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12 Shameful Movies That Glamorize the Devil

Shame, shame on the following movies for making the devil seem glamorous and cool.

The Witches of Eastwick (1987)

Warner Bros. – Credit: C/O

In this adaptation of a John Updike novel of the same name, an unlikely coven of New England witches played by Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer and Susan Sarandon unwittingly open the door to the devil himself, played by Jack Nicholson. OK, technically he’s called Daryl Van Horne, but come on: Van Horne?

The role finds Nicholson at his most endearingly devilish. He soon enters into complicated relationships with all three of the women.

Shame! Shame!

Devil’s Advocate (1997)

Warner Bros. – Credit: C/O

This 1997 melodrama finds Al Pacino playing the devil as high-powered lawyer John Milton, who, well, bedevils a promising new hire played by Keanu Reeves — as well as his innocent wife, played by Charlize Theron (above).

Milton is immensely charming and seductive at the start, then gets more brutal and nasty as things descend into total chaos.

Shame!

Angel Heart (1987)

Tri-Star Pictures – Credit: C/O

Pacino’s pal Robert De Niro played the devil 10 years earlier, in the form of a ponytailed smoothie called Louis Cyphre who hires a private investigator Johnny Angel (Mickey Rourke) to track down a missing singer in this Southern Gothic/noir.

Soon a young woman named Epiphany Proudfoot (Lisa Bonet) enters the picture, and things get very disturbing.

De Niro’s decision to play Louis Cyphre as restrained and cautious is quite unsettling and effective. He’s perhaps our greatest actor.

Shame!

Also Read: The 5 Sexiest Movies About the Amish

The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)

RKO Radio Pictures – Credit: RKO Pictures

Walter Huston’s soft-spoken, diabolical Mr. Scratch (above) has an energy and charisma that seem impossible to resist. He rigs a trial against statesman and attorney Daniel Webster, as they take a wild and twisty tour through American history. It’s a challenging and ambitious story of what it means to be American.

Shame on this film for ruining America’s wholesome 1940s image… and for glamorizing the devil.

Oh God! You Devil (1984)

From the trailer for Oh God You Devil. Warner Bros. – Credit: C/O

The third film in the Oh God! series — following 1977’s Oh, God and 1980’s Oh God! Book II — finds the irresistible George Burns, who played God in the first two films, doubling up to play both God and his old nemesis, the devil. His mission: To buy the soul of a struggling rock musician.

With all respect to Gracie, Burns and Burns also make quite the comedic duo.

Shame on George Burns. Shame!

The Prophecy (1995)

Dimension Films – Credit: C/O

Another handsome devil movie: This time Viggo Mortenson plays a philosphical, manipulative version of Lucifer, pushing buttons and trying to protect his own interests amid a complex war between angels and humankind. He’s a carrot-or-stick type of devil, charming with an invitation, but also happy to just drag people to the bad place.

Also, is it us or does Mortenson’s devil look a little like DeNiro’s Louis Cyphre?

Anyway: Shame!

Also Read: 10 Sex Scenes Somebody Should Have Stopped

Constantine (2005)

Warner Bros. Pictures – Credit: C/O

No one’s saying Peter Stormare’s version of the Satan is a nice guy, but he is pretty cool in Constantine, showing up as he does, barefoot in a white suit, slowing down time and walking through shattered glass like the mysterious, sultry star of a ’90s R&B video.

Needless to say: shame.

The Story of Mankind (1957)

Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. – Credit: C/O

This very weird, ambitious courtroom drama finds Mr. Scratch — played by a beguiling Vincent Price, above — arguing before a Great Court of Outer Space that humankind is more evil than good. His magnificent cravat, needless to say, gives him an unfair advantage.

Price was one of the earlier screen actors to figure out that a smooth-talking devil is scarier and more interesting than a raging one. You catch more souls with honey than vinegar, we guess.

Anyway, shame.

Bedazzled (1966)

20th Century Fox – Credit: C/O

Peter Cook is a swingin’ ’60s devil in the original Bedazzled, in which he offers seven wishes to a nebbishy lad played by Dudley Moore.

The most amusing aspect of the film — and most stories about deals with the devil — is seeing how he’ll technically fulfill his end of the bargain, while making things infinitely worse.

Given that this version of Bedazzled is best known for a seduction scene with Raquel Welch, someone wisely said: Hey. what if the whole movie were a big seduction? Which brings us to the next film in our gallery.

