Romantic comedies have a bad reputation – so much so that whenever a good one comes along, very few are willing to give it a shot for fear of it being a waste of their time. Here, Emma Farley argues the case of the genre we all love to hate and cites a few that everyone should see. What is it about the term ‘rom-com’ that makes anyone automatically shut… Read More »

After coming across The Droid You’re Looking For’s article ‘The Six Stages of Movie Geek Evolution’, Emma Farley has pondered what makes a film geek. If you’ve ever read my blog (Final Cut, – shameless self-promotion, I know), you’ll know that I go by the alias ‘filmgeek’. When I started writing I wanted to be kind of anonymous but I didn’t want to use a pathetic username like ‘cutiepie69’, so… Read More »

This summer our cinemas will yet again be filled with sequels, prequels, franchises, re-makes and adaptations. As a filmgeek who doesn’t part with her hard-earned cash on an over-priced cinema ticket lightly, Emma Farley is finding worthy titles few and far between. Pirates 4, Scream 4, Fast 5, Spy Kids 4, Cars 2, Twilight, Harry Potter, X-Men: First Class… every week there’s a new film released that rips off some… Read More »

Film is a terrible industry for women: as writers, directors, critics, actors, viewers… What will it take to see some genuine role models up on the big screen? I’ve written before about female critics and directors but this week I want to focus on women as cinemagoers. Not just in terms of the kinds of films they see but the different ways women are represented in such films. I try… Read More »

Since the release of Avatar, critics, filmmakers and cinemagoers have been harping on about the pros and cons of 3D. The industry loves it because it pushes up ticket prices. Filmmakers love it because it adds a new dimension to their work. Critics? Well, we’ve all heard what Mark Kermode and Roger Ebert have to say on the subject: “3-D is a waste of a perfectly good dimension. Hollywood’s current… Read More »

I’m fed up with people claiming there is no support for female directors. Rather than moaning all the time, how about doing something about it? Let’s celebrate the few groups and organizations that are actually working to support films made by women. In the UK alone, we have Women in Film and TV (@W_in_FilmandTV), an organization for women working in the creative media, filmdirecting4women (@fd4w) which supports, encourages and exhibits… Read More »

Why is it that some people consider critical writing of some films to be less valid than that of others? How is an essay on Citizen Kane worth someone’s time but not one on Mean Girls? All films are made with an intention on the part of the writer, director and producer and are a reflection of the time in which they were made, so surely any film is worth… Read More »

A recent report released by the UK Film Council demonstrates just how influential film is to cinema-goers.   The main purpose of the study was to investigate diversity and stereotypes, focusing on minority audiences in British cinema and older women. I think we all know that representation of minority groups in mainstream cinema is severely lacking and the part of the report I found most interesting was on the perceived… Read More »

Resident film geek Emma Farley discusses the importance of showing support for your local film society. Not everyone lives in a big city, not everyone has access to a multiplex and not everyone can afford to go to university and do a degree in Film Studies. But… most people are interested in film, whether it be as entertainment, art or both. Don’t we all have the right to be able… Read More »

Does the abolishment of the UK Film Council mean all hope is lost for the British film industry? Resident film geek Emma Farley argues the case.   Last summer, British film fans went into a bit of a meltdown following the announcement of the abolishment of the UK Film Council. Mike Leigh called the move ‘totally out of order’ and even Clint Eastwood felt the need to write to the… Read More »