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Articles by Jonathan Simpson
The Monster Squad (1987) • Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD [Arrow Video] — an unheralded ‘80s gem worth resurrecting
There’s something almost romantic about the children’s adventures that emerged during the 1980s. It was a decade in which ordinary suburban streets concealed extraterrestrial visitors, unremarkable neighbourhoods became hunting grounds for pirate treasure, and a seemingly uneventful summer could quickly turn into an adventure of interstellar proportions.
Red State (2011) • 15 Years Later — Kevin Smith’s horror detour remains eerily prescient
Following the unexpected success of Clerks (1994), Kevin Smith established himself as a prominent figure in independent cinema. From Mallrats (1995) to Clerks II (2006), his work became synonymous with vulgar humour, conversational dialogue, pop-culture references, and relatable characters. Yet the qualities that initially distinguished his work eventually became his limitations.
Ghost World (2001) • 25 Years Later — deadpan cynicism and adolescent malaise in the comic dimension
At the turn of the millennium, teen comedies had settled into a predictable formula. The enormous success of American Pie (1999) had ushered in a wave of imitators where adolescence was defined by drunken parties, the pursuit of popularity, and raunchy shenanigans. Even sharper entries in the genre, such as Clueless (1995) and 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), rarely strayed far from established conventions.
Ranked: Gene Wilder Films — a decade on from pure imagination
When Gene Wilder tragically passed away in August 2016, the world of comedy lost an irreplaceable talent. For a particular generation, he became synonymous with the man behind the world’s most eccentric chocolate factory. His Willy Wonka ushered children into a world of pure imagination filled with chocolate waterfalls, edible teacups, and everlasting gobstoppers. Yet, for those who knew the breadth of his filmography, he was something rarer still.
Pump Up the Volume (1990) • 36 Years Later — a perceptive snapshot of a generation taking the airwaves
There’s a hierarchy within the traditional high school movie: a sub-genre encompassing a remarkable range of tones and sensibilities. Some are earnest and perceptive; others remain exuberant and outrageous. Yet, the films that continue to reverberate across generations all share a common objective. Whether it’s John Hughes’s The Breakfast Club (1985), Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused (1993), or Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade (2018), they capture something emotionally authentic about adolescence.
Troy (2004) • Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD [Arrow Video] — a spectacular epic without the depth of Homer
Few works of literature have had as profound an impact on Western civilisation as The Iliad. Composed almost three thousand years ago, Homer’s masterwork has shaped countless interpretations of heroism, war, and human mortality. Yet despite its immense cultural significance, the material has repeatedly challenged filmmakers seeking to translate it to the big screen.
Vampire’s Kiss (1989) • Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD [TX/Radiance] — Nicolas Cage dark comedy lacks bite
Vampires have dominated the horror landscape for over a century and, much like the infamous Count himself, seem destined to live for eternity. Since their literary debut in John William Polidori’s The Vampyre, these creatures have captivated generations of writers and filmmakers. Yet between F.W Murnau’s seminal masterpiece Nosferatu (1922) and Werner Herzog’s remake Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979), the cinematic mythos barely changed. Certainly, there were variations.
Hush (2016) • Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD [Arrow Video] — Mike Flanagan’s quietly brilliant home invasion thriller
It was a remarkable time to be a connoisseur of the grotesque during the 2010s. Following a decade largely defined by gratuitous gore and manufactured frights, the horror genre moved beyond its longstanding association with funhouse thrills as a new wave of filmmakers embraced psychological complexity and artistic ambition.
Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead (1991) • 35 Years Later — endearing but flawed cult favourite
When Risky Business (1983) arrived in cinemas, it completely disrupted the landscape of teen comedies. The genre’s familiar blend of raunchy humour and gratuitous exploitation gave way to mischievous coming-of-age narratives that mixed adolescent rebellion with anarchic wit. The enormous success of Paul Brickman’s classic quickly prompted rival studios to rush out their own variations on the formula.
I Love Boosters (2026) — exuberant crime-caper that spirals gloriously into absurdity
There’s a tendency among critics and audiences alike to romanticise cinema that disrupts conventions. Whether it’s dismantling narrative structure, production design, or tonal consistency, contemporary filmmakers are often celebrated for abandoning standards in pursuit of something singular. Boots Riley belongs to that increasingly endangered category of directors who appear completely unaware of the existence of cinematic rulebooks.
