Hollywood Spectacles – Nerds, Perverts and the Morally Deviant-Bespectacled film characters have long been presented with a number of damaging traits, the least of which is "being a nerd". Ciaran Duncan explores this problematic representation in this feature essay.
Nolan’s Films Are Complex, but Are They Deep?-Famed film director Christopher Nolan has long been a filmmaker who pursues interesting concepts, but are movie releases such as 'Tenet' and 'Inception' actually deep? Louis B Scheuer explores.
Christopher Nolan’s Cinematic Chores: Understanding ‘Tenet’-Nolan frequently assigns his audience chores, engineering his films in such a way that requires them to participate in each narrative actively. 'Tenet' is no exception. Leoni Horton explores.
CGI Vs Animatronics-In 2020, the debate surrounding the use of CGI versus the use of Animatronics is more divisive than ever. o which is better? Louis B Scheuer explores.
The Little Game of Dogville, and a Philosopher Who Sucks at His Job-Lars von Trier's Bertolt Brecht-inspired film about absent of most elements of set paints a picture of a broken capitalistic system. Cole Clark analyses how in this piece on the movie starring Nicole Kidman and Paul Bettany.
Why Is It So Hard to Make a Good Shark Film?-They did it. We had one. A good shark movie. So why has it been so difficult for anyone else to come close to matching 'Jaws' in the 45 years since its release? Martha Lane breaks it down.
When Love Transcends Time (Travel)-"Time travel [...] can miraculously give characters their happily ever after, snatch it cruelly away, or both." Time travel and love in cinema - an essay by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
The Trickling Influence of ‘Inception’-How Christopher Nolan hit 'Inception' "mark[ed] the turning of the tide – planting the idea of the more intelligent blockbuster". Article by Aaron Bayne.
Rachel McAdams: The Time-Traveller’s Wife-"I have a question for you Rachel McAdams: where is your agency? And, why do you have such a thing for time-travellers?" - Annice White on Rachel McAdams: the time traveller's wife.
Superhero Bust: The Future of the Superhero Genre-Have we seen the pinnacle of the superhero movie mountain? Gillian MacLeod looks at the facts, analysing the genre in conjunction with a prominent film theory in this special superhero movie essay.
An American Werewolf In London – Unfinished Game-Changing Fun-Roger Ebert once described horror-comedy 'An American Werewolf in London' (1981), from director John Landis, as "unfinished". Sarah Williams looks at how this unfinished movie changed the game by making horror fun.
‘Green Street’ and Toxic Masculinity-Toxic masculinity and violence in 'Green Street' (2005) starring Elijah Wood and Charlie Hunnam. How critique of the film seems to have missed the point, as written by George Forster.
Breaking Principles: Passive Characters in ‘Vivarium’ (2020)-How 'Vivarium' (2020) succeeds in frustrating some and enlightening others through its choice of presenting actively-passive characters against all usual writing principles. Essay by Kieran Judge.
Examining Controversial Depictions of Jesus Christ in Cinema-As one of history's most influential figures, depictions of Jesus Christ have caused controversy and discord since the days of the early church, and the same goes for cinema. In this piece Katie Doyle examines cinema's most provocative interpretations of the Easter Story.
Are Musicals Cinema’s Next Big Trend?-With the future of the film industry uncertain, people are turning to the ultimate form of escapism: the movie musical. Could the often suppressed genre be cinema's next big trend? Charlie Gardiner explores.
Windows Into Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Parasite’-Bong Joon-ho's Best Picture Oscar winning feature 'Parasite' (2019/2020) makes spectacular use of windows to establish and reinforce themes. Sam Sewell-Peterson explores in this 'Parasite' essay.
Plot Reveals vs Plot Twists – When They Work and When They Don’t-When plot twists work and when they don't. Kieran Judge explores one of cinema's most controversial, discussion stirring narrative elements, ruminating on some of the form's best and most famous examples.
The Identity Crisis of Hong Kong Cinema-How the films of the likes of John Woo and Wong Kar-wai have illustrated the identity crisis and cultural anxieties of Hong Kong during the state's rich history of cinema.
A Brief History of the Director’s Cut-From the Ridley Scott's Director's Cut of 'Blade Runner' to Peter Jackson's 'Lord of the Rings' extended editions and right through to the Snyder Cut of 'Justice League' - the history of the director's cut as presented by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
How Cathy Yan’s ‘Birds of Prey’ Reawakens the Ethos of the Riot Grrrl-‘That girl thinks she’s the Queen of the neighbourhood, I got news for you, she is!’ - How Cathy Yan's 'Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey' embraces the Riot Grrrl ethos in its fresh attempts to validate female anger. Article by Leoni Horton.
