Actress Rooney Mara (1985)

Nightmare Alley (2021) is a neo-noir psychological thriller film co-written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. Based on William Lindsay Gresham’s novel of the same name from 1946, it is the second adaptation following the 1947 version. In 1939, Stan Carlisle sets ablaze a rundown house after hiding a corpse under its floorboards. Later that night, while attending a carnival, he witnesses a disturbed individual consuming a live chicken as part of the geek show. Meeting Bruno, the strongman of the carnival, Stan is offered a temporary job for the evening. After being ...

Mary Magdalene (2018) is a biblical drama film, telling the story of its titular character. Set in Judea during 33 AD, Mary is a young woman from the village of Magdala by the Sea of Galilee. Strong-willed and determined to break away from societal norms that limit women to being wives and mothers, she longs for freedom. However, her rejection of a marriage proposal from family friend Ephraim leads her brother Daniel and father Elisha to believe she is possessed by a demon. As a result, they arrange an exorcism. In search of help, Elisha turns to Jesus – a healer who has become renowned among the local Jewish population for his teachings on love, peace, and ...

Terrence Malick’s American experimental romantic drama film, Song to Song (2017), follows the story of Faye, a guitarist seeking success in Austin, Texas. Her journey leads her to become involved with both record producer Cook and musician BV. As Faye’s relationship with BV deepens, she embarks on a secret affair with Cook, leading to a trip to Mexico with all three of them. Meanwhile, Rhonda, a former kindergarten teacher now working as a waitress at a diner, catches the eye of Cook and they eventually marry. However, their professional and personal lives become strained as tensions rise between Cook and ...

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 ...

Carol (2015) is a touching romantic drama set in the past and directed by Todd Haynes. The film, based on acclaimed author Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt, features a screenplay written by Phyllis Nagy. It takes place during the holiday season of 1952 and follows the story of Therese Belivet, an aspiring photographer who works at Frankenberg’s department store in New York City. One day, while working at the store, Therese meets Carol Aird – a strikingly beautiful woman in search of a ...

Director Joe Wright and writer Jason Fuchs collaborated on the American fantasy film, Pan (2015). As a baby, Peter was left at a London orphanage with a mysterious pan flute pendant from his mother Mary. Years later in World War II, Peter and his friend Nibs attempt to steal food from the selfish Mother Barnabas, who has been hoarding resources for herself. During this, they discover a letter from Peter’s mother expressing her love and promising to reunite with him in this or another world. As punishment, Mother Barnabas summons pirates who capture Peter, Nibs, and ...

The film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) is based on the novel by Swedish writer Stieg Larsson. Directed by David Fincher and written by Steven Zaillian, it follows journalist Mikael Blomkvist in Stockholm as he deals with the consequences of a libel suit against businessman Hans-Erik Wennerström. To resolve this issue, wealthy Henrik Vanger offers Blomkvist a unique task: investigating the 40-year-old disappearance of his grandniece Harriet, who is believed to have been murdered. Each year on his birthday, Vanger ...

The American biographical drama film, The Social Network (2010), directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin, is based on the 2009 book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich. On October 28, 2003, Mark Zuckerberg – a 19-year-old Harvard University sophomore – is dumped by his girlfriend Erica Albright. After returning to his dorm room, Zuckerberg uses his LiveJournal blog to post an insulting message about Albright. Seeking revenge for the breakup, he creates a website called Facemash ...

In his feature directorial debut, Samuel Bayer helmed the American supernatural slasher film A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010). Written by Wesley Strick and Eric Heisserer, it serves as a remake of the 1984 film of the same name by Wes Craven. While at the Springwood Diner, Dean Russell falls asleep and is attacked by a grotesque figure dressed in seared clothing and sporting a bladed gardener’s glove on his right hand. The dream ends with Dean’s death. At his funeral, Kris discovers an old photograph of ...