Hammer to Nail

In a career spanning over five decades, Mike Leigh has established himself as one of Britain’s most distinctive filmmakers, crafting intimate portraits of working-class life through his unique improvisational process. From the raw intensity of Naked to the period grandeur...

When news broke in August that iconic artist David Lynch was basically homebound with emphysema, you didn’t have to be a doctor to figure out the end was near. And sure enough, as 2025 continues to frontload it’s sheer shittiness...

(Here at Hammer to Nail, we are all about true independent cinema. But we also have to tip our hat to the great films that continue to inspire filmmakers and cinephiles alike. This week, Brad Cook takes a chance with...

Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof has spent two decades making films that examine how people navigate life under authoritarian rule. His work, including the Golden Bear-winning There Is No Evil (2020), focuses on everyday citizens forced to make impossible choices, earning him both...

Brazilian director Walter Salles has made a number of powerful, expertly crafted films over his career, including the 1998 Central Station and 2004 The Motorcycle Diaries. He’s back now, after a decade away from features, with I’m Still Here, set...

(Check out Hannah Tran’s Santosh movie review, in theaters now. Seen it? Join the conversation with HtN on our Letterboxd Page.) “There are two types of untouchables in this world,” begins the imperative line of director Sandhya Suri’s Santosh, “one who nobody wants...

Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person in the World) is a force to be reckoned with in Armand. The psychological thriller marks the directorial debut of Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel, the grandson of Liv Ullmann and Ingmar Bergman. It had its world...

Filmmaker Gia Coppola, known for her tender explorations of transformation in Palo Alto and Mainstream, returns with The Last Showgirl, a stirring character study shot by acclaimed cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Loki). The film, which premiered...

After establishing himself in the television landscape with Netflix’s haunting crime series The Valhalla Murders, Icelandic filmmaker Thordur Palsson ventures into feature territory with The Damned, a gripping period horror that proves his masterful command of tension extends far beyond the procedural format....

Dear Hammer to Nail readers- Happy New Year and thanks for your unwavering support. Things have been going very well here at HtN with nary a dry spell for new indie films. Sundance is just around the corner and that...