Simon Thompson presents ten great movies about making movies… The job of a filmmaker is one of great artistic fulfilment, but it is also a taxing, emotionally fraught line of work connected to a rapidly changing industry that is more often than not undergoing a great existential crisis over being about art or commerce. It […]
The Rise of John Carpenter: Maestro of Horror
Simon Thompson looks at the rise of John Carpenter and his peak years throughout the 1970s and 80s… Director, musician, and Master Roshi look-alike John Howard Carpenter is a living legend. Carpenter’s work has guided scores of creatives from filmmakers, to musicians, to writers, to illustrators and game designers – a legacy of which very […]
Great TV Shows That Were Cancelled Too Soon
Simon Thompson with ten great television shows that were cancelled too soon… Over a lifetime of watching TV shows, I’ve come to realise that television show life expectancy is the exact opposite of boxing. In boxing great fighters almost always continue when their best days are long behind them, but when it comes to TV […]
The Rise of Paul Thomas Anderson: A Living Legend
Ahead of One Battle After Another, Simon Thompson takes a deep dive into the rise of filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson… Paul Thomas Anderson is a filmmaker with a career that feels like a study in irony. He’s an arthouse filmmaker, but possesses Hollywood insider status, seemingly able to tell his stories even in the most […]
Ten Unmade Film Masterpieces
Simon Thompson looks at the story behind ten great unmade films… “What if…?” scenarios are something which truly gnaw at the human psyche, in almost every context. Socially, romantically, and professionally human beings constantly mull over things that they didn’t do or say, and how they would play it if they had a second chance […]
The Rise and Disappointing Disappearance of Director Richard Kelly
Simon Thompson looks at the rise and disappointing disappearance of filmmaker Richard Kelly… The paradox of being a talented independent film director is that if your work is deemed to be interesting and unique, eventually mainstream Hollywood will come along and try and co-opt it into being like everyone else’s. Kelly (and his contemporary Shane […]
10 Great Comedic Talents Wasted By Hollywood
Simon Thompson looks at ten great comedic talents wasted by Hollywood…. The only thing that is possibly as difficult as being genuinely funny, is finding the right starring vehicle for a unique comic talent. While some of the names on this list have found great success in roles on the small screen, when it comes […]
Great Director’s Cuts That Are Better Than The Original Theatrical Versions
Simon Thompson looks at ten great director’s cuts that improve on the original theatrical editions… Director’s cuts are a strange beast indeed. Some of them completely enhance or make amends for the initial movie’s strengths and/or short-comings, but others usually add far too much water to a perfectly good beer (cough… Apocalypse Now Redux…cough) and […]
Incredible Character Actors Who Elevate Every Film
Simon Thompson with ten incredible character actors who are guaranteed to elevate any film… If movies and football have one thing in common it’s the fact that whilst having star names to get people in the building is all well and good, it’s what you have to bring off the bench that can make or […]
Johnnie To, Hong Kong Cinema’s Modern Master
Simon Thompson delves into the career of Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To… Intensely prolific (with a back-catalogue dating all the way back to 1980) and defiant, Johnnie To is a Hong Kong filmmaking giant who, despite approaching the age of 70 this year, has shown no sign of slowing down or falling out of love […]
