Exploring Discrimination and Prejudice in “A Class Divided” Documentary

Introduction When I first watched the documentary “A Class Divided,” directed by William Peters in 1985 for PBS’s Frontline, it made me pause and think. This essay is about my thoughts on the film, which captures an experiment by Iowa teacher Jane Elliott in 1970. I want to share how...

The Theme of Love in “When Harry Met Sally”

Introduction The story I will analyze is “When Harry Met Sally,” a classic romantic comedy film. The film is about two friends, Harry and Sally, who have been friends for years and finally fall in love after a series of ups and downs in their relationship. They meet for the...

The Politics of the “Get Out” Film by Jordan Peele

Introduction Few topics confronting society today generate as much discussion and debate as racism. Often, the definition of racism is a crucial component of the argument. To know how to operate morally in a society, a precise understanding of racism is necessary. Jordan Peele’s 2017 psychological thriller Get Out analyzes...

Hidden Figures by Theodore Melfi: Movie Analysis

Introduction The movie “Hidden Figures,” explains the story of three bright African-American ladies working at the segregated West Area computer division of NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The three experienced a lot of discrimination at work and in their daily lives. The story revolves around empowerment and breaking...

“The Great Hack” Documentary by Amer and Noujaim

Introduction The Great Hack is a cinematic piece that presents the internet competency of modern society. This documentary is an original Netflix movie, which offers an investigation conducted by journalists revolving around a private British company – Cambridge Analytica – and its potential interference in more than 200 presidential elections...

Factors of “The Shawshank Redemption” Production

Introduction The Shawshank Redemption is one of the most iconic films produced in the nineties. Considering that it was a time where anti-prisoner sentiment in the US was on the rise, the film, which humanizes prisoners, would inevitably become controversial. However, controversies aside, the movie is also famous due to...

Amélie Film Directed by J. P. Jeunet

Editing plays a critical role in the film Amélie because the producer uses editing techniques to express the personalities and emotions of the characters. For example, the editor adds animations aspects such as stuffed animals and a pounding heart to emphasize character feelings in a scene (Jeunet, 2001). It is...

Mythological Criticism of “Lake Mungo” by Anderson

Introduction One can say that myths are both a product of culture and its cornerstone. They are a manifestation of the past and current experiences of a particular society and a determining factor in subsequent works of art. It is why people, attentive and erudite readers and viewers especially, notice...

Hotel Rwanda and the Misrepresentation of African Culture

Introduction The portrayal of Africa and African peoples in western culture has always been influenced by the concept of “Heart of Darkness.” Ever since the first colonizers came to Africa to establish the dominance of the West, the view of the local nations has always been that of underdeveloped, barbaric,...

Television Has Its Positive Effects on Children

Many parents look at television as harmful to their children due to the violence, stupidity, and inappropriate images of the TV show. While this fact is correct, parents often overlook that television also positively impacts the development and education of children through educational programs and cartoons that teach children valuable...

Unhappy Marriages in the Movie ”Passing”

Racially ambiguous black women had a precariously liminal status in the first half of the 20th century. They lived in a predominately racist society with patriarchal values, so their choices were limited. However, due to being able to pass, such women could attempt to assimilate with white people or follow...

The Hero’s Journey Theory in “Black Panther”

Tales about heroes are an integral part of everyone’s childhood as the obstacles these victors overcome, their unearthly courage, and the amazing triumphs they achieve form an influential concept of “an ideal human.” In these seemingly childish and imaginary stories and myths, Joseph Campbell, a successful American professor of literature,...

Lessons of “Bon Cop, Bad Cop” for English-Canadian Film

Introduction The movie Bon Cop, Bad Cop is a great attempt to unite two main cultures and two main languages of Canada in the form of a featuring film. The plot, the genre, the scenes, and the idea of the film are considered to flow with the major idea of...

Argumentation Essay: Educational Role of TV

Television is commonly cited as their major source of information about what is happening in the world. Children are the main group influenced by TV and its messages. Some critics state that TV has a negative impact on children popularizing and promoting violence and deviant behavior. Children learn a great...

Chapter 5 of Thompson, & Bordwell’s “Film History”

Today, people are free to develop different attitudes towards Germany and its role in history and international relationships. In the middle of the 20th century, many countries disrespected Germans because of their aggressive intentions, the support of the war, and globally spread violence. However, the same period was characterized by...

The Language of Dance in the “La La Land” Movie

One of the basic human needs that most people satisfy every day is communication. There are many interesting ways of communication, and each of them is suitable for different situations. As an art form, dance is an extremely powerful, though not so obvious form of communication. According to Karkou et...

Disney Animation’s Society Reflection & Influence

Contemporary American values are reflected in movies. Signs and symbols of the changing values get into all the aspects of individual lives in the United States. A quintessential example is offered by the entertainment sector where animated characters are depicted as possessing a powerful impact on our culture and its...

Indian Culture in the “Pather Panchali” Movie

The modern stage of the development of technologies and means of communication gives rise to a number of opportunities to obtain the new information and explore the new and unique culture. Any modern individual has the limitless access towards any data he/she needs. This fact promotes the interpenetration of various...

Jordan Peele’s Get Out Film Analysis: Racism, Eugenics, and Psychological Horror

Introduction Get Out was released in 2017 and is the debut horror film from director Jordan Peele. The film tells the story of an African-American photographer, Chris, on his way to meet the parents of his white girlfriend, Rose. Despite the outwardly friendly reception, he notices a series of oddities...

