Movies have the power to transport us anywhere, within or beyond this world. They can excite, devastate, entertain, and comfort us. They also educate us, revealing things we might never otherwise encounter or prompting us to consider ideas we might never have explored.

I have always loved watching films for their entertainment and escapism, but during my University studies in French and German, I became fascinated by how cinema can bring people together to share and debate their perspectives. Art is subjective, and I find it so interesting that everyone can take away something different, a message, an emotion or an insight from the same movie.

During one of the Covid lockdowns, I set up a virtual film club with friends and family. Every two weeks, we meet online to discuss a film we have all watched independently in advance. The person who chose the movie leads the discussion with questions, and over the years we have had some excellent, thought-provoking conversations. The club has now been running for four and a half years, and we have discussed 118 films!

Once the world opened up again, I founded the Sandhurst Film Club. We recently celebrated our 3-year anniversary, with movie-themed karaoke, of course, and have built a wonderful community of regulars from all walks of life, united by our love of cinema.

Running both clubs has broadened my horizons enormously. I have watched films I might never have chosen myself, some brilliant, others less so, but whether I love them or not, I always value the conversation that follows.

I started this blog to share my thoughts on film, as well as highlights and discussions from both of my film clubs. I hope it inspires others to watch, think, and talk about movies in new ways.