Ethan Soffe

This piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labour of the actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn't exist.
Two teenagers. Two individuals with contrasting social backgrounds. One life-changing road trip to the north of England. This is the story of Black Dog.
Our main protagonists? The first person: Nathan (Jamie Flatters) desires to run away from his foster home to reunite with his long-lost sister, and the second person: Sam (Keenan Munn-Fra...

This piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labour of the actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn't exist.
“You'll vanish into the screen of secrets.”
A quote attributed to Persian polymath: Omar Khayyam, opens this documentary and guides viewers into an odyssey that awaits. A journey that involves a celebration of film culture amongst oppression and censorship. The two main subjects, Iranian filmmaker, and curator: Ehsan Khoshbakht and his la...

This piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labour of the actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn't exist.
The outlaw motorcycle subculture became prevalent throughout the 1960's counterculture movement. Numerous gangs, such as the Hell's Angels, started emerging through the latter half of 20th century American history. Inspired by the 1967 photo-book of the same name and set between 1965-1973, The Bikeriders is the story of a fictional gang n...

Crime, profanity, sex, and violence — all of these taboo aspects became strictly prohibited under the Hollywood Hays Code from 1934 until 1968. This historic censorship set out to preserve moral integrity and to prevent perceived harmful influence amongst film audiences. Numerous “Don’ts” and “Be Carefuls” were first enforced in 1927 as a frantic effort to ban suggestive content previously under the code. However, it was merely after July 1934 that severe censorship of these rules was actuall...

As part of the second edition of the watchAUT Austrian Film Festival this month, award-winning drama Eismayer makes its UK debut as one of Austria’s most anticipated upcoming films.
★★★★✰
Concealment of true identity and the all-encompassing fear of extreme hostility from others within your immediacy. Two devastating reminders for a closeted LGBTQ+ person to live with in daily life. Now imagine these highly discriminative qualities but situated in a military setting. Arguably, toxic perceptio...

With their most recent UK tour under their belt, FEET have blessed us with their latest single and first release of 2023, ‘Changing My Mind Again’. From their Coventry roots to rising indie pop status, the band exhibits an exuberant and mischievous persona that enriches their discography and this is no exemption in this latest single.

Previous FEET singles were slower indie-pop with impish descriptions of British culture. ‘Changing My Mind Again’ is far punchier and fast-paced, in contrast to...

As part of the second edition of the From Venice to London season, Monica makes its UK debut as one of five titles from last year’s Venice Film Festival.
★★★✰✰
Grief is a prevailing and unavoidable sentiment. The harsh contemplation that a close relative, friend, or partner will eventually die is a blunt reminder of profound mortality. It also teaches us that while all good things must ultimately come to an end, the relationship and attitudes you share with a person will last forever. These t...

This film is being screened as part of the 2022 BFI London Film Festival. You can find all of our coverage of the festival here.
From the visionary that brought us, Nightmare Alley and the Best Picture Oscar Winner, The Shape of Water, Guillermo Del Toro reinterprets the classic tale of the titular wooden boy, with his stop-motion animated debut.
★★★★✰
Monsters, fairy tales, horror, gothic settings, and the thoughtful visual splendour of fantasy. The amalgamation of all of these elements can ...

This film is being screened as part of the 2022 BFI London Film Festival. You can find all of our coverage of the festival here.
After years out of the public spotlight, Darren Aronofsky’s (Black Swan) latest outing sees the remarkably successful comeback of Brendan Fraser in this hypnotic psychological drama.
★★★★★
Throughout the past two decades of his career, Darren Aronofsky has led his direction on several viscerally challenging yet visually striking films. With stories such as Requiem f...

With the Safdie Brothers producing Owen Kline’s directorial debut, comes an offbeat story of teenage nonconformism and artistic yearning.
★★★★✰
Funnies: comical cartoons you would find in newspapers that usually lead to a punchline. They can sometimes represent a little story or simply a playful or even surreal joke. Apply this definition and amalgamate a coming-of-age narrative together, and the result is A24’s newest outing: Funny Pages. This latest dark comedy centres on aspiring cartoonis...

My very first memory of this film is from when I was around eight years old, and it all stemmed from one morning in primary school—The Iron Giant. Our class had a science lesson focused on robots, and it was here that I witnessed something magical. Not only did it kickstart my fascination with robots and science fiction, but this metallic titan would also eventually become one of my all-time favourite characters. As I grew up, I came to realise that The Iron Giant retains a far more poignant ...

A compelling portrait of an all-female thrash metal band attempting to succeed in the face of war and tradition in the Middle East shines within this year’s BFI Flare line-up.
★★★★✰
Over the years, the thrash metal genre has prospered and now arrives a new band on the scene—Lebanon’s first and only all-female thrash metal band Slave to Sirens.
Formed in 2016, Slave to Sirens comprises five members and has been struggling to find success in their hometown due to a conservative political core. ...

Wildhood is a delicate yet uplifting romantic drama concerning love and self-actualisation within the indigenous community.
★★★★✰
The voices of Indigenous peoples of America and Canada are often shockingly underrepresented in your average mainstream production. It is a further rare occurrence where a two-spirit relationship is depicted prominently in a film. This concept is a term used to illustrate an individual’s spiritual or sexual identity and serves as the vital focal point in Wildhood.
...

From the directors of the critically acclaimed, ‘Notes on Blindness’, comes their latest documentary, aiming to unearth the untold story of celebrated star Charlie Chaplin.
★★★✰✰
Charlie Chaplin. One leading name that has become synonymous with the evolution of cinema and comedy. Everyone can identify his signature appearance as “The Tramp” donning his iconic bowler hat, cane, and moustache. Chaplin’s career spanned for over 70 years with humble beginnings in vaudeville to producing some of c...