Ben Protheroe-Staff Writer

Ben Protheroe

Staff Writer

September, 2023
Factoid, Explainer, Op-Ed
  • 992
    articles
  • 23
    News
  • 119
    Features
  • 850
    Lists

About Ben Protheroe

Ben is a freelance writer from the UK with a Master's degree in Screenwriting. He has written in a variety of genres and his short films have been featured in film festivals in both the UK and the USA. When he is not writing or at the cinema he enjoys playing soccer, traveling, and reading. He lives in London. 

Industry Focus

Ben writes about a broad range of movies and TV shows, including big franchises and lesser-known classics. 

Favorite Media

Ben will watch any and all movies, but he has a particular interest in the heist genre. His favorite directors include Wes Anderson, David Fincher and the Coen brothers. 

Latest

Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones and Sean Connery as Henry Jones in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Steven Spielberg's 15 Highest-Grossing Movies

Steven Spielberg is the most commercially successful director of all time, with his movies making over $10 billion at the global box office.

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Jesse Plemmons and Kirsten Dunst drinking tea outdoors in The Power of the Dog.
Netflix's Greatest Western Isn't Really A Western At All

Netflix’s best Western is much more of a psychological thriller than a true Western, and it constantly subverts the genre’s biggest traditions.

The Joker wears a clown mask and stands with his head titled slightly as he and his crew rob a Gotham City bank
10 Action Movies I Knew Would Be Masterpieces After The First 10 Minutes

Some of the best action movies just seem different right from the first few minutes, and there’s no doubt that audiences are in for a treat.

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Amy Adams as Dr.  Louise Banks wearing an orange haz mat suit in Arrival
10 Sci-Fi Movies That Define The Genre

There are certain movies which have advanced the sci-fi genre and defined what great sci-fi can be, from the 1920s right up to the modern day.

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Tom Hardy as Mad Max on the front of a truck in Fury Road
The Best Action Movie From Each Year Of The Past Decade

The last decade has produced some action movies that should be recognized as instant classics, including franchise blockbusters and original ideas.

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Scarlett Johansson at the Jurassic World Rebirth premiere
10 Great Acting Performances Nobody Talks About Today

Not all movie performances get the kind of attention that they deserve, often because they’re in lesser-known movies with relatively small audiences.

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Christoph Waltz as Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds
20 Best Opening Scenes In Movie History

Great opening scenes can introduce the characters or set up the story, but the key is that they should make audiences want to keep watching.

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Ben Affleck at The Accountant 2 premiere
Bank Heist Expert Gives Ben Affleck Movie 10/10 For Realistic Robbery Scene

A lot of Hollywood heist movies try to sugar-coat the impact of crime, but Ben Affleck’s 2010 thriller has been praised for its authenticity.

Russell Crowe as Maximus wearing armor in Gladiator
The 2005 Ridley Scott Epic That Roger Ebert Declared Superior To Gladiator

Ridley Scott’s best historical epic may have won the Oscar for Best Picture, but it didn’t impress Roger Ebert, who awarded it a mediocre score.

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Dr. Mann (Matt Damon) looking concerned in Interstellar
20 Best Sci-Fi Movies Of The Past 40 Years

The sci-fi genre took shape in the era of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars and Blade Runner, but many great movies have built on this foundation.

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Cho Yeo-jeong Choi Yeon-gyo holds her hand up to her worried face in a scene from Parasite.
The Best International Movie From Each Year Of The Past Decade

The best international movies of the last decade show that there’s an entire world of cinema waiting for those who have yet to explore it.

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Kiri looks concerned while talking to someone in Avatar Fire and Ash
Avatar: 5 Best Theories About Kiri

Avatar fans have come up with plenty of theories to explain Kiri’s origins and powers, whether she’s a scientific anomaly or a religious figure.

Terence Stamp as Lindsey in Last Night in Soho
The Quiet Brilliance Of Terence Stamp's Final Movie Role

Terence Stamp’s 2021 horror movie was the perfect film to end his career on, since it pays tribute to his on-screen persona throughout the decades.

Clint Eastwood squinting under a cowboy hat with a cigar in the corner of his mouth in The Good the Bad and the Ugly
A Wild West Expert Called The Greatest Western Shootout Of All Time "Nonsense"

Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly mythologizes the Old West, which means that some of its scenes are historically inaccurate.

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Shrek snuggling with Puss in Boots
DreamWorks' 12 Franchises, Ranked Worst To Best

DreamWorks has created plenty of successful animated franchises, but not all of them are as popular as Shrek and How to Train Your Dragon.

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Emma Stone looking wistful in Poor Things
10 Great Movie Quotes Nobody Talks About (#3 Is Genius)

A great piece of dialogue can come from almost anywhere, and there are some unforgettable movie quotes that aren’t from the big classics.

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Dev Patel looking over his shoulder in The Green Knight
10 Visually Stunning Movies That Will Also Make You Think

There are plenty of blockbusters with eye-catching visuals and no real substance, but the best movies can pair beautiful imagery with engaging ideas.

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Daniel Craig's James Bond looking to the side while people cower behind him in Skyfall
2 James Bond Candidates Starred In The Same $400 Million Action Franchise - Only One Became 007

Before Casino Royale, two of the top candidates to play James Bond starred in another action franchise, although they never shared the screen.

George Clooney looks serious in Out Of Sight
This 27-Year-Old Crime Movie Is So Good, You Can't Just Watch It Once

George Clooney’s stylish 1998 crime comedy wasn’t a commercial hit, but it’s been recognized as a classic of the genre in the decades since.

Alicia Vikander as Ava the android looking at a face in Ex Machina
10 Movie Performances That Stole The Show In The First 10 Minutes

It’s not often that a supporting actor steals the show, but some movie performances are undeniably powerful within the first few minutes.

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