments horror fans will enjoy, particularly if body horror is your thing, but it was not memorable at all for me.

5. hokum

when a novelist retreats to a remote irish inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, he becomes consumed by stories of a witch haunting the honeymoon suite. as disturbing visions and mysterious disappearances begin to mount, he’s forced to confront both the haunting and his own past.

this felt like a haunted house movie, an irish folklore tale, and a murder mystery all mashed together.

there’s a lot happening throughout the film, but somehow it manages to keep everything moving without becoming completely overwhelming. i do wish it had leaned even harder into the folklore and witchcraft elements because those were easily the most interesting aspects of the story.

the jump scares were genuinely effective, and i actually really liked the way the film concluded - a rarity for horror films, where endings can often be the weakest part.

i also have to praise the creature and character design above most other aspects. horror sometimes crosses the line from unsettling into unintentionally goofy, but hokum managed to avoid that trap. there were several moments where i felt genuinely uncomfortable and on edge. particularly, where that rabbit man was involved.

4. exit 8

a man trapped in an endless subway passageway sets out to find exit 8.

the rules are simple: don’t overlook anything out of the ordinary. if you spot an anomaly, turn back immediately.

will he ever escape?

even before learning more about its origins, i could immediately tell this was based on a video game.

the score, cinematography, pacing, and structure all had that immersive, interactive quality. it felt less like watching a story unfold and more like participating in a challenge alongside the protagonist.

i loved the subtle perspective shifts and the way scenes repeated with tiny changes that made me question whether i’d actually noticed everything.

i fully expected the concept to become repetitive after a while.

instead, every loop had me trying to solve the puzzle and watch out for anomalies alongside him. it was so exciting and i spent the movie at the edge of my seat.

the film has also convinced me that i need to explore more japanese horror because there’s a style and atmosphere here that i absolutely loved.

3. undertone

the host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings sent anonymously to her.

i haven’t felt this uneasy during a horror film in a long time.

and that’s almost entirely because of the sound design.

watching undertone in the cinema felt like a full sensory experience. the audio is overwhelming, intrusive, and relentlessly unsettling. it gets under your skin in a way that’s difficult to explain without experiencing it for yourself.

visually, the film makes fantastic use of shadows, negative space, and vast empty environments that constantly make you feel like something is lurking just outside the frame. you literally do not get a break from anxiety.

the story itself isn’t particularly groundbreaking, but i honestly didn’t care.

i wasn’t bored for a single moment.

the combination of the sound design and visual framing kept me tense throughout the entire runtime. this is one of those horror films that truly benefits from being seen in a cinema, where the sound and screen can completely engulf you.

i actually wrote about this film when i first watched it:

stara film club ⭐️

this movie made me scared of the dark again

i haven’t felt this uncomfortable watching a horror film in years…

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5 months ago · 8 likes · 7 comments · tara ⭐️

2. backrooms

after a therapist’s patient disappears into a dimension beyond reality, she ventures into the unknown in an attempt to save him.

i had been waiting for this movie for what felt like forever.

the backrooms is one of my favourite pieces of internet horror ever created. the lore is endless. there are theories, entities, levels, timelines, creatures, and mysteries that have expanded far beyond the original concept.

it’s essentially horror worldbuilding at its finest.

as a teenager, i spent far too much time reading creepypastas, watching conspiracy videos, and disappearing down internet horror rabbit holes, so this film felt tailor-made for me.

the found-footage format works incredibly well, but what impressed me most was how beautiful the film looks.

every frame feels meticulously crafted. the cinematography and set design transform these liminal spaces into something genuinely artistic. i was so taken by how artistic it all was.

thankfully, a sequel is already on the way, and i genuinely cannot wait.

1. obsession

after breaking the mysterious one wish willow in an attempt to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic gets exactly what he wished for - only to discover that some desires come at a terrifying cost.

i could talk about this movie forever.

i’ve already seen it twice, and if someone asked me to go back tomorrow, i’d buy another ticket without hesitation.

obsession somehow delivers everything i want from paranormal horror while also telling one of the most devastating psychological stories i’ve seen in recent years.

it’s layered, emotional, terrifying, and surprisingly human.

what impressed me most is how confidently it balances its horror elements with its character work. the supernatural aspects are frightening, but they’re only one part of what makes the film so effective.

curry barker is an absolute genius. the fact that he managed to achieve so much with a single film is remarkable.

and i have to mention inde navarrette. her performance is phenomenal. she brings an incredible amount of emotional weight to the story and elevates every scene she’s in.

by the time the credits rolled, i felt shaken, disturbed, heartbroken, and completely captivated.

not only is obsession my favourite horror film of the year so far - it may genuinely be one of my favourite horror films of all time.

this first place position is far ahead of all the other movies on this list for me.

read more about my obsession thoughts:

stara film club ⭐️

the real villain in ‘obsession‘

when my sister and i got tickets to scream unseen at our local cinema, i spent weeks hoping the mystery screening would turn out to be ‘obsession’. among the recent wave of horror releases, it and backrooms were the films i’d been anticipating most…

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4 months ago · 56 likes · 24 comments · tara ⭐️

join my film club! we have another session next month, so get voting for your movie of choice:

stara film club ⭐️

stara film club: all you need to know

before i get into everything, i want to say a massive thank you. i started my substack over a month ago and i’m so grateful i did. i am so excited to actually get to launch stara film club and begin growing this community with all of you! please subscribe for updates - i also post reviews, recommendations, essays, and so much more on all things film…

Read more

5 months ago · 35 likes · 4 comments · tara ⭐️

directed by curry barker, ‘obsession’ follows bear, a painfully awkward man hopelessly infatuated with his friend nikki. alongside their coworkers ian and sarah, the group spend their days working at a music store and drinking together at trivia nights. hoping to confess his feelings, bear visits an antique shop searching for a meaningful gift for nikki and instead leaves with a “one wish willow” - a tree branch said to grant one wish when snapped. after a failed attempt at confessing his feelings during a late-night drive home, bear’s awkwardness gets the better of him. frustrated by nikki’s lack of romantic interest, he breaks the branch and wishes for her to “love him more than anyone else in the world.”

what follows is not at all what he expects.

what makes ‘obsession’ so effective is that it disguises itself as a supernatural horror while slowly revealing itself to be something far uglier and far more human. yes, the film delivers the classic genre pleasures: violent jump scares, unnerving paranormal imagery, gore, and moments of genuine tension. but underneath all of that is a psychological horror story about entitlement, ego, and control.

and that is where bear becomes the film’s true villain.

the obvious source of fear is nikki. post-wish nikki stalks through shadows, screams in the middle of the night, mutilates herself, and becomes increasingly uncanny in ways designed to terrify the audience. every scene involving her feels unpredictable and deeply unsettling. but curry barker does not shy away from the fact that nikki is not the monster here - she is the victim.

bear’s wish strips her of her autonomy entirely. in one selfish moment, he chooses to override the free will of someone he supposedly cares about simply because he cannot handle rejection. even before the horror escalates, the wish itself is disturbing. he does not wish for nikki to be happy. he does not wish for mutual love. he wishes for ownership.

what makes the film especially disturbing is that bear gradually realises this.

the horror of ‘obsession’ is not that bear accidentally ruins nikki’s life. it’s that, once he understands something is terribly wrong, he continues anyway.

again and again, the film gives him opportunities to confront reality, and every time he chooses comfort over accountability. when his friends question the relationship, he becomes defensive. when the mysterious number attached to the willow reveals nikki’s real screams of despair, he hangs up and tries to move on. even after nikki stabs herself in the face during a brief moment of lucidity - screaming “it’s not me” in front of everyone - bear’s response is not concern for her suffering, but irritation at her inability to behave “normally.”

“no more weird stuff,” he tells her repeatedly, as though her trauma is merely inconveniencing him. that line told me everything i need to know about his character.

one of the film’s most revealing moments comes when bear sneaks out to spend time with sarah, despite fully understanding the danger nikki poses in her unstable state. not only does he knowingly put sarah at risk, but the interaction exposes how shallow his obsession really was. after destroying nikki’s life to force her affection, he almost immediately seeks validation elsewhere.

the film understands that bear’s “love” was never really about nikki as a person. it was about gratification and possession.

that idea culminates in one of the most uncomfortable scenes in the film: the sex scene. the camera lingers on nikki’s face as she emits hollow, mechanical sounds with absolutely no emotion behind them. she looks lifeless - like a puppet forced to perform intimacy. the scene is intentionally difficult to watch, and it should be. ‘obsession’ refuses to romanticise what bear has done. the relationship is fundamentally non-consensual, and the film makes sure the audience feels the weight of that violation.

what impressed me most is that the film never allows bear an easy redemption.

in an interview, curry barker explained that the original ending had bear accept his fate after swallowing the pills, finally acknowledging that the only way to restore nikki’s autonomy was through his own death. however, actor michael johnston suggested a darker alternative: at the last second, bear forces himself to vomit up the pills in a desperate attempt to survive. it is the perfect ending for his character.

even at the very end - even after witnessing unimaginable suffering - bear still chooses himself.

that final act of cowardice directly leads to nikki making her own wish: for bear to love her more than anyone else in the world. the irony is devastating. only once the curse is reversed, and bear’s attempt to survive fails, does nikki finally regain her autonomy, awakening amidst the destruction and death bear caused.

her final moments are heartbreaking. you can see the exact second the performance shifts from supernatural possession back into genuine humanity. nikki’s grief is layered: mourning her friends, processing betrayal, surviving trauma, and finally experiencing relief all at once. her cries continue as the credits roll and we are forced to sit with the devastation that nikki has experienced for the entirety of the movie.

inde navarrette is extraordinary here. her performance is easily one of the film’s greatest strengths. pre-wish nikki is composed, charismatic, witty, and grounded; post-wish nikki becomes terrifyingly fragmented, oscillating between aggression, emptiness, panic, and despair. there were multiple moments where i genuinely thought the film had exhausted every emotional place her character could go, only for navarrette to reveal another layer entirely. she manages to be horrifying and heartbreaking simultaneously - which is exactly why the film works.

visually, ‘obsession’ is equally impressive. barker’s direction feels meticulous, particularly in his use of framing and shadow. post-wish nikki often appears swallowed by darkness, half-hidden within rooms or lurking in corners of the frame, creating a constant sense of unease even during quieter scenes. the lighting makes her feel less like a person and more like something trapped between states.

beyond its themes, ‘obsession’ succeeds simply as a horror film. it is consistently tense, visually inventive, and genuinely unsettling in ways that feel both modern and deeply inspired by classic supernatural horror. the pacing slowly tightens around the audience, beginning with familiar relationship drama and awkward comedy before descending into complete emotional and physical chaos.

what impressed me most was how confident the film felt tonally. it balances disturbing violence, sharp humour, emotional devastation, and psychological tension without ever losing control of itself.

the sound design and score amplify the film’s unease brilliantly - every scream, silence, and creak feels intentional. i especially loved the “one wish willow” jingle, which somehow manages to be both catchy and deeply unsettling; it genuinely made me want to plug my ears whenever it played. one detail i found particularly clever is that the jingle subtly changes after the first wish is made, signifying that the willow can no longer be broken again. it’s a small touch, but one that reflects just how much thought and care went into the film’s atmosphere and storytelling.

even in its most shocking moments, the film never feels exploitative for the sake of shock alone. everything serves the central tragedy at the heart of the story. it’s rare to find a horror film that is this entertaining while also feeling so emotionally intelligent and purposeful.

this was my first ever 5/5 i’ve given to a horror film and i cannot wait for round 2

join my film club!

