Victoria Luxford
Read articles by Victoria Luxford
Article
Should Spies Prioritise Love Over Country?
It’s a thorny question that has underpinned many espionage thrillers, including Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag. Here, Victoria Luxford considers the cinematic secret agents who value their loved ones over their nation – and vice versa.
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Conclave & The Characters who Use God for Personal Gain
Edward Berger’s papal potboiler reveals the self-serving unscrupulousness of holy men. Here, Victoria Luxford considers cinema’s sinister ministers, from There Will Be Blood to The Night of the Hunter.
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The Troubling Portrayals of Psychiatric Hospitals on Film
As Joker: Folie à Deux transfers to a Gotham mental-health facility, Victoria Luxford explores how American films have presented such institutions over the years, from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest to Girl, Interrupted.
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The Student Becomes the Teacher in Between the Temples
With Jason Schwartzman’s instructor learning a thing or two from his mentee in his new faith-based drama, Victoria Luxford explores the porous line between teacher and student in cinema, from Educating Rita to Good Will Hunting.
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Thelma & The Elderly Renegades Redefining Old Age on Screen
They say life begins at 40, but could it actually be 80? A recent cohort of rule-flouting silver-haired film characters – including June Squibb’s avenging pensioner and Michael Caine’s nursing-home breakout – are rewriting expectations of the elderly. By Victoria Luxford
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What the Motorcycle Means to Hollywood
As The Bikeriders revs into cinemas, Victoria Luxford explores the evolving iconography of motorcycles in cinema, from the anarchic rebellion of The Wild One to the free-flowing vibes of Easy Rider and beyond.