Actor Ralph Fiennes (1962)

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts (2022) is a television special, released on HBO Max on New Year’s Day, celebrating the first installment of the beloved film series. Produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television and executive produced by Casey Patterson, this reunion honors the late cast members, including Helen McCrory, Alan Rickman, John Hurt, Richard Griffiths, and

The Forgiven (2021), a crime drama film, is both written and directed by John Michael McDonagh and adapted from the 2012 novel of the same name by Lawrence Osborne. Married couple David and Jo Henninger journey to Morocco in an attempt to alleviate the tension between them. While on a winding road, David unintentionally strikes and kills a young teen holding a fossil. As they bring the deceased teenager, known as Driss, to their friend Richard Galloway’s house during a celebration, David agrees to report it as an accidental death due to his intoxicated state while ...

The King’s Man (2021), a spy action film directed by Matthew Vaughn, is the third installment in the British Kingsman franchise. Based on the comic book The Secret Service, it serves as a prequel to Kingsman: The Secret Service and Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Set in 1902 during the Second Boer War, British aristocrat Orlando, Duke of Oxford, and his family visit a refugee camp in South Africa while working for the British Red Cross. Tragically, Orlando’s wife Emily is fatally wounded in a sniper attack on the camp and makes her husband promise to keep their son away from ...

No Time to Die (2021) is the latest installment in the James Bond franchise, marking its twenty-fifth film produced by Eon Productions. Madeleine Swann, as a young girl, witnesses her mother’s murder at the hands of terrorist Lyutsifer Safin. Safin’s family was previously assassinated by Swann’s father, Mr. White, under orders from Ernst Stavro Blofeld. In self-defense, Swann shoots Safin and escapes but falls into a frozen lake where Bond rescues her. Years later, after Blofeld’s arrest, Swann joins Bond on a trip to Matera where she convinces him to visit the grave of his former lover ...

Stephen Gaghan directed the American fantasy adventure film, Dolittle (2020). The screenplay was co-written by Gaghan, Dan Gregor, and Doug Mand, based on a story by Thomas Shepherd. Set in Victorian era Britain, the film follows Dr. John Dolittle, a Welsh veterinarian with the unique ability to communicate with animals. After his wife Lily’s death at sea, Dolittle isolates himself from human society and focuses solely on ...

Hail, Caesar! (2016) is a period black comedy film that takes place in 1951 Hollywood. Eddie Mannix, head of property protection at Capitol Pictures, has the crucial job of shielding the studio’s stars from scandal and upholding their desired public image. Unfortunately, this responsibility leads him to frequent visits to the Catholic church confessional, much to the chagrin of the clergy. Despite his wife’s urgent requests, Eddie struggles to quit smoking on a day that’s even worse than usual – and ‘usual’ is already pretty bad for him. To add to his troubles, DeeAnna Moran, the wholesome and unmarried ‘mermaid’ of the ...

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) is an American stop-motion animated action fantasy film produced by Laika. The story takes place in feudal Japan, where a 12-year-old boy named Kubo lives with his ill mother in a mountain cave near a village. Despite having lost an eye, Kubo uses his magical abilities and plays the shamisen to make origami for the villagers. Through his performances, he shares the tale of his missing father Hanzo, a samurai warrior. However, Kubo is never able to complete the story as he doesn’t know what happened to his father and his mother’s deteriorating mental state prevents her from remembering the ending. She also warns him not to be ...

A Bigger Splash (2015) is a psychological drama film directed by Luca Guadagnino with a screenplay by David Kajganich, based on a story by Alain Page. Set in an isolated villa on the small Italian island of Pantelleria, the film follows world-famous rock singer Marianne Lane and her filmmaker lover Paul De Smedt as they vacation together. Marianne is recovering from surgery and has lost her voice, communicating through signs and whispers. Meanwhile, Paul is overcoming alcohol addiction and a recent suicide attempt. Despite ...

Spectre (2015) is the latest James Bond film produced by Eon Productions. Tasked with a mission by his former boss, M, MI6 agent James Bond foils a bombing attempt at a Day of the Dead festival in Mexico City. After recovering a telltale octopus ring from the deceased attacker, Marco Sciarra, Bond uncovers his involvement with an enigmatic organization. However, upon returning to London, the new M – Gareth Mallory – reprimands Bond for acting without authorization. Meanwhile, M finds himself embroiled in a power struggle with Max Denbigh (dubbed ‘C’ by Bond), Director-General of the newly formed Joint Intelligence Service that combines ...

The comedy-drama film, The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), is written and directed by Wes Anderson. A teenage girl pays a visit to the monument of the author who wrote ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ and finds inspiration in his story. This author was inspired to write the book during his stay at the once-luxurious hotel located in the European mountainous country formerly known as Zubrowka. Despite its current dilapidated state in 1968, the hotel holds a special place in the heart of its owner, Mr. Zero Moustafa. He shares with the author how he came to acquire it and why he continues to keep it open despite not ...