• spider-man: brand new day

cinemacon saw exclusive footage & new posters - we got an exclusive look at an early scene from the film that shows Peter watching mj and ned live on without him. the footage also features ned running a spider-tracker app to find spider-man.

july 31, 2026

• jumanji: open world

announcing the third and final jumanji were the cast - kevin hart, dwayne johnson, and jack black. the exclusive look sees the world of jumanji move into our reality.

december 25, 2026

• the social reckoning

presented by writer/director aaron sorkin. we got an exclusive first look at Jeremy strong as mark zuckerberg, jeremy allen white, and mikey madison in action.

october 9, 2026

• spider-man: beyond the spider-verse

exclusive first scene.

introduced by directors bob persichetti and justin k. thompson, alongside phil lord and christopher biller. sony have confirmed this film is the final chapter in the animated trilogy.

we get a first look at a scene where miles tries to convince his alternate self to help him, featuring characters such as spider-gwen, peter b, and spider-punk.

june 18, 2027

• klara and the sun

cinemacon showed a brand new trailer for klara and the sun - an upcoming dystopian science fiction film directed by taiki waititi and based on kazuo ishiguro’s 2021 novel. it stars jenna ortega, mia tharia, simon baker, natasha lyonne, and steve buscemi.

october 23, 2026

• grand gear

cinemacon saw an exclusive first look at grand gear, directed by takashi yamakazi. the first look involved an epic battle between two giant mechanical being. it’s expected to release in 2028.

• blood borne

animated feature announcement. bloodborne, the video game, is getting an r-rated animated movie. sony is adapting it with jacksepticeye producing. it’s set to be very true to the spirit of the video game which follows a traveler who journeys into a gothic city full of nightmarish creatures.

2027

• helldivers

jason momoa was announced as the star of helldivers, directed by justin lin. it’s based on the popular game by the same name, revolving around soldiers under attack from alien creatures on a planet named super earth.

november 10, 2027

• the breadwinner

cinemacon saw the first look introduced by nate bargatze and mandy moore. the breadwinner is a comedy about a man who becomes a stay-at-home dad when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity takes his wife on a business trip. with three young daughters and little experience handling them day-to-day, he soon realises that running a household is the toughest gig he’s ever had.

may 29, 2026

• resident evil

a trailer was shown, with austin abrams, the star of the movie, in a messed up situation. he is informing his girlfriend over the phone that they may never get to speak again. the cast also includes zach cherry, kali reis, paul water hauser.

september 18, 2026

• insidious: out of the further

the new insidious trailer debuted at cinemacon. it’s an upcoming supernatural horror film written and directed by jacob chase. it serves as a sequel to insidious: the red door and is the sixth installment in the franchise. the trailer debut was reportedly terrifying, and is now available on youtube.

august 21, 2026

warner brothers studios

• dune part three

exclusive first look with the cast - cinemacon witnessed the first 7 minutes of the movie.

introduced by denis villeneuve, timothee chalamet, zendaya, and jason momoa, it was announced that the story takes place 17 years after the previous film. it’s reportedly a redemption story - an action packed thriller made for the fans.

december 18, 2026

• digger

tom cruise and alejandro gonzalez share exclusive footage of digger - a satirical black comedy film.

october 2, 2026

• supergirl

presented by the director craig gillespie and the stars of the film, cinemacon saw the world premiere teaser of supergirl. cinemacon got to see an epic fight scene from the film.

june 26, 2026

• clayface

cinemacon saw an exclusive first trailer for this epic character story. dc presented a dark, disturbing, body horror, and original film.

september 11, 2026

• the great beyond

exclusive first look presented by jj abrams showing his brand new feature film. the movie is starring jenna ortega and glenn powell and is reportedly a unique, original story with sci-fi elements that explores our relationship with childhood wonder.

november 13, 2026

• practical magic 2

sandra bullock and nicole kidman share the teaser trailer of practical magic 2. the original set was rebuilt and cinemacon saw an exclusive first look.

september 11, 2026

• the cat in the hat

cinemacon saw a trailer reveal for cat in the hat. the exclusive clip is reportedly an adorable family film and reimagining of the beloved story.

november 6, 2026

• the lord of the rings: the hunt for gollum

cinemacon saw an exclusive look that showed gollum in a cave speaking to himself, saying he must keep his story secret and that it can never be told. jamie dornan will play strider/aragorn, andry serkis as gollum/smeagol, ian mckellan as gandalf, kate winslet as marigol, leo woodall as halvard, lee pace as thranduil, and elijah wood as frodo baggins.

december 17, 2027

neon

• hokum

adam scott shares the new trailer for supernatural horror feature, hokum.

may 1, 2026

• i love boosters

boots riley and lakeith stanfield present an exclusive clip of i love boosters, starring kiki palmer.

may 22, 2026

universal studios

• the odyssey

christopher nolan introduced an extended clip of the odyssey - the trojan horse attack footage, shots of oddysseus urging his soldiers to keep rowing through a storm, and then slinging arrows as they launch a full-scale attack in the dark. the footage ended with a quick shot of odysseus and his soldiers as they face the man-eating cyclops polyphemus.

july 17, 2026

• disclosure day

steven spielberg introduces an extended trailer of disclosure day. the upcoming sci-fi epic from spielberg is looking to be an action-packed, deep commentary on society and focuses on the forced disclosure of extraterrestrial life to humanity. the cast include colin firth and josh o’connor.

june 12, 2026

• focker-in-law

robert de niro and ben stiller introduce the focker-in-law trailer. it’s the next installment of the trailer. 15 years later. ben stiller has become the obsessive, possessive father in law to ariana grande’s new character.

november 25, 2026

• minions and monsters

the next minions movie is set in the 1920s at the birth of cinema, and cinemacon shows two exclusive, extended clips. it’s full of cinematic easter eggs as the minions try to find their new evil boss but end up stepping onto a film set.

july 1, 2026

• other mommy

jessica chastain is set to star in this horror adaptation, directed by rob savage. cinemacon saw a trailer of the other mommy - a deeply chilling thrilling, disturbing horror.

october 9, 2026

• snoop dogg biopic

presented by snoop himself, he gave a musical performance to introduce his upcoming biopic. jonathon davis will be playing snoop in the biopic. the first trailer release is scheduled for 2027 with filming to begin summer in 2026.

• sense and sensibility

cinemacon saw the first trailer look. the jane austen adaptation stars daisy edgar jones, george mackay, and frank dillane, and is directed by georgia oakley.

september 11, 2026

& focus features

• werwulf

cinemacon saw the trailer for robert egger’s period horror movie - the trailer featured aaron taylor-johnson’s naked transformation along with classic monster imagery and egger’s style and tone.

december 25, 2026

& dreamworks animation

• forgotten island

introduced by joel crawford and januel mercado, cinemacon saw an exclusive and early cut of the animated feature.

september 25, 2026

amazon mgm studios

• the thomas crown affair

michael b jordan is back in the director’s chair for the thomas crown affair, a brand new spin on the classic heist film, with michael b jordan starring as thomas crown alongside adria arjona and featuring an original score by jon batiste.

march 5, 2027

• spaceballs: the new one

presented by the cast - rick moranis, josh gad, keke palmer, lewis pullman, daphne zuniga, bill pullman, and mel brooks and director josh greenbaum - spaceballs: the new one reportedly looks hilarious.

april 23, 2027

• masters of the universe

director travis knight brings the world of eternia to life, with stars nicholas galitzine, camila mendes, and idris elba in this reimagining. cinemacon saw a new scene from the film.

june 5, 2026

• how to rob a bank

cinemacon saw a special look at the film with an immersive stunt performer. director david leitch teams up with nicholas hoult, zoe kravitz, anna sawal, pete davidson, and john c reilly for this high energy action heist comedy.

september 4, 2026

• i play rocky

cinemacon showed an exclusive look at a biopic about sylvester stalone during the creation of the original rocky (1976) film. the film is directed by peter farrelly, with anthony ippolito playing the titular role.

november 20, 2026

• your mother, your mother, your mother

directed by bassam tariq and starring mahershala ali, cinemacon introduces this action film about a loving father who also happens to be a hitman.

• verity

the colleen hoover adaptation is a tense and psychological thriller about a ghostwriter who uncovers the truths about the family she lives with. it stars josh hartnett, dakota johnson, and anne hathaway. cinemacon saw a thrilling and eerie trailer.

october 2, 2026

• the sheep detectives

presented by hugh jackman and nicholas braun, cinemacon saw a look into the sheep detectives - a movie about a shepherd who reads aloud a murder mystery every night to his flock. when he is found dead, the sheep realise it was a murder and think they know everything about how to solve it.

may 8, 2026

• highlander

the highlander reboot, directed by chad stahelski and starring henry cavill has begun filming. it reimagines the 1986 cult classic. henry cavill sent a recorded message from set in the UK and teased some footage. it also stars dave bautista, karen gillan, marissa abela, siobhan cullen, and dijmon hounsou.

• the beekeeper 2

jason statham is back for the next chapter, in which former government assassin adam clay continues his vendetta against those who wronged him.

january 15, 2027

• a colt is my passport

director gareth evans delivers a noir-drenched reimagining set in 1978 detroit and tells the story of colt, a vietnam veteran turned contract killer, who goes on the run after assassinating a gangland boss.

• the chosen: crucifixion

the next chapter of the global phenomenon reimagined, bringing the beloved series to theatres - the finale is a feature felm that follows the 24 hours surrounding jesus’ crucifixion.

paramount pictures

• hit me hard and soft

billie eilish and james cameron share an exclusive first look at the documentary. they presented the extended 3d footage showing a fully immersive concert experience with custom 3d camera technology. it’s designed exclusively for theatres that feels like the last lap of billie eilish’s tour.

may 8, 2026

• scary movie 6

the wayan brothers alongside anna faris unveil the extended trailer for the new installement of scary movie.

june 5, 2026

• jackass: best and last

johnny knoxville unveils jackass: best and last. he presented the trailer for the first time and positioned the movie as the final theatrical chapter of the franchise.

june 26, 2026

• street fighter

the presentation at cinemacon introduced the full cast: noah centineo, andrew koji, callina liang, soe anoai, cody rhodes, andrew schulz, eric andre, and 50 cent.

october 16, 2026

• ebenezer: a christmas carol

ti west appeared on screen at cinema con and johnny depp took to the stage to introduce ebenezr: a christmas carol. depp debuted special footage, showing a dark and dramatic reimagining of the classic story.

november 13, 2026

• children of blood and bone

the presentation featured an elaborate choreographed dance with the cast entering one-by-one to announce why they wanted to be a part of the project. directed by gina prince-bythewood, and joined by cast thuso mbedu, damson idris, amandla stenberg, chiwetel ejiofor, and regina king, they introduced a first look at the film - a fantasy adaptation.

january 15, 2027

• mr irrelevant: the john tuggle story

former nfl quarterback, phil simmons, introduced mr irrelevant: the john tuggle story. david corenswet stars in the film, and shared a message about the story - it’s an emotional sports drama that tells the story of new york giants’ player tuggle, who was dubbed mr irrelevant of the 1983 nfl draft.

december 25, 2026

• heart of the beast

the survival thriller stars brad pitt and is directed by david ayer. cinemacon saw special footage that highlighted the dramatic stakes of this film about a man and his dog.

• k-pop superstar: the movie

this movie was introduced at cinemacon as a global, music-driven, coming-of-age story built for theatrical audiences. the presentation shared an extended footage reel from the film.

february 12, 2027

• top gun 3

• sonic the hedgehog 4

confirmed to feature jim carrey’s return as dr robotnik.

