Actress Nicole Kidman (1967)

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) is an American superhero film featuring the DC Comics character of the same name. Helmed by James Wan and written by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, this movie serves as the final installment in the DC Extended Universe. Following his ascension to the throne of Atlantis four years prior, Arthur Curry has established a peaceful reign, balancing his time between land and sea. Meanwhile, his arch-nemesis David Kane, also known as Black Manta, remains determined to seek vengeance for his father’s death and enlists marine ...

An American historical action film, The Northman (2022), directed and co-written by Robert Eggers and Sjón respectively, portrays the return of King Aurvandill to the fictional island of Hrafnsey in AD 895. Accompanied by his wife, Queen Gudrún, and son, Prince Amleth, father and son partake in a ritual led by Aurvandill’s jester, Heimir. During the ceremony, Heimir reveals to Amleth that his future is predetermined and he must seek revenge for his father’s death rather than face dishonor. The following day, a treacherous coup by Amleth’s uncle Fjölnir ...

Directed by John Crowley, the American drama film The Goldfinch (2019) showcases Peter Straughan’s adaptation of Donna Tartt’s 2013 novel of the same name. Following the tragedy at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art where thirteen-year-old Theodore Decker’s mother is killed in a bombing, Theo is urged by a dying man to take a painting—The Goldfinch—and his engraved ring. He is then placed into foster care with the Barbours, the family of his best friend Andy, and forms a close bond with Mrs. ...

Bombshell (2019), a film by Jay Roach with screenplay by Charles Randolph, follows the story of Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson in the aftermath of the 2016 Republican debate. Kelly faces backlash from Donald Trump after questioning him about his offensive comments toward women during the debate. Despite receiving death threats and unwanted paparazzi attention, she later reconciles with Trump under pressure from the network. On the other hand, Carlson is removed as co-anchor of Fox & Friends and placed on a less popular show due to rampant sexism both on and off air, ...

Aquaman (2018), a superhero movie from Warner Bros. Pictures, is based on the DC character of the same name. In 1985 Maine, Thomas Curry, a lighthouse keeper, rescues Atlanna, queen of Atlantis, during a storm. They fall in love and have a son named Arthur who can communicate with sea creatures. However, when Atlantean soldiers arrive to take Atlanna back to her arranged marriage, she must leave her family for their safety. She promises to return when it’s safe and entrusts her advisor Nuidis Vulko to train Arthur. As Arthur becomes a skilled warrior, he learns that his mother was executed by King Orvax of Atlantis for loving a human and having an illegitimate ...

Sofia Coppola’s film The Beguiled (2017) is a Southern Gothic psychological thriller, based on Thomas P. Cullinan’s novel of the same name from 1966. It is the second adaptation of Cullinan’s novel, following Don Siegel’s 1971 film. Set during the Civil War in Virginia, it follows Martha Farnsworth who runs a girls’ school with only five students and one teacher, Edwina Morrow, remaining after almost everyone has left including the slaves. While searching for mushrooms in the woods, pupil Amy ...

Billy Ray’s Secret in Their Eyes (2015) is a thriller film that serves as a remake of the 2009 Argentine film of the same name, which was based on Eduardo Sacheri’s novel La pregunta de sus ojos. Following the events of September 11th, FBI counterterrorism agent Ray Kasten and his friend Jess Cobb, an investigator for the Los Angeles district attorney’s office, cross paths with new ADA Claire Sloan. The two are called to investigate an unidentified female body found near a mosque that could potentially have ties to terrorism. Sadly, they ...

Paddington (2014), a live-action animated comedy film, was written and directed by Paul King. Based on Michael Bond’s beloved character Paddington Bear, the story was developed by King and Hamish McColl. In the depths of the Peruvian jungle, a British explorer comes across a group of bears with a love for marmalade. He dubs them Lucy and Pastuzo before bidding them farewell with an invitation to London. Forty years later, after their home is destroyed in an ...

Baz Luhrmann’s epic adventure drama, Australia (2008), follows Lady Sarah Ashley as she travels to her husband’s faltering cattle station, Faraway Downs. It is 1939, just before the start of World War II, and Lady Sarah hopes to make her husband sell the station and save their marriage. However, upon arriving in Australia from England, she learns that her husband has been murdered by an Aboriginal elder known as ‘King George’. The vast Faraway Downs spans across Western Australia and the Northern Territory, reaching all the way to the Timor Sea. In order to secure control of the station for ...

The American comedy-drama film, Margot at the Wedding (2007), was both written and directed by Noah Baumbach. The main character, Margot, is a accomplished writer who is often preoccupied with her own thoughts and feelings. It is hinted that she may have borderline personality disorder. Margot decides to bring her 11-year-old son Claude with her for a weekend visit to her sister Pauline’s home on Long Island, New York. Pauline is set to marry Malcolm, an unrewarding musician whom Margot finds unappealing. During her stay in town, Margot participates in a public interview at a local bookstore with Dick Koosman, a ...

Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006) is an American romantic drama film directed by Steven Shainberg and written by Erin Cressida Wilson, based on Patricia Bosworth’s book Diane Arbus: A Biography. The story begins with Diane Arbus arriving to photograph a nudist colony, then flashes back three months to New York City in 1958. There, Diane assists her husband Allan, an established photographer from a long line of studio owners. She comes from a wealthy family of furriers. However, as a city wife ...

Happy Feet (2006), an animated comedy directed, produced and written by George Miller, tells the story of emperor penguins and their unique ‘heartsongs’ used to attract a mate. When Norma Jean falls for Memphis, they become mates and lay an egg which Memphis cares for while Norma Jean goes to fish with the other females. During the harsh winter, Memphis accidentally drops the egg but thankfully it hatches into Mumble, who is unable to sing but can tap dance. Despite this difference, Mumble is captivated by Gloria, known as the most talented penguin in her age group. One day, Mumble encounters hostile skua ...

Moulin Rouge! (2001) is a jukebox musical romantic drama film helmed by Baz Luhrmann. Set in 1900 Paris, the story follows Christian, a young writer mourning the loss of his beloved. He takes to his typewriter to pen their love story. In the Montmartre district, he joins the Bohemian movement and meets Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and his troupe who are working on a play called Spectacular Spectacular. With Christian’s help, they finish the play and head to the Moulin Rouge in hopes that Satine, the star performer and courtesan, will be impressed by Christian’s talents and convince Harold Zidler, the proprietor ...

Eyes Wide Shut (1999) is an American film that falls under the genre of erotic mystery psychological drama. Directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, it follows the story of New York City residents Dr. William ‘Bill’ Harford and his wife Alice, who have a daughter named Helena. At a Christmas party thrown by a patient named Victor Ziegler, Bill meets up with an old medical school classmate named Nick Nightingale, now working as a professional pianist. The festivities are interrupted when Mandy, one of Victor’s sexual partners, overdoses. Bill assists in her recovery while also being ...

The Peacemaker (1997), an American political action thriller directed by Mimi Leder, marks DreamWorks Pictures’ first film. During an Eastern Orthodox baptism celebration in Pale, Bosnia, the moderate Bosnian Finance Minister, who had been advocating for peace in the Yugoslav Wars, is assassinated. At a missile base located in Kartaly (Chelyabinsk Oblast), Russia, ten nuclear warheads from a SS-18 Satan ICBM are being loaded onto a train headed for a dismantling facility. However, Russian Army General Aleksandr Kodoroff and his rogue Spetznaz unit take control of the train and transfer nine of the warheads to ...

Based on the 1881 novel by Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady (1996) is a British-American film directed by Jane Campion and adapted by Laura Jones. Isabel Archer, a striking woman, has turned down multiple potential suitors including Lord Warburton and Caspar Goodwood, whom she had initially given hope to. Her close friend Henrietta arranges for Caspar’s visit, as she deeply cares for Isabel. Isabel’s fierce personality and independent nature are admired by her cousin Ralph Touchett, who convinces his father ...

Batman Forever (1995) is an American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. It is based on the DC Comics character Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The movie takes place in Gotham City, where Batman intervenes in a hostage situation caused by Two-Face, who was once the district attorney Harvey Dent. However, Two-Face manages to escape. Through flashbacks, we learn that Two-Face was disfigured with acid by mobster Sal Maroni, which ...

My Life (1993) is an American drama film written, directed and co-produced by Bruce Joel Rubin. Bob Ivanovich, a young Ukrainian-American, prays one night for a circus to be erected in his backyard the following day. After school the next day, he eagerly runs home with his friends, hoping to see the circus. However, they are all disappointed to find that there is no circus. Feeling angry, Bob retreats to his personal space in the closet in his room. He has distanced himself from his Ukrainian-born parents due to their customs and traditions, which led him to change his last name to Jones and move away from his family in ...

Far and Away (1992) is an American epic Western romantic adventure drama film directed by Ron Howard from a screenplay by Bob Dolman. In Ireland in 1892, tenant farmers worked land they could never own and paid unfairly high rents to their wealthy landlords. Joseph Donnelly dreamed of owning his own land, but after his father’s death, their family home is burned down by their landlord Daniel Christie’s men for unpaid rent. Seeking revenge, Joseph travels to Daniel’s home to kill him but only ends up injured. Nursed back to health by Daniel’s wife Nora ...

Days of Thunder (1990) is an American sports action drama film that showcases the journey of young USAC racer, Cole Trickle. He is offered a spot on Chevrolet dealership tycoon Tim Daland’s NASCAR Cup Series team, with former crew chief and car builder Harry Hogge coming out of retirement to lead his pit crew. Following a successful private test at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Cole is given a new chassis and officially joins the team. However, he faces several challenges in his debut race at Phoenix, struggling to adapt to the larger NASCAR stock cars, communicate with his crew, and fend off aggressive driver Rowdy Burns. These issues, along with crashes and engine ...