Hokum (2026) — chilling supernatural horror redefines Irish folklore
The 2020s have been an exceptional decade for mainstream horror, with a troupe of new filmmakers redefining the genre’s landscape. Osgood Perkins cultivated a distinct brand of somnambulistic dread and eerie atmosphere with Longlegs (2024) and Keeper (2025), while Zach Cregger established himself as an exciting new voice by marrying visceral thrills with gallows humour in Barbarian (2022) and Weapons (2024).
The Craft (1996) • 30 Years Later — toxic chemistry of adolescent magic
For much of the 20th-century, mainstream depictions of witches were confined to a tediously narrow binary. There were the grotesque caricatures stirring cauldrons in shadowy corners, forever immortalised in works such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and The Wizard of Oz (1939). Alternatively, they were rendered as domesticated enchantresses with contained supernatural abilities, as demonstrated in Bewitched (1964–1972) and The Addams Family (1964–66).
The Killer (1989) • Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD [Arrow Video] — John Woo’s balletic blaze of blood and bullets
Long before Wong Kar-wai’s melancholic romance In the Mood for Love (2000) and Bi Gan’s metaphysical epic Resurrection (2025) competed for reverence at the Cannes Film Festival, Hong Kong cinema possessed a decidedly different identity. The 1970s marked a crucial turning point, transforming the industry from a modest regional producer into a dominant global force.
Josie and the Pussycats-misunderstood satire of manufactured pop culture
M anufactured pop music had transformed into an unstoppable cultural force at the turn of the millennium. The nihilistic counterculture that defined the preceding decade was replaced by an entertainment industry governed by corporate partnerships and strategic branding. A conveyor belt of interchangeable teenagers with symmetrical facial hair and synchronised choreography began dominating the landscape with saccharine melodies and antiseptic ballads.
Undertone-an unnerving descent into auditory horror
T hough found-footage horror is frequently criticised as an inferior sub-genre, it has long captured the terror of technology's expanding omnipresence. The Blair Witch Project (1999) famously emerged as handheld camcorders became domestic staples, transforming personal documentation into something ominous. Conversely, Paranormal Activity (2007) leaned into the ubiquity of smart-home surveillance, illustrating how constant monitoring can render even the most familiar spaces unsettling.
Mars Attacks! (1996) • 30 Years Later -Tim Burton’s gleeful exercise in nihilism
Following his meteoric rise during the late-1980s and early-1990s, Tim Burton emerged as one of the most recognisable filmmakers in contemporary cinema. From the macabre suburban fantasia of Beetlejuice (1988) to the dark superhero operatics of Batman Returns (1992), his work became synonymous with melancholic protagonists, highly stylised production design, and a distinct blend of morbidity and childlike wonder.
the low-budget indie that changed Black cinema forever
T he vibrancy of Black youth culture has long existed in cinema, yet for much of the late-20th-century, it was denied narrative seriousness or cultural autonomy. Urban adolescence was rarely treated as a subject worthy of exploration, functioning primarily as an afterthought rather than a lived experience.
City Slickers (1991) • Limited Edition Blu-ray [Arrow Video] - comedy western that’s also a meditation on midlife and morality
Blu-ray Film Review | Arrow Video On the verge of turning 40, an unhappy Manhattan yuppie is roped into joining his two friends on a cattle drive in the southwest. Press enter or click to view image in full size Press enter or click to view image in full size Press enter or click to view image in full size Stories first encountered during our formative years often take on new identities when revisited as adults.
Snakes on a Plane (2006) • Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD [Arrow Video] - an unapologetically outlandish thrill-ride
4K Ultra HD Film Review | Arrow Video An FBI agent takes on a plane full of deadly venomous snakes, deliberately released to kill a witness being flown from Honolulu to Los Angeles to testify against a mob boss.
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985) • 4K Ultra HD [Criterion Collection] - the anarchic dawn of Tim Burton
4K Ultra HD Film Review | Criterion | Tim Burton When eccentric man-child Pee-wee Herman gets his beloved bike stolen in broad daylight, he sets out across the US on the adventure of his life.