• the angry birds movie 3

cinemacon showed exclusive footage that brings red’s arc full circle as we watch him raise a child and form his own family. the film’s arc focuses on reds growing beyond his grumpy exterior and learning to care for his flock. the trailer ends with chuck and bomb attempting to babysit the children, leading to chaos as the baby bird drinks an entire bottle of soda.

the paramount presentation started with a show-stopping reel directed by jon m chu - a love letter to film. it starred the creative community of filmmakers and actors that call paramount home.

walt disney studios

• ice age: boiling point

the cast reunited at cinemacon to unveil the trailer. it showed an exclusive clip of scrat and his son trying to bury his acorn.

2027

• moana

dwanye johnson and catherine laga’aia present the new trailer at cinemacon.

10 july, 2026

& marvel

• avengers doomsday

cinemacon showed the avengers doomsday trailer for the very first time, presented by robert downey jr, chris evans, kevin feige, and the russo brothers. they discussed “infinity vision,” disney’s own imax experience especially for avengers. bigger screens and more immersive sound.

december 18, 2026

& pixar

• toy story 5

introduced by tom hanks and tim allen, cinemacon saw extended clips of the film. it seems to be a look at modern childhood and the pressures and consumption of modern technology. it will be a commentary on the evolution into the tech generation.

june 19th, 2026

• hexed

the cinemacon presentation saw a cast reveal. hailee steinfeld plays billie - an unconventional teenager from a boring town who accidentally discovers she’s a witch. she finds herself whisked away to a mysterious land of magic, with her slightly uptight, played by rashida jones.

27 november, 2026

• gatto

a street-smart black cat lands in hot water when he becomes indebted to a ruthless mob boss in venice, italy.

& lucasfilm

• mandalorian and grogu

jon favreau showed the full first 17 minutes - the first live viewing experience of the opening sequence.

may 22, 2026

studio canal

• paddington 4

anna marsh, studio canal ceo, announced the fourth installment of the paddington franchise is currently in development.

• pippi longstocking

studio canal is bringing pippi longstocking to a new generation with this upcoming film.

• mr men

a mr men movie, an adaptation of a staple of many of our childhoods, is currently in active development. david heyman, best known as producer of the original harry potter movie, will produce the movie.

• shaun the sheep: the beast of the mossy bottom

an exclusive clip was presented to the crowd at cinemacon and showed shawn and other residents of mossy bottom anxiously look upon a hill to see a big hairy beast coming over the horizon. panicked, the animals flee into their home and barricade themselves in, resorting to comical ways of hiding their presence.

september 18, 2026

• the howling

studio canal reimagines the classic horror movie the howling, a 1981 werewolf movie directed and edited by joe dante. it follows a news anchor who, following a traumatic encounter with a serial killer, visits a resort secretly populated by werewolves.

• ice cream man

eli roth’s newest horror movie was shown at the presentation. it takes place in an idyllic summer town that descends into madness when an ice cream man serves kids ice cream.

• escape from new york

a remake of john carpenter’s cult classic is currently in development. the original film starred kurt russell as snake plissken, a prisoner who will be granted a pardon if he can rescue the president from a group of insurgents.

• cliffhanger

a remake of the 1993 sylvester stallone action movie is in development. the film stars lily james as naomi cooper, an experienced mountaineer who runs a luxury chalet in the dolomites. while staying with her father ray (pierce brosnan), naomi joins her sister sydney (nell tiger free) for a weekend excursion with the son of a billionaire. when the group is ambushed by a gang of kidnappers, naomi witnesses the attack and narrowly escapes. forced into hiding, she must summon her courage to save Sydney and her father before it is too late.

• everybody wants to fuck me

a comedy thrliler set in the world of modern dating and starring taron egerton - the movie tells the story of a man who actualises a dream that every woman in the world wants to have sex with him. exclusive footage was shown at cinemacon.

2027

• ink

28 days later filmmaker presented this film at cinemacon, which chronicles the true story of the controversial newspaper the sun. the first few minutes were presented, showing black pixels on a white screen slowly increasing in number to eventually present a full look at the characters in discussion over dinner.

2027

toho studios

• godzilla minus zero

they presented an exclusive clip of godzilla beside the statue of liberty. the events will pick up after the wild events of godzilla minus one.

angel studios

• animal farm

an animated reimagining of george orwell’s classic novella, directed by andy serkis.

may 1, 2026

• angel and the badman

the studios announced the remake of the john wayne western classic. the film stars zachary levi, neal mcdonough, and tommy lee jones.

october, 2026

• runner

this is the studios biggest venture into action movie territory to date. the movie stars alan ritchson as reacher, a former soldier thrown into a brutal race against time when a critical medical delivery makes him the target of a ruthless cartel. owen wilson stars alongside him.

september 11, 2026

• the brink of war

this new political drama followed president reagan (jeff daniels) as he races against time to salvage a deal with soviet leader mikhail gorbachev (jared harris) that could dismantle nuclear arsenals, or ignite disaster. jj simmons co-stars as george schultz.

august 14, 2026

• drummer boy

announced at cinemacon, an action-musical from for king and country is set to begin production later this month.

• hershey

a movie about the history of the hershey company in a new biographical drama.

november 26, 2026

• zero a.d.

a new biblical epic from director alejandro monteverde was showcased at the studio’s presentation. the film follows a young joseph and mary as they protect her child jesus from a murderous king herod.

december 19, 2026

• young washington

this action-packed survival thriller tells the story of george washington before his presidency.

july 3, 2026

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in the mid-1890s - 1920s, silent films would be accompanied by actual live musicians and orchestras. they were an essential part of the viewing experience, providing atmosphere, emotional cues, and drowning out the sound of the projectors. music scores have always been a key part of storytelling, with the ability to completely transform movies, and the characters within them.

we all know the impact of music. a song can transport us immediately to a different place. it can be associated with a specific time in our lives, a person, a season, a country… the power of music is endless.

i am fascinated by the way scores can change the entire emotional trajectory of a movie, how they can evoke nostalgia, how a chord can immediately transform you to an alternate universe.

when ‘hedwig’s theme’ plays, we’re immediately in the wizarding world. ‘test flight’ will have you dreaming of flying above the clouds, riding on a dragon. ‘merry-go-round of life’ will transport you to the iconic ghibli universe.

they are the heart and soul of a movie - the magic of cinema and the power of music combined. whether or not you understand the technical aspects of music, you can’t escape the way it makes you feel.

i am particularly fascinated by the way in which music can grow and change throughout our experiences with a character. i love a good character development story - where we get to see a complex character shift over time and we almost feel a sense of attachment to them. one of my favourite tropes in film and tv is the a layered, cynical, troubled, sometimes cruel character turned vulnerable, heroic fan favourite.

a score is often a form of guidance, showing us how to feel in response to the presence of a character. you don’t need to spell out that a character is a villain when a jarring, overwhelming, minor-key tune is already evoking tension and danger.

and after over a decade of mcu films, i found that one of the most fascinating examples of this is bucky barnes, aka the winter soldier - a character who first appeared in captain america: the first avenger, and more recently appeared in thunderbolts.

as a fan of the mcu, who has grown up with the films, and whose favourite comfort movie of all time is captain america: the winter soldier, i fixated a lot on the use of music to convey the way his character arc fits into the movies. from being the main villain of one, to eventually becoming one of the main heroes of another. i remember watching thunderbolts in the theatre for the first time, buzzing with energy, nostalgia, and happiness at bucky’s introduction in the film, after over a decade of watching and growing attached to a fascinating, layered, and rapidly changing character.

james buchanan barnes has grown to be one of the most beloved characters of the mcu. he is a complex, troubled anti-hero, and the childhood best friend of steve rogers, aka captain america. but his alter ego, the winter soldier, introduced in captain america: the winter soldier, is a brainwashed killing machine working for hydra. what accompanied his entrance into scenes was an overwhelming piece made up of grating noises, electrical components, eerie chirps, and a growling bass called ‘the winter soldier’ by henry jackman. the theme was made to be chilling and unsettling. every time he appeared on screen, music that set the tone of danger and violence played, teaching the audience to anticipate darkness, fear, and action. i find this score fascinating, but even i have to admit it’s hard to listen to.

<the winter soldier by henry jackman>

the score initially received criticism for using so many electronic components, but i believe the theme perfectly set up his character in this movie. we understood more about the character before fully knowing the story and his placement within it.

throughout the phases, we see bucky barnes battle with his past as the winter soldier, as he overcomes being brainwashed and traumatised by hydra. he grapples with all the things he was forced to do under mind control, and we see a complete character shift - even through his relationships with other notable characters.

in thunderbolts, bucky barnes features as a mentor for a group of outcasts. he grows into the hero role, and we see his character development in its final form here. this movie features one of my favourite character themes, “it’s bucky!” by son lux. as he enters to save the day at the height of an action-packed sequence, this classic hero’s theme plays as he drives in on his motorcycle.

<it’s bucky! by son lux>

we have seen bucky barnes dramatically enter an action-packed scene on a number of other occasions accompanied by the aforementioned chilling, grating sounds of “the winter soldier” theme - except this time, it is entirely different. a dramatic orchestral ostinato, high energy and grand, and deeply satisfying to the ear - this theme is a beautiful but stark contrast to the previous movies. we see the character in a way that is entirely different to his introduction.

by the score alone, the character’s story and progression is told. it evokes emotions from the audience who have followed this character throughout his journey in the mcu. following the film’s release, the satisfaction of hearing this beloved character finally receive a hero’s theme, like most other superheroes in the franchise, garnered an overwhelming response - especially from me. even subconsciously, a score can completely transform the viewing experience. combining the two art forms - cinema and music - to tell a character’s story can leave a far greater impact than you might realise.

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just a reminder that i’ve launched a film club! to sign up/register your interest, have a say, and keep up with updates - head to starafilmclub.com and remember to subscribe to my account!

the first movie is cinema paradiso (1988)!

head to the website to choose the dates/times that work for you so we can book our first stara film club meet up, and discuss the movie.

AND check out the post below for all the information you may need:

there are plenty of films that include siblings, but for some reason, it felt refreshing to see those dynamics actively drive the story.

ready or not 2: here I come, matt bettinelli-olpin & tyler gillett

ready or not 2 picks up right where the first film ends. grace has survived the attack from the le domas family and soon discovers there’s another level to the game. her estranged sister, faith, appears at her hospital bedside, now pulling her into the chaos.

although the film leans into comedy-horror and high-stakes action, what stood out most to me was the relationship between grace and faith. they’re forced to confront years of resentment after grace left their foster home at 18 to build a better life in new york. despite the anger and hurt between them, they repeatedly put their lives on the line for each other.

that push and pull - between love and unresolved pain - felt especially impactful, particularly in the older/younger sister dynamic.

alongside them, the antagonists - the danforth twins - mirror this dynamic in a darker way. initially aligned under their father’s strict control, cracks begin to form as ursula starts to question titus’ escalating brutality. i really appreciated how the film uses both pairs to reflect different sides of sibling loyalty and fracture, and that the two central relationships of the movie were focused on siblings - however they may appear.

sentimental value, joachim trier

sentimental value offers a much more raw and intimate portrayal of sibling relationships. it explores generational trauma through the strained bond between nora and agnes, who are both dealing with an estranged, narcissistic father.

the film highlights how trauma manifests differently in siblings, especially between older and younger ones. nora takes on the role of protector, bearing the brunt of their upbringing, and as the story unfolds, you see the resentment she carries over how their lives diverged.

despite their distance, there’s an undeniable connection between them. one of my favourite scenes is when they sit together on the bed, reflecting on how they ended up so different. when nora questions whether she could ever start a family - fearing she might repeat the cycle - and asks agnes how she managed to, it’s completely heartbreaking. it’s such a raw and beautiful depiction of sisterhood, especially as an older sister myself.

