The 1970s is still regarded today as one of the strongest eras for American filmmaking for many reasons. On the heels of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal, Hollywood witnessed a banner decade marked by the arrival of a new generation of auteurs with a strong authorial stamp that burst onto the scene and churned out a bounty of boundary-pushing masterpieces that reflected the distinct mood of the time and still hold up 50 years later. With big studios pouring truckloads of money into bold and experimental projects steeped in cynicism, a swathe of different genres thrived at the box off ..read more

The 1990s were the age of the mega blockbuster and the movie star as larger than life idol. From Will Smith to Harrison Ford, this was the era of the brave hero fighting against all odds, facing and indeed tackling a problem that was much bigger than him, and more often than not bigger than the world itself. There were aliens, earthquakes, volcano eruptions, dinosaurs, giant lizards and a host of other grandiose horrors threatening to take us out, and it was always up to the stars to save the day. That said, there was much more to the 90s than large scale disaster flicks and adventure epics ..read more

Cinephiles love to nitpick whether the Academy “got it right” every year, but we’re now closing in on a century of Academy ceremonies, and the eight-and-a-half-pound gold statuette known as the Oscar for Best Motion Picture remains the most prestigious and coveted award in world cinema. Today, we’re turning the clock back to the final stretch of the 20th century to take stock on every Oscar recipient that took home the top prize from 1990-1999 to see how they stack up against each other. Some of the following titles were considerably well-received at the time but have since lost their luster ..read more

It’s not the golden age anymore and western films are no longer the major box office hits they used to be but still, the 1970s was a good enough decade for the genre. Clint Eastwood was still a major star and was delivering classics like “The Outlaw Josey Wales” and if we wanted to have a laugh, Mel Brooks was there with his “Blazing Saddles”. However, it was the era of the new groundbreaking filmmakers who preferred to make films in contemporary settings with relevant social messages. That’s just one of the reasons why Westerns got overlooked, especially the traditional ones. Here are ten fi ..read more

The “snub” might not be the right word here and it’s probably overused these days but it’s the popular term to describe the buzzy performances that don’t get the nomination in the end. Every year is full of great performances but some just come out at the right time and then generate certain buzz, then get awards attention. Sometimes critics push them, sometimes strong campaigns launched by the studios bring them to attention and in the end, some of those get nominated for the biggest award of the season: the Academy Awards. Each year, some films get underseen or some just don’t appeal to AMP ..read more

Every spring, Hollywood’s cream of the crop gathers together in one long-winded televised pageant of self-congratulation to celebrate the greatest cinematic achievements of the year. The red carpet is rolled out, tear-jerking acceptance speeches are given, and about two handfuls of eight-and-a-half-pound gold trophies are handed out. And though for almost a century now the Oscar for Best Picture has been considered by many to be the most prestigious honor of them all, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has a rather spotty track record when it comes to recognizing the very best ..read more

The 1970s were a monumental decade for enthusiasts of cult cinema, marked by a departure from conventional studio norms that opened up avenues for filmmakers to delve into unconventional themes, styles, and narratives. This transformative era was heavily influenced by the countercultural movements of the 1960s, which paved the way for audiences to seek out alternative cinematic voices. In bustling urban theaters in the USA, Blaxploitation and Hong Kong kung fu films filled screens, while those in the suburbs stayed home, tuning in to bland television offerings. The success of The Rocky Horror ..read more

Woody Allen is one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of all time. His body of work has inspired countless writer-directors and many feel he’s made more masterpieces than any other film auteur. He’s won Oscars and critical admiration, is a darling to European cinema goers, and has been so for decades now. Films like Annie Hall and Manhattan were widely regarded as game changers upon their release in the late 70s, while Woody went on to make at least one film a year for the next forty, often taking the lead role in them. Even now, he is as prolific as ever, still working on film and book project ..read more

Though he’s risen to become one of Hollywood’s premiere filmmakers, Denis Villeneuve’s keen sense of epic scale didn’t come fully formed. Long before he was trusted with astronomical budgets and stacked ensembles, the Quebec-born director learned his trade churning out small indie fare back in his native Canada. It was only after he’d leveraged the rapturous acclaim for his 2010s “Incendies” into a successful career overseas that now includes “Prisoners”, “Arrival” and “Blade Runner 2049”, that Villeneuve began to be talked about within cinephile circles as the next big thing. The three-time ..read more

The 1980s were an exciting, transformative decade for cult cinema, One of the most significant changes was the advent of home video technology, which allowed audiences to access and enjoy movies in the comfort of their homes. Video rental stores became communcal spaces for fans to enthuse about their favourite films against a backdrop of colourful videotape covers and posters. This new accessibility not only broadened the reach of cult films but also gave unconventional works a chance to find their niche following. Cult classics like The Evil Dead (Sam Raimi, 1981) found their devoted fan bas ..read more