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History of TV: The Masterful Characterization of BBC's 'Luther'

March 25, 2021

I’ve watched the Luther pilot three times. The BBC series started in 2010 and despite being “on” for nearly a decade, features only five seasons of bizarre, sadistic murders and mayhem on the dark and moody streets of London — with Idris Elba as DCI ...

‘Jumbo’ Is an Impressive, Sexy and Wild Ride

March 24, 2021

If slightly scary metal rides at the fair have never stirred arousal (or at the very least, caused an upchuck of guts), Belgian filmmaker Zoé Wittock will make one reconsider — and perhaps find the nearest traveling fair as soon as possible. Jumbo te...

Palmer' Screenwriter Cheryl Guerriero on the Role of Patience in Moviemaking

March 24, 2021

Palmer screenwriter Cheryl Guerriero knows something about patience when it comes to getting a movie made. She got the idea for Palmer's script back in 2007, but it would take 12 years for the film to finally see the light of day.

5 Screenwriting Takeaways: ‘Long Weekend’ Has Audiences Packing Their Bags for A Romantic Escape

March 22, 2021

Long Weekend is one of those romantic comedies that sticks to the guts harder than one may imagine. At first glance it seems a simple walk-and-talk piece; down-on-his-luck guy meets unexpected girl and they have a night at some dive bars that seems o...

5 Screenwriting Takeaways: 'The Courier' Delivers a High Stakes Cold War Thriller

March 19, 2021

The Courier is the story of how an everyman helps change the course of history. In 1960, a British salesperson becomes a reluctant spy alongside his Soviet source, sneaking out vital nuclear information in the midst of the Cold War. Written by Tom O’...

Last Call' Raises Its Glass To the Working Class In the Old Neighborhood

March 19, 2021

This is the story of a real estate developer and an independent filmmaker teaming up to make a movie. While that’s not the plot of Last Call, it is the origin story of a new film starring Jeremy Piven, Taryn Manning, Bruce Dern and Jamie Kennedy.

History of TV: CW’s Supernatural Soap Opera ‘The Vampire Diaries’

March 18, 2021

No, it’s not a Twilight rip-off. Impossible when L.J. Smith’s original Vampire Diaries series was published more than a decade before we were ever introduced to Bella, Edward and Jacob.

Writer-Director Jess Varley on the Real Life Fears Behind 'Phobias'

March 18, 2021

Phobias, a horror film about a group of strangers brought together by their fears for an insidious medical experiment, is rooted in the real-life fears of its creators.

5 Screenwriting Takeaways: ‘Moxie’ Embraces Feminism Via the Lens of the Riot Grrrl

March 17, 2021

It’s likely much of Gen Z has never heard of a Riot grrrl. Actor Hadley Robinson was totally unaware of "Bikini Kill" when she was cast as the lead Vivian in Moxie. But Amy Poehler took on the YA novel adaptation to help change that, and hopefully th...