Contributor William Carroll

A close-up of a man's face. He has a serious expression and is sitting at a bar, holding a drink.
In Praise Of

Going to Graceland – Revisiting Mystery Train at 30

by William Carroll

Jim Jarmusch’s 1989 film is a melodic ode to an America of drifters, tourists and lonesome wanderers.
Military personnel in camouflage uniforms and helmets, carrying assault rifles, standing in a palm tree-filled environment.
In Praise Of

Full Metal Jacket and the personal horrors of war

by William Carroll

Stanley Kubrick’s thrilling study of the Vietnam War chooses individual narratives over a collective moral message.
Middle-aged man in beige coat, tie and headphones, smiling while speaking into a microphone at a radio station.
In Praise Of

I’m Still Listening – Why Frasier remains my favourite ’90s sitcom

by William Carroll

Twenty-five years on, the show’s mix of high-brow humour and genuine heart is as appealing as ever.
Man in a dark room, looking concerned.
In Praise Of

Why I love David Thewlis’ performance in Naked

by William Carroll

The British actor casts a gaunt, morbid, uncompromisingly human figure in Mike Leigh’s nocturnal London odyssey.
Two smiling men in winter clothing sit in a vehicle, surrounded by snowy mountains.
In Praise Of

Planes, Trains & Automobiles is the ultimate anti-road movie

by William Carroll

With its sleazy motels and crowded terminals, John Hughes’ vision of America is one audiences know only too well.
Two young men sitting on a bench, one with short dark hair and the other with curly blond hair, both wearing casual clothing and looking pensive.
In Praise Of

Harmony Korine’s Gummo and America’s haunted Deep South

by William Carroll

The writer/director’s dystopian arthouse flick holds a smudged mirror to white middle America.
Young boy wearing a green jacket and plaid shirt, standing in a crowd.

Stranger Things and the enduring nightmare of Stephen King’s America

by William Carroll

Exploring the hit Netflix show through the lens of its biggest inspiration.
Man in beige jacket standing on a boat, with a mountainous backdrop.
In Praise Of

How Christopher Nolan’s Insomnia took the thriller genre away from the mainland

by William Carroll

The director’s atmospheric 2002 film makes the most of its remote setting.
Two sports cars racing on a road, with blurred motion and green lighting.
In Praise Of

How The Driver set the LA noir genre in motion

by William Carroll

Walter Hill’s cult film is full of intense car chases and silent antiheroes.
Two men wearing sunglasses, one in a patterned jacket and the other in a striped shirt, stand in an outdoor setting with palm trees.
In Praise Of

Is Donnie Brasco the last truly great American gangster movie?

by William Carroll

Johnny Depp is on career-best form in Mike Newell’s classic crime-thriller from 1997.
Two young men sitting in a dimly lit room, one in a green jacket and the other in a red jumper.
Festivals

10 things to see at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2017

by William Carroll

Hot picks from this year’s programme – including a Morrissey biopic and a British animation retrospective.
Four men in suits sitting at a table in a diner, enjoying a meal and conversation.
In Praise Of

How Diner influenced the cinematic voice of Quentin Tarantino

by William Carroll

Barry Levinson’s rapid-fire dialogue and use of popular music set the blueprint for Tarantino’s style.

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