my neighbour totoro, hayao miyazaki

this is such a comfort film, and i always find myself returning to studio ghibli when i don’t know what to watch. watching my neighbour totoro again on the big screen recently - when my local cinema hosted a youth film festival - reminded me just how important the relationship between satsuki and mei is.

with their mother in hospital and their lives suddenly uprooted, satsuki takes on a nurturing, almost parental role as the older sister. mei depends on her completely.

one of my favourite moments is when mei follows satsuki to school, interrupting her class and refusing to stop crying until she can stay. the second she’s beside her sister, she calms instantly. it’s such a pure depiction of sisterhood - the responsibility placed on older siblings, but also the deep comfort and safety that bond creates.

big hero 6, chris williams & don hall

while big hero 6 doesn’t centre a sibling relationship throughout its full runtime, it remains the emotional core of the film.

hiro and tadashi are incredibly close, more like best friends than just brothers. after tadashi’s death, hiro is left grieving, but his brother’s presence continues through baymax, the healthcare robot tadashi created.

hiro’s journey - building a team and stepping into something bigger - is driven and guided by that loss. tadashi’s kindness, protectiveness, and influence carry on, shaping hiro even in his absence. tadashi’s friends take hiro under their wings, giving him the support and sense of family that was lost with his brother’s death. it’s a really moving portrayal of how sibling relationships can endure beyond grief.

black widow, cate shortland

black widow is natasha romanoff’s only standalone.

as someone who has been a marvel fan since i was a preteen, i had been waiting on a black widow standalone for ages.

tonally, it was so different from other avengers standalones and it explored her dark past in the red room programme. we see yelena belova - my favourite of the new additions to the mcu - for the very first time and we discover they are adoptive sisters. through this movie, their complicated relationship is explored. they have a profound loyalty and love between them, but also a lot of anger and trauma. yelena seeks a deeper relationship, with natasha initially being slightly colder and less receptive.

i love their relationship and i think it completely makes the movie. seeing them as children and then exploring their reconnection is such an important part of both of their stories. it is both a wonderful addition to natasha’s - a character so beloved and established in the mcu - story, while also giving us such a great introduction to yelena, who becomes beloved in the mcu. i also appreciate how we go on to see, in later projects, the grief yelena grapples with while she deals with losing natasha. especially while most don’t know of her relationship to natasha.

they will kill you, kirill sokolov

once again, this film centres on an older sister trying to protect her younger sibling. it follows asia reaves as she attempts to reunite with her sister maria after a difficult childhood and years of separation.

after a failed escape from their abusive home leads to asia’s arrest, she later tracks maria down to a luxury high-rise in new york, where she works as a housekeeper. maria is initially distant and resentful, unwilling to reconnect, but asia refuses to give up on her.

despite the film’s violent, action-heavy style and twists, its emotional core lies in their relationship. over time, you see their bond rebuild, and the lengths they’re willing to go to in order to protect each other become clear. it’s another powerful portrayal of loyalty and second chances within sisterhood.

just a reminder that i’ve launched a film club! to sign up/register your interest, have a say, and keep up with updates - head to https://taraelassaad.wixsite.com/stara-film-club and remember to subscribe to my account!

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currently, we’re voting between: cinema paradiso, the substance, and the darjeeling limited as the first movie pick, so head to the website to place your vote.

my recent post tells you everything you need to know!

so i put out this note a couple weeks ago:

and people seemed genuinely interested in taking part. i got to planning - and while some of the above brain dump and ideas have changed as i’ve figured out what’s best (and most enjoyable), the core of my dream for a film club still stands. community for film lovers.

stara film club is a monthly club where a group of movie lovers will gather to discuss film. i believe one of the greatest things to be surrounded by is community, and stara film club offers the opportunity to watch more movies, and yap about the things you love with a community of like-minded people!

first and foremost, if you are interested in partaking, please sign up on https://taraelassaad.wixsite.com/stara-film-club . when you create an account, i know you’re interested in joining and i can add you to the mailing list - i will be sending out the big updates through email so you don’t miss anything! (please let me know if you do not wish to receive any emails).

i will also be posting on substack threads and on my substack page, so make sure to check for updates!

step by step & all you need to know (read carefully)

every month, you will send in your movie suggestions through the stara film club website: https://taraelassaad.wixsite.com/stara-film-club

this month, i received some wonderful suggestions and so quickly! i’m so grateful, thank you.

these are just a few of the submissions i received:

i will randomly generate 3 of the submissions (the submissions do not reset every month to give every movie an opportunity to be chosen), and will put forward the final 3 for you to vote between!

this month, the final picks of the first stara film club movie are: the substance, cinema paradiso, and the darjeeling limited! if you head to the same website: https://taraelassaad.wixsite.com/stara-film-club, you can vote below the submission form!

you will have 1 week to vote before i announce the movie of the month.

i will then put out a couple of dates and times so we can book in our stara film club meet up! this will most likely be a form on the same website, but you will be notified via email and substack.

you will be given around a month to watch the movie and submit your review card, which is also available on the website! it’s a very simplified form i put together based on a film-freeway-style method of film festival selection (which i take part in for two independent film festivals in the uk), and i think it’s a great starting point for a review when your thoughts are fresh in your mind!

in order to stay in the loop on updates (e.g when the film of the month/date/time etc.. get announced), i created a discord that is strictly for me to post updates + a pinned message at the top with all the links/essential info. Join here

we will meet up on teams, where i will lead a discussion on the film with structured questions, but also the opportunity to talk openly amongst yourselves. we will also have the chance to get to know each other a little bit!

this is the teams link that will be used for every session: https://teams.live.com/meet/9327391076758?p=Rq0bOZQNTBnkQoeUqk

i believe this is the best option available so we can have genuine discussions and people can get the chance to talk more freely than over a chat.

DON’T WORRY though! if you are not comfortable talking on teams, you can have your camera off and be muted - you are by no means forced to do anything you don’t want to do - this isn’t school, it’s meant to be fun. if you just want to listen, that’s totally fine! if you want to chime in now and again, thats also fine. and if you don’t want to partake in a call at all or can’t make it around the time of the meet up, i will be posting on threads and you can share your thoughts and reviews to the club!

after the meet up, i will be taking our critiques, reviews/review cards, and discussion notes and turning them into an article on the movie of that month, so we can have a diary to go back to on every club meet-up and movie discussed! (if you do not wish for your review card or comments to be included in this you can let me know).

final notes

i want everyone to feel comfortable and for this club to be as accessible as possible - please reach out to me with your thoughts or worries at any point! if you have any suggestions for ways to run the club more smoothly, please do let me know.

i eventually want to introduce other aspects to the film club like a film magazine subscription that i will mail over, a physical film journal to keep track of the movies we watch, live movie watching, events for people based locally, and more! so please consider coming along this journey with me. it means a lot that you’re here.

this club is completely free but if you have the means to do so, consider getting a paid subscription to support me - a young girl trying to navigate her life and make her film dreams come true.

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so, this is part 1 of my april media round up. everything i’ve consumed from movies and tv shows, to youtube videos, and music over the last couple of weeks compiled.

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👰‍♀️🤵‍♂️the drama
this might be an unpopular opinion but i was slightly disappointed. that doesnt mean i didnt love it - i did - but my expectations were sky high going in. i enjoyed the fact that it encouraged conversations on ethics and morality but i just felt so frustrated and stressed the whole time. i would love to have a discussion about people’s thoughts on the twist though - as i came out with a pretty strong opinion.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

🧑‍🚀🚀project hail mary
i gave this 5 stars and had initially gone in with no prior knowledge of the story. truly a beautiful experience. the cinematography, the pacing, the performances, and the score were phenomenal. i need to read the book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🍎🍒forbidden fruits
loved. i wrote a piece on this too, but it was just so fun. i feel like this would be such a great entry as a ‘cult classic’ that i’ll watch back in a decade and feel nostalgic over. the fashion, the cast, the campness, the colour. such a fun movie.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🩸💍something very bad is going to happen
i think this would have been great as a movie instead of a show. there were a few issues i had with the writing, including a lot of holes and interesting plot points that eventually fade out towards the end. i love the actors in this - special shout out to victoria pedretti the horror princess. but overall, this was an enjoyable, creepy show. i was so disappointed in adam dimarco’s character though, fuck that guy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

😄🌳company retreat
i loved jury duty, so i was very excited for this time around. it felt so different from the first season, but still was done very well and remained super funny and entertaining. the script writers do a great job but also by some miracle (and also the actors being so great), they somehow stick to a plot with rarely any slip ups or diversions. a lot of people suspect that anthony knew what was happening, but i believe he’s just genuinely a 25 year old who needed work and is a truly kind person. the group dynamic felt way more wholesome in this season - probably down to the fact that the actors were meant to have worked with each other for years prior whereas jury duty was a short-term thing. anyway, i found this super entertaining and weirdly emotional.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

🔉👻undertone
i wrote a piece on undertone. i watch so much horror and this was the first instance in a long time where i was genuinely unsettled and scared of the dark. thankfully, it only lasted one night. the sound design and framing get the biggest shout out from me - truly incredible work in those departments.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

🍾🏠adults
both adults and overcompensating are the same genre of tv for me. comforting, funny, and unhinged friend groups. i think what i enjoy most is that they’re both my generation while also being incredibly messy. no one has anything figured out and i love the tmi vibe, it feels like my friends and i. highly recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

🚍📚abbott elementary

i absolutely love this show. it’s hilarious, wholesome, and i love the way it’s based in a public school. the group dynamic is written so wonderfully and you find yourself truly attached to the characters. another great comfort show.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

🔪🩸they will kill you
i wrote a long review on letterboxd but to sum it up - technically, the movie is fantastic. i found that the style and direction were eccentric, and the video game/comic book inspired violence and camera work were a wonderful addition to a movie of this sort. however, not only did it lack in story and plot, but the campness was taken way too far towards the end. endless, gory violence tied up with loose strings and a weird demon pig head. i’d recommend seeing it if you’re interested in cinematography and switching up style a bit but if you’re looking for anything else, this may not be for you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

🩰🔪pretty lethal

i’ve seen so many mixed opinions, but I stand by my initial thoughts. this is the perfect recipe for me - performing, fun fight choreography, a great score, and a group of girl best friends. i had so much fun.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

🐭🎤ant farm
okay, don’t judge. i needed comfort to the max. it’s musical, silly, and very easy to watch. i also love old disney channel shows when i just need background noise. watching ant farm again made me realise how a lot of these children actually have incredible comedic timing. i don’t know if child disney actors have this level of talent anymore, but they were 11 years old perfectly executing jokes and silly moments, and performing very hard songs. it’s also shocking to see none of these actors ever really took off.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (on the comfort and nostalgia scale)

i listen to insane amounts of music. you will rarely find me without my headphones or blasting music in the car. and similarly to my taste in film, i have no favourite genre. my playlists are usually the weirdest combination of every single genre, decade, language and artist with widely different sounds. as long as i love the melody and it makes me feel good, i’m playing it. this is my current april playlist.

huge shoutout to djo, who will definitely be my top artist of 2026. i regularly do a 1.5 hour drive alone to visit family and there have definitely been times i’ve just shuffled his entire discography for the full duration of the trip.

i love youtube for those days when my attention span is struggling that little bit extra. i grew up watching youtubers throughout the platform’s prime. i have to admit that youtube does not feel the same anymore, but i still find myself on there to watch the odd video. these last few weeks, i’ve been more on my comfort shows, but here are some videos/creators i enjoyed

