Lily Hardman

The 2026 Edinburgh International Film Festival showcased 38 new feature films and 21 world premieres, with Kieron J. Walsh’s Northern Irish drama Skintown winning the Sean Connery Prize. The selections highlighted independent filmmaking and emerging directors, while the festival also celebrated the 30th anniversary of Trainspotting. Five standout films receive particular praise: First Zone for its restrained climate-change meditation, Extra Geography for its sharp private-school satire, Hope for its audacious monster spectacle, Empty Heaven for its politically grounded Iranian-Canadian comedy, and My NDA for exposing how non-disclosure agreements can silence workers reporting serious abuse. The overall programme is portrayed as evidence of the vitality, ambition and social relevance of contemporary independent cinema.

Simon Ryninks’ debut feature follows Maz, a teenager in a 1999 West Wales seaside town who believes her father was abducted by aliens rather than killed in a military accident. The review praises the film’s affectionate portrayal of the region, dry humour, nostalgic Y2K setting, sharp script and performances—especially Nerys Amber Stocks and Remy Beasley—while noting that Aneurin Barnard occasionally overplays his role and Alice Lowe is underused. Overall, the film is judged a promising, original and emotionally grounded addition to the UFO genre.

David Robert Mitchell’s The End of Oak Street follows the Platt family after their suburban neighborhood is transported to the Jurassic period. The review praises the film’s blend of 1980s nostalgia, family drama, horror and science-fiction adventure, particularly its cinematography, sound design and strategically used dinosaur effects. With an $85 million budget, Mitchell is said to create creatures that are more convincing and frightening than those in recent Jurassic Park films. Although the movie is not revolutionary and leaves its time-travel mechanics largely unexplained, its retro setting and emotionally grounded family story make it an effective and enjoyable throwback.

DVD director’s commentaries provided detailed, intimate insight from filmmakers and collaborators, but their popularity has declined as streaming replaced physical media and distributors cut bonus features. Specialist companies such as Criterion, Arrow Video, Neon and A24 continue the practice, yet the article argues that interviews, podcasts and promotional content cannot match a scene-by-scene commentary. Fans are encouraged to collect older DVDs while the format’s richest period remains available.

David Jonsson’s casting in the Black Panther franchise could give the MCU a major new star, but the article argues that superhero commitments can restrict actors’ creative development. His performances in Rye Lane and Wasteman demonstrate striking range, emotional subtlety and screen presence, while The Long Walk further confirms his charisma. Working with Ryan Coogler may make the MCU a valuable launching pad rather than a career stagnation point, though Jonsson is portrayed as destined for more complex and artistically ambitious roles.

The piece argues that Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey succeeds through its epic scale, practical effects and confident reinterpretation of the source, but falters by omitting much of the poem’s sexuality and absurdity. While Emily Wilson’s criticism is considered largely valid, the author maintains that a truly faithful adaptation must also impose a distinctive artistic vision. Park Chan-wook is proposed as the filmmaker most capable of combining textual fidelity, visual ambition, humour, violence, eroticism and creative transformation.

The theft of an unencrypted drive containing Nicolas Cage’s unreleased film Fortitude has prompted a $105 million lawsuit against Netflix, but it is not the first major case of analogue movie theft. The article recounts six documented thefts of The Return of the Jedi prints during the rise of home VCRs, including armed robberies, and describes the later theft of The Prince of Egypt’s master reel from DreamWorks by a sex worker seeking compensation after an employee allegedly refused payment. The reel was recovered by LAPD detective Fabian Ospina, who received a private screening of Antz as thanks.

Samantha Morton’s performance as Circe in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is presented as a brief but haunting highlight that crystallizes the film’s themes of male presumptuousness and brutality. The piece argues that Morton has remained underrated not because of her appearance but because her immersive, transformative performances make audiences focus on her characters rather than on her celebrity. Her work in films including Under the Skin, Morvern Callar, Minority Report and Mister Lonely is cited as evidence of her range, restraint and ability to become the emotional center of otherwise uneven material. The Odyssey may introduce her to a much wider audience and prompt renewed interest in her acclaimed back catalogue.

