Feature Archives

Why isn’t Disney+ in the UK yet?

by Simon Brew | Jan 21, 2020 | Feature, News

Disney+ arrives in the US this winter, but a UK release is still weeks away - we take a look at what's going on....

Can we have a chat about jump scares?

by Guy Buckland | Jan 20, 2020 | Feature

Guy admits to a grave intolerance in his movie-consuming diet that has ruined his ability to enjoy a wider spectrum of films: the humble jump scare....

14 really good films you might not have heard of

by Maria Lattila | Jan 17, 2020 | Feature

Here's a list of movies of the last decade or so, if you're looking for something you may not have heard of to put on your to-watch list....

British Movie Podcast of the Week – Pick of the Flicks

by Em McGowan | Jan 17, 2020 | Feature

Our weekly slot where we highlight an independent UK movie podcast to try: this week, it's Pick Of The Flicks....

1917: a spoiler-filled chat about edits, the mini-backlash, and its other huge achievement

by Simon Brew | Jan 16, 2020 | Feature

It's one of the most talked about films of the year already - and here's a spoiler-filled conversation about 1917, and how its promotion has affected...

The lost Hitchcock film set in Disneyland

by Sarah Philip | Jan 15, 2020 | Feature

When North By Northwest proved a success, Alfred Hitchcock planned one of his most ambitious projects - and Walt Disney wasn't happy....

Wellbeing Matters: New Year, New Shoes

by Jane Roberts | Jan 15, 2020 | Feature

Jane returns with our weekly wellbeing column, in which she thinks about not setting resolutions, but finding happy stuff instead....

Oscars 2020: the Academy simply must do better

by Millicent Thomas | Jan 14, 2020 | Feature, News

The Oscar nominations arrived yesterday, and ongoing problems of representation are showing little sign of being solved....

How a cast and crew vote affected the last scene of Groundhog Day

by Simon Brew | Jan 14, 2020 | Feature

Tensions were high when shooting one of the last scenes for Groundhog Day - to the point where it took a cast and crew vote to resolve them....

The rise and fall of Jared Leto's Joker

by Emily Murray | Jan 13, 2020 | Feature

Jared Leto was set to take the role of The Joker forward across more than one DC movie - but things didn't quite go to plan....

British Movie Podcast of the Week – Show Me The Podcast

by Em McGowan | Jan 10, 2020 | Feature

Our weekly slot where we recommend an independent UK movie podcast - and this one started with Suicide Squad....

Making a low budget horror film in East Sussex

by Raine McCormack | Jan 09, 2020 | Feature

Director Raine McCormack takes us through the making of his incoming horror film, The Village In The Woods....

Brilliant films directed by women in 2019

by Becky Lea | Jan 08, 2020 | Feature

Just because awards ceremonies are snubbing them, doesn't mean the rest of us should - here are just some of the terrific films directed by women over...

Wellbeing matters: A Big Hello from our new regular column

by Jane Roberts | Jan 08, 2020 | Feature

Introducing Wellbeing Matters, a new weekly regular part of Film Stories - and Jane Roberts is here to introduce it all....

What's driving Manchester's cinema boom?

by Tobias Soar | Jan 08, 2020 | Feature

Tobias Soar uncovers why Manchester is the place to be for indie cinemas and cinephiles alike...

A quick word on 'British success' during movie awards season

by Guy Buckland | Jan 07, 2020 | Feature

In our national press’s hurry to lavish praise on a very specific subset of award winners, Guy suggests they overlook the real success of British m...

Burning rubber: the race to recreate Burnout

by Aaron Potter | Jan 06, 2020 | Feature, Gaming

From Dangerous Driving to Forza Horizon – how other arcade racers are expanding on Burnout’s exhilarating legacy

The six directors who have left the Uncharted movie so far

by Alfie Parsons | Jan 06, 2020 | Feature

Travis Knight now becomes the sixth director to leave the long-mooted Uncharted movie - and here's the timeline of everyone who's come and gone so...

Star Wars, The Rise Of Skywalker, Rose Tico and giving into the backlash

by Dan Cooper | Jan 06, 2020 | Feature, News

The Rise Of Skywalker has found itself facing criticism for the way it follows on from its predecessor - but with some justification....

Mark Kermode’s Secrets Of Cinema returning later this year

by Simon Brew | Jan 06, 2020 | Feature, News

Mark Kermode confirms that three more episodes of Secrets Of Cinema are in the offing....

Networking: necessary, but not always evil

by Antony de Fault | Jan 02, 2020 | Feature, Gaming

It’s considered by some to be the dark art of the bloodsucking corporate climber. Here’s why networking’s the opposite

Cats, critical response and schadenfreude

by Simon Brew | Dec 24, 2019 | Feature, News

The Cats movie has been facing hostile reviews - one or two leaving a little bit of a sour taste....

Star Wars, The Rise Of Skywalker, and a broken trilogy: a spoiler-filled analysis

by John Moore | Dec 23, 2019 | Feature, News

Spoilers: the story decisions in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker lead to a trilogy that struggles to hang together....

British indie cinema focus: Screen Machine, Edinburgh

by Dan Cooper | Dec 20, 2019 | Feature, News

A salute to the work of Screen Machine in Scotland, that takes a cinema around the country in a truck....

British Movie Podcast of the Week – Beyond The Box Set

by Em McGowan | Dec 20, 2019 | Feature

Our UK independent podcast recommendation this week takes movies a step further....

Becoming a superfan: how to make a licensed game

by Stuart Maine | Dec 18, 2019 | Feature, Gaming

To make a great licensed game, learn about your audience and embrace your inner nerd, Stuart Maine writes

Star Wars: is Disney really throwing The Last Jedi under the bus?

by John Moore | Dec 18, 2019 | Feature, News

The promotional trail for Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker seems to be landing a few digs at The Last Jedi - John takes a look at what's been going...