Actress Toni Collette (1972)

Pieces of Her (2022) is a thrilling drama series on Netflix, created by Charlotte Stoudt and based on the novel of the same name by Karin Slaughter. The story follows Andy, a 30-year-old woman who finds herself in the midst of a deadly shooting at a local diner. As she processes the events and her mother’s swift actions to eliminate the threat, Andy’s perception of their relationship changes. However, her mother’s past quickly catches up to them and Andy must flee as she seeks to uncover buried truths. Amidst a routine ...

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 ...

Knives Out (2019) is a compelling American mystery penned and helmed by Rian Johnson. The talented Daniel Craig leads an impressive eleven-actor cast as renowned private detective Benoit Blanc, called upon to investigate the tragic death of celebrated writer Harlan Thrombey. The morning after his lavish eighty-fifth birthday party at his Norfolk County estate, Thrombey’s body is found in his attic study with a fatal knife wound. His dysfunctional family, including his mother, children, spouses, and grandchildren, were all present at the party. The previous evening, ...

Lucky Them (2013), an American comedy-drama film by Megan Griffiths, follows Ellie Klug, a music critic in her 40s at Stax, a dying underground magazine. For her next assignment, Giles, her editor, tasks Ellie with writing about Matthew Smith’s mysterious disappearance and assumed suicide on its 10th anniversary. While most people believe he is dead, Ellie, who was Matthew’s childhood sweetheart and last remained with him before he vanished, remains hopeful of finding him. After an online tip leads her to a potential lead on Matthew’s whereabouts, Giles gives Ellie a thousand dollars to pay the source. ...

Tsunami: The Aftermath (2006), an American disaster drama TV miniseries, portrays the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Written by Abi Morgan and directed by Bharat Nalluri, it is a joint production of HBO and the BBC. Through intertwining plotlines, we witness the personal tragedies faced by various characters. The Carter family, consisting of Ian, Susie, and their six-year-old daughter Martha, desperately search for her after she was carried away by the tsunami. In addition, Kim Peabody and her son Adam also scour the destruction for Kim’s ...

Curtis Hanson directed the American romantic comedy-drama film, In Her Shoes (2005), written by Susannah Grant and based on Jennifer Weiner’s novel of the same name. Raised by their father Michael and stepmother Sydelle after their mother Caroline’s tragic death in a car accident, sisters Maggie and Rose Feller are quite dissimilar. Despite her flaws, Rose is fiercely protective of Maggie, while Maggie, a free spirit with dyslexia, struggles to hold down a job and turns to alcohol and men for support. When ...

Changing Lanes (2002) is an American drama thriller film directed by Roger Michell, featuring Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson as the main characters. In New York City, two men find themselves in a rush to get to court for very different reasons. One is a recovering alcoholic named Doyle Gipson, who is fighting for joint custody of his sons after attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to maintain sobriety. The other is Gavin Banek, a successful Wall Street attorney, who needs to file an important document before ...

The American action crime thriller film, Shaft (2000), was both co-written and co-produced by John Singleton. In the initial investigation of Trey Howard’s brutal attack outside a restaurant in 1998, NYPD Detective John Shaft apprehends Walter Wade Jr., the son of a wealthy real estate mogul, after noticing blood on his person. Claiming self-defense, Wade is taken into custody by Shaft. While surveying the scene, Shaft notices an injured waitress named Diane Palmieri who appears to be eyeing Wade. Attempting to gather crucial information from her, Shaft is unsuccessful in coaxing a statement. A friend of ...

The Sixth Sense (1999) is a psychological thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Set in Philadelphia, the story follows child psychologist Malcolm Crowe, who is haunted by his past failure with a former patient named Vincent Grey. After breaking into Malcolm’s home, Vincent shoots Malcolm before taking his own life, leaving the psychologist grappling with guilt and regret. Months later, Malcolm embarks on a new case with nine-year-old Cole Sear, who reminds him of Vincent. Desperate to make amends for his previous shortcomings, Malcolm is determined to help Cole overcome his struggles and find ...

Velvet Goldmine (1998), a musical drama film written and directed by Todd Haynes from a story by Haynes and James Lyons, follows British journalist Arthur Stuart as he delves into the mysterious withdrawal of 1970s glam rock icon Brian Slade. Stuart interviews those involved in Slade’s career, each recalling their experiences which become a vignette for that particular segment of Slade’s life. Along with exploring the vibrant rock shows, fashion, and journalism of 1970s Britain, the film also touches on ...