Posts in Essays
Christmas: Watching Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) as a Christmas Movie

Anton makes the case for watching the first Harry Potter movie during Christmas time.

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The Images and the Darkness: Why Sound of Freedom (2023) Is a Focused, Sophisticated Message Movie

With restraint, focus, and power, Sound of Freedom exposes the demand and supply sides of child trafficking.

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Why You Should Revisit the Tron Movies in 2023

The Tron movies are visual and franchise landmarks for cinema.

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Halloween Horror: Spectres of Plague and Death in Murnau's Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922)

In Nosferatu, the corrupting power of the vampire is linked to that most symbolically potent infectious disease, the Black Death.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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