Action! 20: Why 1980s films are the best

A look-ahead at what we’ll be watching in 2018, what really constitutes a “film featuring a strong female lead”, and the highs and lows of 2017 at the box office.

From sets and scenery to costume creation, we sit down with some of today’s leading voices for a lesson in crafting films’ visual identity. Sean Baker, director of ‘The Florida Project’, takes us inside the setting of his standout film, we step inside the workshop of Viennese costume designer Monika Buttinger and film critic Tim Grierson explores the architecture of Woody Allen’s 1979 film ‘Manhattan’.

Grab yourself a glühwein as we get into the festive spirit with our favourite picks of the season. Tara Judah recalls some of her seasonal films, we touch down at the Rome Film Festival and embark on a tour of Alfred Hitchcock’s London.

In this inky special we examine the many ways cinema impacts the printed page. Pedro Almodovar’s storyboard artist Pablo Buratti takes us inside the often-hidden art, we get a lesson in graphic art from Austrian poster designer Matthias van Baaren, and Taschen’s Paul Duncan has the last word in creating beautiful film books.

Join us on a coastal journey from Brooklyn to Iceland as we explore three beachside films. Director Eliza Hittman discusses her sensitive portrait of a struggling young gay man in her new film, ‘Beach Rats’, and Monocle’s Carlota Rebelo reveals the story behind Wim Wenders’ affection for Lisbon. Plus: Icelandic filmmaker Erlingur Thoroddsen discusses the stunning scenery of his new thriller ‘Rift’.

Director Matt Spicer discusses the perils of social media in his Sundance award-winning new film, ‘Ingrid Goes West’. And Mike Hodges, director of the 1971 classic ‘Get Carter’, recalls the curious case of his almost-forgotten film ‘Pulp’ as it’s finally released on Blu-Ray.

Step inside Brazil’s leading animation studio, the Turma da Mônica, with the man who started it all, Mauricio de Sousa. Plus: our hand-drawn focus continues with a look at how comic-book illustrations became art and we preview Sean Baker’s new film, ‘The Florida Project’.

We’re celebrating our 100th episode by counting down our list of 100 great films featuring contributions from Xavier Dolan, Barry Jenkins, Kelly Reichardt, Nicolas Winding Refn, David Lowery and Raoul Peck.

In a show packed with tricks and treats we take a journey through cinema’s spookiest creations. Norwegian director Joachim Trier discusses his new supernatural thriller ‘Thelma’, Daniel Klemens investigates the horror-comedy genre and we survey some scary costumes with designer Laura Sindall.

Meet Hadley Freeman, journalist, author and possibly the world’s biggest fan of the classic 1982 film ‘Tootsie’. She explains why the film, which stars Dustin Hoffman, maintains a timeless relevance and why films of the 1980s are superior to today’s mainstream cinema.