In Praise Of | Little White Lies

In Praise Of

Three people sitting in a dimly lit bar, two women and one man, engaged in conversation.
In Praise Of

Barfly at 30 – Bukowski, booze and battling Hollywood

by William Carroll

Mickey Rourke is perfectly cast as Hank Chinaski in this down-and-dirty picture from 1987.
A man with long hair and a moustache, wearing a white coat, stands in an outdoor setting.
In Praise Of

How The Duellists set the tone for Ridley Scott’s filmmaking career

by James Clarke

The director’s 1977 feature debut contains several key thematic and stylistic hallmarks.
Black-and-white image of three women, including a blonde woman in the centre wearing a long coat and hat, flanked by two younger women in casual attire.
In Praise Of

How Daphne du Maurier became Hitchcock’s favourite author

by Iris Veysey

Her novels ​‘The Birds’ and ​‘Rebecca’ provided the perfect blend of moral complexity and Gothic drama.
A man wearing a turquoise jacket and number bib on phone, looking serious.
In Praise Of

Why I love Riz Ahmed’s performance in Four Lions

by John Wadsworth

The young actor carries the thematic weight of Chris Morris’ jihadist satire on his shoulders.
Two men in a forest, one holding a camera and the other wearing a vest labelled 'UPU2'.
In Praise Of

In defence of Southland Tales – Richard Kelly’s futuristic folly

by Dominic Jaeckle

The director’s much-maligned second feature is a vigorous piece of pulp for the 21st century.
Person singing into a microphone on a stage, with dramatic red lighting.
In Praise Of

In praise of Julee Cruise: the voice behind Twin Peaks

by David Jenkins, Tom Huddleston

On the life and work of the ethereal vocalist who helped bring David Lynch’s iconic show to life.
A man with dark hair wearing a white shirt, looking intently at a control panel.
In Praise Of

A guide to cinema’s most enduring rebels

by Christopher Machell

What is it that makes maverick character actors like Jack Nicholson so dangerously irresistible?
A person wearing a coat and carrying a briefcase, crouching in the snow on a snowy path between fences.
In Praise Of

How Fargo brilliantly blurs the line between fact and fiction

by William Carroll

With its opening disclaimer, the Coen brothers’ homespun murder story lulls us into a false reality.
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.
Two people in a black car on a mountain road.
In Praise Of

Why The Fast and the Furious is the most important franchise around

by Benjamin Rabinovich

Over the years the focus has shifted from the fast cars to the increasingly diverse characters inside them.