(Oh, and also: Shame.)

Bedazzled (2000)

20th Century Fox – Credit: C/O

The most glamorous of all movie devils, Elizabeth Hurley spends this superior remake of the 1966 Bedazzled tormenting the hapless Eliot (Brendan Fraser) while adopting a variety of amusing guises and costumes. She’s absurdly charismatic as a tech-savvy, high-fashion devil who uses computer programs to exploit her targets’ weaknesses.

It may be Hurley’s best role — pitch-perfect as she is as Vanessa in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, she’s mostly playing it straight to Mike Myers’ Austin.

In this one, she owns all the diabolical amusements.

Shame! Shame! Shame!

Little Nicky (2000)

New Line Cinema – Credit: C/O

With his prosthetic horns and pointy ears, Harvey Keitel is a watchable curiosity in this very broad, not-great Adam Sandler comedy.

He plays the devil (often referred to as Your Evilness) as a hard-working, coolheaded, basically decent guy trying to hold everything together while juggling his difficult job and demanding dad (Rodney Dangerfield). Keitel, masterful actor that he is, glamorizes the devil by making him seem harmless.

And also, the voice that Adam Sandler does throughout the movie: Shame!

Enjoyed This List of Shameful Movies That Glamorize the Devil?

Rear Window. Paramount. – Credit: C/O

You might also like this list of 12 Rad ’80s Movies Only Cool Kids Remember. Or cleanse your soul with this list of 1950s Movies That Are Still a Total Delight.

Main image: Elizabeth Hurley in Bedazzled, the inspiration for this whole gallery.

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15/06/2025
First-Time Filmmakers Share a Secret Weapon: The Library

Annapurna Sriram might not have made her debut feature Fucktoys — about a young woman’s psychic-guided journey through a colorful land called Trashtown — if not for her childhood library.

“We would rent movies all the time, and my mom really preferred that we rented them from the Nashville Public Library because it was free, and weirdly there was a very strange collection of art house movies,” she said Friday at a Provincetown International Film Festival panel about first-time filmmaking.

“So I saw Polyester and Pecker and Cemetery Man and But I’m a Cheerleader at a really young age, just based off the VHS boxes. And my parents kind of let us watch whatever we wanted from the library without worrying it, because they thought it was like educational.”

The public library was educational not just for Sriram, but also for her fellow panelists, Jimmy director Yashaddai Owens and Plainclothes director Carmen Emmi. All three writer-directors talked about sharing an appreciation for public libraries that helped them become filmmakers.

“Let’s take a moment and hear it for libraries,” noted panel moderator Eugene Hernandez, director of the Sundance Film Festival.

For Sriram to reference John Waters’ 1991 Polyester and 1998 Pecker at PIFF was something of a full circle moment: Waters is a patron saint of the festival, who turns up for screenings, hosts wild fundraisers, and, on Saturday, will interview Ari Aster.

Sriram, Owens and Emmi noted that in addition to resources like the library-connected Kanopy app, which lets viewers stream films for free, libraries offer a litany of opportunities for filmmakers, both in terms of resources and inspiration.

Owens said he outlined Jimmy, a narrative that imagines the life of young James Baldwin in Paris, at the New York Public Library’s flagship location, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building near Bryant Park.

“You go to a library, see everyone with their phones off and kind of studious, in tandem, and it’s like a force, and it’s a spirit that we all pick up on. And it was really helpful for me just to go and mean business about what I wanted to do,” he told MovieMaker after the panel.

Also Read: Say Yes to the Provincetown International Film Festival

Emmi, meanwhile, recalled that he spent his early years as a filmmaker at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts’s Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, located at Lincoln Center. The director, whose film is about an undercover cop ordered to bust men having sex in public places, would both read plays and watch recorded productions.

“They have plays that are archived, and that’s how I learned how to write. Because a lot of the Broadway shows are so expensive now, when I moved to New York in 2018 I couldn’t really afford to go to the theater as much as I wanted to. But I would go to Lincoln Center and I would just watch plays,” he explained.

The event was held at the beloved Provincetown entertainment and hospitality complex The Crown and Anchor, and if you needed a reminder that libraries are all about public service, you could walk a few blocks to the lovely and historic Provincetown Public Library, one of the few buildings in the world that advertises, prominently on its sign, that it offers public restrooms. Few things will garner so much goodwill in a beach town crowded with tourists.