“Stranger Things” Review: A Supernatural Sci-Fi Masterpiece

Introduction As a fan of science fiction and supernatural dramas, I have had the pleasure of watching many shows in this genre. One series that stands out for its exceptional storytelling, characters, and nostalgic appeal is the Netflix Original Series “Stranger Things.” In this evaluation, I will analyze the key...

Cultural Intersection and Portrayal of Native Americans in Dances with Wolves and The Searchers

Introduction The realm of cinema is a treasure trove of narratives that explore the human condition, often delving into critical socio-cultural discourses. Two films that navigate the terrain of cultural intersections and the complex dynamics of racial tension are Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves (1990) and John Ford’s The Searchers...

Cannibalism and Female Desire in Horror Films

Introduction Horror films comprise video casts with frightening scenes that infringe fear, anxiety, and mayhem to the viewers for many reasons. Cannibalism refers to the aspect where the eating of animal flesh, more so that of human beings, is embraced. Many movies nowadays have cherished the idea of many female...

Symbolism in Disney’s Movie “Encanto”

Introduction Disney’s Encanto is full of minute details that give the story of the characters a lot more depth. One such feature that appears in several locations throughout Encanto is butterflies, which have unique significance. Disney has experimented with many different genres and techniques, but the company is still best...

Tyler Perry’s Contribution to the Growth of the Film Industry in Atlanta

Introduction Tyler Perry, a black Atlanta filmmaker, and producer, has significantly contributed to the growth of the film industry in the city. The filmmaker has a 330-acre studio from which he has made many films and series for the Atlanta industry. Tyler Perry has employed hundreds of people, including producers,...

Acculturation and Assimilation in the Mi Familia Movie

The movie Mi Familia tells the story of a Mexican family, the Sanchez, who immigrated to the United States. The plot revolves around three generations and how each character assimilates into American society. The film depicts the cultural differences between the Latino population and other residents of Los Angeles. Therefore,...

The American Gangster Film Analysis

The Film The film ‘American Gangster’ focuses on the criminal lifestyle of a gang leader, Frank Lucas. The film starts when Frank’s boss, Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, dies of a heart attack (Collins 12). Frank becomes the mob boss and specializes in smuggling heroin from Thailand directly from producers and selling...

Film Analysis of “Titanic” by James Cameron

Introduction Titanic (1997) is an epic film directed, written, produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. Titanic is an epic film that shows a love story in a setting of a great disaster. The story involves a seventeen-year-old Rose who falls in love with Jack, who rescues her. The whole story...

Cinematic Techniques in The Silence of the Lambs Movie

The current paper is devoted to analyzing the cinematic techniques applied in the classic horror movie called The Silence of the Lambs, directed by Jonathan Demme. The film was chosen from the AFI top 100 of 100 years. The movie Silence of the Lambs is a classic horror that has...

The Movie “Pursuit of Happyness” by Gabriele Muccino

Perseverance; the desire to keep going when things seem impossible. It is a measure of success, or at least how much one is willing to sacrifice in the pursuit of success. It is difficult to achieve a goal without a plan or direction, but the end goal and path that...

Why the People Crave Horror Movies

Introduction According to Stephen King, everyone is insane to some degree though the level of insanity differs from one individual to another. Stephen King’s ethos in horror films is the key reason why many people like movies. “Why we crave horror movies” forms an outstanding argument written in his essay...

“Requiem for a Dream” by Aronofsky

Is the Mental Disorder Appropriately Portrayed? The targeted movie for this exercise is “Requiem for a Dream”. The film is directed by Darren Aronofsky. This movie narrates the story of Sara Goldfarb and the people around her life. The health issue outlined in this film is addiction. According to the...

“A Class Divided” Film on Discrimination

Introduction This journal is a reflection on the film “A Class Divided”. The movie describes an experiment performed by Jane Elliot, a grade three teacher concerned by discrimination that existed at the time of Martin Luther King. Through the experiment, Elliot hoped to explore the nature of discrimination. In this...

The “Juno” Movie Under Communication Analysis

The film Juno revolves around a teenager, Juno, who gets pregnant at the tender age of sixteen. Juno and his boyfriend, Paulie, at first decide to terminate the pregnancy. However, after visiting an abortion clinic, her friend’s protests and the deplorable condition of the clinic make Juno change her mind...

Cinematography Techniques in Steven Spielberg’s Films

Steven Spielberg is considered the world’s most commercially successful director, who has unprecedented control over his films. He has been credited with inventing the modern blockbuster and influencing the film industry dramatically. According to Echeverría-Domingo, Spielberg is known for his ability to mix a “classical film-making and an outstanding capacity...

Crash’ by Paul Haggis: Character Analysis

Crash Plot Overview Paul Haggis’s drama Crash was released in 2004 and received mixed reviews from critics around the world. The theme of “crashing” runs through the whole story, connecting completely different and strange people. No matter how or where it happens, it is safe to say with absolute certainty...

Goodnight and Goodluck: An Evaluation of Its Historical Accuracy

Introduction Films as any form of media convey a message or more that either informs, entertains or stirs its viewers to take action. Others such as historical movies present a narrative of a past era of which its producers need to convey a clear understanding of the situations, characters and...

