Jasmine Valentine

Words by Jasmine Valentine
13 years ago, director James Cameron changed the face of cinema for good. Taking audiences to the fictional biosphere of Pandora, Avatar’s never-before-seen CGI and performance capture technology paved the way for it to become the highest-grossing film of all time.
Following the story of paraplegic marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), viewers fell in love with his permanent transition into avatar form — largely thanks to the many creatures, flora, and breathtaking v...

Strange World star Jake Gyllenhaal said he was instantly taken with the film’s story when Disney pitched it to him.

“I wanted to know what it was about [first]. That was important for me. It always is, no matter how extraordinary the company, or the group of talent.

"Sometimes with these stories, you just don’t connect with them. And then when I was pitched this story I was like, I was so moved.

The Wachowskis’ 1996 neo-noir starring Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly is an enduring, subversive romance.

This month we're joined by guest film critics Jasmine Valentine and Paul Klein to talk about new releases, Tori and Lokita, Corsage and the re-release of Fanny and Alexander. The pair also talk about some of their favourite Christmas movies! If you'd like to send us a voice memo for use in a future episode, please email podcast@picturehouses.co.uk.

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Anne Hathaway stars in an uneven take on Ottessa Moshfegh’s novel that swaps soft-centred lust for a clumsy criminal affair
Before director William Oldroyd’s new take on ostracised women, Eileen, there was Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara in Carol, a film that seemingly paved the way for a new sub-genre of sapphic cinema. At first glance, Eileen should neatly fall into place behind its predecessor – an eponymous title, an older woman with a selectively hidden past, a young ingénue who’s only to...

As Gen Z might say, Infinity Pool leaves no crumbs in its wake, charging ahead with a vision all its own to confidently sell its heady wares. It’s sure to be one to divide opinion, but if viewers can stomach it, they’re in for the mother of all cinematic experiences.

Fresh off the back of a spate of unique, original programming including Severance, Pachinko and Roar, Apple TV+ makes its debut outing in the realm of historical period drama with The Essex Serpent.
Adapted from Sarah Perry's 2016 novel of the same name, the narrative charts the story of recent widow Cora Seaborne (Claire Danes), who uproots her London life and heads to the Essex coastline upon hearing rumours of a mythical serpent preying on a local community.
Its creative team, spearheaded ...

The Silent Twins star Letitia Wright said she always knew the real life story of June and Jennifer Gibbons would resonate with audiences on-screen.

“I always thought to myself, if this was ever made into a movie, it would be really impactful because it can reach the masses, and then also their side of the story can be told,” the Black Panther star, who plays June, tells Yahoo.

“You can see the clear injustice that happens to them, but also you can see the ways in which they are so beautiful and creative.”

Words by Jasmine Valentine
What makes the surreal, surreal? According to director Park Chan-wook’s distinctive body of work, the surrealist touch can mean many things.
Often tinged with an overwhelming sense of sexiness, international hits including Lady Vengeance, The Handmaiden, and Oldboy continue to honour his wild sense of imagination, sitting him atop the mountain of daring Korean cinema.
Yet his latest release, Decision To Leave, presents a different kind of surrealism altogether.
It’s so...

With LGBT+ characters appearing in hits like Life Is Strange and The Last Of Us, gaming’s toxic side can still hold back representation.
Whoever we are and whatever we do, we all deserve to see ourselves represented in the things we love. For LGBTQIA+ gamers, a healthy amount of genuine representation can be hard to come by. While groups such as queer men and trans people have an equal amount of depiction issues, queer women’s inclusion in the gaming world presents an extra challenge. As gami...

TRON 40th Anniversary feature featuring an interview with cinematographer Bruce Logan.

Directed by
Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet is giving summer heat on the coast of Brittany. Should be foolproof.
Commeth the hour, commeth the erratic millennial with her life in total chaos.
No lesbian deaths to be seen and a rubbish boyfriend is put firmly in his place.
A flighty young woman sets out to seduce a lover's girlfriend in Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet's charming queer romance.
Amidst an ever-concerning heatwave, a cinematic summer of seduction has made itself known to audiences. Larger ...

Jasmine Valentine

Jasmine Valentine

21 November 2022·3-min read

Watch: Strange World producer Roy Conli praises Jake Gyllenhaal

Strange World producer Roy Conli says the Disney film's star-studded cast — including Jake Gyllenhaal, Lucy Liu, and Gabrielle Union — were partners when it came to bringing the film to life.

“They were so in love with this tale of legacy and what are we bringing to the next generation. Jake was an amazing… I would say 'partner' in terms of making this film,” Conli tells Yahoo.

Sometimes, telly’s only job is to make us feel better about ourselves. We tune into things to tune out of others, and root for someone that has it worse off. Watching Euphoria’s Rue space out or Cassie dress up as an extra from Oklahoma! is now TV’s messy binge-watch of choice. For early 2000s Brits, the obsession started with CBBC’s The Story of Tracy Beaker.
At its core, the premise was simple. Swap out a high school filled with curious and complicated characters for a foster care home call...

The man, the myth, the legend… yep, FILMHOUNDS got to sit down with Mr Jeff Bridges himself. In this exclusive roundtable interview, the king of the white russian discusses his latest TV show The Old Man, coming to Disney+ from 28th September. Bridges plays Dan Chase, who absconded from the CIA and lives off the grid. When an assassin arrives and tries to take Chase out, the old operative learns that to ensure his future he now must reconcile his past.
Through the production of The Old Man, y...