Keeper (2025) - Osgood Perkins’ unsettling but unsatisfying folk horror
Film Review | Horror A romantic anniversary trip to a secluded cabin turns sinister when a dark presence reveals itself, forcing a couple to confront the property’s haunting past. Press enter or click to view image in full size Press enter or click to view image in full size The past year’s been remarkably successful for writer-director Osgood Perkins.
Nightmare Alley (2021) • 4K Ultra HD [Criterion Collection] - Del Toro’s nightmarish noir is beautifully bleak
4K Ultra HD Film Review | Criterion A grifter working his way up from low-ranking carnival worker to lauded psychic medium matches wits with a psychologist bent on exposing him. Press enter or click to view image in full size Press enter or click to view image in full size Edmund Goulding’s Nightmare Alley (1947) endures as one of the most audacious and psychologically corrosive achievements to emerge from Hollywood’s Golden Era.
A History of Violence (2005) • 4K Ultra HD [Criterion Collection] - Cronenberg’s provocative meditation on humanity’s fragile facade
4K Ultra HD Film Review | Criterion | David Cronenberg A mild-mannered man becomes a local hero through an act of violence, which sets off repercussions that will shake his family to its very core.
Empire Records (1995) • 30 Years Later - a snapshot of a generation searching for meaning
Retrospective Film Review 24 hours in the lives of the young employees of a record store… Press enter or click to view image in full size Press enter or click to view image in full size The 1990s were marked by a contradictory combination of economic optimism and cultural disillusionment.
Strange Days (1995) • 30 Years Later - overlooked thriller continues to pulse with relevance
Retrospective Film Review A black-marketeer tries to save a woman in 1999 Los Angeles. Press enter or click to view image in full size Press enter or click to view image in full size The career of director Kathryn Bigelow offers a fascinating trajectory through American cinema. From the outset, she demonstrated an acute fascination with both the dynamics of gender and violence alongside the deconstruction of genre conventions.
The Smashing Machine (2025) - phenomenally crafted biopic knocked out by lightweight screenplay
Film Review The story of mixed-martial arts and UFC champion, Mark Kerr. Press enter or click to view image in full size Press enter or click to view image in full size The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) stands today as one of the most recognisable and commercially dominant institutions in global combat sports.
Corpse Bride (2005) • Collector’s Edition 4K Ultra HD [Warner Bros.] - Tim Burton’s macabre masterwork still enchants
4K Ultra HD Film Review | Tim Burton When a shy groom practices his wedding vows in the inadvertent presence of a deceased young woman, she rises from the grave assuming he has married her. Press enter or click to view image in full size Tim Burton’s reputation as an auteur often rests upon his uncanny ability to intertwine the macabre with a peculiar strain of whimsy.
2025 Record Predictions For The AFC North
The 2025 NFL season is less than a week away, and the AFC North is again one of the most interesting divisions to watch. Featuring two top 5 quarterbacks in the Ravens' Lamar Jackson and Bengals Joe Burrow, the longest tenured head coach in the league in the Steelers' Mike Tomlin, and the messy, dysfunctional organization which is the Browns, the division always has something fascinating to keep your eye on.
an overlooked classic on the intensity of passing moments
W hile cinema can be edifying, most audiences turn to it as a form of escapism from the monotony of daily life into worlds more alluring and more profoundly beautiful than our own. Few filmmakers conjure that spell with greater artistry than Wong Kar-wai, the Hong Kong auteur whose omnipresent sunglasses have become nearly as iconic as his œuvre.
Weapons (2025) - an unnerving blend of psychological suspense and unexpected twists
Film Review | Horror When all but one child from the same class vanish on the same night, at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind it. Press enter or click to view image in full size Press enter or click to view image in full size Zach Cregger emerged as a formidable new voice in contemporary horror with his sharp and unsettling debut, Barbarian (2022).
Poseidon (2006) • Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD [Arrow Video] - soulless remake drowns in shallow waters
The 1970s ushered in a period of tumultuous transformation within American cinema. As the traditional studio system collapsed under the weight of its own irrelevance, the reliable formulas of previous decades no longer guaranteed box office success. Amid this uncertainty, George Seaton’s Airport (1970) emerged as an unexpected phenomenon, revealing the audience’s growing appetite for gargantuan disaster narratives wrapped in heightened drama and spectacle.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 7 Rules for Life - Are They Actually Useful?
