About LFF

This is the place for all things film, comics, video game, TV and anything else that takes my fancy.

Phil Edwards

Editor / Founder 

Email: liveforfilms@outlook.com
Twitter: @live_for_films

Live for Films came about as a place for me to share things which I found interesting with my friends. Other people seem to dig it.

I do a bit of painting, a bit of drawing, a bit of blogging and I have a beard.

Films I like change all the time, but I always enjoy The Thing, The Big Lebowski, Stalag 17, Mystery Train, Dead Man, Pan’s Labyrinth, Robocop, Angel Heart, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blazing Saddles, Army of Darkness, It’s A Wonderful Life, Into the Wild and so many more.

All opinions, views, political standpoints are held by each individual writer and may not necessarily be representative of the whole.

Meet the Agents of Live For Films:

Alan Simmons

Reviewer / Interviewer / Writer / Festival Reporter 

Email: alan@liveforfilms.com
Twitter: @v_for_vienetta

I love film in general, obviously, but have a particular predilection for horror, action, YA stuff and comic book movies. I also know far too much about the cinema of Jason Statham and Danny Trejo. They’re my heroes.

Interviews are my thing too. Being passionate about movies, means I am always keen to chat with actors, directors, and particularly stunt men – they have such great stories!

Covering events is something I really enjoy as well, and I am always keen to do a press con, premiere or a launch do – so please get in touch if you’re launching something you would like LfF to check out.

Piers McCarthy

Adam Truscott

Reviewer / Writer

Twitter: @maverick99sback

Adam spends most of his days wondering whether he’ll finally flip out like Patrick Bateman and attack the hordes that visit his local multiplex. Then he mostly spends time planning a cover up so it all looks like a dream.

He started his LFF career with a review of Enemy Mine and is a huge advocate of anything 80’s. Especially if Kurt Russell and John Carpenter were involved.

Fearing that hallowed period may never be topped he writes for LFF after self imposed exile (long story about the Director of Captain Phillips saw his LFF Captain Phillips review where a line implies said Director sits reading scripts in his pants cheering like a schoolgirl). After a sustained period of writer block he returned to continue writing about films in a…. Unique way.

Adam’s latest contribution involved an essay on the highs and lows of 2014 where he didn’t mention the one film he’d reviewed recently where he was almost hounded out again for claiming it: “the greatest war film ever”. I think it was called… The Tank That Wouldn’t Blow Up.

Also has an irrational hatred of the “eff” word being used in 12As. That really fucks him off.

@maverick99sback on Twitter. Chat films with him.

Amanda Keats

Feature Writer and Reviewer

Twitter: @filmvsbook

I began writing stories back in primary school but as I got older, my writing changed with me. I now write about films, books and adaptations and am an aspiring novelist with a tendency to focus on the morbid side of life…

Film tastes include Asian thrillers like Ringu, Oldboy and Battle Royale, classic comedies such as Monty Python’s Life of Brian and Top Secret!, indie successes like the Before trilogy, and Spanish stunners like Pan’s Labyrinth and The Devil’s Backbone. More recently I have developed a love for The Hunger Games and Thor films and was blown away by Stoker and Gravity.

For TV I love Sherlock, The Big Bang Theory and Doctor Who and thought Broadchurch was the best thing I have seen on TV for years!

I believe every person on the planet should be made to read To Kill a Mockingbird, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas but if you can’t really be bothered, the two film and one theatre adaptations of the books are pretty spectacular!

Website: Film Vs Book

Becky Lima-Matthews

Reviewer/Features Writer

Twitter: @bec_bebop

Website: https://www.becky-matthews.com

I’m a London-based, Britzilian (British-Brazilian hybrid!) freelance writer obsessed with tales of old Hollywood, Wes Anderson, tragi-comedy, championing new indie filmmakers and the fierce scriptwriting talent of Carrie Fisher and Nora Ephron.

I love big popcorn films as well as arthouse cinema, and I especially love to write about film and entertainment through an intersectional feminist lens. I like to be entertaining as well as discursive because feminism, film and funny are three of my favourite f-words. When I’m not writing about films, I’m writing scripts, and I wrote and directed a short rom-com called Double Word Score.

Rachel Cunningham

Writer/Reviewer

New Zealand film geek living in London (and loving it). A graduate of Film, Television and Media Studies – when I discovered you could watch movies for 3 years, write about them, and get a degree for it, no other course stood a chance. I love writing, and dedicate my spare time to writing for my website, The-Room.

I was lucky enough to have worked in film marketing and publicity in New Zealand for a year before crossing the ocean, and miss the world of film terribly! I dream of one day being able to call myself a professional film and entertainment writer but then again, who doesn’t? It may sound cliché (and choosing is nigh impossible) but the Lord of the Rings trilogy is pretty hard to top… extended editions of course. And pretty much anything featuring music by Ennio Morricone, especially Once Upon A Time In The West – that harmonica gets me every time.

