Film Inquiry’s Best Articles Of April 2016
Aaaaaaaand it’s May. Time to highlight some of the best articles we published last month!
Last month we published over 60 articles, and among them many film reviews (like ones for Mr. Right, Viktoria, The Jungle Book, Dheepan, The Invitation, BvS and more), discussions and debates, as well as new Resource articles, like guides to the careers of the Coen Brothers, John Waters, Xavier Dolan and Robert De Niro.
We also published the first two episodes of our Editor in Chief’s all new podcast, The Power of Film. Find the first episode, with director Jen McGowan, here, and the second, with producer and director Eugene Park, here. As Manon will be abroad for most of May, she will only publish one episode during the coming month!
And don’t forget, we’re still running our Australian giveaway for in-season cinema tickets to The Man Who Knew Infinity + 6 DVD’s until mid-May!
In case you missed them, here are our favorite articles of April 2016, in no particular order!
Zack Snyder: The Master of Right-Wing Propaganda
It has been five weeks since Batman Vs. Superman debuted at cinemas worldwide to a gargantuan opening weekend, followed immediately by toxic word of mouth that has caused the film to fade into irrelevancy even as it is still playing in theatres. The fact it could have potentially derailed Warner Bros.’ hopes for a Marvel-style cinematic universe means future film historians could reasonably cite it as the Heaven’s Gate of caped crusader films – the work of an auteur given too much money to make a project that seems all but designed to alienate audiences.
Because, for better or worse, director Zack Snyder is an auteur. His bleak colour palette and comic book style visuals are present in every frame of his films, making it near impossible for cinema goers to mistake his work for that of anybody else. […]
Read the rest of Alistair Ryder’s article here.
The 2016 Oscars & Chris Rock’s Unidimensional Equality: A Female Filmmaker’s Perspective
Thanks in part to a black female filmmaker, Jada Pinkett Smith, who was the first to call for a boycott of the 2016 Oscars for its lack of diversity, Chris Rock had the world’s attention for a program of change the night of February 28. With millions of dollars and unlimited creative resources at his disposal, his central platform could easily have been, “When storytellers in Hollywood are not as diverse as the world around us, individuals and society are harmed.”
Instead, Rock began his monologue sexualizing and diminishing two successful female artists. “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited. Oh, that’s not an invitation I would turn down.” […]
Read the rest of Laurie Agard’s article here.
Coming Sooner Than You Think: Do Release Dates Even Matter Anymore?
[W]hat was Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice doing opening in March, of all the dull months of the year, and to the tune of $425 million in one weekend? It might have seemed even more of an anomaly, had Deadpool not become Marvel’s eighth-biggest earner in the traditional flop-dumping month of February (it has now become the most successful R-rated movie of all time). Then Disney announced their most successful opening weekend ever with Zootropolis/Zootopia.
Will there be any blockbusters left by the time the summer season starts this year, and does this amount to a major shift in studio thinking? In 2016, does it even matter when a movie opens? […]
Read the rest of Cai Ross’ article here.
Fritz Lang’s M And The Use Of Sound
German silent cinema of the 1920’s produced some of the most influential directors in the art of film making. Most directors and screenwriters working during this period were highly influenced by the German Expressionism art movement. Directors displayed Expressionism art in their films by presenting a distorted reality, which showed the inner turmoil of the characters.
Elaborate set designs, shadows and odd camera angles were just some of the techniques used to create this dark inner turmoil. F.W. Murnau,Robert Wiene and Fritz Lang were just some of the directors operating at this time whose work is a great example of Expressionism in cinema. […]
Read the rest of Eoghan Crabbe’s article here.
An Epileptic’s Cinematic Journey: Films From My Perspective
When it comes to epilepsy, I’m generally pretty lucky. My seizures are fairly well-controlled by a number of medications. However, I totally won the epilepsy lottery and I am one of roughly 3% of people who suffer from photosensitive epilepsy. It comes as a surprise to most people, but flashing lights aren’t a major trigger for all people with epilepsy. They are a trigger for me though, among some other random things like intense pain, very low bass, and children on leashes. I may have made up one of those things.
What this presents is a huge issue for when I want to enjoy certain events, like for instance the cinema. Do you have any idea how many films have some kind of strobe lighting effect? So I spend those times during movies with my eyes shut and my hands over my eye lids. Luckily, my husband is awesome and he always lets me know when it’s safe for me to start watching again. However, this does sometimes leave some odd gaps in my viewing experience. So I thought I’d share what it’s like for me, using a few choice examples. […]
Read the rest of Jacqui Griffin’s article here.
Originality: Reboots, Sequels & How They Affect Modern Film
Both critics and the public alike weigh up validations to whether what is produced and shown on our screens is in fact unique content, or whether cinema is becoming more washed out and predictable. Examples for both of these theories are evident continually, especially in present film, therefore making this subject so relevant and important to contemporary media. Nowadays, with the amount of competition around, more and more people want to make film, but it is due to this reality that people do indeed doubt Hollywood and the value of its content. […]
Read the rest of Jess Boswell’s article here.
Profile: James Dean
Born in Indiana in 1931, Dean was raised by his aunt and uncle after his mother died when he was nine. He dropped out of college in 1951 to pursue acting full time and starred in just three films before he was killed in a car accident in 1955 at the age of 24. Deanhas become a point of fascination ever since his death, with his “live fast, die young” approach panning out as a tragic prophecy. Over sixty years on from his death he is still one of the most recognisable actors in the world, and through just three roles he inspired generations of actors. […]
Read the rest of Lauren Fraser’s article here.
10 Great Action Heroines Of Cinema
It is an exciting time for women in action cinema, with entire film festivals and initiatives devoted to these tough characters, the stunt women who are vital to the production of these stories and the filmmakers who strive to tell more and more women’s stories. What follows is a list (by no means an exhaustive one) of some of the most popular and influential action heroines of cinema, from super spies to sci-fi warriors via dystopian futures and back again. […]
Read the rest of Angela Trott’s article here.
The Secret History of North Korean Martial Arts Cinema
The words “North Korean cinema” have traditionally invoked images of staid, humourless propaganda movies each more concerned with exalting the virtues of the nation’s glorious leaders than sculpting cohesive narratives. For those who have looked into the films emanating from the secretive Asian country it is possible to conclude that, in some instances, this description is rather unnervingly accurate. Many of these stereotypes exist for a reason.
Yet, largely unknown to the outside world, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (to give the nation its preferred name) is also responsible for creating some truly exciting, innovative and emotionally vivid features. […]
Read the rest of Kieron Casey’s article here.
Fantasy & Freedom In AMERICAN BEAUTY: A Rose By Another Name
Many of us find escape in our imagination. Fantasy allows our mind to slip away into worlds that differ in ways both big and small from the one in which we most commonly reside. In the 1999 film American Beauty, fantasy takes hold of many of the characters within the story and offers escape to those who lean into it.
While the mere illusion of escape in fantasy ignites forgotten passions in the characters, it is the release of such that sets them free. […]
Read the rest of Laura Birnbaum’s article here.
What were your favorite articles this month? Let us know in the comments, and we’d also love to hear it if you have any suggestions.
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