Film has Changed Dramatically – Here’s Why

Films have evolved drastically over the past half a century, but it does not take a film expert to know that. However, the how and the why of these changes does require a more in-depth understanding of film to fully comprehend and appreciate. Just as the world has undergone drastic change as a result of…

Are Pleasantville and Alien really that different?

Rain and flip flops. Ketchup and chocolate. Exercising and jeans. If you are starting to see a theme, it is that these things just do not go together. This was the same reaction I had when I realized that the two films I most wanted to watch over these last few weeks were Pleasantville and…

If Adventure had a Name…

“If adventure has a name, it must be Indiana Jones.” That phrase, plastered across an iconic movie poster, hung in my room for a good portion of my life, and no film in the saga better captures this mantra better than “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” The second film in the currently four…

The Shining is Just as Scary as Everyone Says

The horror genre is one of the most polarizing and perplexing of the last quarter century, and for many, the first horror film to come to mind is “The Shining.” Few can deny the cultural and historical impact that “The Shining” has had not only on the genre, but on the film industry as a…

Bonnie and Clyde – The Anti-Heroes of the Resistance

Bonnie and Clyde formed one of the most notorious duos in American crime history, so it is no wonder that the film based on their lives is one of the most popular in America cinema of all time. Considered one of the most formative movies of its time, it challenged many of the social norms…

Journey to Italy is a Journey Indeed

“Viaggio in Italia”, or to English-speakers “Journey to Italy,” is a revolutionary, media changing film that was nothing short of a disaster at the box office and a challenge to create. Though few people at the time, including its own cast, enjoyed the film, critics today revel in it’s praises, with Critic Geoff Andrew calling…

Is Mona Lisa Smile Really That Bad?

The very first time I watched Mona Lisa Smile, I was in middle school, and I was not too thrilled to be doing so. This was the era of “Captain America” and “Interstellar,” action movies that kept you on the edge of your seat, and frankly, this one just did not seem to meet the…