Skyfall (2012) is the twenty-third installment in the iconic James Bond series produced by Eon Productions. Starring Daniel Craig as the titular MI6 agent and featuring Javier Bardem as his adversary Raoul Silva, the film sees Judi Dench reprising her role as M. Under the direction of Sam Mendes and written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and

In the fantasy film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011), directed by David Yates from a screenplay by Steve Kloves, our hero must seek help from the goblin Griphook after burying Dobby. With Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger by his side, Harry suspects a Horcrux is hidden in Bellatrix Lestrange’s vault at Gringotts bank. Griphook agrees to assist them, on the condition that he receives the Sword of Gryffindor in return. Ollivander informs Harry that two wands previously belonging to Bellatrix and Draco Malfoy were taken from Malfoy Manor; sensing a ...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) is a fantasy film directed by David Yates and written by Steve Kloves. Based on J. K. Rowling’s novel of the same name, it is the first of two cinematic installments. At Malfoy Manor, Severus Snape meets with Lord Voldemort and his followers to report that Harry Potter will be moved to a safe location by the Order of the Phoenix. Voldemort takes Lucius Malfoy’s wand since his own is powerless against Harry’s, as they both share a phoenix feather core. ...

In his directorial debut, Martin McDonagh brings us In Bruges (2008), a black comedy-drama crime thriller. Following orders, inexperienced hitman Ray unintentionally shoots a young boy instead of his target, a priest during confession. Along with his mentor Ken, Ray travels to Bruges as instructed by their employer Harry, to wait for further instructions. While Ken finds the city enchanting and peaceful, Ray is unimpressed and unhappy. However, their boredom is momentarily interrupted when they come across a movie being filmed with a dwarf actor. This entertains Ray greatly. During his time in Bruges, Ray also meets Chloë – a local drug dealer who is working as ...

The fantasy film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), was directed by David Yates and written by Michael Goldenberg. It was based on the 2003 novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. While staying at the Dursleys’, Harry Potter is attacked by Dementors alongside his cousin, Dudley. With the use of a Patronus spell, Harry repels them successfully. However, this results in him being detected by the Ministry of Magic for underage magic use, leading to his temporary expulsion from Hogwarts. Luckily, he is ...

The fantasy film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), directed by Mike Newell from a screenplay by Steve Kloves, is based on the 2000 novel of the same name by J.K. Rowling. In the film, Harry has a nightmare in which a Muggle caretaker is murdered for overhearing a plot involving Lord Voldemort, Peter Pettigrew, and an unidentified man. The next day, Harry joins the Weasleys, Hermione Granger, Cedric Diggory, and his father Amos at the Quidditch World Cup. However, their evening is disrupted when Death Eaters ...

The psychological thriller, Red Dragon (2002), is an adaptation of Thomas Harris’s 1981 novel. Directed by Brett Ratner and written by Ted Tally, the story follows FBI agent Will Graham in 1980 as he seeks assistance from forensic psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter in a case. After working together on a psychological profile of a killer, Graham becomes convinced that the murderer is also a cannibal. However, when Lecter realizes Graham is getting close to discovering his true identity, he stabs him. Despite this attack, ...

The animated musical drama film, The Prince of Egypt (1998), was created by DreamWorks Animation and released by DreamWorks Pictures. In the land of Ancient Egypt, the Hebrew people who were enslaved prayed to their God for deliverance. Pharaoh Seti feared that the growing numbers of Hebrews could lead to rebellion, so he commanded a mass infanticide of all newborn Hebrew boys. Yocheved, along with her two children Miriam and Aaron, quickly made their way to the Nile River. There, she placed her newborn son in a basket on the water while singing him a final lullaby. As the basket floated towards Seti’s palace, Miriam followed and watched as her brother was ...

The romantic drama film, Oscar and Lucinda (1997), directed by Gillian Armstrong, follows the lives of two individuals – Lucinda Leplastrier and Oscar. As a child growing up in Australia, Lucinda is captivated by a Prince Rupert’s Drop, which sparks her lifelong passion for glass. Sadly, her parents pass away and she inherits great wealth when her guardians sell off their family farmland. With her newfound riches, Lucinda purchases a glass factory and becomes involved in gambling after being introduced to it by her accountant. Meanwhile, Oscar is raised by his father as a Plymouth Brother but eventually ...

Schindler’s List (1993) is an epic historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Zaillian. The movie is adapted from the 1982 novel Schindler’s Ark by Australian writer Thomas Keneally. Set during World War II in Kraków, Poland, the film depicts the Nazis’ forced relocation of local Polish Jews to the cramped Kraków Ghetto. Oskar Schindler, a Czechoslovakian member of the German Nazi Party, arrives in the city with dreams of riches. He uses bribery to obtain ...