Given that it’s a library, that’s only the beginning of its services: It also offers a fantastic selection of books, including about Provincetown itself, a landing site for the Pilgrims that has since become an arts and LGBTQ+ mecca. And its “library of things” invites patrons to check out a wide array of usual gadgets, tools and sources of entertainment and education.

But times being as the are, libraries are under attack — as one of the film’s playing at PIFF, The Librarians, reminds us. The award-winning documentary, from director Kim A. Snyder, profiles brave librarians standing up against book bans and other forms of censorship.

“In other countries, this would never happen,” said Owens. “People don’t settle at all. We have to stop settling and see the collective force that we have.”

Main image: The Provincetown Public Library. MovieMaker.

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13/06/2025
Tornado review – tries a bit too hard to be different

John Maclean aims for Sergio Leone and Akira Kurosawa, but this 18th century samurai western leaves only a superficial impression.

An entire decade has slipped by since the release of John Maclean’s debut feature, the frisky meta western Slow West, which, if nothing else, presented a savvy operator hankering to get his mitts dirty in the world of genre. His belated return to writing and directing retains a dash of eccentricity and a fondness for folding up and repurposing convention like it were a little origami bird, but this sadly feels a lot more like a roughedged first film than Slow West did way back when.

Drawing on the macho, high-plains sagas of Sergio Leone as well as Akira Kurosawa’s games of psychological chess, Tornado follows a Japanese father-daughter duo trundling down the muddied byways of rural Scotland in the late 1700s and plying their trade as performers of a samurai-themed puppet show. She, named Tornado (Kōki), is bored with her lot, while he (Takehiro Hira), embraces the hushed nobility of this artisan profession.

It’s not long before a hoard of gurning, grime-covered goons, each tooled-up with their own signature weapon, are chasing her across the landscape, because she pounced on the split-second opportunity to relieve them of two sacks of gold coins, the plunder from a criminal enterprise and en route to be divvyed out among them. The gang is led by Tim Roth’s Sugarman, who is basically Tim Roth were Tim Roth a poetically-inclined 18th century miscreant, who is at loggerheads with his son, Little Sugar (Jack Lowden), who wants nothing more than to get one over on his abusive pop and his pals. Maybe this snafu involving Tornado might be the right time to stick the knife in?

You can see what Maclean is aiming for here, but it feels as if he’s carefully selected a few modest ingredients, and rather than combining them to concoct a subtle, gourmet dish, we have a few strong flavours that don’t really work in concert. The heist/chase mechanics are decent, but it’s all too schematic, and the twists are often stealthy plot devices rather than ways into the drama.

On the atmospherics front, the film fares much better, with Robbie Ryan’s cinematography drawing out an autumnal haze of the spartan landscape, and some lovely little folksy production design embellishments from Elizabeth El-Kadhi. Part of the story takes in an encampment of travelling players, and the design of the mobile lodging and painted signage is a joy. It’s just a shame that these elements have so little to add to the story.

The real problem here is a script which favours bathetic proclamations over any real desire to get under the skins of the characters. Tornado herself as the feisty heroine is tragically one dimensional, and the only real tension in the film derives from the testy father-son relationship between Roth and Lowden. And even that comes to a head in a way that’s both anticlimactic and illogical.

It’s laudable that Maclean wants to breathe new life into unabashed “B” material, but unfortunately the idiosyncratic touches have usurped rather than bolstered what should be robust, time-honoured noir framework, and we’re left with a film which leaves only a superficial impression and little sense of purpose.

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The post Tornado review – tries a bit too hard to be different first appeared on Little White Lies.

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13/06/2025
Episode 199 of “The Cinephile Hissy Fit” Podcast — Every Movie Has a Lesson

PODCAST: Episode 199 of “The Cinephile Hissy Fit” Podcast — Every Movie Has a Lesson

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13/06/2025
How Defense Attorneys Fight Criminal Enterprise Allegations — Every Movie Has a Lesson

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) reports that 229 inmates are currently housed for offenses related to Continuing Criminal Enterprise (CCE). CCE is a grave federal charge against individuals who are involved in a long-term, structured, and large-scale criminal organization. The criminal organization is usually responsible for a series of serious, related felony violations. The number of people incarcerated for CCE is quite small compared to how large the scale of the organization is.

