Film & TV
Secrets & Lies: The Weight of Empathy
Mike Leigh's acclaimed drama expresses the intensity and catharsis of seeing those around you as full, complete people.
Oliver Stevens
Oliver Stevens is a graduate of Hamilton College with honors in Cinema and Media Studies, a connoisseur of minor league baseball, and a recently converted devotee of döner kebabs.
Film & TV
An Ode to Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Performance in The Big Lebowski
There are no small parts, only small actors. Philip Seymour Hoffman's six and a half minutes as an exasperated henchman in The Big Lebowski is a case study of the maxim.
Film & TV
Andor: Luthen's Legendary Monologue
The stirring speech encapsulates the qualities that make Andor stand out from other Star Wars projects, and speaks to the brutal reality that lies behind the myths of rebellion.
Animation
Animators Learned the Wrong Lesson From Into the Spider-Verse
Into the Spider-Verse turned American animation toward stylization, but rather than coming up with their own expressive styles, the film's disciples have simply copied its look.
Film & TV
Freeze Frame Endings: Suspended in Time
Far more than a cheesy trend of the 1980s, ending a film on a freeze frame is a practice with a rich history that can sanctify a film's final emotional beats or throw us into uncertainty.
Film & TV
We Are Turning Everything Into Allegory
It has quietly become assumed that every film and series is there to give us clear commentary about the here and now. But in thinking this way, we shut down the interaction between art and culture and let culture call all the shots.
Film & TV
Evil Does Not Exist Refuses to Give Easy Answers
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi's contemplative tale of mankind's offenses against nature will not let itself be reduced to a simple fable of good and bad.
Film & TV
Juror #2 and the Perils of Intertextuality
Clint Eastwood's courtroom drama has a compelling concept, until it goes out of its way for a scene to recreate 12 Angry Men beat for beat. In doing so, it obscures its own thematic interests.
Film & TV
Why You Should Never Skip Intro
A television show's opening credits give free reign to creativity and style, leading to stunning sequences that become indispensable parts of their series.
Film & TV
Plot Does Not Matter
Plot points. Plot twists. Plot holes. The plot thickens. Watch it for the plot. How about we focus on actual artistry instead?
Culture
Your Local Theater Needs You
Movie theaters are an endangered species, but they are an indisposable part of the cinematic ecosystem. If you care about film, support the ones near you.
Film & TV
James Bond Is Dead. Long Live James Bond.
With Amazon MGM taking over creative control of 007, the age of of Bond being synonymous with big-screen blockbusters is at and end. Brace yourself for the assault of spinoffs and streaming content.