Theoretical Concepts in “Freedom Writers” Movie

Introduction Freedom Writers is an American movie of 2007 directed by Richard LaGravenese and being based on the work written by Erin Gruwell ‘The Freedom Writers Diary’. It is necessary to stress that the film covers deep sociological problems, concepts of race discrimination and rights for freedom. The analysis of...

Document and Documentary in Examples

Webster’s dictionary defines a document as “an original or official paper relied on as the basis, proof, or support of something” and “something that serves as evidence or proof” (Websters Dictionary, 2008). This something can be an audio or video recording, electronic mail, a photograph, and other materials that can...

Environmental Issues in The Lorax Movie

The Lorax Environmental Issues: Essay Introduction The natural environment is important to all living things since it is the primary source of oxygen and water. The movie The Lorax narrates the story of a walled city that is characterized by an artificial way of life. This is the case since...

“The Birth of the New Avant-Garde” by A. Astruc

Introduction: The Central Argument of the Novel In his famous novel called The Birth of the New Avant-Garde: The Camera Stylo Alexandre Astruc argues that cinema is getting a new life and gradually becoming a means of expression, which is why every filmmaker has an opportunity to communicate through their...

The Book “A History of Narrative Film”

The book, A history of narrative film, by David Cook offers a comprehensive and modern content that is analytical in nature because it highlights important issues related to film and the process of film making. The book is essential in cinematology because it analyses the old process of film making,...

“The Price of Sugar” by Documentary Bill Haney

“The Price of Sugar” is a documentary on the lives of Haitian sugarcane cutters in the Dominican Republic and the local priest Father Christopher Hartley. The documentary touches on multiple subjects, but the ones I found most interesting were the moral price of consuming sugar from such farms and Father...

“The Matrix”, Scepticism, and the Mind-Body Problem

Lilly and Lana Wachowski’s movie The Matrix has attracted a lot of attention from philosophy scholars ever since its initial release in 1999. Through the subtleties of cinematic language and subtext in screenwriting, the movie discusses major philosophical themes, such as skepticism and the mind-body problem. This paper aims to...

Social Conditions Reflected in Tokyo Sonata Film

Introduction Tokyo Sonata is a film directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, a prolific director in Japan’s television and film industry. The film is Kurosawa’s most internationally applauded work as it depicts real life rather than his usual supernatural films. Kurosawa uses this film to show social issues by observing the cracks...

“Twelve Angry Men” Movie Analysis

Introduction The movie “Twelve Angry Men” is considered one of the best court dramas in the history of world cinema. It is a story about making the correct decision and the ability to reflect. A New York court is hearing the case of an 18-year-old immigrant who, according to the...

“A Time to Kill”: Plot, Impact, and Social Perceptions

Background “A Time to Kill,” is a legal drama film based on the novel by John Grisham. The film tells the story of justice for a Black man who lynched his ten-year-old daughter’s rapists. Carl Lee Hailey connects to White lawyer Jake Brigance in the hope of being acquitted in...

Ethical, Political and Social Issues in Business in “The Corporation” Movie

Introduction The Corporation is a documentary film released in 2003 that raises the public’s attention to significant problems in the corporate sphere. The documentary is an adaptation of Joel Bakan’s book The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power, where the author discusses the historical background of corporations and...

The Film “Gran Torino” by Clinton Eastwood

Introduction “Gran Torino” is a unique picture in its genre, giving a certain “food for the mind”. This is a story about a cruel fate, turning points within the country, losses, gains, friendship, hatred, freedom, and independence. In addition, the film serves as an excellent source for studying forensic and...

The Film “The Great Gatsby” and the American Dream

The expression “The American Dream” has different ideas in people’s imaginations, but it is united by the idea of wealth and happy life. This idea often includes a successful career, a loving family, and a respectful place in society. However, this concept can also have specific images, as well as...

The Analysis of the Film “Dune”

Introduction The film ‘Dune’ by director Dena Villeneuve is based on the novel by Frank Herbert. In the United States, the film was originally scheduled for release on December 17, 2020, but the world premiere was later moved to October 21, 2021. The picture has collected $40.1 million in the...

Rebel Without a Cause: Clothing as a Character Development Tool

Rebel Without a Cause has been praised for capturing the complexity of emotions of an entire teenage generation. The movie has encouraged a wave of teenager dramas, and after the premier, it helped to solidify a completely new market in Hollywood, unique to the otherwise overlooked teenage demographic. Throughout the...

“To Live” Directed by Zhang Yimou: Movie Analysis

Told through the lens of the protagonist and set in the era of the Chinese civil war, “To Live” tells a story of a Chinese family that has to survive the challenges of living amidst the Cultural revolution and the resulting Civil War in China. The movie opens with the...

Racial Exclusion in the “Higher Learning” Film

Introduction Higher Learning shows students from different social backgrounds facing interracial tensions, violence, responsibility, and the meaning of “learning” at the university campus. The film has three storylines demonstrating three key characters: Malik, Kristen, and Remy (Singleton, 1995). The first storyline introduces African American Malik, an athlete trying to become...

”Max and Ruby” Through the Lens of a Developmental Psychological Perspective

For the analysis, I chose the children’s animated series “Max and Ruby.” Attention was focused on the episode “Surprise for Ruby,” one of the most popular among children. The target audience of the cartoon is preschool children of three or four years old. “Max and Ruby” is suitable for both...