From Mr. Olympia to Governor to bestselling author — can Arnold’s life advice actually help you build a better business or life? I dug into his SEVEN tools to find out… The premise of the book is essentially “…seven rules to follow to realise your true purpose in life…” distilled from the world’s most famous bodybuilder — although to label him as just that is a massive dis-service.
The Stuff (1985) • Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD [Arrow Video] - a satirical flavour worth revisiting
The rampant consumerism and unrestrained capitalism that defined Ronald Reagan’s 1980s presidency offered a rich ideological canvas for horror filmmakers eager to critique the excesses of his era. While Reagan’s administration championed free markets, deregulation, and individual enterprise, the horror genre responded with a far more damning portrayal of a nation hollowed out by its own appetite for processed commodities. George A.
The Stuff (1985) • Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD [Arrow Video] - a satirical flavour worth revisiting
The rampant consumerism and unrestrained capitalism that defined Ronald Reagan’s 1980s presidency offered a rich ideological canvas for horror filmmakers eager to critique the excesses of his era. While Reagan’s administration championed free markets, deregulation, and individual enterprise, the horror genre responded with a far more damning portrayal of a nation hollowed out by its own appetite for processed commodities. George A.
Day of the Dead (1985) • 40 Years Later - ironically, the darkest entry of Romero’s zombie trilogy
Retrospective Film Review | Horror As the world is overrun by zombies, scientists and military personnel in an underground bunker decide on how they should deal with the undead. Unleashed in 1985, George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead stands as the most contentious and often misunderstood instalment in the filmmaker’s seminal zombie trilogy.
Lady Vengeance (2005) • 20 Years Later - masterfully orchestrated conclusion to a thesis on revenge
Retrospective Film Review After being wrongfully imprisoned for 13 years and having her child taken away from her, a woman seeks revenge through increasingly brutal means. It took some time for Park Chan-wook to cement his reputation in Hollywood as one of the most electrifying filmmakers to emerge from the Korean cinema renaissance of the early 21st century.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) • 4K Ultra HD [Warner Bros.] - Sondheim’s masterpiece survives a Gothic revival
4K Ultra HD Film Review | Tim Burton A barber who returns from wrongful imprisonment to 1840s London, is bent on revenge for the rape and death of his wife… The character of Sweeney Todd has been slitting throats and supplying the remains to his accomplice, Mrs Lovett, to be baked into meat pies since the 19th-century.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) • 4K Ultra HD [Warner Bros.] - Sondheim’s masterpiece survives a Gothic revival
4K Ultra HD Film Review | Tim Burton A barber who returns from wrongful imprisonment to 1840s London, is bent on revenge for the rape and death of his wife… The character of Sweeney Todd has been slitting throats and supplying the remains to his accomplice, Mrs Lovett, to be baked into meat pies since the 19th-century.
From Crumbling Cottages to Consistent Identities: What My Journey Across Europe Taught Me About National Resilience
In August and September last year (2024), we travelled by land in our campervan from Scotland through England, across into France, wound down through Germany, and spent time in Austria and Switzerland before looping back. The deeper we moved into mainland Europe, the more something became clear: the UK is uncertain about what it is and lacks a unified cultural identify, while other nations seem rooted, coherent, proud— fortified! But this wasn’t just a cultural observation.
Bad Boys (1995) • 30 Years Later - Michael Bay’s under-appreciated directorial debut is a blast
Retrospective Film Review Two hip detectives protect a witness to a murder while investigating a case of stolen heroin from the evidence storage room of their police precinct. The emergence of Don Simpson (Crimson Tide) and Jerry Bruckheimer (Days of Thunder) as a producing powerhouse in the 1980s signalled a pivotal shift in action cinema.
Start-up Boards: When to Build One, Who to Invite, and What to Avoid
“Hey buddy, do you think it’s time I built out my board?” That simple question sparked this post — because it’s one I’ve heard more and more from founders. Many are unclear on what a board is for, who should be on it, or when to start one. So let’s fix that. If you’re an early-stage founder, you might wonder: Do I even need a board yet? Maybe investors are nudging you. Maybe you’re scaling fast and sense that some senior-level support could help.
