film analysis

The Jungle Book
The Feral Child: What A Real Life Mowgli Would Look Like

Filmgoers have always been captivated with man’s primal nature. From the silver screen adaptations of The Wolf Man to the mysterious Creature from the Black Lagoon, the primitive side of these movie monsters has contributed to horror genre’s A-team roster. Upon viewing their animalistic nature, our minds are suddenly given a glimpse into the missing link between man and beast.

Shawshank Redemption mise-en-scène
What Is Mise-en-Scène? Pt II: Cinematography & Editing

This is the second and last part of “What Is Mise-en-scène”. Find part one (dealing with mise-en-scène of setting, costume and objects) here! Cinematography If there is an important element in mise-en-scène then cinematography is it.

A Girl Escaped: Jailed Women In 21st Century Cinema
Positive Psychology And Film

You can improve your life by paying attention to how films use characters and themes to explore human values, virtues, and character strengths.

The Dressmaker Mise-en-scène
What Is Mise-en-Scène? Pt I: Setting & Costume

Mise-en-scène is one of the great terms used in film criticism. It is also the most basic and is usually the first thing you’ll learn on any film theory course. Unfortunately mise-en-scène is also, strangely, one of the hardest terms to understand.

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY: Clubbing The Lower Animal
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY: Clubbing The Lower Animal

Stanley Kubrick’s classic sci-fi epic, 2001: A Space Odyssey, is a fictional transcendence of classic Greek mythos through the ubiquity of the motion picture camera. As the film’s title suggests, this is Greek philosopher Homer’s The Odyssey told on the grandest of scales and sparing no expense that 20th Century cinema had to offer.

JOE VS THE VOLCANO: Achieving A Heightened State Of Being
JOE VS THE VOLCANO: Achieving A Heightened State Of Being

Joe Versus the Volcano came out in 1990. It stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. It’s full of camp, love, adventure, musical montages, and over-the-top acting.

Let's Fix Batman V Superman!
Let’s Fix BATMAN V SUPERMAN!

When people ask me who my favourite superhero is I always wonder at what makes a good one. Is it the good guy? Is it the guy out for revenge?

The True Impact Of Women In Islamic Film

When we come across words like Arabic, Iranian, Palestinian, or any other Middle Eastern nationality, we immediately think of the difference in culture. Especially when it comes to women, we think of Islam’s (justified or not justified) reputation as an opponent of gender equality, an oppressor of women and the rule of men. This preconceived notion is slowly being challenged with a flood of films from the Middle East.

Film Writing: Essays vs Reviews

In any sector where publishing one’s writing, there are various types into which one can subvert their writing style. The four most basic are expository, narrative, descriptive and persuasive. When it comes to writing for film and media, though, all four of these sorts can be used.

The Telephone Book
Stars And Stripes And Oh, Mr. Smith: An Analysis Of THE TELEPHONE BOOK

In 1971 a particularly interesting film bestowed with an X rating made its way to a limited release in New York City and Los Angeles. This film was not a commercial success. It was a film that was so “out there” some reviewers refused to even see it.

Lost in Translation
What Is Film Analysis? Part 2: Production, Visuals & Direction

This is the second and final part of our What Is Film Analysis article. Find the first part, on Narrative and Character, here. Production The giveaway of any bad production is the settings and costumes.

Trumbo
What is Film Analysis? Part 1: Narrative & Character

Film analysis, as far as I can tell, isn’t conducted any more in mainstream film criticism. That’s because these days anyone can write about film, and do. The film theorists and heavy-weight reviewers of the past have been overtaken by the age of the internet and by all the people ‘having a go’.

Why Rey Is The First Feminist Icon In STAR WARS

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

No Country For Old Men
Death and Aging in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

Joel and Ethan Coen’s No Country for Old Men is a unique genre mash-up that contains elements of western, horror, drama, and crime films. The film follows the interwoven arcs of several characters in West Texas in the early 1980s. While hunting, Lleyelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) comes across millions of dollars at the bloody scene of a drug deal gone awry.

The Hateful Eight
What Will THE HATEFUL EIGHT Sound Like? An Analysis of Composer Morricone’s Work

Closely approaching Quentin Tarantino’s new film The Hateful Eight arises expectations not only because of the name he has created for himself, but also because we are aware of the repeating pattern of collaborators in his films. But this piece is not about the cast of the film nor about Tarantino’s specific style. It is about the collaborators behind the scene, specifically on his first time collaboration with Ennio Morricone as a composer of the film’s original soundtrack.