The Documentary Film “The Corporation”: Review

The documentary film “The Corporation,” released in 2003 and directed by the Canadian filmmaker Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott, discusses the phenomenon of modern corporations, i.e., large legal companies, the goal of which is to make a profit. Interestingly enough, at the legal level, corporations are treated as people who...

Politics in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” by Capra

Introduction People have always been keen on politics and events around it, and cinema did not bypass political agendas since its inception. Films show political processes in different ways depending on their initial purposes. Some movies criticize and judge governmental actions, while others aim to nurture patriotic feelings and idealize...

Masters of Production: The Hidden Art of Hollywood

Each movie has its message to deliver to the audience, and there are many filmmaking approaches to doing it, such as the choice of genre, characters, design, and locations. The documentary Masters of Production: The Hidden Art of Hollywood is directed by John J. Flynn, and reflects the main concepts...

“The Pursuit of Happyness”: Analysis

Introduction Contrary to popular opinion, conflicts are an indispensable element of interpersonal relationships and a crucial tool in building better understanding among participants once appropriate strategies are used wisely. The significance of conflicts is often underrated since, in most cases, the parties involved in it either lack the necessary skills...

The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review

Twenty-six years after its release, The Shawshank Redemption maintains its top position in the IMDb’s rating of top 1000 movies of all time. This fact alone makes the film unquestionably unmissable and worth paying for watching; however, there is more to it than that. A banker Andy Dufrense is wrongfully...

Cinematic and Literary Narrative and Narration

Introduction Literary and cinematic narration structures have always been compared to define whether they are symmetrical or asymmetrical. Although there are many analogies between film and literature, mostly their narrative methods differ. The crucial distinction lies in the idea of the narrator and its role in storytelling. Wilson defines a...

African American Males in “Boyz n The Hood” Movie

The greater part of films is always aimed at the performance of social functions since the aim of a filmmaker is to influence society in one way or another. Usually the producer’s aim is to provide important knowledge and reflection of experience to the target audience. The film “Boyz N...

Latin American Film: “Macario” by Roberto Gavaldón

Botz describes the period between 1950 and 1960 as rife with major worker’s struggles and labor unions. This was the era before the 1960 revolution, a volatile time in Mexican politics. It is against this backdrop that Roberto Gavaldón directed Macario. Macario is a Mexican story intertwined with magical realism...

“In the Womb: Multiples” National Geographic Video

The birth of multiple children is a rare and unique case, even though modern medicine makes it more possible. The infrequency of this phenomenon exists because the conception of several children at the same time is a rarity, and the bearing and birth of such children bring even more complications....

The “Hero” Film: Shot-by-Shot Analysis

The plot of the film “Hero” (2002) by Zhang Yimou unfolds the historical events that took place in the 3rd century B.C., a time before China became a unified nation. The main character, a lone warrior, known as Nameless (Jet Li), was summoned to visit the King of Qin (Chen...

Investing in the Film “Escape from Rio Japuni”

Project Proposal 1: My Life with Dalai Lama When it comes to identifying the viability of the movie, one must mention the fact that it is bound to have rather low production values as it will focus mostly on the life story of the main character, which, though admittedly having...

Sociology, Cinema, and Social Critique in Bong Joon-Ho’s The Host

Introduction The film has traditionally been studied by various sciences, such as aesthetics, art history, philosophy, psychology, cultural studies, and sociology. Numerous books have been written about films, but paradoxically, knowledge about movies’ roles and social functions is still unconventional. The primary reason for this state of affairs is that,...

Whiplash Film Analysis: Ambition, Motivation, and Ethical Boundaries

Introduction Damien Chazelle’s 2014 film Whiplash explores the complexity of ambition and the morality of motivational strategies. The film explores the quest for greatness through the story of aspiring jazz drummer Andrew Neyman (Miles Teller) and his ruthless tutor Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). This argument contends that although Fletcher’s methods are...

The Bao Film Analysis: Familial Love, Cultural Identity, and Acceptance of Change

Introduction In the animated short film Bao, directed by Domee Shi, the main character is a Chinese mother who initially finds herself in the throes of empty-nest syndrome. As the narrative progresses, she faces the conflict of dealing with her loneliness and eventually comes to terms with her son’s independence...

Jedadiah Schultz’s Monologue in The Laramie Project: Humanity Amid Tragedy

Introduction The Laramie Project is a pseudo-documentary film that tells the story of the city of Laramie from the inside of its inhabitants. The most memorable monologue from the film for me was the story told by bartender Jedadiah Schultz. This monologue is significant because it shows the complex relationships...

The Pursuit of Happyness: A Single Father’s Struggle with Poverty and Homelessness

Introduction The Pursuit of Happyness, directed by Gabriele Muccino, is a drama that explores the challenges and triumphs that accompany a person’s lifelong pursuit of a better life. This 117-minute film, released in 2006, tells the story of the complexities of adulthood and the pursuit of happiness. Explanation The role...

Reader Response Criticism of the “Horton Hears a Who!” Film

Introduction Reader response criticism concentrates on the reader’s experience and interpretation of a text. It emphasizes the importance of personal reactions and emotions in understanding the meaning of a work. When applying this criticism style to the movie Horton Hears a Who (2008), it becomes evident that it is making...

Character Development in the Forrest Gump Film

My favorite movie is Forrest Gump, which was released in 1994. It follows the life of a man with a pronounced intellectual disability, which hinders his reasoning. The setting is America in the 1950s, the 1960s, the 1970s, and the early 1980s, as well as Vietnam in the 1960s. Four...

