Contributor Stephen Puddicombe

Three young people, two women and one man, embracing while holding a banner that says "OBADASS".
In Praise Of

Just Keep Livin’ – In praise of Dazed and Confused at 25

by Stephen Puddicombe

Richard Linklater’s seminal high school movie is the ultimate endorsement of living in the moment.
Two people, a man and a woman, stand close together in a black and white image. The woman has short dark hair and appears pensive, while the man has a serious expression.
In Praise Of

How A Taste of Honey put a female spin on the British New Wave

by Stephen Puddicombe

Shelagh Delaney’s voice stood out from the angry young men who dominated British cinema in the mid 20th century.
Couple sitting at a table in a formal dining setting, dressed in formal attire. Black and white image.
In Praise Of

Why The Palm Beach Story is my favourite screwball comedy

by Stephen Puddicombe

Contemporary Hollywood could learn a thing or two from Preston Sturges’ progressive and daring film.
A woman with curly brown hair wearing a white dress and pearls stands in front of a floral patterned window.
In Praise Of

How Safe shows the realities of living with an incurable illness

by Stephen Puddicombe

Todd Haynes’ 1995 film stars Julianne Moore as a woman who becomes “allergic to the 20th century”.
Monochrome image of four men in suits embracing four women in low-cut dresses on a stage.
In Praise Of

How Orson Welles subverted the film noir genre

by Stephen Puddicombe

The Lady from Shanghai is a prime example of the legendary filmmaker’s complicated genius.
A man with a beard and furrowed brow, wearing a dark garment, gazing intently.
In Praise Of

How the original Planet of the Apes reflected the counterculture of the 1960s

by Stephen Puddicombe

Franklin J Schaffner’s satire was a response to an era of social upheaval.
Trailers

Queer classic Prick Up Your Ears is returning to cinemas

by Stephen Puddicombe

Gary Oldman delivers a sensational turn in this biopic of the late playwright Joe Orton.
A young man with dark hair sits on a bed, looking thoughtful.
In Praise Of

Why Funny Games remains just as shocking 20 years on

by Stephen Puddicombe

Michael Haneke’s home invasion horror is a chilling satire of violence in popular entertainment.
Intense close-up of a sinister, scarred face with wide, piercing eyes and sharp, protruding teeth.

Are some films actually better suited to smaller screens?

by Stephen Puddicombe

The terrifying intimacy of The Silence of the Lambs lends it to a different kind of viewing experience.
Two men sitting on steps, one reading a newspaper headline, the other looking pensive, wearing coats and boots.
In Praise Of

Thirty years on, Withnail & I feels more relevant than ever

by Stephen Puddicombe

Bruce Robinson’s cult classic will strike a chord with any struggling young artist living in a big city.
Trailers

Al Gore takes aim at Trump in the sequel to An Inconvenient Truth

by Stephen Puddicombe

The former Vice President turns up the heat in the follow-up to his award-winning climate change doc.
A woman screaming in terror as a monstrous creature grabs her face, conveying a sense of horror and danger.
In Praise Of

The groovy, gruesome legacy of Evil Dead 2

by Stephen Puddicombe

Released 30 years ago, Sam Raimi’s blood-drenched horror-comedy is as grotesque and hilarious as ever.

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