Film Essays and Analysis
The Iron Claw and Modern American Folklore - How Von Erich family wrestling movie 'The Iron Claw' is about the ideas of American folklore, the constructs of myth cultivated in the USA over centuries. Essay by Matthew Peyton.
‘Shaft’ Unveiled Blaxploitation’s Cultural Revolution - 'Shaft' (1971) sparks discourse and debate, and challenges prevailing norms, unveiling the cultural revolution of Blaxploitation cinema. Essay by Juahl Ganaway.
Chasing the Present in ‘Before Sunset’ - Richard Linklater's middle entry into his Before Trilogy, 'Before Sunset' (2004) is about attempting to live in the present. Here's how it achieves that. Essay by Kyra Lieberman.
The Academy Has Failed Animation (Again) - The medium of animation is snubbed by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences every Oscars season. In 2024, animated film has been failed again. Essay by Munir Abedrabbo C.
The Transformative Impact of Teachers on the Protagonists of 21st Century Coming-Of-Age Films - Mr Hunnam's impact on his student Angus Tully in 'The Holdovers' is just one of a number of examples of teachers acting as key guiding figures in coming-of-age film. Essay by Cat Searcey.
The Apartment: The Elevator Between Eras - 'The Apartment' (1960), from director Billy Wilder and starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, acted as an elevator between Hollywood eras. Article by Kyra Lieberman.
Catch Me If You Can: Christmas Classic? - How Steven Spielberg's crime caper 'Catch Me If You Can' (2002), starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, is definitely a Christmas film. Article by Grace Laidler.
‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Is Scorsese’s Macbeth Adaptation - How Martin Scorsese's 'Killers of the Flower Moon' (2023) is a modern interpretation of William Shakespeare's "Macbeth". Full essay and analysis by Kieran Judge.
Scorsese’s Goodfellas and The Power of Movie Soundtracks - How Martin Scorsese utilises a diverse soundtrack of iconic popular music to help narrate his tale of gangsters, glory and regret in 'Goodfellas' (1990). Essay by Grace Laidler.
The Importance of Expressionism in ‘Raging Bull’ - How the expressionist techniques of Martin Scorsese's 'Raging Bull' (1980) elucidate the extent of Jake LaMotta's (Robert De Niro) psychological turmoil. Essay by Callum McGrath.
Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty: Classic Disney Princesses Through the Eyes of a Modern Maiden - Disney Animation classics 'Snow White', 'Cinderella' and 'Sleeping Beauty' are revisited by a 9-year-old and her mother, to evaluate what is outdated and what isn't. Article by Martha Lane.
How ‘Threads’ Remains Frighteningly Relevant 40 Years On - Barry Hines and Mick Jackson constructed a straight-to-television film that depicted the horrors of nuclear annihilation in a terrifying, realistic and lasting manner. Essay by Eleanor Wise.
Children of Men: Dropping Us Into Crisis - Alfonso Cuarón reimagined how to capture the intensity of war when he crafted his 2006 dystopian masterpiece Children of Men. Here's how. Essay by Mark Serravalle.
Cameo Killed the Superhero Movie - Is superhero cinema too reliant upon cameos? Is it taking away from the storytelling? After 'Spider-Man: No Way Home', everyone's doing it. Essay by Ibrahim Azam.
Dennis Hopper’s Last Movies: ‘Homeless’, ‘Pashmy Dream’ - Dennis Hopper had a career that surfed high art and low culture effortlessly, his last movies 'Homeless' and 'Pashmy Dream' interesting notes to go out on. Essay by Stephen Lee Naish.