‘the “death” of the celebrity interview’ by mina le. i actually watched another video similar to this by marina mcbain: ‘celebrity interviews are dead. tiktok killed them…’; i find this topic to be so interesting. with the rise of influencer marketing, we are seeing tiktokers and youtubers more and more at the forefront of publicity and movie industry events. celebrity interviewers and hosts at awards shows are now typically influencers, and press tours are now majority influencer shows (which sometimes work and sometimes don’t). i’ve been wanting to write about this for a while and i may do a piece on it but these video essays have been super interesting.

speaking of influencer shows, i’ve been watching and rewatching brittany broski’s royal court. even the ones i’ve seen before. i find them hilarious and you can tell the care and research that she puts into her show. i’ve written a piece about press tours and interview shows, but contrary to a lot of my opinions on the rise of influencer marketing, i find there are some that are genuinely fun and interesting. therapuss, hot ones, last meal, etc… are a couple that i find are typically great watches.

any dylan is in trouble/ooga booga video. i love reaction videos to film and tv - even the terrible ones. dylan has a lot of interesting takes and critiques but i also find him quite funny. it’s also a way for me to watch shows or movies i would never take the time to watch in a short and entertaining summary.

any movie rewatch/deepdive. there are a couple creators i watch for this content, but I particularly love when youtubers react to really terrible movies or shows, such as wattpad romcoms. trin lovell, uncarley, mike’s mic, and netflix party are some of the creators that have a really wide range of reaction videos and deep dives that i find myself going back to.

quen blackwell and larray. any video with these two, on either of their channels, is hilarious to me. i get so much fomo watching them but it’s always a way to put me in a good mood.

and even though i dont watch her as much as when i was a teenager, i always find myself going back to emma chamberlain videos. she feels so comforting and i always get more motivated and hopeful after watching her videos. i was a barista for 6 years to put me through my degrees so watching her business content is always fun for me to watch too.

if you’ve made it this far, i just want to remind you guys that i’m launching a monthly film club! i am buzzing with so many ideas but the most important thing to me has always been community. i want to be able to gather with a group of great people and movie lovers to watch, review, and discuss film - it’s an opportunity to be around people who love the same things as you, to watch new movies, and get out of your comfort zone.

i created a website (which is very much a work in progress): https://taraelassaad.wixsite.com/stara-film-club

i will be releasing more details in a separate article, but for now - please sign up on the website and fill out your suggestion! i’ve already received so many good ones.

and please consider (if you have the means at all) supporting my film club and upgrading your subscription. i promise i will make it worth it.

i’m an avid horror watcher, and genuinely, i have not felt that uneasy and uncomfortable in years watching a horror movie.

i had the opportunity to watch an early release of undertone by ian tuason at my local cinema for a blind movie night, and this was my review. i would like to add a disclaimer that i might have missed some details while i was slightly freaking out and plugging my ears, but this was my experience with it.

i’m usually fine with everything - sound, visuals, even the full horror cinema experience. but this time? i spent so much of the film having a full-on freak out, ears plugged, eyes half closed. and the strange part is: it wasn’t even because of the plot, or anything hugely groundbreaking.

it was the way it was made.

every shot felt deliberately constructed to let your imagination run wild, paired with some of the most insane sound design i’ve experienced (extra, extra credit goes to that). the film leans into large open spaces - frames that leave emptiness stretching behind every subject, creating this constant sense of depth and vulnerability. you’re always looking past what’s in front of you, expecting something to emerge.

and then there’s the sound. jarring, surrounding, intrusive. it doesn’t just build tension - it overwhelms you. it feels like it’s closing in, overstimulating your senses to the point where even silence becomes unbearable.

there are moments where scenes drift through mirror reflections, and you never quite know what you’re supposed to be seeing. lighting and shapes in the background form these abstract, almost-human figures when you’re already expecting the worst. it’s all engineered to keep you on edge without ever giving you a break.

that’s what made it so effective. the main horror wasn’t what was shown, but how it felt. even when nothing objectively scary was happening on screen, i couldn’t handle the pairing of sound design, cinematography, and direction. together, they created this constant overstimulation - this sense of uneasiness that never let up.

add to that the folklore, the slow build-up, the psychological angle, the familiarity, and the expectation of an unseen “demon,” and i was genuinely scared.

i also loved that it all took place in one place. simple. contained. and somehow even more terrifying because of it.

what stood out to me most, though, is how it avoided a trap that so many horror films fall into. movies with incredible potential to stay with you , films that sit right on the edge of reality, often ruin themselves at the climax. the moment the “unseen” becomes seen, when the paranormal villain is fully revealed, something breaks for me.

the fear dissolves.

once you cross that bridge into full cgi, into something too clearly unreal, it stops being unsettling and starts becoming spectacle. i’m no longer uncomfortable, i’m just watching.

that’s why this worked.

i know some people might say “nothing really happened,” but that was the scariest part. the build-up never ended. the horror lived entirely in anticipation, in imagination. there was no crazy release, no moment where the illusion shattered. obviously there was a terrifying ending, it didn’t all just stay exactly the same, but there was nothing that truly broke the illusion. so much happened in the dark and was entirely left up to the imagination through sound. almost mirroring the way one would listen to a horror podcast - which is how our protagonist was experiencing it for most of the movie.

if the monster being discussed had appeared at the end (which i honestly half expected), i probably would have laughed and moved on. the same way i did when certain other films (eg smile and insidious) went that route - where the reveal turns fear into something almost… disappointing.

but instead, the film held back.

and because of that, i left still scared. still thinking about it. still letting my imagination run wild.

it was well done.

but i didn’t enjoy the experience.

for the first time in a long time, i’m actually scared of the dark again. i’ve always loved horror because, yes, it’s scary - but i usually leave feeling completely fine. i thought i was past the point of lying in bed, uneasy in the dark.

i could barely watch and listen - all my senses were completely overstimulated without breaks and it got to a point where i just wanted it to end. it’s rare i experience that with a horror which means, on one hand, they did something right, but on the other hand, i had to rate it lower because i thought my heart was stopping at some points.

currently watching a light hearted tv show to calm me down before bed.

enjoy

stara film club

i found forbidden fruits to be a fully formed aesthetic ecosystem.

that’s the core of what “hot girl cinema” actually is (for me, personally): watching hyper-feminine worlds that are heightened, stylised, and unhinged. in simpler terms - girls being hot, powerful, confident, and unashamedly themselves. a world where it feels like the women truly are the main characters and they know it.

i also see it as any film that gives you amazing halloween costume or party theme inspiration (i’m serious, tell me this movie’s aesthetic wouldn’t make for a great birthday party).

at its heart, forbidden fruits is a cult story. there are rules, rituals, and an inner circle. but instead of making that dark and heavy, the film approaches it differently. the “initiation” feels like a makeover montage crossed with a friendship slumber party, the group dynamic is intense and obsessive but playful, and the girls are intimidating in a way that feels aspirational rather than purely scary.

it taps into something a lot of girls recognise: the desire to be chosen by a group that feels exclusive, powerful, and slightly dangerous, but still aesthetically perfect.

yes, the cult obviously takes a turn, but the style and tone don’t shift.

there’s a reason forbidden fruits landed for me. it’s not because of the plot (which feels secondary), but because it understands something very simple and very specific:

it’s fun to watch friendship girl groups with issues be a little evil, unapologetic, unhinged, and extremely well-dressed.

and the campness only added to that. everything is pushed just far enough. the dialogue, the style, the rituals, even the gore. when the film shifts and the group is disbanding, it still feels fun, stylish, and slightly ridiculous.

the film knows it’s playing with the “mean girl / cool girl clique” archetype, it just exaggerates it until it becomes entertaining in its own right.

throughout the film, i found myself immediately saving outfit inspiration, risky hairstyles, and makeup looks to my pinterest board. it genuinely influenced my style and had me noting down halloween costume ideas in real time.

i saw something similar happen with euphoria. i’m not saying euphoria is “hot girl cinema,” but what followed its release was a cultural moment. people recreated outfits, makeup, and even personalities. halloween was filled with maddys and cassies. cheerleading costumes and rhinestone makeup were everywhere.

i remember being told a few times that i looked like maddy (i don’t - it was definitely racially charged), but i still went home, ordered rhinestones, and tried to recreate her looks for my university halloween party.

that’s how something shifts from a one-time watch into a pop culture moment. it becomes something people recreate, reference, and return to. you start associating a lipstick shade, a colour, or an aesthetic with a character or a show.

people are leaving the cinema talking about what the girls wore, which character they identify with, and how to recreate the vibe.

i also enjoy the marketing side of film (maybe that’s unpopular), and this film is a great case study. the idea that friendship bracelets with different fruits signify identity and exclusivity, that each girl has a distinct hairstyle and outfit, that personalities are exaggerated so you can clearly “belong” to one - it feels like hogwarts houses or divergent factions, but camp and hyper-feminine.

it’s world-building that extends beyond the screen. it creates a brand, not just a film.

i had a couple of final points for why i thought the movie worked for me:

aspiration: the girls are confident, respected, put together, and socially powerful. it’s like hyping yourself up with a hot-girl playlist before a night out.

the campness softens the threat: it’s not truly scary or disturbing. the cult dynamic adds stakes to the classic mean girl storyline without making it too serious. it stays entertaining, stylised, and slightly unrealistic.

i also enjoyed the reworking of a familiar formula. it has the same appeal as classic “mean girl” narratives, but outside the usual settings of school, university, or corporate life.

on top of that, the addition of a pop-culture and style icon for a lot of young girls/women - emma chamberlain - was a great addition to a movie so coated in style and catered towards that exact audience.

and i have to add that lili reinhart is an exceptional performer. truly incredible to watch and such a classy and intelligent woman - i can’t wait to support more of her work.

at the end of the day, hot girl cinema isn’t about complexity, it’s about entertainment. i didn’t go into this film expecting an academy-award winning masterpiece. i love all kinds of films, but sometimes i just want something light, entertaining, and visually satisfying. it’s an easy watch that feels like scrolling through your pinterest board. i understand this may limit the demographic but that’s okay.

not everything is for everyone.

i had fun and that’s what matters.

stara film club

super mario galaxy movie

michael jelenic, aaron horvath

having thwarted bowser’s previous plot to marry princess peach, mario and luigi now face a fresh threat in bowser jr., who is determined to liberate his father from captivity and restore the family legacy. alongside companions new and old, the brothers travel across the stars to stop the young heir’s crusade.

the drama

kristoffer borgli

a happily engaged couple is put to the test when an unexpected turn sends their wedding week off the rails.

you, me, & tuscany

kat coiro

a free-spirited american chef and reserved british lawyer embark on a whirlwind romance during a destination wedding in coastal italy.

michael

antoine fuqua

discover the story of michael jackson, one of the most influential artists the world has ever known, and his life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the jackson five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world, highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career.

apex

baltasar kormakur

a grieving woman pushing her limits on a solo adventure in the australian wild is ensnared in a twisted game with a cunning killer who thinks she’s prey.

mother mary

david lowery

long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star mother mary reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer sam anselm on the eve of her comeback performance.