Tom Nightingale

Hillary Butler 

Reviewer / Writer / Interviewer

Twitter: @PetDocHill
I remember loving movies for as long as I can remember.  I distinctly remember my first time at a movie theatre as a child (Smurfs and the Magic Flute), my first time going without a parent (Jurassic Park), and the first ticket stub I saved that started my massive collection (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective).  But it wasn’t until I started living in London in 2010 that I became engrossed in writing about film and television.  Now, back in my hometown of Toronto, Canada I find time amongst my day job of being a veterinarian to continue my other passion.  And yes, that combination of jobs certainly does get some odd responses.  I love writing news, reviews or features, though every September my focus becomes the Toronto International Film Festival, shining a light on how amazing our Canadian showcase has become.

My favourite films and TV shows often change the more I experience and at different stages of life.  Constant loves are Garden State, Gladiator, and Love Actually (every Christmas) while new favourites include Whiplash, Birdman and most recently The Martian.  Every Thursday you’ll find me in front of my TV ready for Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How To Get Away With Murder, though The Good Wife, Game of Thrones and House of Cards are favourites too.  I can’t wait for that next film or show to grip me and to share all of that with readers looking to experience the same.

Francesco Cerniglia

Reviewer & Writer

Twitter: @FrankieDaWriter

Sicilian native but if you wonder, not a mafioso. Los Angelino for 5 years whilst studying filmmaking, majoring in screenwriting and working in script development. Londoner of sorts since 2012 and recently bound to the UK by being enGAYged. Screenwriter, Script Editor, Freelance Film Journo and former Film Editor at Candid Magazine (2012-2015). Hugely addicted to (mostly American) scripted TV and live music gigs (mainly indie rock and singers/songwriters). Desperate to write the next Sundance sensation. In love with Jake Gyllenhaal since October Sky and albeit I hate having to claim only one all time favourite film, I usually mention Donnie Darko as the underrated indie masterpiece I wish I’d made. My number one passion of all time though which will remain undefeated in that role until my last breath is The X Files. To me Mulder & Scully are what Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader represent for the vast majority of nerdom out there. Needless to say that their imminent return on the small screen with new adventures has had me awaiting in ecstasy since the very first announcement and is indeed the single most anticipated film/TV thing that will happen in 2016 as far as I’m concerned.

Stephen J Bowron

Writer / Reviewer 

Twitter: @sjbowron

I come from Darlington (modest town up North, pet), but now living in London to pursue a career in media writing. Socially inept in person, I am fantastic on cyber paper. More often than not I am listening to Daft Punk whilst reviewing a film or television show and can occasionally be found penning short stories (mostly eccentric flash fiction).

Most of my life goals have been met already: I make a mean lasagne, I own a dvd collection so vast that I don’t know how I paid for it all, and Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse once answered one of my questions on their Lost podcast.

Films I Can Quote Word-For-Word: BASEketball, Cast Away, Every Silent Film Ever.

Mark Wassmer

Interaction Director / Movie & Comic Geek, Assistant Editor

Twitter: @MarkWassmer

Born & live in London UK. Husband & Father. Trained as a Graphic Designer. By day I work as an Interaction Director (creating all things interactive online), by night I am a film and comic book geek (watching and reading all things film and comic).

My passion for films came from a healthy interest in Star Wars (the original trilogy) when I was a boy (still have my vintage collection safely stored away) Star Wars was my thing and I wanted to make movies — or more specifically work in Special Effects. After becoming familiar with the work of Saul Bass my interests moved onto Movie Poster Design and then purely onto Graphic Design which led to my career choice.

Today, I love finding new work from designers, artists and illustrators who are inspired to create work based on a movie or comic book source.
You’ll find a lot of my post reflect my interest in design, such as; posters, concept design, comics, books, beautiful artworks and the like. I’ll also post Reviews or as I refer to them, Opinion Pieces. Why? Well, as the saying goes “Horses for Courses”.

Some Favourite films: Star Wars (obviously), 12 Angry Men, The Elephant Man, Manhattan, Shawshank Redemption, T2, Ben-Hur, Saving Private Ryan, Psycho, The Lord of the Rings, Jaws, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Saw, 12 Monkeys, Unbreakable, Casino, Planet Of The Apes (1968), The Untouchables, The Thing (1982), Ed Wood, Superman, Spartacus, Von Ryan’s Express, Monsters Inc…… you get the idea.

Top three film genres: Sci-Fi, ComicBook, Horror.

Maria Alexopoulos

Writer / Reviewer / Interviewer

Twitter: @mariaalexo

I am a Canadian who grew up working in my parent’s Greek restaurant – which oddly enough resembled the set of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” more often than not. I spent much of my youth experimenting with video, moments that included screaming “Action!” as my sisters pretended to beat each other to a pulp in the name of art. After declaring myself terminally in love with all things film I left my job as a banker and moved to England where I studied motion picture production at Brighton Film School. In 2007 I travelled to Nepal where I directed the documentary ‘Nepal, In the Mountain’s Shadow’, which focused on the plight of the countries countless orphans and child slaves. I am a proud member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain, and Moving Image Society.

