top of page


The Ties that Bind: Simon Cellan Jones for THE FAMILY PLAN 2
Partners in crime… Simon Cellan Jones has built a career straddling the worlds of British television and Hollywood. From acclaimed early work such as Our Friends in the North and The Buddha of Suburbia to recent collaborations with Mark Wahlberg on Arthur the King and The Family Plan , his directing career has been defined by emotional intelligence, precision, and humanity. The son of the late James Cellan Jones — one of British television’s pioneering figures — Simon has
Rich
Nov 197 min read


Into the Woods: Babak Anvari for HALLOW ROAD
Fear in the Familiar… With Hallow Road , writer-director Babak Anvari once again proves his mastery of psychological tension and genre-blending storytelling. From William Gillies’ first feature script, Anvari crafts a claustrophobic thriller that unfolds almost entirely within the confines of a car on a dark, winding road — a setting that not only becomes a familiar physical space but, ultimately, a psychological trap. The film, starring Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys, play
Rich
Oct 308 min read


Bullets and Bloodlines: John-Michael Powell for VIOLENT ENDS
This isn't revenge. It's a reckoning. John-Michael Powell’s second feature, Violent Ends , is more than just a crime drama; it’s a reflection on family, loyalty, and the cyclical nature of violence. Having grown up in Arkansas, the film is also a deeply personal story that draws from the director's own experience in a region steeped in tradition and hidden histories. Here, the rural American landscape is not just a setting, but, as with any slice of Americana, a character i
Rich
Oct 2914 min read


Cut to the Heart: Mercedes Bryce Morgan for BONE LAKE
You better have a safe word What happens when a romantic lakeside escape turns into a tangled web of lust, lies and deadly secrets? This...
Rich
Oct 16 min read


Making Tarantino Podcast - MEMORIES OF MURDER (2003)
Bong Tale Erik Clapp and I returned for a chat with Philip Duke in conjunction with the video essay "These Things Left Unanswered" for...
Rich
Aug 11 min read


Making Tarantino Podcast - THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963)
" The great adventure! the great entertainment! " Erik Clapp and I spoke about The Great Escape with Phillip Duke in conjunction with the...
Rich
Aug 11 min read


Community Service: James DeMonaco for THE HOME
Evil never gets old American writer, director and producer James DeMonaco is perhaps best known for creating The Purge movies that have...
Rich
Jul 2311 min read


Killer Queen: Mitzi Peirone for SAINT CLARE
Seeing red... and the dead Having become the first person to successfully fund a feature film with cryptocurrency at the age of 26 with...
Rich
Jul 148 min read


Partners in Crime: David Joseph Craig and Brian Crano for I DON’T UNDERSTAND YOU
Give Me Kiss... Writer/director duo of David Joseph Craig and Brian William Crano’s film I Don’t Understand You follows is, at its core,...
Rich
Jun 48 min read


Five Lockdown Movies with Esmarelda VillaLobos
Nothing but the Devil and a movie... We would all rather forget the pandemic, but in terms of the creative output that was produced by...
Rich
May 2910 min read


Rituals and Resurrection: Julia Max for THE SURRENDER
Death has the answers... With her feature debut, writer/director Julia Max's exploration of death is one of the most personal you will...
Rich
May 219 min read


Shakespeare’s Song: Timothy Scott Bogart for JULIET & ROMEO
Love never dies In the wake of Wicked , Shakespeare is about to see a similar makeover courtesy of director Timothy Scott Bogart....
Rich
May 712 min read


Welcome to the Storyverse: Payhuan Peter Shiao for Immortal Studios
Awaken your hero Immortal line-up. Welcome to an ever-expanding universe of characters centred around the Wuxia genre. As founder,...
Rich
May 510 min read


Filmsplaining with Martyn Strange - THE DRIVER / DRIVE with Rich Johnson
Into the night I had the pleasure of discussing two of my favourite L.A.-based movies - Walter Hill's The Driver (1978) and Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive (2011) with Martyn Strange over on his podcast, Filmsplaining. Check out the episode and his other introductions to cinema via a number of themes and favourite films. You can listen to the episode via Spotify and other platforms. Follow Martyn via Instagram. @filmsplaining and @thisismartynstrange . You can also watch over
Rich
Apr 241 min read


Thomas Jane’s Love, Lust & Lycanthropy
In sharing the “Top 5 Werewolf Movies” that inspired Renegade Entertainment and ComiXology Originals’ new comic book mini-series The...
Rich
Apr 1624 min read


COMPANION PIECES with K. K. Barrett
Hard to Be a God (2013) / Embrace of the Serpent (2015) As an Oscar-nominated Production Designer, K. K. Barrett has had a phenomenal...
Rich
Apr 711 min read


This Woman’s Work: Ami Canaan Mann for AUDREY’S CHILDREN
“Filmmaking is a craft skill, no different than a shoe-making guild in the Middle Ages.” Filming with a distinct sense of purpose and...
Rich
Mar 2615 min read


COMPANION PIECES with Dan Berk & Robert Olsen
Die Hard (1988) / Midnight Run (1988) Writer/directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen are a close-knit filmmaking duo who have already...
Rich
Mar 1215 min read


The Renaissance Man: An Interview with Dr. Peter Weller
“Delivering knowledge and experience to youth is truly the only gig worth a damn.” From Dr. Buckaroo Banzai to Officer Alex Murphy,...
Rich
Mar 410 min read


COMPANION PIECES with Barnaby Clay
Don't Deliver Us From Evil (1971) / Who Can Kill a Child? (1976) Having graduated from the London International Film School in 1996,...
Rich
Jan 2715 min read
bottom of page