Film Essays and Analysis
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. 
A Clockwork Orange In Retrospect – Its Themes, Its Reception and Kubrick’s Directorial Masterclass - 'A Clockwork Orange', the controversial 1971 release from directorial master Stanley Kubrick, has been analysed by Lucas Hill-Paul regarding its themes, reception and delivery in this exclusive retrospective.
From Final Girls to Kickass Women – What Modern Female Protagonists Have in Common with Ellen Ripley - "Ellen Ripley stands as one of the first pages torn out of a sexist and archaic rulebook." From Final Girls to Kickass Women - What Modern Female Protagonists Have in Common with Ellen Ripley.
The Fine Art of Black Comedy or Why It’s OK to Laugh When We Shouldn’t - Using three examples by filmmakers from three different continents, Sam Sewell-Peterson analyses the cathartic nature of Black Comedy in this special feature.
The Legacy of ‘Tomb Raider’ and Its Impact On Video Game Cinema - 21st century Hollywood's biggest attempt at a video-game-to-movie franchise, Tomb Raider, has left an enduring legacy. Craig Sheldon explores in this special feature.
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.
From Captive Maiden to Captain Marvel – The Rise of the Female Action Hero - Captain Marvel is Marvel Studios' first female superhero movie lead, but it has been a long time coming. Craig Sheldon chronicles the development of female action heroes in Hollywood film.
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.
Green Book’s Verdant Views on Race Allow Inherent Contradiction - Jacob Davis goes to task on one of this Oscars season's most divisive and controversial films, questioning the morals and ethics of Peter Farrelly's 'Green Book'.
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 Worst Show – A Historian’s Account of The Greatest Showman’s Problematic Retelling of History - "It’s not hard in this day and age to get your facts right and do some research." - a historian's account of The Greatest Showman's problematic retelling of history (by Darcy Rae).
“Shut Up and Deal” – How ‘The Apartment’ is Far From a Typical Christmas Love Story - With "sex, adultery and even suicide", Billy Wilder's 1960 comedy/drama 'The Apartment' is far from your typical Christmas love story. Craig Sheldon explores in this retrospective look at the all time classic. 
An Introduction to the Cinematography in Abel Gance’s ‘Napoleon’ (1927) - An introduction to the cinematography of the hugely influential French filmmaker Abel Gance via his epic genre classic 'Napoleon' (1927), by Francesca Militello.
The Man of Rearden Steel: Objectivism in Contemporary Cinema - Ayn Rand's Objectivism isn't only potent in 'Batman v Superman' but an unfortunate philosophy of film in general, according to Jacob Davis. 
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'.
More Human Than Human: An Introduction to Cyberpunk - Where did cyberpunk originate and what makes it such an influential sci-fi sub-genre in cinema? Kieran Judge walks you through.
Why You Should Reconsider Adam Sandler - Why it's time to reconsider Adam Sandler as an actor according to Joseph Wade.
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? 
Who Is Jareth In Labyrinth (1986) and Why Has He Got a Bulging Penis? - Jareth's penis bulge has finally been explained. Why is Bowie trying to chat up a child, and why did Jim Henson create a sexually charged labyrinth? 
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.
The Era of Nostalgia in Cinema – Why Are We Watching So Many Remakes? - Beth Sawdon explores the sociological, financial and creative reasons behind Hollywood's current leanings towards sequels, prequels, remakes and reboots 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.
A Retrospective Look at The Passion of the Christ and Its Artistic/Cultural Merits - In this eye-opening piece of analysis, Katie Doyle takes an in-depth look at 'The Passion of the Christ' as a piece of art and a cultural phenomenon, flagging issues regarding discrimination and the movie's post-9/11 politics. 
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.
Blade Runner 2049: Why is the Female Body the Future’s Prop? - Why is the female body the future's prop in 'Blade Runner 2049'? Alex Morden Osborne offers her critique of the Denis Villeneuve sci-fi movie here.
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.