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star wars: the mandalorian and grogu

jon favreau

the evil empire has fallen, and imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. as the fledgling new republic works to protect everything the rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary mandalorian bounty hunter din djarin and his young apprentice grogu.

devil wears prada 2

david frankel

miranda priestly navigates her career amid the decline of traditional magazine publishing. she faces off against emily charlton, her one-time assistant, now a high-powered executive for a luxury group, with advertising dollars that priestly desperately needs.

mortal kombat 2

simon mcquoid

the fan favorite champions - now joined by johnny cage himself - are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of shao kahn that threatens the very existence of the earthrealm and its defenders.

hokum

damian mccarthy

when novelist ohm bauman retreats to a remote inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, he is consumed by tales of a witch haunting the honeymoon suite. disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance forces him to confront dark corners of his past.

backrooms

kane parsons

a strange doorway appears in the basement of a furniture showroom.

i love boosters

boots riley

a crew of professional shoplifters known as the velvet gang take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven.

scary movie 6

michael tiddes

twenty-six years after outrunning a suspiciously familiar masked killer, the core four are back in the killer’s crosshairs and no horror movie ip is safe.

masters of the universe

travis knight

after being separated for 15 years, the sword of power leads prince adam back to eternia, where he discovers his home shattered under the fiendish rule of skeletor. to save his family and his world, adam must join forces with his closest allies, teela and duncan/man-at-arms, and embrace his true destiny as he-man - the most powerful man in the universe.

supergirl

craig gillespie

when an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, kara zor-el, aka supergirl, reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice.

toy story 5

andrew stanton

when bonnie receives a lilypad tablet as a gift and becomes obsessed, buzz, woody, jessie and the rest of the gang’s jobs become exponentially harder when they have to go head to head with the all-new threat to playtime.

disclosure day

steven spielberg

if you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you?

jackass 5

jeff tremaine

the fifth installment in the “jackass” movie series. plot tba.

girls like girls

hayley kiyoko

coley, 17, from rural oregon, navigates intimacy after her mother’s passing. meeting sonya sparks new feelings, but self-doubt hinders their connection. sonya, unfamiliar with dating girls, is uncertain. they learn to embrace emotions.

the death of robin hood

michael sarnoski

grappling with his past after a life of crime and murder, robin hood finds himself gravely injured after a battle he thought would be his last. in the hands of a mysterious woman, he is offered a chance at salvation.

summer 2026

moana (live action)

thomas kail

prompted by a summons from the ocean, moana departs her home island of motunui for the first time and travels past its barrier reef. accompanied by the demigod maui, she undertakes a voyage aimed at recovering the well-being of her community.

the odyssey

christopher nolan

odysseus, the legendary greek king of ithaca, embarks on a long and perilous journey home following the trojan war, chronicling his encounters with mythical beings such as the cyclops polyphemus, the sirens, and the witch-goddess circe, while attempting to reunite with his wife, penelope.

spider-man: brand new day

destin daniel cretton

four years have passed since the events of no way home, and peter is now an adult living entirely alone, having voluntarily erased himself from the lives and memories of those he loves. crime-fighting in a new york that no longer knows his name, he’s devoted himself entirely to protecting his city - a full-time spider-man - but as the demands on him intensify, the pressure sparks a surprising physical evolution that threatens his existence, even as a strange new pattern of crimes gives rise to one of the most powerful threats he has ever faced.

evil dead burn

sebastian vanicek

the sixth installment in the evil dead franchise. plot tba.

minions and monsters

pierre coffin

this is the rambunctious, ridiculous and totally true story of how the minions conquered hollywood, became movie stars, lost everything, unleashed monsters onto the world and then banded together to try and save the planet from the mayhem they had just created.

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mutiny

jean-francois richet

after his billionaire industrialist boss is murdered in front of him, cole reed is set up to take the fall for the crime - leaving him on the run as he works to uncover an international conspiracy.

coyote vs acme

dave green

after acme products fail him one too many times in his dogged pursuit of the roadrunner, wile e. coyote decides to hire a billboard lawyer to sue the acme corporation.

fall 2

michael spierig, peter spiereg

overwhelmed by her sister hunter’s death, jax connects with luce, hunter’s fearless friend. to heal, they attempt the infamous plank walk of mount kwan in thailand. after a sudden rockslide leaves them stranded on a fragile plank 3000 feet in the air, jax must confront her deepest fears and fight for survival to find closure.

thread: an insidious tale

jeremy slater

a husband and wife enlist the help of a spell to travel back in time in order to prevent the death of their young daughter. the consequences, of course, prove to be severe.

the dog stars

ridley scott

after the world’s population has been ravaged by a pandemic, a man lives a lonesome existence in a colorado airplane hangar with his dog and a dour gunman he has befriended. when a mysterious transmission comes through on the radio while he’s flying his old cessna, it sparks a hunt for the provenance of the sound.mutiny - jean-francois richet

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autumn 2026

practical magic 2

susanne bier

a multi generational family of witches, cursed to be loveless for centuries, attempts to break the spell by confronting dark secrets and sacrificing for each other.

sense and sensiblity

georgia oakley

sisters elinor and marianne dashwood must leave their sussex estate and move in with a distant relative, facing romance and money troubles.

how to rob a bank

david leitch

a crew of bank robbers has been using social media to document heists that they have pulled off, leading to pursuit from the police.

street fighter

kitao sakurai

in 1993, estranged street fighters ryu and ken masters are thrown back into combat when the mysterious chun-li recruits them for the next world warrior tournament: a brutal clash of fists, fate, and fury. but behind this battle royale lies a deadly conspiracy that forces them to face off against each other and the demons of their past. and if they don’t, it’s game over!

whalefall

brian duffield

a scuba diver in search of his deceased father’s remains gets swallowed by an 80-foot, 60-ton sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out. after giving up on life, the young man is surprised to find a reason to live in the most dangerous and unlikely of places.

wildwood

travis knight

a girl’s desperate quest to save her baby brother unfolds into a spectacular, high-stakes adventure through a forbidden forest full of enchanted creatures, endearing allies, and formidable adversaries—where an entire hidden realm hangs in the balance.

clayface

james watkins

a hollywood horror tale centering on a b-movie actor who injects himself with a substance to keep himself relevant, only to find out that he can reshape his face and form, becoming a walking piece of clay.

verity

michael showalter

struggling writer lowen ashleigh is on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime: she’s been hired to complete the remaining books in a successful series that bestselling thriller author verity crawford is unable to finish after a mysterious accident. upon arrival at the lavish crawford estate, ashleigh slowly learns that things are not exactly as they seem.

digger

alejandro gonzalez inarritu

the most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s saviour before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.

terrifier 4

damien leone

the fourth installment in the terrifier franchise. plot tba; art the clown’s origins will be explored.

the legend of aang: the last airbender

lauren montgomery

avatar aang, the world’s last airbender, learns of an ancient power that could save his culture from extinction. with the help of his friends, he embarks on a global quest to find it before it falls into the wrong hands and threatens to upend the peace they sacrificed everything to achieve.

the social reckoning

aaron sorkin

frances haugen, a young facebook engineer, enlists the help of jeff horwitz, a wall street journal reporter, to go on a dangerous journey that ends up blowing the whistle on the social network’s most guarded secrets.

winter 2026

the hunger games: sunrise on the reaping

francis lawrence

return to the world of panem 24 years before the events of the hunger games for the reaping of the 50th hunger games, also known as the second quarter quell.

narnia (the magician’s nephew)

greta gerwig

narnia: the magician’s nephew is an upcoming high fantasy film written and directed by greta gerwig, based on the 1955 novel the magician’s nephew, the sixth published and first chronological novel in the children’s book series the chronicles of narnia by c. s. lewis.

hexed

josie trinidad, jason hand

an awkward teenage boy and his type-a mom discover that what makes him unusual might be magical powers that will turn their lives and a secret world of magic upside down.

the cat in the hat

erica rivinoja, alessandro carloni

doing what he does best, the cat spreads joy to kids in his hilarious, signature, and singularly irreverent way, transporting them and audiences on a fantastical journey through a world they’ve never seen before. our hero takes on his toughest assignment yet for the i.i.i.i. (institute for the institution of imagination and inspiration, llc) to cheer up gabby and sebastian, a pair of siblings struggling to move to a new town. known for taking things too far, this could be this agent of chaos’ last chance to prove himself…or lose his magical hat!

focker-in-law

john hamburg

the fourth installment in the franchise. plot tba.

avengers: doomsday

the russo brothers

the avengers, wakandans, fantastic four, thunderbolts, and x-men all fight against doctor doom. plot tba.

dune: part three

denis villeneuve

as emperor, paul atreides grapples with the consequences of his rise to power as political conspiracies and a galaxy-spanning holy war threaten the future he alone can foresee.

jumanji 3

jake kasdan

the third film in the jumanji reboot franchise. plot tba.

violent night 2

tommy wirkola

the sequel to the 2022 film. plot tba.

werwulf

robert eggers

set in 13th century england, the story focuses on local villagers who are stalked by a mysterious creature. as the attacks continue, ancient folklore and superstition bleed into a terrifying reality.

stara film club

well, i do.

when the credits roll, the experience doesn’t end there. i’m immediately pulled into learning everything i can about the process - the director, the behind-the-scenes, the cast, all of it.

we are seeing a major shift in the way press tours operate. moving away from late-night talk shows and traditional junkets, the industry is leaning into highly curated, digital-first formats.

this shift is largely driven by changes in audience behaviour. viewers are actively seeking out content online, choosing what to watch, when to watch it, and often engaging with it in a more sustained way. long-form video, in particular, creates space for conversations that feel less rehearsed and more revealing, allowing audiences to connect with their favourite celebrities beyond the constraints of a three-minute segment.

at the same time, the rise of social media and creator-led platforms has redefined what an “interview” can look like. formats are no longer limited to a host behind a desk asking questions. instead, we’re seeing concept-driven series that encourage spontaneity, fun, and also meaningful conversation. these environments tend to disarm guests, resulting in moments that feel more candid, more human, and ultimately more memorable.

i also really appreciate that, with social media, the options feel almost endless. we’re no longer limited to a handful of interviews - we can access behind-the-scenes footage from set, deep dives into the technical elements of a film, glimpses inside the hair and makeup trailer, directors speaking about their inspirations, and actors sharing the films that shaped them.

as someone who loves the industry and hopes to build a career within it, this is the part that fascinates me most. i can watch something i love, and then immediately immerse myself in understanding how it was made. it turns the viewing experience into something much more layered - not just consuming the final product, but exploring the process, the decisions, and the people behind it.

there’s also a strategic element at play. studios and publicists recognise that these formats are more likely to circulate online, generating clips, memes, and viral moments that extend the lifespan of a project’s promotion. a single appearance can be repackaged across platforms, reaching multiple audiences in different ways. in that sense, the press tour is no longer just about visibility - it’s about cultural presence.

i often find myself discovering films through their press tours, with viral clips circulating and being discussed even before a films release. as well as this, so many modern celebrities are going viral - not for their work - but for viral press tour moments.

as a result, the press tour is becoming an extension of the entertainment itself - something audiences actively seek out.

so, i open youtube and suddenly i’ve got endless interview series’, talk shows, podcasts, compilations, and commentary videos at my fingertips. it’s become such a ritual for me that i thought i’d share some of my favourite press tour stops - the ones i genuinely get excited to watch.

brittany broski’s royal court

royal court is hosted by brittany broski on a medieval-style set, where both host and guests dress up. the premise? celebrity guests must prove their worth to earn a place on lady broski’s royal council.

i find myself rewatching these constantly. they’re genuinely hilarious, but they also show artists in a completely different light. the playful, low-stakes environment makes space for more natural, human conversations. honestly, i’ll watch episodes even if i don’t know the guest - the concept alone is entertaining enough.

brittany strikes the perfect balance between chaos and curiosity. the silly accents, costumes, and “trials” make it fun, but her questions are thoughtful and well-researched. you can tell she’s a real fan of film and media, and that fangirl energy translates into something really refreshing. she essentially just ‘nerds out’ with these a-list celebrities.

i remember the cole sprouse interview going so viral and scrolling through clips of their hilarious interactions.brittany broski’s royal court

letterboxd: in the screening room

this series features more intimate, conversational interviews with filmmakers and actors. they talk about their favourite films, influences, and personal watchlists.