“The Truman Show” Film by Peter Weir

Thinking about how philosophy started, there are parallels in The Truman Show between myth and reason. The rationale for the similarities in the film is evident in how Christof has allowed Truman to have a “normal life.” Truman’s reality, the myth in the film, is created, and Christof makes him...

Show-Don’t-Tell in Mise-en-Scene of “Psycho”

Introduction Alfred Hitchcock is an undeniably unparalleled master of cinematography, with countless movies representing the techniques that were groundbreaking at the time. However, it is the perfection of the mise-en-scene that should be placed among the crowning achievements of Hitchcock’s mastery. His incredible skill and massive contribution to the development...

Tortilla Soup Directed by María Ripoll: A Narrative

Tortilla Soup is a 2001 film that represents the genres of both comedy and melodrama. The story focuses on the father of the family, Martin Naranjo, a retired culinary talent who has lost his sense of taste and smell but continues to indulge his three daughters with delights of Mexican...

The “Food Inc.” Documentary by Robert Kenner

Introduction Global food production processes are essential for the world community and population due to the fact that people cannot survive without a well-developed food supply system. At the same time, various drawbacks and issues can occur during the procedures related to animal food factories, food production distribution, as well...

Cinematic Language in A Beautiful Mind Film

The movie A Beautiful Mind, directed by Ron Howard, implements a wide range of cinematography techniques and concepts to help the audience develop an understanding of powerful ideas regarding the main character’s mental illness, schizophrenia. Furthermore, the film raises such themes as reality, love, relationships, morality, and recovery (Grazer &...

The Film “Memoirs of a Geisha” by Rob Marshall

Introduction The movie Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), directed by Rob Marshall, is based on the book of the same name, written by Arthur Golden in 1997. The film represents the life of a young Japanese girl, Chiyo Sakamoto, whose parents sold her and her sister, Satsu, into prostitution because...

The Art of Narrative in WALL-E

WALL-E is Pixar’s longest-running and arguably most successful experiment in using new storytelling that is radically simple. During the first twenty minutes of the cartoon, the viewer sees only an abandoned, in a sense devastated, but full of garbage Earth. There are no conversations on the screen, only background noise...

“Gladiator” Ridley Scott: Plot, Themes, and Key Features

Introduction Ridley Scott’s, Gladiator is one of the most influential films of the 21st century. Directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe, the movie was released in the year 2000. The film incorporated other supportive actors, including; Connie Nielsen, Djimon Hounsou, and Richard Harriss. It won critical accolades, large...

Researching the Concept of the Film Genre

A genre is defined as a form of communication in movies, music, or writing, including novels. It is considered a foundation of a story that helps the reader understand the story better. Genre helps influence the audience’s expectations in a movie or novel, and there are different types of genres,...

Aspects of the Film “Fruitvale Station”

Introduction Movies about discrimination against black people have always had an increased interest from the audience. The film Fruitvale Station is a 2013 autobiographical drama about Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old African American man who was shot by the Bart police in Oakland in 2009 (El-Mahmoud, 2020). Oskar has a...

Comparison of the Books and the Movies

Comparing books to movies might not be easy because both are not entirely but drastically different. There is an opinion that books are much better because they can provide people with a fuller picture of the story. This essay will aim to contrast both ways of representing the story and...

Peer Pressure and Decision-Making in “The Breakfast Club” Film

Introduction Peer pressure is a type of social connection between people in one group that implies direct or indirect influence on the decision-making process. Peer pressure exists in different environments and settings; however, scientific evidence suggests that one group is at the most risk of being affected by peer pressure...

“The Silence of the Lambs”: Characters, Storyline, and Themes

Introduction Psychology often interests people who are not scholars or students of the corresponding faculty. As such, movie directors and screenwriters find phenomena that this scientific field describes as inspirational. Obviously, mental disorders receive special attention from film creators due to the fact that people like to observe the unusual...

Interpersonal Communication Dynamics in “The Break-Up” by Reed

Introduction For communication to be effective, the parties involved must embrace mutual feelings, opinions, and thoughts to achieve common ground. The absence of effective communication in any relationship causes significant confrontations. As evident in the film The Breakup, Greg and Brook illustrate how the inability to listen actively, nonverbal communication,...

“Parasite”: Symbols Represented in the Film

Letter to My Readers First, I would like to thank you for your attention to my paper. I have chosen Marxist Literary Theory for the analysis of Parasite, a South Korean film directed by Bong Joon-ho. The theory’s choice is determined by the main theme of the film – social...

Iraq For Sale by Robert Greenwald Review

The acts of US business contractors in the Iraq war are depicted in this documentary. According to interviews with current and former workers of Halliburton, CACI, and KBR, apparent arrangements that provide such contractors tremendous flexibility to profit from delivering support and supplies to American troops while offering minimal supervision...

“Harvest of Empire”: Immigration in the United States

Introduction Most Americans have never understood the challenging history lying behind the increased Latino population growth in the United States. Nevertheless, after watching the documentary, I realized that it is of great help in making a person know why America has many immigrants. Thus, this essay aims to provide a...

The Movie”Smurfs”: The Problem of Gender Roles

The gender ratio in the Smurfs is one to ninety-nine, with just one main female character. The male Smurfs have diverse professions: an architect, chef, painter, poet, etc. Smurfette is the only main recurring female in the storyline. She is a feminine character: caring, curious, girly, and often helpless in...