Since these organizations operate intricately, it’s not impossible for innocent bystanders to face accusations of involvement in organized crime. According to https://www.segurakiattacriminaldefense.com/, the accused are often willing to take a plea deal in an attempt to put the event behind them. This should not be the case since there are other ways to fight for your freedom.

Being charged with criminal enterprise allegations requires having some understanding of the law. Defense lawyers adopt a strategic approach, which calls for deep evaluation of evidence. They question the manner in which investigators went about their work and try to find holes in the prosecution’s case. Reviewing the tactics employed by investigators can show that even a small piece of evidence can significantly affect the outcome of a case.

This article will demonstrate how defense lawyers operate to help their clients contest criminal enterprise allegations.

Understanding Criminal Enterprise Allegations

When you hear about allegations of criminal enterprise, it is necessary to realize what these charges really involve. These cases typically involve more or less organized groups that engage in illegal activity for profit, such as drug trafficking, extortion, or racketeering.

A Morgantown criminal enterprise lawyer stated that business owners and individuals face criminal charges known as racketeering if the state or federal government believes the owner extorted money or obtained money through illegal means.

Understanding the setup of these criminal organizations helps shed light on the complexities involved in criminal enterprise allegations. Often multiple members comprise the group, each having different roles that may complicate legal proceedings. Many times, the prosecution must resort to the patterns of behavior and the connections between individuals to build a strong case.

Criminal enterprise accusations do not automatically mean that an individual is guilty. Case outcomes can be affected by several elements. Knowing the consequences of criminal enterprise allegations can help you understand the difficulties that defense attorneys deal with when attempting to safeguard the rights of their clients.

The Importance of Evidence Evaluation

In a criminal enterprise case, evidence evaluation is one of the most critical steps your lawyer will undertake on your behalf. The opposition will review every piece of evidence. Witness statements, financial records, and surveillance videos will help prove or disprove your innocence.

An effective attorney will look for flaws or gaps in the prosecution’s case. They can use those weaknesses in drawing defenses for you. They will also examine the credibility of the witnesses to determine their reliability. The assessment of the reliability of the evidence collected may largely shift the direction of the case before the judge.

Evidence analysis will aid the lawyer in anticipating the arguments from the prosecution and help prepare strong counterarguments. An attorney’s careful analysis of evidence affects the result of your particular case. Their legal support will provide you with a better chance at defending your rights and obtaining an outcome that is favorable to you.

Challenging Investigative Techniques

An important part of your defense will challenge the manner in which the investigation took place, especially in cases involving serious criminal enterprise charges. A skilled criminal attorney will look into how the evidence was actually gathered and whether your rights were violated in any way.

For instance, if the police employed illegal surveillance methods, questionable informants, or pressured confessions from the accused, your lawyers will argue that this evidence cannot be relied upon or even admitted in court.

Your lawyer will also analyze if there were violations of search requirements, interrogation, and so forth. Any mistakes made during these processes could be grounds to suppress evidence.

The legal team would strengthen your defense by hiring experts who would investigate the methods utilized in your case. This approach keeps you and your rights protected while holding the legal system to its standards.

Building a Strong Defense Strategy

Once your lawyer scrutinizes how the investigation was conducted, the final key is to build a strong defense tailored to your situation. Your legal team will look for flaws in the case of the prosecution by gathering evidence.

Inconsistencies in the statements of witnesses can cast doubt on the prosecution’s narrative. Together with your attorney, you will develop a defense story to describe your version of the events and address the allegations being investigated against you.

It is important that your attorney understand very well the legal basis of criminal enterprise charges, which can be rather technical. A skilled lawyer will bring in expert witnesses to support your case with the backing of professional opinion.

Maintaining constant communication with your legal team throughout the proceedings is important. Regular discussions with your legal counsel prevent you from overlooking important legal aspects of your case. Your defense will highlight the facts of your circumstances and will not just focus on refuting victimization.

Dealing with Plea Bargains and Sentencing Options

Plea bargains and sentencing carry many complexities that must be fully understood if you want to have a clear grasp of their potential impact on the circumstances of your case and your future. Plea bargains reduce or amend the charges brought against somebody or lessen the possible sentence imposed. It means the party who accepts a plea bargain confesses to some extent of guilt.