Swordfish (2001) • Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD [Arrow Video] - explosively stylish tech-thriller gets entangled in its own code
4K Ultra HD Film Review | Arrow Video A covert counter-terrorist unit wants the money to help finance their war against international terrorism, so their leader enlists the help of a convicted hacker… For nearly half a century, cybersecurity, cyber-attacks, and the elusive figures who perpetrate those acts have served as objects of cinematic fascination.
The Illusion of Success: Why I Left a ‘Great’ Job to Build a Life That Works
Everyone told me I had it made: high-profile projects, generous benefits, a respected title. But inside, I was quietly falling apart. I had a good job — but it was eating my life. I didn’t own my time. I was at the mercy of vindictive management playing power games. My work drove executive bonuses and cost-saving efficiencies…but at what cost to me? It pulled me away from my wonderful wife and baby girls.
The Phoenician Scheme (2025) - a delightful, meticulously constructed crime caper
Film Review | Wes Anderson A wealthy businessman appoints his only daughter, a nun, as sole heir to his estate, and they become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists, and determined assassins. In recent years, it has been increasingly difficult for devoted acolytes of Wes Anderson to justify the auteur’s cinematic sainthood.
Black Mirror, 7x4: ‘Plaything’ - superficial cautionary tale examines the ethical quandaries of A.I.
Television Review | Netflix In a near-future London, an eccentric murder suspect is linked to an unusual video game from the 1990s… populated by cute, evolving artificial lifeforms. It’s been interesting watching Black Mirror continue to push its boundaries since migrating from Channel 4 to Netflix. The 2018 interactive special “Bandersnatch” redefined television by uniquely upending narrative linearity and presenting viewers with a series of choices to dictate a narrative.
Black Mirror, 7x4: ‘Plaything’ - superficial cautionary tale examines the ethical quandaries of A.I.
Television Review | Netflix In a near-future London, an eccentric murder suspect is linked to an unusual video game from the 1990s… populated by cute, evolving artificial lifeforms. It’s been interesting watching Black Mirror continue to push its boundaries since migrating from Channel 4 to Netflix. The 2018 interactive special “Bandersnatch” redefined television by uniquely upending narrative linearity and presenting viewers with a series of choices to dictate a narrative.
Death of a Unicorn (2025) - toothless satirical comedy-horror stumbles at first hurdle
For centuries, a creature at once mythological and metaphysical has been a staple of folk mythology. Traditionally depicted as a horse-like beast adorned with a single majestic horn, the unicorn has long been symbolised as fundamentally unattainable and incorruptibly pure. In his audacious directorial debut, writer-director Alex Scharfman considers a universe in which these elusive beings are not figments of fantasy.
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) • 4K Ultra HD [Arrow Video] - the unheralded Christmas thriller nobody dares mention
Member-only story 4K Ultra HD Film Review | Arrow Video Government agents come after an amnesiac woman, who gradually remembers her past as a CIA operative. Jonathan 'Jono' Simpson · Follow Published in Frame Rated · 11 min read · -- There’s a prolonged and increasingly irritating debate amongst cinephiles regarding the quintessential alternative Christmas film.
Sin City (2005) • 20 Years Later - a visually audacious fairy tale of bullets, broads, and booze
Member-only story Retrospective Film Review An exploration of the dark and miserable (Ba)Sin City and three of its residents, all of whom are caught up in violent corruption. Jonathan 'Jono' Simpson · Subscribe Published in Frame Rated · 11 min read · -- Alongside Jack Kirby, Alan Moore, and Neil Gaiman, few figures in the world of graphic storytelling have such a profound and enduring legacy as Frank Miller.
Sin City (2005) • 20 Years Later - a visually audacious fairy tale of bullets, broads, and booze
Member-only story Retrospective Film Review An exploration of the dark and miserable (Ba)Sin City and three of its residents, all of whom are caught up in violent corruption. Jonathan 'Jono' Simpson · Follow Published in Frame Rated · 11 min read · -- Alongside Jack Kirby, Alan Moore, and Neil Gaiman, few figures in the world of graphic storytelling have such a profound and enduring legacy as Frank Miller.
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