I hold a special place in my heart for period films, documentaries and anything that can make me pee my pants with laughter. My favourite movie of all time is ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’, with ‘Gladiator’ as a close second. For a guaranteed laugh I crown ‘Dumb and Dumber’ as king of gut busting hilarity.

Dave Hughes

Reviewer

Email.

David is a film studies student at King’s College London and photographer. He could be watching anything from Jean Luc-Godard to Jean Claude Van Damme, both being equally as valuable to him. He has researched and completed academic papers on a numbers of films, filmmakers and historical film movements, including French New Wave, Italian Neorealism, Hollywood Cinema, New Korean Cinema, New Iranian Cinema, Documentary Cinema, Silent Cinema, New German Cinema and Post-Revolutionary Cuban Cinema. As a cinephilic diet, he watches at least one film a day. Beyond an unhealthy degree of film consumption, he is usually found reading, listening to Bob Dylan or taking photos. His favourite filmmakers include Werner Herzog, Michael Mann, Yasujiro Ozu, Charlie Chaplin and Sergio Leone. His favourite film is Blade Runner.

Favourite Films: Blade Runner, Heat, Drive, The Dark Knight, The Wrestler, American Beauty, In Bruges, The Shining, Apocalypse Now, Scarface, The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings, There Will Be Blood, The Insider, Alien, Sunshine, Network, Unforgiven, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, Metropolis, Children of Men, Starship Troopers

Favourite Directors: Michael Mann, Werner Herzog, Guillermo Del Toro, Stanley Kubrick, Christopher Nolan, Ridley Scott, John Woo, Clint Eastwood

Favourite Actors: Clint Eastwood, John Goodman, Michael Fassbender, Ryan Gosling

Favourite TV Shows: Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Battlestar Galactica

Joe Reddington

Writer / Reviewer

Twitter: @joereddington

Joe is a first order nerd and a second order cynic. He used to be paid to stare at equations on a whiteboard in a theoretical computer science group until his brain went ‘click’. Now he runs a social enterprise that looks to show children the power of crafting narrative. He thinks popular doesn’t mean bad and the ultimate test of a good film is if it gives you goosebumps. He believes the job of the reviewer isn’t to pronounce a verdict – it’s to put words around the feeling you already have. He blogs three times a week on whatever crosses his mind at www.joereddington.com.

Trevor Hogg

Writer/ Reviewer / Interviewer

LinkedIn

I hosted and produced a college radio show called Musical Insights, assembled news stories for Rogers Community Television, edited the pilot episode for a proposed talent show, assisted the CBC in establishing a digital video archives, and served as a co-editor for Flickering Myth.  Based in Canada, I am best known for composing in-depth filmmaker and production profiles for websites such as the CGSociety and 3DTotal.

I am big fan of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Batman: The Animated Series,The Hobbit, Studio Ghibli, and Australian filmmaker Peter Weir.

Sarah Louise Dean

Reviewer and random topic ranter.

Twitter: @Contrarah

I am as interested in the industry as I am in individual films.

Picking my best films is the proverbial Sophie’s Choice; but I have watched Donnie Darko, Amelie, Primer, Jurassic Park, The Shining, Out of Sight, When Harry Met Sally, Annie Hall and The Princess Bride many, many times. New favourites are Source Code, Before Midnight and Birdman.

Hayao Miyazaki is my hero. I’m also partial to a zombiethon. I’m a Marvel convert (just).

I often live-tweet Oscar night to this site’s 32,000 followers – I make very random jokes at 4-hours-in mark. I don’t have a beard.

Lastly, I think Eyes Wide Shut is a Kubrick masterpiece. So there.

Sam Narr 

Reviewer / Writer

Twitter: @samnarr

Sam has always been fascinated by film from an early appetite of Batman, Indiana Jones and obscure Bollywood films his mother used to watch. Needless to say, he couldn’t understand the language in the Indian productions but the vibrancy of films stuck with him.

Moving forward to current day and his appetite has expanded and now film is one of his many creative passions. This passion was unearthed after applying theory from renowned intellects in the field of Philosophy to the film American Beauty – the epitome of a film that reeks of melancholy and redemption – during his studies.

Now an eager writer and PR professional, he’s particularly interested in Indie films and those which orientate heavily on script, he has a penchant for anything Wes Anderson.

Mike Williams

Twitter: @Mike_P_Williams
Reviewer / Writer

Mike has written for Loaded, GoThinkBig, Sabotage Times, and is a regular Yahoo Movies contributor.

He’s got a thing for Disney Pixar, as well as animation in general.

His favourites include Toy Story 3 and Wreck-it Ralph, but loves a sing-along to Frozen, and he’s not ashamed to admit it.

Joe Gordon

Twitter: @LordWoolamaloo
Reviewer / Writer

Joe has been a bookseller, reviewer and writer for many years, and was the founder and editor of the Forbidden Planet Blog, with a life-long love of cinema.