Your lawyer may have a discussion with you outlining the pros and cons and the strengths of the evidence set against you. They will inform you whether accepting a plea offer is better than bringing the case to court.

Should you decide to go to trial, be aware that if convicted, severe penalizations may be imposed against you. Discuss what your legal goals are, whether it is reducing jail time, name clearing, or record protection, with your attorney.

Your future will be determined by the court’s decisions. You can ask your lawyer to help you think about your goals and situation before you decide on a future course of action.

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12/06/2025
Protein review – nasty, funny, soulful

A gang of small-town drug dealing gym rats are set upon by a murderous stranger in this satisfying Welsh genre piece.

There are worse films to be obsessed with than Shane Meadows‘ Dead Man’s Shoes, and that film’s blood-flecked paw prints are all over writer/director Tony Burke’s witty, Welsh revenge yarn, Protein. The film cheekily adopts its title from the supposed nutritional qualities of human flesh among the more desperate echelons of the body building community, as our hooded, monosyllabic protagonist, Sion (Craig Russell), is in town to take out some tinpot trash and then feast on their freshly carved entrails.

On the sidelines is kindly gym worker Katrina (Kezia Burrows) who attempts to befriend the shell-shocked Sion, and while he very much remains a closed book emotionally, he does offer her a secret assist by butchering a chauvinist local lout who’s giving her grief. In fact, the horror/slasher element of the film is perhaps the least interesting thing about it, as Burke builds up an ensemble of characters who are all more than mere functional bit-players serving a hackneyed plot.

For example, two drug-dealing goons who work for a smarmy local kingpin are secret lovers who have been forced to conceal their relationship due to the air of unreconstructed machismo that pervades their grubby little community. Similarly, the two cops investigating this rash of disappearances come freighted with their own traumas, and an initially frosty relationship eventually thaws into something that’s rather toughing for a film that, in the main, focuses on violence, bigotry, exploitation, humiliation and which household tools are best for administering pain to your fellow man.

The link to Dead Man’s Shoes doesn’t begin and end with its angular loner with zero moral scruples when it comes to offing his targets. Burke injects a much-needed hit of parochial humour into proceedings, exemplified by Steve Meo’s hilarious, hapless Kevin, a wannabe wideboy who loves nothing more than to play dress-up Travis Bickle in his bedroom and have yelled arguments with his (always off-camera) mother.

There’re no wheels being reinvented here in terms of tone or narrative, but it is a very solid genre runaround that is elevated by its occasional and welcome lapses into soulful introversion. It’s highly satisfying to see a filmmaker transition from a career making music videos and shorts to a work which expends time and effort to flesh-out all of its characters – even if that flesh might be eventually eaten by its cannibalistically-inclined antihero.

The post Protein review – nasty, funny, soulful first appeared on Little White Lies.

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12/06/2025
The Dreamworld Aesthetic of 8½

Through its visionary cinematography and costume design, Federico Fellini’s 1963 film masterfully blurs the lines between memory, reality and fantasy.

This feature is the first in our summer series, La Dolce Vita: A Celebration of Italian Screen Style, in partnership with Disaronno.

Asked to describe the anarchic ‘plot’ of what would turn out to be one of his greatest cinematic achievements – a towering, madcap, melancholy exploration of artistic endeavour, male ego and personal failing – writer/director Federico Fellini settled on a rather ambitious statement. He sought to depict, he said, the three different planes “on which our minds live: the past, the present, and the conditional – the realm of fantasy.”

You might say that when it comes to the costuming of these impish, dreamlike figures, fantasy is as much a factor as is any impetus toward realism. They are symbolic as much as they are corporeal, with protagonist Guido Anselmi (played by the dashing Marcello Mastroianni) an autobiographical stand-in for Fellini himself. Piero Gherardi was the man for the job: the costumer and set designer would become a second-time Academy Award winner for 8½ off the back of his 1960 win for La Dolce Vita.

For the insouciant elegance of Guido, a trim black suit is the uniform of choice. Guido dons Neapolitan-style tailoring in the form of this silk suit – some say it’s Brioni – along with a white cotton shirt, black tie and black-frame glasses. His suit is less angular and more rounded around the shoulders than traditional 1960s tailoring – not to mention paired with penny loafers to suggest a rather more bohemian, unconventional side to his character’s supposed professionalism. You can also see it in the character’s unusual choice of headwear – a rather incongruous, old-fashioned hat – which is remarked upon by other characters in the film.