The Movie “Back to the Future”: The Genre of Science Fiction

Introduction Understanding the primary features of various film genres is an essential part of a film studies researcher. Different types of movie categories can convey multiple ideas and stories, underlining specific aspects of ordinary lives or exploring the capabilities of human imagination. Some film types combine the knowledge from academic...

“Erin Brockovich” by S. Soderberg: Conflict in a Film

Introduction Conflict is one of the most common challenges that appear in interpersonal relationships. Every day humans engage in communication with relatives, friends, and strangers, and these interactions often require dealing with various issues and finding a compromise. While every individual has their view of the world and possesses different...

”Boy” Directed by Taika Waititi as a Representation of the Local Culture

The film Boy (2010), directed by Taika Waititi, is a comedy-drama that tells the story of a young Maori boy’s relationship with his father, who returns from prison. The story is set in a poor Maori village, with all actors drawn from local communities, and many details communicating the local...

The Symbolism of the Cage in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” Film and Novel

Symbolism is one of the most important parts of artwork, as it allows the reader or viewer to come to their conclusions through the imagery. Symbols can have different meanings depending on the context in which they are placed, and even the smallest details change their essence. An example of...

William Shakespeare, His Life and Works

The exact date of the birth of William Shakespeare has not been preserved. It is believed that he was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564. His childhood passed in a large and wealthy family; he was the third child among seven brothers and sisters. At the age of 20, Shakespeare...

The Movie “Titanic”: A Survey of Semiotics

Abstract This paper will give a semiotic survey of the film ‘Titanic’ directed by James Cameron. Media Semiotics will be the approach in studying features of communication. Although it has been one of the most profound movies of the century with big expenditure, it has also caught eyes of many...

“West Side Story” and “Romeo and Juliet” Movies Comparative Analysis

Despite the fact that the both cinematographic adaptations of Shakespeare’s tragedy “Romeo and Juliet”: “West Side Story” (1961) and “Romeo + Juliet” (1996) exploit essentially the same motifs of love, revenge and “corporate solidarity”, the semantic message, conveyed by these movies, varies significantly, which can be explained by particularities of...

Why Movies Are Popular All Over the World

Introduction Movies are very popular in the world today. The advancement in media technology has led to the popularity of movies all over the world. Media is a powerful tool that has spread to almost every part of the world. Those with access to televisions can watch movies in their...

“Maurice” by James Ivory: Film Outline and Symbols

Introduction Maurice was written by E.M. Forster during 1913/1914. But the novel was published posthumously only in 1971. It calls for emotional and sexual sincerity in the time of moralizing and repressions in British society. The protagonist comes to age as a homosexual, subtle and rich person, looking ordinary, but...

Women’s Fates in Japanese Films

Introduction The Japanese society could be classified as patriarchal whereby women are seen as weak and their place is at home to take care of their families. This entrenched belief that women are subordinate and submissive has infiltrated the film-making industry where such themes continue to the perpetuated. The societal...

Trends in Japanese Horror Cinema: Evolution and Global Impact

Summary The chapter, “Recent Trends in Japanese Horror Cinema” by Jay McRoy is a detailed account of how this genre has evolved in the Japanese film-making industry to assert global influence. The author starts by giving an elaborate background and history of Japanese Cinema which dates back to the origins...

“The Reflecting Pool” Video Art by Bill Viola

Throughout his career as a video artist, Bill Viola has created numerous single-channel videos and installations focused on exploring viewers’ inner spirituality and influencing deep levels of consciousness. His work has been deeply affected by the scholarly studies of Western and Eastern art, religion, and philosophy. While Viola’s current use...

Misrepresentations of Arab Women in Hollywood

Misrepresentation of various ethnic and religious backgrounds in Hollywood movies is not a new phenomenon: indeed, the only culture that Hollywood filmmakers can represent without bias or mistreatment is the modern American culture. Characters of other national, ethnic or religious backgrounds, such as Latino, Muslims, and even Europeans, are often...

Nazi Germany in “Swing Kids” by Kang Hyeong-Cheol

Why were the Nazis opposed to the swing music? In the movie, swing music is forbidden in Germany. This was because, according to Nazi ideology, all jazz music was regarded as offensive because its origins had links with African-Americans. Since it had linkages with blacks commonly called “negroes” and a...

Gender Expectations in the Disney Film “The Little Mermaid”

Introduction This essay conveys messages about gender expectations in the Disney film, “The Little Mermaid”, and the article “Damsels and Heroines: The Conundrum of the Post-Feminism Disney Princes.” “The Little Mermaid” is one of the Disney’s animation movies, which create fully developed women characters whose thoughts are unique and they...

The Breakfast Club: Stereotypes and Self-Discovery in High School

If any person of my age group is questioned what their preferred motion picture of all times is, many of them will name ‘The Breakfast Club’ one of the top three on the list without any hesitation. The movie is a faultless instance of patrician relations in the teenage culture....

“Life is Beautiful”

The absurdities and atrocities of the Nazi and Fascist regimes that dominated Europe in the late 30s and 40s, and the world-engulfing conflict they spawned provide rich fodder for movie makers and other artists. Following a tradition of laughing because it is less painful than weeping, Life is Beautiful (1998)...

