Contributions from Justine Smith | Little White Lies

Contributor Justine Smith

An elderly Asian man in a dark coat and hat pointing a pistol at the camera.
In Praise Of

Why Death Wish’s pro-gun politics are just as complex as ever

by Justine Smith

The film’s glam­or­i­sa­tion of vig­i­lante jus­tice res­onat­ed with an increas­ing­ly para­noid audi­ence in 1974.
Crowd of people gathered at an outdoor event, with a man in a white shirt raising his fist in the air.
In Praise Of

How When We Were Kings enshrined Muhammad Ali’s legacy

by Justine Smith

Leon Gast’s award-win­ning 1996 film por­trays the heavy­weight champ as an artist, philoso­pher and poet.
A young man playing an acoustic guitar in a dimly lit room, wearing a casual outfit. The image is in black and white.
In Praise Of

Why King Creole is Elvis Presley’s best movie

by Justine Smith

This hit musi­cal, released 60 years ago, remains the pin­na­cle of the Amer­i­can singer’s film career.
Two people, a woman with blonde hair and a man in a flat cap, standing by a wooden structure in a rural setting.

The stories behind the best film lists of 1967

by Justine Smith

We’ve delved into the archives to find out which films were top­ping crit­ics’ charts 50 years ago.
A smiling woman in a frilly white dress pirouettes on an ice rink, surrounded by a crowd.

Remembering Sonja Henie: Hollywood’s first (and only) skating superstar

by Justine Smith

The Olympic fig­ure skater turned actor was a huge celebri­ty in her day – but con­tro­ver­sy was nev­er far away.
Monochrome image of a man standing on a road with a street sign in the background, surrounded by a desolate landscape.
Interviews

Travis Wilkerson: ‘There’s a tremendous opportunity for social change right now’

by Justine Smith

The rad­i­cal direc­tor of Did You Won­der Who Fired the Gun? talks race and lega­cy in America.
Salim Shaheen in a desert setting with arms outstretched, wearing a white coat and sunglasses.

Searching for Salim Shaheen: Afghanistan’s Z-movie king

by Justine Smith

The so-called ​‘Prince of Noth­ing­wood’ is his country’s zero-bud­get answer to Steven Spielberg.
Two elderly individuals riding a red mobility scooter in a garden setting with lush greenery and buildings in the background.
Festivals

Is this the world’s sexiest film festival?

by Justine Smith

Montréal’s Fes­ti­val du Nou­veau Ciné­ma pre­sent­ed erot­ic tales from around the world this year.
Black and white image of a man and woman in conversation, both wearing formal attire.
Festivals

Why Jacques Tourneur is a filmmaker for our troubled modern times

by Justine Smith

The French master’s work mir­rors today’s cli­mate of social anx­i­ety, as revealed in a recent retrospective.
A woman's serious face is illuminated by the glow of a lamp in a dark room.
Women In Film

Why the future of genre cinema is female

by Justine Smith

At the 2017 Fan­ta­sia Film Fes­ti­val, women direc­tors once again took cen­tre stage.