Clockwork, Warner Bros.' new specialty label, is presented as an unexpectedly promising force in independent film distribution despite its connection to a major studio. Its early slate includes projects from Sean Baker, a restoration of Ken Russell's The Devils, a reunion between Rose Byrne and Mary Bronstein, and Park Chan-wook's The Brigands of Rattlecreek. The label's willingness to back challenging, niche and potentially controversial films contrasts with the reputational damage suffered by Mubi and A24 after controversial funding and partnership decisions. Although Clockwork should not be exempt from scrutiny of Warner Bros.' corporate conduct, its selective and daring programming currently projects an image of creative independence.

The piece revisits the troubled production and reception of Another 9½ Weeks, the 1997 sequel to 9½ Weeks. Mickey Rourke returned as John Gray, while Kim Basinger declined to reprise her role, leaving the sequel to follow Gray’s pursuit of Elizabeth’s friend Lea in Paris. The film repeats elements of the original’s eroticized abuse while adding an unexpectedly bleak revelation about Elizabeth’s addiction and death. Although the review considers the sequel poorly acted, visually awkward and largely indefensible, it argues that its ending more closely reflects the trauma and abuse of Ingeborg Day’s memoir than the first film did.

Another 9½ Weeks, released more than a decade after 9½ Weeks, emerged from troubled production circumstances and Mickey Rourke’s career decline, while Kim Basinger declined to return. Directed by Anne Goursaud after Adrian Lyne’s departure, the sequel follows Rourke’s character to Paris as he pursues the friend of his former lover, recreating sexual scenarios from her diary. The film was criticized for implausible plotting, poor acting, exploitative depictions of assault and Rourke’s altered appearance, but its revelation that Elizabeth died destitute after drug addiction aligns more closely with the traumatic source memoir and the writers’ darker original intentions. Ultimately, it is presented as an unappealing yet strangely compelling direct-to-video curiosity.

Film writer Lily Hardman argues that moviegoers need a deliberate period of reflection after leaving the cinema rather than immediately returning to phones, shopping or everyday obligations. She criticizes multiplexes for turning on lights and cleaning before credits finish, while praising independent cinemas that provide calmer transitions. Drawing on her own experiences with running, walking, writing and socialising after films, Hardman suggests that viewers should develop personal post-cinema rituals to preserve the contemplative, almost sacred quality of serious filmmaking in an age of shrinking attention spans and passive content consumption.

The Sheep Detectives is presented as a warmhearted animated murder mystery about talking sheep who use lessons from mystery novels to solve a killing. The film, directed by Kyle Balda and written by Craig Mazin, combines an eccentric human cast with voice performances from prominent actors, while its central sheep characters provide both comedy and emotional depth. Beyond its cozy whodunnit structure, the film thoughtfully addresses mortality and discrimination, using CGI and a child-friendly fantasy setting to explore difficult subjects without becoming preachy or maudlin. Its emotional sincerity and character-driven storytelling are contrasted favorably with the perceived empty spectacle of many Marvel films.

Christopher Nolan’s star-studded casting in The Odyssey gives Homer’s epic a sense of scale by using actors as cultural symbols and archetypal shorthand. Samantha Morton is identified as the clear standout, bringing emotional complexity and originality to a reimagined Circe. Other major performers are seen as relying largely on familiar screen personas, while Charlize Theron and Zendaya effectively communicate the authority of their goddess characters with limited dialogue. The casting also exposes Nolan’s weakness in writing women: most female characters gain weight through the actors’ star power rather than through substantial characterization. Circe is the exception, offering evidence of a more imaginative and emotionally developed approach.

Curry Barker’s horror film Obsession is interpreted as an accidental allegory for the AI alignment problem. Its magical One Wish Willow grants Bear’s literal wish that Nikki love him more than anyone else, producing an obsessive and destructive result rather than the healthy relationship he intended. The film illustrates how a nonhuman system can follow an ambiguous instruction precisely while ignoring the user’s values and underlying intentions, offering a more effective cinematic depiction of AI risk than films that simply anthropomorphise artificial intelligence.

Dolly De Leon is praised as an exceptionally versatile and memorable actor whose performances in Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed and Triangle of Sadness demonstrate her command of subtle character detail, dry humor, and dramatic transformation. After decades of minor roles and work outside the Philippine entertainment industry, her international breakthrough brought Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. The piece argues that casting directors should give her far more prominent roles, including lead parts, because she has earned wider recognition and opportunities.

Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey gains its force by removing much of Homer’s emphasis on hospitality, celebratory banquets, divine intervention and heroic glory. The film instead presents Odysseus, played by Matt Damon, as a brilliant but destructive war leader haunted by the Trojan horse deception and the suffering he caused. Calypso, Hades and Athena become spaces or figures associated with memory, guilt and culpability rather than straightforward mythological encounters. The collapse of xenia, or sacred hospitality, is framed as a consequence of Odysseus turning a peace offering into a weapon, creating a cycle of fear and violence. Rather than reclaiming Ithaca’s throne, he exiles himself with Penelope and leaves power to their pacifist son Telemachus, making the story a meditation on unintended consequences, mistrust and the limited possibility of redemption.

Ron Howard identifies the filming of the climactic land-race sequence in the 1992 film Far and Away as his most cherished career moment, surpassing major accolades. The scene, shot with 13 cameras and extensive practical elements, held deep personal significance as his own ancestors participated in the historical events it portrays. Sharing the moment with his father, who appeared in the scene, made the experience a rare blend of large-scale filmmaking and family history, offering Howard what he described as the closest thing to stepping into a time machine.

Yard Act discuss recording their forthcoming album, You're Gonna Need A Little Music, between Leeds and Los Angeles. Frontman James Smith and his bandmates explain that Leeds provided the record's grounded foundation while Los Angeles influenced its optimism and atmosphere, without changing the band's regional identity. They reject pressure to relocate to London or the United States, arguing that remaining in Leeds preserves their perspective and connection to grassroots music. The band also criticize the music industry's London-centric structure, oversaturation and growing focus on virality, while emphasizing the importance of independent and DIY communities. Artistically, the new album moves away from the overt social commentary of The Overload and the introspection of Where's My Utopia? toward more subconscious, emotionally evocative songwriting and greater experimentation.

Canadian actors, directors, and musicians have played an outsized role in shaping Hollywood and the broader entertainment industry, often being mistakenly assumed American due to their prominence. From pioneering early figures like Mary Pickford and Mack Sennett to major directors like James Cameron, Norman Jewison, and David Cronenberg, and beloved performers such as Keanu Reeves, Tatiana Maslany, and Catherine O’Hara, Canadians consistently demonstrate exceptional cultural influence despite their country’s comparatively small population. Their impact spans film, television, comedy, and music, revealing a deep well of talent that Americans frequently overlook until they search the biographies of the artists they admire.

Wild in the Streets is reinterpreted as an unexpectedly prescient satire of modern American politics, with the film’s power‑hungry young celebrity Max Frost viewed as an early analogue for Donald Trump’s rise. The article highlights parallels in authoritarian behavior, spectacle-driven politics, and ideological emptiness while contrasting the film’s ultimately harmless exploitation style with the real-world consequences of Trump-era governance. The narrative argues that grievance‑based power structures inevitably collapse, echoing the film’s ending as a metaphor for potential political downfall.

The article traces how ‘Cape Fear’ evolved from John D. MacDonald’s brief novel into multiple screen adaptations, arguing that each version added complexity while drifting from the original’s simplicity and tension. The 1962 film is credited with defining Max Cady as an iconic villain through Robert Mitchum’s performance and Hitchcock-inspired direction. Scorsese’s 1991 remake expanded character flaws and intensified violence, shifting the story’s focus and moral dynamics. The 2026 Apple TV series takes the greatest liberties, multiplying plotlines and reframing characters, resulting in an entertaining but chaotic reimagining. The piece concludes that the 1962 adaptation remains the most effective and enduring interpretation.

Olivia Wilde’s The Invite expands a chamber-piece premise into an energetic, cinematic relationship comedy featuring sharp writing and nuanced performances from its four leads. Adapted from Cesc Gay’s Sentimental, the film uses tight camerawork, brisk pacing and a tense atmosphere to elevate a single-location story about two couples confronting insecurity, desire and millennial disillusionment. Seth Rogen delivers a standout performance, while Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton balance the escalating emotional friction. The screenplay blends wit and honesty, exploring romantic malaise and personal stagnation with surprising depth and unpredictability.

Anne Hathaway’s extensive 2026 slate spans major studio releases and ambitious auteur projects, showcasing her range from pop‑star drama to literary thriller and big‑budget epic. Despite lingering perceptions that she is overly earnest, her work ethic and varied performances are highlighted as proof of her long‑overdue recognition. A mix of box office success and creative acclaim positions her as one of the year’s dominant stars.