V for Vendetta: A Symbol of Liberty and Resistance

“People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.” (Chocano, “V for Vendetta”) That is one of the arguments that has been presented in the movie V for Vendetta. The movie is engaging and although it might seem unappealing to all those who do...

The Movie “The Boy in The Striped Pajamas” by Mark Herman

People are often inclined to speak about selfhood and identity with references to adult persons who try to find themselves in this world. However, the role of one’s identity can be even more critical for children and adolescents who seem to confront the reality in order to learn who they...

My Antonia Film: Historical Accuracy and Personal Relationships

Introduction The movie’s title is My Antonia, which was based on a novel by American writer Willa Cather under the same title. Director/Year of Production My Antonia was directed by Joseph Sargent and written by Victoria Riskin, who also produced it. The movie was released on March 29, 1995, and...

Analysis of Interpersonal Relationships and Symbolism in Norman Jewison’s Moonstruck

Introduction The nature of interpersonal relationships is never simple and characterized by multiple and diverse perspectives, attitudes, and outcomes. Norman Jewison, a director of the romantic comedy Moonstruck, shares his vision of how a man and a woman can live and coexist in this world. There are many interesting topics...

The Pursuit of Happyness: Identity, Parenting, and Resilience

Introduction The movie “The Pursuit of Happyness” (2006) is a biographical drama film based on the life of Chris Gardner, a struggling salesman who becomes homeless. The movie accurately depicts the struggles of teens indirectly through the main character’s journey to overcome poverty and adversity. Accuracy of the Film’s Depiction...

The Film “The Notebook” by Nick Cassavetes

Brief Summary of the Film The Notebook is a romance drama film adapted from Nicholas Sparks’ novel. In the movie, Allie Hamilton and Noah Calhoun’s romance unfolds throughout the summer of 1940. Noah is a local worker raised in the region, while Allie is on holiday in Seabrook Island, South...

The Our Time Is Up Film Analysis

“Our Time Is Up” is a short film made in 2006. It was nominated for an Academy Award in 2006-2006. This film depicts several days in the life of a successful psychiatrist, Leonard Stern. However, he finds a new way to communicate with his patients after receiving unexpected news. Thus,...

Quentin Tarantino: Influence on World Cinema

Introduction Hollywood is a place where many talented or, at least, lucky people demonstrate their skills and gain popularity. Some individuals need more time to be recognized in the film industry, and Quentin Tarantino is one of those whose road was not quite fast but efficient. Today, this filmmaker is...

Fiction Analysis: The Exposition in “Avatar”

Introduction The exposition in “Avatar” begins with the presentation of the main character, Jake Sully – a military officer who is permanently wheelchair-bound due to an injury. He has enrolled in a special program designed to help humanity communicate with the native population of the planet Pandora – the Na’vi....

The Films “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” and “Hachiko Monogatari”

Introduction The global mass media industry is becoming more diverse due to the wave of globalization and people’s ability to access a wide variety of movies. In the past, analysts have identified unique differences in the storylines and cinematic attributes of Asian and Western films. This reality exists due to...

The Chilean Political Process in “Machuca” Directed by Andres Wood

Set in Santiago, the film follows the military coup that overthrew Chile’s popularly elected democratic socialist president, Salvador Allende, and installed Augusto Pinochet’s long-term, far-right dictatorship. As the story progresses, visual and narrative motifs reinforce the ideology. The painted letters on the stone wall go from “no civil war” to...

Bong Joon-Ho’s Auteurism Analysis

Introduction The transition of Hollywood from the traditional studio system to the modern age has seen directors have more control over the production and style of films. The directors have the freedom to have their style and are viewed as the main drivers behind motion picture production. The movie directors...

Discussion of the Movie “Alex Haley’s Queen”

Introduction “Alex Haley’s Queen,” which is frequently referred to as “Queen,” is a movie by John Erman that comprises three parts, actually being a miniseries. This is an adaptation of the novel by Alex Haley, where the author traces his paternal family history four generations back. The writing serves to...

Data Visualization of Most Profitable Movie Genres

Summary As learned in week two that the most widely recognized type of film appearing in the Top 50 after 1980 is PG-13 rated science fiction/fantasy. Only one G-rated vivified movie was released in the dataset after 1980. According to Variety, the film industry’s top revenue-generating motion pictures have shifted...

2008 Economic Crisis in Inside Job Documentary

The Inside Job film elaborates on the economic crises witnessed globally in 2008 because of the unsteady systems. The economic instability affected the atmosphere adversely, triggering the loss of jobs and properties. All the institutions that triggered the crises and the people involved, as well as their deeds, are explicitly...

“Psycho” Film by Alfred Hitchcock

Psycho is an American psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1960; Robert Bloch and Joseph Stefano are the film’s screenwriters. This movie was definitely the most important milestone in the thriller-detective genre. Its spirit and influence are still clearly felt in almost every film and TV series about maniacs...

Plot, Genre and Main Idea of “The Blind Side” Film

Introduction “The Blind Side,” which John Lee Hancock filmed in 2009, is based on the true story of a football player that Michael Lewis had told in his cognominal book three years earlier. Notwithstanding the seeming commonness of the plot, it raises several problems, such as social isolation and solitariness...

Individualism vs. Collectivism in A Beautiful Mind

Introduction A person cannot live outside of society, outside of the collective. But simultaneously, for harmonious development and happy life, it is important to preserve individuality. A Beautiful Mind of Ron Howard was conceived as a film biography of the mathematician, Nobel Prize winner John Forbes Nash. The main character...

