Blog — 3 Brothers Film

The First 45 Minutes of Independence Day (1996) Epitomize Its Brilliance

The opening of Roland Emmerich’s 1996 disaster extravaganza ranks among the most effective blockbuster openings of all time.

I'm Thinking of I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)

Musings on consciousness, cryptomnesia, strange loops, artistic inspiration, and Christopher Nolan’s Tenet as inspired by Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things.

Essays, Movies TodayAren BergstromJanuary 26, 2021Charlie Kaufman, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, TenetComment

Peter Weir's The Last Wave (1977) Reveals the Eschatological Divide Between Settler and Indigenous Australia

The Last Wave examines how colonialism manifests an eschatological divide that ripples out across the spiritual world.

Essays, Yesterday's Cinema, Most PopularAren BergstromJuly 24, 2020The Last Wave, Peter Weir, Tony Morphett, Petru Popescu, Richard Chamberlain, Olivia Hamnet, David Gulpilli, Fred Parslow, Vivean Gray, Nandjiwarra Amagula, Australia, colonialismComment

Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) Epitomizes the Paradoxical Genius of Burt Lancaster

Birdman of Alcatraz captures Burt Lancaster’s unique capacity to play both hard and soft in the same moment.

Growing Up On Tatooine: A Personal Reflection on Star Wars: A New Hope

Anton offers a short reflection on what Star Wars: A New Hope means to him.

Star Wars, EssaysAnton BergstromAugust 8, 2019Star Wars, Star Wars: A New Hope, Lawrence of Arabia, Saskatoon, childhood, adolescence, cinema, favourite movies, personal reflectionComment

On Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Genre Reflections, and the Franchise Reboot

Anton explores the dinosaur franchise, its science fiction themes, and the nature of the reboot.

Artistic Evolution in the Early Films of David Cronenberg

Aren explores the stylistic, narrative, and thematic evolution of David Cronenberg’s filmmaking in his early works.

David Cronenberg, Essays, Yesterday's CinemaAren BergstromJuly 5, 2018David Cronenberg Retrospective, David Cronenberg, Crimes of the Future, Stereo, Secret Weapons, Fast Company, The Brood, Shivers, RabidComment

The Last Temptation of Luke Skywalker

Anders revisits the fandom-splitting film and considers its treatment of the Star Wars myth. Is it actually Rian Johnson's reverent tribute to Lucas's series?

Essays, Movies TodayAnders BergstromApril 6, 2018Star Wars, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Luke Skywalker, Rian Johnson, myth, King Arthur, Daisy RidleyComment

A Few Thoughts on Defamiliarization in Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge

Featuring various techniques of defamiliarization, Hacksaw Ridge is war film that is both conventional and original, and, ultimately, deeply affecting.

“All the best memories are hers.”: The Christ Figure in Blade Runner 2049

The film employs the Christ figure to explore notions of salvation and personhood.

Chaos and Compassion: The Definitive Films of 2016

HyperNormalisation, O.J.: Made in America, Hell or High Water, Moonlight, and Arrival capture the tumultuous sociopolitical times of 2016.

Essays, Movies TodayAren BergstromJanuary 6, 2017Arrival, O.J. Made in America, Moonlight, HyperNormalisation, Hell or High WaterComment

Halloween Horror: Alien: Cosmic Horror/Intimate Horror

A discussion of how Ridley Scott's 1979 film uses science fiction to merge two kinds of horror to unsettle and disturb.

(Re)Viewing the Canon, Essays, Halloween Horror IIIAnders BergstromOctober 28, 2016Alien, body horror, cosmic horror, essay, H- P- Lovecraft, Halloween Horror, horror, Ian Holm, John Hurt, Ridley Scott, science fiction, Sigourney WeaverComment

The Nostalgia of Horror

Films like Halloween, The Shining, The House of the Devil, and It Follows rely on nostalgia to fuel their horror.

Essays, Jump Cuts: Random EssaysAren BergstromOctober 7, 2016Halloween, The House of the Devil, It Follows, The Shining, Stranger ThingsComment

The New Flesh: The Unnatural Nudity of David Cronenberg

Rather than using it for titillation or emotional revelation, David Cronenberg uses nudity to explore the unnatural psyches of his characters.

Essays, Yesterday's CinemaAren BergstromAugust 19, 2016David Cronenberg, The Fly, Naked Lunch, Crash, A History of Violence, Eastern Promises, Shivers, Rabid, Maps to the Stars, The Brood, VideodromeComment

Imagination and Individuality: Youth in the Films of Studio Ghibli

The films of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata capture profound truths about youth.

Essays, Yesterday's CinemaAren BergstromJuly 8, 2016Studio Ghibli, Castle in the Sky, Only Yesterday, Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited AwayComment

Optimism and Pessimism in Tomorrowland

A blinkered vision of human nature and achievement.

Defend What You Like (or Why I Don't Believe In Guilty Pleasures)

The term “guilty pleasure” is antithetical to film criticism and a healthy film culture.

Essays, Jump Cuts: Random EssaysAren BergstromMay 6, 2016Road House, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Michael BayComment

Risen as Jesus Movie and Biblical Epic

Is this just another "faith-based" film?

Monks, Strippers, and Monkey Spirits: Depictions of Buddhism on Film

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Running on Karma, and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin explore essential Buddhist concepts.

Essays, Jump Cuts: Random EssaysAren BergstromMarch 25, 2016Spring Summer Fall Winter and Spring, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Running on Karma, Groundhog Day, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past LivesComment

The Radical Piety of The Message

Moustapha Akkad’s historical epic about the life of the Prophet Mohammad is a radical and reverent act of filmmaking.

Essays, Yesterday's CinemaAren BergstromMarch 25, 2016The Message, Islam, religious film, Moustapha Akkad Comment