In Praise Of | Little White Lies

In Praise Of

Elderly man wearing cowboy hat and plaid shirt, sitting on a tractor in a field.
In Praise Of

Why The Straight Story remains one of the great American road movies

by James Clarke

In praise of David Lynch’s 1999 drama, a film about moving slowly and gently in a hard and fast world.
A person riding a motorcycle on a dirt road, wearing a dark jacket.
In Praise Of

Mods and sods – Remembering Quadrophenia at 40

by Lynsey Ford

Based on The Who’s 1973 rock opera, Franc Roddam’s Brit drama remains a thrilling testament to youth in revolt.
Two women in a school cafeteria, one with red hair drinking from a soda can, the other with blonde hair looking at her food tray.
In Praise Of

‘Is butter a carb?’ How Mean Girls became Meme Girls

by Jack King

Director Mark Waters on how his hit high school comedy turned into a font of gif-based rejoinders.
Man in white shirt and trousers, sitting on patterned carpet, reading documents.
In Praise Of

In praise of the hate-watch

by Hannah Strong

When it comes to prestige Oscar bait and misguided multimillion-dollar behemoths, sometimes it’s good to be bad.
A man in a cowboy hat stands behind a woman wearing an ornate white dress with lace details and a pearl necklace, both looking serious in a black and white scene.
In Praise Of

How the politics of High Noon forged a new path for the western

by Rich Johnson

Condemned as ​‘un-American’ upon release, Fred Zinnemann’s 1954 classic remains one of the most forward-thinking films of its era.
A smiling woman with curly blonde hair wearing a black jacket and a name badge that says "Pick a Time" standing in an indoor setting.
In Praise Of

Twenty years on, Election feels more relevant than ever

by Patrick Sproull

Tracy Flick’s almost thwarted candidacy is an eerie presage of our current political climate.
Three men, one holding a sign that reads "Integration and democracy don't go home", sit together in a black and white photograph.
In Praise Of

How Shock Corridor reflected the madness of 1960s America

by Rich Johnson

Samuel Fuller’s murder mystery captures the fear and paranoia which beset postwar society.
Close-up of a Black man with a pensive expression, wearing a black top, with an alien creature's head emerging from his shoulder.
In Praise Of

How Bolaji Badejo’s performance brought Alien’s xenomorph to life

by Jack Godwin

The Nigerian student with a physique like a ​“Giacometti sculpture“ was a perfect fit for HR Giger’s monster.
Two people, a man and a woman, dressed in formal attire, posing in a black and white photograph.
In Praise Of

The transgressive adventures of Marlene Dietrich and Josef von Sternberg

by BP Flanagan

The pair’s six pre-Code Paramount films remain the ultimate synthesis of star and director.
A man with curly hair and a pensive expression stands in a field.
In Praise Of

Remembering Tom Hiddleston as Joanna Hogg’s muse

by Beatrice Loayza

He may have hit pay dirt at Marvel, but Hiddleston found his acting feet as the British director’s roguish muse.