Meanwhile, in contrast to the rather tidy black-clad Mastrioanni, the women of the film are peacocks, dressed in various degrees of surrealist adornment. Guido remains both tormented by and in thrall to the women of the film – Anouk Aimee is chic and miserable as Luisa, his long-suffering wife, disguising her malaise behind black wraparound sunglasses.

Guido’s mistress, Carla (Sandra Milo), wears only negligee, ostentatious white furs and heavy makeup – vulgarity writ large. But Claudia Cardinale plays an actress (who shares her first name) whom Guido casts as his ‘Ideal Woman’. She’s enigmatic and carefree, a beguiling and unknowable figure who can only exist in fantasy. “You’ll be dressed in white with your hair long, just the way you wear it,” Guido tells her, notably mentioning clothing.

But we never actually see this vision materialise; instead, Claudia is black-clad in their nocturnal foray through Rome, far from the innocent pastoral figure he seems to be idealising her as for his screen role. Her LBD drips with matching black feathers – not the only bird-like echo in the film, and reflecting the more stark reality: less dove, more raven. Indeed, the hatwear worn by women throughout the film is strikingly avian – no doubt a reflection of the symbolic importance of flying and birds to traditional Jungian dream interpretation.

It is ultimately Cardinale’s style which has the greatest import for 8½ because she is a figure of such projection and fantasy, the muse to an artist desperate for inspiration and a man who is spiritually and sexually conflicted. Failing to fall into the Madonna-mistress dichotomy, the playfulness of her clothing seeming to be either entirely in black or white feels ironic. There’s no objectivity in the way she is seen by Guido. And it’s that subjectivity which is the guiding principle of Fellini’s world of dreams.

To find out more about Disaronno’s 500-year anniversary* celebrations, visit disaronno.com

*1525: The legend of Disaronno begins.

The post The Dreamworld Aesthetic of 8½ first appeared on Little White Lies.

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12/06/2025
How Tooth Loss Can Damage Memory — Every Movie Has a Lesson

How Tooth Loss Can Damage Memory — Every Movie Has a Lesson

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11/06/2025
Daisy-May Hudson: ‘I want to make films that…

In 2013 Daisy-May Hudson was studying for a degree in English and Drama in Manchester. At the same time, her family back in Essex were being evicted from their home, outpriced on the rental market and forced to go through the social housing system. Hudson rushed home, picked up a camera and decided to film their experience which resulted in her acclaimed documentary Half Way. For her first fictional feature film, Lollipop, Hudson draws from her real-life experience and the women who have inspired her along the way.

LWLies: Your film has many thematic layers to it and one of those is a beautiful tribute to the complexities of motherhood. Can you talk me through the many mother characters we meet and how you decided to portray them in the film?

Hudson: Molly was inspired by these women I met outside the Houses of Parliament who were protesting to have their children back after they had been removed by social services. Also another mother who became an advisor to the film who also had her children removed. They were these Lioness women who were so determined by that unbreakable bond between a mother and child. I’m also really interested in generational trauma and the mirroring of mother and daughter relationships. Molly is so determined to be a cycle breaker but she ends up falling into some of the same cycles that her mum went through. She parents her mother just like her daughter parents her. And of course, Amina, they just have this magical connection that happens on screen but also off screen when Idil and Posy get together. They have this ability to see each other beyond their roles as mothers.

I loved Amina and Molly’s ride or die friendship. In your writing of female friendship what were the most important things for you to depict?

I think there’s a magical thing that happens when we allow ourselves to be seen and it takes courageous vulnerability. When we do it there’s this depth of connection where we can meet with someone that is transformational. That’s what happens with Molly and Amina. They start by hiding and fear of showing the darkest parts of ourselves. Ultimately, they show those parts, and they fall in deeper love, a deeper sisterhood. The thing I’ve always felt about Molly is that she had always been in survival mode and Amina provides a safe space where she can put down her guard. She can lean back into love. That softens her and enables her to start loving herself and making new choices and then showing up to life in a different way. Amina really feels this deep gratitude for Molly because she actually feels seen as a woman beyond all expectations. That was so healing for Amina, but also for Idil in real life.