Why Parasite’s Oscars Dominance Matters-'Parasite winning, and winning so big, shows that maybe barriers are being broken down'. Jacob Davis on why 'Parasite' winning big at the Oscars 2020 matters.
Could ‘Frozen II’ Win Best Original Song? – Oscars 2020-"in the final “Into the unknown” in the chorus, [Elsa] goes so far past the safe notes, way into the enchanted forest. Here the chorus acts as a microcosm for the whole narrative." - Sophie Cook on why "Into the Uknown" should win Best Original Song at the 2020 Oscars.
In Defence of The Academy – A Sarcastic Address of the Controversy Surrounding The Oscars-For close to a century, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been a pillar of open-mindedness and has set benchmarks for inclusion. This article celebrates their otherworldly knowledge and passion that totally isn't bought or the source of controversy.
1917 Is Not Nationalistic-Is '1917' inherently nationalistic? The multi-time Oscar nominee and Golden Globes winner has come under fire from certain sections of the press, but Jacob Davis disagrees with the consensus. Full feature/essay here.
Baz Luhrmann’s Iconic Postmodern Trilogy: An Exploration-Baz Luhrmann exercises postmodernism in his work through his instantly recognisable work in adaptation and reimagining, including in his three most iconic pieces, a postmodern trilogy explored by Sophie Cook.
Shot For Shot: Safe-Theft Scene in Hitchcock’s ‘Marnie’ (1964)-Over half a century later, Hitchcock's movies still have us on the edge of our seats. But why? Kieran Judge breaks down how he masterfully manipulates his audience in a shot-by-shot analysis of a scene from 'Marnie' (1964).
Analyzing ‘Star Wars’ Lore: The Jedi-The history, development and contradictions in Jedi lore in the 'Star Wars' franchise. Article by Jacob Davis.
The Wizard of Oz – 80 Years of Social Relevance-The impact of 'The Wizard of Oz', its context to politics at the time and the profound effect it had during the 2nd world war examined in the year of its 80th anniversary by Beth Sawdon.
A Textual Critique of ‘Stand Your Ground’-2014 Michael McClendon movie 'Stand Your Ground' sides you with the assailant in a "based on true events" story of a real-life murder trial from the perspective of the perpetrator's mother. Jacob Davis explores its problematic stance.
Loki: The Development of One of Marvel’s Greatest Villains-He became one of the most iconic superhero villains of all time. In this feature, Francesca Militello charts Loki's development from prince to villain to brother between 'Thor' and 'Infinity War'.
Laika Animation: Meditations on Alienation and Death… for Kids!-Laika, the stop-motion animation house behind 'Kubo and the Two Strings' and 'Missing Link', have been tackling soft subjects in child friendly ways for a decade. Sam Sewell-Peterson takes a look at how they made death and alienation not only digestible but also relatable.
Designing Nightmares: H.R. Giger and ‘Alien’-When you think of 'Alien', you think of Ridley Scott and the Xenomorph, but the man behind the disturbing visuals is H.R. Giger, the artist profiled by Kieran Judge in this article.
The Success and Significance of The Wandering Earth-'The Wandering Earth' has broken all sorts of records in China and at the worldwide box office. Joseph Wade tackles the significance of this success and why it is successful in this special feature.
Green Book’s Win Says More About the Academy Than Society-"A Green Book Oscars win is the cinematic equivalent of burying one’s head in the sand" writes Jacob Davis of its Oscars 2019 Best Picture win in this special opinion piece.
A Millennial’s Take on Vice-Approaching Adam McKay's Dick Cheney biopic 'Vice' from the perspective of someone too young to remember Cheney properly is Jacob Davis.
Director Spotlight: Na Hong-Jin-South Korean director Na Hong-Jin has developed a recognisable style throughout his three releases to date, something Kieran Judge dissects and celebrates in this Director Spotlight.
The History of Zombies in Cinema-Drawing from John Landis' "Monsters in the Movies", Rhian Gillah explores the development of zombies throughout cinematic history.
Jacob’s Ladder: A Masterpiece Often Forgotten-Why more people should remember 'Jacob's Ladder', a film that "takes the themes and iconography of horror and moves into something deeper and more meaningful" according to Kieran Judge.
Instruments of Terror: The Music In Horror Films-"music was the hot new thing in town and no other genre would benefit more than Hollywood’s angsty teenage brother, the horror film." Craig Sheldon's exploration of music in horror films, here.