i love how natural these conversations feel. you get insight into what shaped them creatively - their inspirations, mentors, and thought processes - while still seeing that cast chemistry come through.

hot ones

hot ones, hosted by sean evans, features celebrity guests answering questions while eating progressively spicier chicken wings. there are also spin-offs like hot ones versus and wing pong.

it’s such a simple but brilliant concept. beyond the entertainment, i really respect the business side of it - sean evans and chris schonberger carved out a niche that’s grown far beyond a talk show into a full brand. they’ve made something people actually want to experience themselves (myself included - my friends and i have been wanting to get our hands on the hot sauces to do the challenge ourself for so long).

and sean evans is an incredible host. he’s thoughtful, well-prepared, and asks genuinely insightful questions about the guest’s work, while still navigating the chaos of the format. lately, i’ve especially loved hot ones versus and wing pong - they’re great for seeing cast chemistry in a more relaxed setting.

elle’s “where is the lie”

this series puts celebrities in the hot seat to share three stories - but one is a lie. their co-stars have to figure out which one.

it’s not super focused on the project they’re promoting, but it’s such a fun watch. you really get to see cast dynamics and how they interact off-screen, which i always find just as interesting.elle’s “where is the lie”:

this series puts celebrities in the hot seat to share three stories - but one is a lie. their co-stars have to figure out which one.

it’s not super focused on the project they’re promoting, but it’s such a fun watch. you really get to see cast dynamics and how they interact off-screen, which i always find just as interesting.

last meals

last meals, on mythical chef, is hosted by josh scherer. guests talk about what they’d choose for their final meal, while diving into conversations about life, death, and their relationship with food.

this is basically my perfect format. i love food content, so that alone draws me in - but the conversations are surprisingly deep and personal. you get meaningful insights into the guest while they’re eating these incredible meals and explaining their choices. it’s such a unique blend of introspection and entertainment.

vanity fair game show

this series revolves around a simple idea: how well do you know each other? guests take turns in the hot seat, answering questions about one another.

it’s always entertaining, especially when people get competitive. you learn a lot about their relationships, their time on set, and their personalities.

vanity fair also does amazing scene breakdowns, “on the process” interviews, and behind-the-scenes content. it’s a great channel if you want a deeper look into how your favourite films and shows are actually made.

fandango’s scene breakdown

fandango’s scene breakdowns involve creatives walking through a scene frame by frame, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and explaining how everything came together.

it’s genuinely fascinating, especially when both actors and directors are involved - getting both perspectives adds so much depth to the way you understand a scene.

cosmopolitan’s group therapy

i first came across this while watching press for pretty lethal and forbidden fruits. the cast sit together and ask each other questions in a “therapy-style” format.

the questions often tie back to the project, but they also touch on past work and personal experiences. you get a real sense of the cast’s dynamic, their personalities, and their journeys in the industry - and it’s usually very funny too.

honourable mentions

• amelia dimoldenberg’s chicken shop date

• wired autocomplete interview

• therapuss by jake shane

• feeding starving celebrities by quenlin blackwell

• vanity fair’s lie detector test

not technically a press tour stop but:

• variety’s actors on actors

• the hollywood reporter’s actor’s roundtable

stara film club

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during the first week, she asked if i wanted to watch hot milk with her - an independent art house film starring emma mackey.

the first thing she said when we sat down was, “did you look it up on letterboxd?” i said: “yeah, i usually do.”

she scoffed and told me the only way to enjoy a movie is to go in completely blind, and that i should stop doing that if i wanted to really experience film.

i brushed it off and we kept watching in silence. halfway through, i already knew i wasn’t enjoying it - it just wasn’t for me. don’t get me wrong, i love art house. i just didn’t like this one, and i wasn’t in the mood. i think she could tell, because she half-laughed and said this film was made for “real cinephiles.”

bizarre. i didn’t realise there was a rulebook for loving an art form.

and it didn’t stop there. she’d laugh at me for watching k-pop demon hunters when i wanted to unwind with a fun movie and scoff when i said i love marvel. because she studied film and (apparently) only watched art house, she became patronising and judgemental - like she was measuring my credibility as a cinephile. it was frustrating. i felt like i had to hide what i enjoyed, even though i love film so much. like i had something to prove.

but since when do you have to qualify to enjoy art? isn’t what makes the film community so special how different we are and all the varying perspectives and interests we can bring to the table?

it got me thinking. i love the cinema. i go twice a week some weeks. i watch films from every genre, i keep up with the industry, i go to events and q&as with directors, and my favourite place in my city is an independent art house cinema. i’m literally working towards a career in the film industry.

but i also love pop culture, shitty romcoms, musicals, silly horror films, and superhero movies. i own 24 marvel funko pops and way too many comic books. i’ve watched almost every wattpad adaptation just for the laughs (and loved commenting on them with my friends). i grew up obsessed with harry potter - like, fully convinced my letter was just running late at age 15.

and the funny thing is, those “not serious” films? they’re what made me fall in love with cinema in the first place.

i love movies because they make me feel something. they let me escape into different worlds. they’ve helped me find community. they gave me comfort during some of my darkest and loneliest moments. some of my happiest childhood memories are tied to films. one of my first real experiences of friendship and community was a whatsapp group when i was 14, full of teenagers from all over the world who loved y/a books and movies. i’d stay up all night exchanging hunger games and divergent edits and talking about our favourite films. i’ll never forget that feeling.

i still get ridiculously excited over superhero movies. i still cry rewatching that scene in the chamber of secrets when hagrid walks back into the great hall. and i could talk your ear off about musicals if you let me.

that’s what art is supposed to do.

you can’t gatekeep it. it’s meant to be enjoyed however you want. i’ve loved films that critics hated, and been bored by ones everyone else worships. it’s subjective. we all connect to different things.

honestly, it made me sad thinking my roommate saw film in such a narrow way. limiting something so expansive and emotional to a checklist of what’s “valid” is just… boring.

so enjoy what you enjoy. if you really understand how powerful film is, you’d know there are no rules. no required watchlist. no “right” way to experience it. trying to enforce that just strips the joy out of it.

i’ve since moved out (for many reasons), but i found people who love film the same way i do. we go to independent screenings and events together, we order food and comfort-watch marvel, we cry over sad movies, we know the entire pitch perfect soundtrack by heart, we watch high school musical and teen beach movie to celebrate birthdays and do all the choreography along with it, and we debrief everything excitedly over drinks afterwards.

no matter the genre, i love cinema and all it has done for me. there are so many reasons i fell in love with cinema - to see important stories being told, to have fun and connect with others, to escape into worlds where anything is possible, and to appreciate the level of talent, art, and technique it takes to put together an entire movie.

at the end of the day, if you love film, you love film. who gets to tell you what that should look like?

xoxo,

stara film club 💌

i wasn’t always a fan of films that felt too “real.” i saw film as pure escapism, and i worried that the art i loved would feel almost corrupted by stories like mine, because i was already living my story, and i didn’t need to see it reflected back at me. i wanted to be as far removed from reality as possible: science fiction, fantasy, action/adventure, horror. but while i still love escaping through film, i’ve grown to appreciate and seek out stories that feel more human. i’ve also realised that even the films that seem the most distant from our lives are still rooted in reality.

think of the hunger games. it once felt like such a foreign world filled with fantasy, flamboyant characters, and dystopia, but now it can feel uncomfortably close to our own, like a reflection of our current news cycle, just dressed up differently.

feeling lost is something i think we all understand in some form. lost in your career, your path, your family, your own mind - it’s not just one thing. struggles with identity shift and evolve as we move through different phases of life. for me, that feeling has been constant, just changing shape over time. growing up, i moved between nine schools and four countries. i was born in one place, then spent over 16 years being uprooted again and again without pause. in the middle of all that, stories became a kind of anchor - something that made me feel less alone and less uncertain, something that helped me hold onto who i was and who i wanted to be.

even now, those feelings haven’t disappeared. if anything, they’ve just become more complex. but films continue to offer a space where i can sit with those emotions, try to understand them, and sometimes make peace with them.

i don’t think that in a world this large and complex these emotions ever fully go away. but i do know that feeling seen in characters and stories, even if only for a moment, gives me a sense of hope and helps quiet my mind. it reminds me of what matters to me and what i want to focus on: my love of art, my passions, my values, my community, and the work i put into myself. through other people’s stories, i find my own a little more clearly.

these films aren’t all ones i directly relate to, but they are, to me, powerful portrayals of identity & belonging- of losing your way, and trying to find it again. the world can feel overwhelming, and being surrounded by stories - ones where you can see even a small part of yourself - brings a sense of comfort. it helps, too, when a film is a beautiful piece of art beyond just its story.

this is part 2 of movies i watch to feel something: identity & belonging.

howls moving castle (2004), hayao miyazaki

sophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. she encounters a wizard named howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king.

there’s something comforting about the way this film treats transformation. sophie’s curse forces her into a body that doesn’t match how she feels inside, and yet it’s through that shift that she begins to understand herself more clearly. identity here isn’t fixed. it’s fluid, shaped by love, fear, and courage. when i feel lost, this film reminds me that change is okay sometimes, no matter how unnatural or scary it may feel.

this film was my second introduction to ghibli after watching the boy and the heron in cinemas. since, ghibli’s movies have become routinely comforting. i believe all the ghibli movies i’ve seen are beyond beautiful, containing just the right amount of childhood whimsy while also being genuinely great stories supported by stunning animation and an incredible score. howl’s moving castle happens to be my favourite one i’ve seen and i listen to the soundtrack regularly.

sentimental value (2025), joachim trier

sisters nora and agnes reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic gustav, a once-renowned director who offers stage actress nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. when nora turns it down, she soon discovers he has given her part to an eager young hollywood star.

sentimental value is one of those films that hit super close to home. it makes you sit with your emotions - reflecting on your life and everything that came before you. it touches on how we attach meaning to people, places, and moments, and how those meanings shape who we think we are.

i watched this movie at home and fell completely in love. the set design, the lighting, the performances, the story - the movie was a masterpiece in all departments.

tick, tick… boom! (2021), lin-manuel miranda

on the brink of turning 30, a promising theatre composer navigates love, friendship and the pressure to create something great before time runs out.

this film captures the anxiety of time passing and the pressure to become something before it feels too late. jonathan’s identity is so tied to his art and his idea of success that every setback feels like a personal failure. it reflects that specific kind of being lost, the kind where you’re working hard but still unsure if you’re on the right path.

as a theatre kid this movie means a lot to me. this movie also feels so important to me as someone who has such big hopes and dreams but constantly feels like i’m on the wrong path. it’s easy to take failure personally and to get frustrated with yourself, especially when life doesn’t always deal you the best cards, but there’s a lot to learn from larson’s story.

still angry they cut green green dress.

edge of seventeen (2016), kelly fremon craig

two high school girls are best friends until one dates the other’s older brother, who is totally his sister’s nemesis.

adolescence is one of the clearest examples of identity in flux, and this film leans into that discomfort. nadine feels out of place in almost every part of her life, constantly comparing herself to others and coming up short. it captures the loneliness of feeling misunderstood, but also the slow, awkward process of growing into yourself.

this movie was such a go-to for me growing up. i felt so misunderstood and isolated that i saw myself in nadine. i would often turn to this film to feel seen when i was a teenager. now i look back at this film with fondness and appreciation. a reminder not only that life gets better but that film has always played a large part in my life.

perks of being a wallflower (2012), stephen chbosky

pittsburgh, pennsylvania, 1991. high school freshman charlie is a wallflower, always watching life from the sidelines, until two senior students, sam and her stepbrother patrick, become his mentors, helping him discover the joys of friendship, music and love.