You’ve been very careful not to paint any of the people we meet in your film as villains. The social housing system was something you and your family experienced first-hand so can you talk to me about the things you drew from real life?

The thing we came up against as a family was the limitations of the rules. You may be speaking to a human being but they are working within this framework. When I was researching for the script, I was meeting really genuine people who went into the job because they cared and wanted to make a difference. Then they get limited by this red tape… particularly this dehumanising language that they are trained to say. I remember when we were homeless, we kept being told, ‘in due course.’ It’s this purgatory basically. It was really important to me that there was no baddie or goodie because I don’t think people go into a job to become bad guys. Also I think we’re just one choice away from being on the other side of the table. When we were casting I wanted to find people that looked like Molly, or could be Molly’s friend or auntie… that’s the thing about working class communities you can be on any side of the table just trying to do your best and do right by your family.

What are the guiding factors for the type of cinema you want to make?

I want to make films that crack people’s hearts open in the most beautiful way. For me humanity is about experiencing this full spectrum of emotion. That can be the deepest grief but the highest heights of joy. I think that’s what you experience in Lollipop.

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11/06/2025
When and Why You May Need a Probate Lawyer After Losing a Loved One — Every Movie Has a Lesson

In 2024, Trust & Will’s statistics revealed that 62% of millennials lack a will or trust, and only 33% of US adults have any estate planning documents. The average probate timeline is 20 months.

Long Beach probate lawyer Bill Preston says that probate is the legal process of settling a deceased person’s estate. As a personal representative or beneficiary, it is important to understand your rights and responsibilities and the steps involved.

This article will review the reasons why you may probably need a probate lawyer after the death of your loved one.

Understanding Probate and Its Importance

Probate is a court process that verifies the legitimacy of a will and facilitates how assets are distributed upon the death of the individual who created it.

One’s lack of knowledge on probate may cause delays, disputes, or even financial losses. You will need to collect all probate documents, such as the will and death certificate. Later on, beneficiaries and creditors will be notified.

According to a Torrance probate lawyer, the probate process may be unavoidable at times. A court may get involved if you or your loved one did not create an estate plan prior to your death. Court proceedings can arise when a family member disagrees with a trustee’s administration of the estate.

Having a probate will help you set your expectations so you can feel relieved while dealing with your family’s estate matters.

Signs That You May Need a Probate Lawyer

You need the intervention of a probate lawyer when you begin to doubt the legitimacy of the will and face family disputes over inheritance. A skilled probate lawyer can easily address the challenges of handling complicated assets such as businesses or real estate.

A lawyer will help you comply with intestacy laws if your loved one died without leaving a will. If you’re worried about tax impacts or claims from creditors, you can ask your lawyer to clarify your obligations and how to meet them.

The lawyer can even remind you when there are filings to do before the deadline approaches so you can make it on time.

The Role of a Probate Lawyer in the Process

Probate matters can be complicated. A lawyer will explain the legal process to you so that the implementation of the estate can be carried out based on the wishes of your deceased relative and state law.

An attorney will assist with the filing of documents, locating assets, notifying beneficiaries, handling creditor claims, and settling disputes among heirs.

They will not let you go through the legal process all by yourself. With their help, you will be able to meet deadlines and meet legal requirements. Their legal support can help you focus on grieving while they strategically deal with the probate process.

Common Challenges Faced During Probate

The probate process can sometimes lead to potential conflicts among heirs, resulting in losses and stress. Identifying estate assets accurately may pose another concern if you make a mistake since it can lead to taxes or disputes.

You will have a hard time locating wills or property titles if you are unfamiliar with probate documents. Dealing with unsettled debts left by the deceased can cause you unwarranted stress.

You can ask your lawyer to prepare you for answering questions that involve local state laws and regulations. Familiarizing yourself with them can give you the confidence to respond to any queries about your case.

How to Choose the Right Probate Lawyer

Verify probate lawyers’ credentials and review the public opinion about them. Once you have finalized your list, set appointments with a few of them to share your situation and judge how comfortable you feel while interacting with them.

Inquire about their communication style. They must keep you updated at all stages. Discuss their fees upfront to avoid any surprises in the future.

Trust your instinct and select the lawyer who can empathize with your situation. Your relationship with your lawyer will affect your case throughout the process. The right lawyer can help you focus on your healing and grieving process while honoring the memory of your loved one.

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11/06/2025