A Look Inward: Introspection in A Star Is Born-"Seeing someone’s true self is important in 'A Star Is Born', but being able to look at one's self is even more important." Introspection in 'A Star Is Born', by Jacob Davis.
Fabric Love: Costume in Gay Cinema-The role of clothing in male-male romances is very distinct. Annice White takes you through the how and why with comparisons between 'Call Me By Your Name', 'God's Own Country' and 'Brokeback Mountain'.
The Nun: The Prequel We Didn’t Need-With a story that lacked narrative and jump scares that avoided originality, should 'The Nun' be the end for the 'Conjuring' universe?
Why Are We Still Scared of Horror Movies?-How have horror movies changed to keep us squirming in our seats and seeking the thrill time and time again? Beth Sawdon investigates in this special feature.
How To Make A Good Book-to-Movie Adaptation-Beth Sawdon offers advice on how to make a good book-to-film adaptation, taking lessons from the good and often downright ugly adaptations of the past in this special feature.
The Exceptionals: The Philosophies of The Incredibles-In this special feature, Luke Whitticase explores the philosophies of 'The Incredibles' and its director Brad Bird, drawing particular parallels with exceptionalism and Randian Objectivism.
How Science Fiction Movies Have Influenced Technology-"what is science fiction really? By definition, it's science that isn't real. Or is it?" Craig Sheldon takes you through the real-life impact sci-fi movie gadgets and gizmos have had in this special feature.
An Artist’s Contributions: David Wark Griffith-Highly influential 'Broken Blossoms' and 'The Birth of a Nation' director David Wark Griffith is the topic of Francesca Militello's latest piece in her "An Artist's Contributions" series. Just how did Griffith influence modern cinema? Find out here.
What Does the Crystal Mean in Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Mother!’?-What does the crystal represent in 'Mother!' (2017)? Elizabeth Howlett takes you through her theory about this vital aspect of the controversial Darren Aronofsky film starring Jennifer Lawrence, here.
An Artist’s Contributions: Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein-Sergei Eisenstein, the father of many modern theories on cinema, is the latest filmmaker to be included in Francesca Militello's An Artist's Contributions series. Take a look at what made him so influential, here.
An Introduction to Italian Neorealism – Essay-Francesca Militello outlines the famous film movement of Italian Neorealism in this introductory essay complete with suggestions on what to watch and why.
How the TV Renaissance Has Helped Film Actors-What was once a death nail to any film actor's career now seems like a more enticing proposition as film actors embrace tv, giving the small screen a bigger draw and changing the industry.
You’ve Been Watching ‘Signs’ Wrong-A 'Signs' alternative theory. Could the aliens in 'Signs' really be angels or demons? Joseph Wade takes you through the facts...
The Dark Crystal and Why 80s Nostalgia Can Be Good-Katie Doyle presents why she feels the reemergence of 'The Dark Crystal' via Netflix signifies the positive side of this decade's 80s nostalgia trip.
How Robin Williams Affected Millennials-Robin Williams was a legend, but to millennials he was something more. Hear about it straight from the horses mouth in Catherine Giggal's special piece.
The Evolution of Disney Dads-What does the interaction a Disney Princess has with her father tell us about how times have changed between 1989 and 2016? James Cullen explores.
‘I, Daniel Blake’, Its Significance and Recognition-'I, Daniel Blake' has become a significant film for more than just its art. In this piece, Joseph Wade outlines how the film transcended cinema and looks at the reasons for its lack of awards show recognition.
How Everyone Finally Got Over Ben Affleck Being Batman-Ben Affleck won over most of his critics with his performance in 'Batman v Superman' (2016). Joseph Wade analyses how he managed to do so in a follow up to his contentious piece 'Why It's Finally Time To Get Over Ben Affleck Being Batman' (released in 2015).
An Artist’s Contributions: Orson Welles-Orson Welles may be the most influential American director of all time. Francesca Militello has analysed his artistic contributions in this special article.
It’s Not What You Watch, It’s How You Watch It-In Katie Doyle's latest contemplative piece, she writes about how important the ways you watch film can be to your reception of it, and offers a few examples from her own past.
It’s A Wonderful Life: The Truest of Christmas Films-Tis the season for a Christmas rant. Katie Doyle presents hers in the form of her latest piece: 'It's A Wonderful Life: The Truest of Christmas Films', here.
The Most Important Concept in Film-Tricia Lowney presents one of the most important concepts in film today: suspension of disbelief. Read the piece, in full, here.
Video Games to Films – Where Does It All Go Wrong?-Greg Forrester has asked: "video games to films - where does it all go wrong?" You can read the post that highlights a number of big budget adaptations, here.