this one feels close to that version of me that doesn’t always understand why i feel the way i do. there’s a kind of disconnect in charlie that i recognise, like you’re present, but not fully grounded in yourself. i haven’t watched this movie in a while, but i remember feeling a sense of loneliness radiating through the screen.

this was another film i watched a lot as a teenager. i felt understood but also a little jealous of the friends charlie had found. it’s such a classic sad, angsty teenager film but it tells you a lot about identity and feeling lost.

the neon demon (2016), nicolas winding refn

when aspiring model jesse moves to los angeles, her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will take any means necessary to get what she has.

identity here becomes something external and distorted by others. the film explores how easily a sense of self can be shaped by validation, beauty, and perception. it’s unsettling, but intentionally so. when i watch it, it feels like a reminder of how fragile identity can become when it’s built on how others see you rather than how you see yourself.

i also studied this film around 7 years ago for a research project on cinematography and the ways it shapes our emotions. it really stuck with me. not because i thought it was the greatest movie ever, but because it was so unique and interesting to look at. the colours, the framing and camera work, the set design, the hair and makeup. it felt like a masterful collection of technically wonderful choices. i felt so inspired artistically after watching it. there are also elements of the story i felt were important - the value society places on women and the way they look, the exploitation of models, how people’s perceptions and treatment of us can completely shape our identities. it’s definitely a fascinating watch.

the holdovers (2023), alexander payne

a curmudgeonly instructor at a new england prep school is forced to remain on campus during christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. eventually, he forms an unlikely bond with one of them - a damaged, brainy troublemaker - and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in vietnam.

i love movies that remind us that community, belonging, and showing up for people is one of the most important things in life. it is inevitable to feel lost and to struggle in life, but love really does show up in the warmest of ways. remember to be a villager!!

a comfort film of mine that feels like an emotional hug. dominic sessa is wonderful.

moonlight (2016), barry jenkins

the tender, heartbreaking story of a young man’s struggle to find himself, told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love, while grappling with his own sexuality.

few films explore identity as intimately as this one. truly a masterpiece filled with endless depth and open heartedness. it’s coming of age, it’s a love story, it’s nature vs nurture, it’s a story on society and masculinity and queerness and racism. i’ve never seen a movie be so many things and be wonderful at all of them. truly unreal.

a movie that is necessary to see at least once in your life.

coraline (2009), henry selick

wandering her rambling old house in her boring new town, 11-year-old coraline discovers a hidden door to a strangely idealized version of her life. in order to stay in the fantasy, she must make a frighteningly real sacrifice.

at first glance, this feels like pure fantasy, but at its core it’s about dissatisfaction and the temptation to escape into a version of life that feels more perfect. coraline’s journey is about recognising what’s real, what matters, and where she truly belongs. it reflects that moment of feeling lost where the idea of another life feels easier.

this movie means a lot to me. i love films that are fantastical and animated and colourful and fun while also containing so much depth. i understand the feelings of wanting to escape - of dissatisfaction and dreaming of a place where things are better. this film serves as a reminder to stay present. i also just love an iconic halloween movie.

i think that’s what first drew me in at a young age. as a child, even during the hardest times, stories offered me comfort. an uplifting classic could fill me with hope, a thrilling fantasy could spark courage and excitement, and a heartfelt tearjerker could make me feel understood and a little less alone.

i have a vivid memory of watching the fault in our stars for the first time when i was about thirteen. i was an avid reader and, like many angsty teenagers at the time, had built up quite the collection of john green novels. i went to see the film on the day it premiered at my local cinema, and by the time it ended i was absolutely hysterical.

as i stumbled out of the theatre, still crying, i suddenly noticed that a classmate of mine had been there too. i remember the mortification of locking eyes with her while i was in full, tear-streaked meltdown, and the strange look she gave me as she walked past. i was embarrassed at this time - but looking back, it’s just one of many moments when i’ve been struck by the powerful impact a film can have.

years later, even as my taste has evolved and my love for cinema has grown, i’m still fascinated by the way a piece of art - made up of so many technical and magical elements - can connect with audiences in such personal ways. i still turn to film for a pick-me-up when i need it, to understand myself a little better, to release a long-needed cry when things feel overwhelming, or simply to learn more about the world around me.

and i don’t just mean cinephile-approved, critically acclaimed films. some of my most joyful memories of film come from the most unexpected places: the childhood whimsy of watching a disney channel original musical, the uncontrollable laughter shared with my best friends over a terrible rom-com in our university dorms, or the countless mediocre horror films that somehow kept my sister and me somewhat entertained throughout the long months of covid lockdown.

all that to say, i love movies. all kinds. they have this incredible power to make me feel things so intensely and to reach across different experiences, cultures, and perspectives while still making something feel deeply personal.

because of this, i started making lists of films based on specific feelings - movies i can turn to when i’m in a certain mood. kinda like creating spotify playlists for different situations.

so this is part 1 of movies i watch to feel something.

the double life of veronique, krzysztof kieslowski (1991)

“all my life i felt i was in two places at the same time. here and somewhere else”

veronique is a beautiful young french woman who aspires to be a renowned singer; weronika lives in poland, has a similar career goal, and looks identical to veronique, though the two are not related. the film follows both women as they contend with the ups and downs of their individual lives, with veronique embarking on an unusual romance with alexander fabbri, a puppeteer who may be able to help her with her existential issues.

one of the most dreamlike films i’ve ever watched. it moves more like a feeling than a traditional story. there’s something almost mystical about the way the film explores identity, intuition, and the strange sense that our lives might be quietly connected to others in ways we can’t fully understand.

my mother heavily recommended this film to me. i could tell how much it excited her to tell me about it, and it wasn’t until i watched it that i truly understood.

what moved me most is the sense of longing that runs through the film. there’s a quiet heartbreak in the way one life seems to echo through the other, as if something has been lost before it could ever fully exist. it’s subtle and melancholic.

visually, it’s stunning. the warm tones make every frame feel soft and dreamlike, and combined with a haunting score, the whole film feels hypnotic.

portrait of a lady on fire, celine sciamma (2019)

“don’t regret, remember.”

set on an isolated island in brittany at the end of the 18th century, a young painter is commissioned to secretly paint the wedding portrait of a woman who refuses to pose for it. what follows is an intimate and quiet unfolding of connection between the two, as observation slowly turns into understanding, and then into something much deeper.

i first watched this on facetime with a friend, trying to press play and pause at the same time so we could sync our viewing. it was still such a lovely experience, but i can’t help wishing i had seen it in the cinema - because visually, it absolutely deserves the big screen.

it’s such a beautiful slow burn of tension, hidden desire, and stolen glances. the film captures the pain of loving in secret, but also the intensity of loving someone so deeply in such a short space of time. every look between them feels charged, every moment of closeness feels fragile.

visually it’s breathtaking. each frame carefully composed, like a painting itself. the use of silence, natural light, and stillness makes the emotions feel even more powerful. by the end, the feeling of longing and memory is almost overwhelming. it’s the kind of film that stays with you. the heartbreak stuck long after we finished watching.

all of us strangers, andrew haigh (2023)

”i suppose we don’t get to decide when its over”

one night in his near-empty tower block in london, adam encounters a mysterious neighbour harry, completely puncturing the rhythm of his everyday life.

i wish i could talk about all of us strangers casually, but after walking the 30-minute journey home from the cinema at 11 pm in my university town, i was sobbing so hysterically i genuinely terrified my housemate.

this movie is gut-wrenching, so consider this your fair warning. but if you love films that truly rip your heart out while offering something profoundly beautiful in return, this is an absolute must-see.

all of us strangers is a queer film that explores love, loneliness, grief, and trauma. it is so much more than what it initially presents as. and the two lead performances… phenomenal.

la la land, damien chazelle (2016)

“here’s to the fools who dream”

la la land tells the story of mia, an aspiring actress, and sebastian, a struggling jazz musician, both tirelessly pursuing their dreams. they fall in love but find that as success mounts, they face decisions that may threaten their relationship.

i am a huge theatre kid and this is a movie i come back to often. the music, the colours, the cinematography, the romance, ugh! even just screenshots of the film are beautiful. truly a movie just steeped in art and magic.

its popularity is incredibly deserved. just an amazingly emotional movie that had me laughing and crying in the same breath.

past lives, celine song (2023)

“what if this is a past life as well, and we are already something else to each other in our next life?”

after decades apart, childhood friend nora and hae song reunite in new york for one fateful weekend as they confront the notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life.

an incredible debut from celine song. it’s so much more than a love story, touching on the quiet complexities that emerge as the years pass - identity, spirituality, regret, and the inevitability of growing up. all of it unfolds through the lens of two childhood loves.

i’m so grateful i got to see this film in all it’s glory on the big screen upon its release in the cinemas. visually stunning.

this was more of a slow and quiet ache for me that left me just deep in thought for hours afterwards trying to make sense of what i watched.

brokeback mountain, ang lee (2005)

“there ain’t never enough time, never enough..”

based in 1960s wyoming, two men develop a strong relationship that endures a lifetime, complicating their lives as they get married and start families of their own.

i watched this at an anniversary screening at my local cinema with no idea what i was getting into (ok shoot me) and was blown away.

the film is a masterclass in heartbreak. stunningly picturesque backdrops framing a lifetime of pain, longing, and quiet yearning. the beauty of the world alongside the impossibility of love constrained by society.

another queer masterpiece that rips your heart out while reminding you of the enduring power of love, memory, and regret. truly one of those films that stays with you, hauntingly beautiful and impossible to forget.

the red shoes, michael powell & emeric pressburger (1948)

“you cannot have it both ways. a dancer who relies upon the doubtful comforts of human love can never be a great dancer.”

red shoes is pure magic. a fledgling ballerina, caught between ambition and love, falls for a brilliant composer, only to face the jealousy and scheming of the ballet company’s head.

the story is heartbreakingly beautiful, emotionally haunting, and an ode to art in all its glory.

and the technicolor! vibrant and visually breathtaking, especially for a film of its time. truly one of the greatest films ever made.

train dreams, clint bentley (2025)

“the dead tree is as important as the living one. there must be something for us to learn from that.”

a logger leads a life of quiet grace as he experiences love and loss during an era of monumental change in early 20th-century america.

this movie is getting a lot of attention now during awards season. i watched it in my attempt to get through every movie on the oscar nominations list and ended up completely entranced.

it’s deeply heartbreaking, yet understated - telling a story of fleeting lives, lost dreams, and the passage of time. and the cinematography… ugh hypnotic. the shots are gorgeously composed and dreamlike, with the landscape shots being particularly beautiful.

i didn’t see it on the big screen, which feels like a loss, because this is exactly the kind of film that deserves that full, immersive experience.

call me by your name, luca guadagnino (2017)

“remember me someday”

in the summer of 1983, a 17-year-old elio spends his days in his family’s villa in italy. one day, oliver, a graduate student, arrives to assist elio’s father, a professor of greco-roman culture. soon, elio and oliver discover a summer that will alter their lives forever.

an entire world brought to life through beautiful cinematography and a stunning score. it’s a film that makes your heart race and ache at the same time, while somehow also making you feel completely alive.

i’ve always had a soft spot for summer films, regardless of their plot - I could probably watch a completely storyless movie made up entirely of clips from a mediterranean summer and still love it. but this one truly gripped me from the moment i first watched it all those years ago.

i’ll be honest, i’m not the biggest fan of either of the lead actors (nothing to do with their performances), but guadagnino always impresses me. his style and storytelling feel so distinct and singular, something that was only reinforced when i watched queer in the cinema.