Politics in “28 Days Later” Film by Danny Boyle

If the definition of politics is the management of power and conflict, then my favorite movie, 28 Days Later, is political because it focuses on the fight for power and the attempt to resolve a dispute between two opposed parties. Politics and its impact on human life is essential not...

Real and Escapist Life in the Film “The Slumdog Millionaire”

The film, Slumdog Millionaire is an exciting and breathtaking story of an orphaned boy (Jamal) in Mumbai who uses his impeccable intelligence and strength to rise from rags to riches. The events of Jamal’s life are narrated in the movie through flash-forwards and flashbacks. Set in the slum, the movie...

“Django Unchained”: Discussion of Film Techniques

Introduction One of the most famous works of director Quentin Tarantino remains “Django Unchained.” Filmed more than nine years ago, the film retains relevance mainly due to the themes raised. Through a western film, Tarantino explores social issues such as racism, slavery, compassion, humanity, and cruelty. “Django Unchained” remains an...

Review of “Kung Fu Panda” Movie: Educational Psychology

In every classroom setting or learning space, each student is unique in their particular way. Each student has a special way through which they learn and master information. Therefore, every student should be understood, and the one shoe fits all ideology should be ignored. There are different modalities of learning...

Time and Space in “Memento” by Christopher Nolan

Memento is a captivating film noir directed by Christopher Nolan that has received worldwide acclaim. Complex and confusing in both structure and subject matter, the film still attracts considerable attention and many interpretations twenty years after its release. The film explores various topics such as personality, moral responsibility, time and...

The Iconic Moments in the Film “Gold Rush 1925”

The most iconic moment in the movie is when Charlie Chaplin prepares and eats his shoe not to starve from hunger. He serves the shoe on a dish with shoelaces as spaghetti, which puts the viewer in laughter. The funniest thing about the moment in the movie is the face...

The Film “Dune” by Denis Villeneuve

Introduction Dune is set in a far-off future in which humankind has developed in many scientific ways while also mutating in many spiritual ones. Dune was a pro-government, pro-eco-radicalism, and Islamophilic future worldwide metaphor (Alvarez and Franklin, 2017). Denis Villeneuve’s latest cinematic version of the novel, produced from a script...

The True Cost: Fast Fashion, Garment Workers, and Environment

The True Cost is a documentary that was directed by Andrew Morgan and released in 2015. It shows the background of the fast fashion world, where garment workers live in terrible conditions, facing poverty and a lack of safety. The multinational fashion corporations follow globalization economy, which means that production...

Fat Man and the Little Boy: A Comparison with Historical Accounts

Introduction Films have become an integral component of the world’s cultural landscape and one of the primary means of pastime for millions of people. In addition to entertainment, motion pictures have immense potential in terms of another function, an educational one. Films serve as a convenient medium of information, allowing...

Life in the 1950S through the Lens of a TV Show: “Leave It to Beaver”

Being an unequivocal art form, a film allows capturing the air of a specific era and creating a time capsule that will guide the generations to come through the essential ideas and philosophies of the past decades. Leave It to Beaver is one of such shows, where the essence of...

Mise-en-Scene of “Blade Runner” Film by Ridley Scott

Based on the opening scene of Blade Runner, the viewers can see that Los Angeles is presented as a modern and developed city. In addition, the fact that it is presented at night is another important element. The author wants people to see the lights and fires of the city...

“Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment – The Deadly Deception”: Unethical Scientific Experiment

Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment Traditional biomedical researches that used human as research subjects were characterized by gross violation of their rights. The Tuskegee’s study of 1932-1972, as displayed in Nova’s (2019) video, is not an exception since other studies such as the Nazi experimentation of 1945-1947 were even more severe. However,...

The Depiction of Culture in Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma”

Introduction Roma is a 2018 film directed by Alfonso Cuarón, who based the story upon his childhood memories. The semi-autobiographical narrative focuses on Cleo, a servant woman working for a middle-class family, whose character is inspired by Cuarón’s caregiver. The movie is set in the 1970s in the neighborhood of...

The Urban Space Depiction in the Cinema

Introduction The city and cinema have been inextricably connected to each other since the emergence of films. Gradually, the urban space begins to influence the movies so much that it is impossible to imagine one without the other. “The street in the extended sense of the word is not only...

“Symphony of a Great City” by Walter Ruttman

An in-depth analysis of any film allows viewers to appreciate the work as a piece of art. It explains all the working parts and encourages a better understanding of what is happening on the screen. However, the whole film depends on the theme, characters, their conflicts, as well as on...

The Language of the “Citizen Kane” Film

The film Citizen Kane is notable not only with the story it uncovers for the audience but also with its effective use of cinematography techniques. The film’s deep-focus photography, mise en scène, lighting, and camera movements have earned numerous appraises by critics over the decades after Citizen Kane was filmed....

Cultural Significance of Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall”

Annie Hall is a romantic comedy directed by Woody Allen in 1977. The movie tells a story of Alvy Singer, who is reflecting upon the reason why his relationship with Annie Hall ended. The film uses retrospection to return to unconscious decisions made in the past to understand the present,...

“Frontline: Inside the Meltdown” by PBS

Introduction The crisis of 2008-2009 constitutes a major turning point in the dynamics of the US and global economies at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The PBS (2009) film “Frontline: Inside the meltdown” explores this turbulent time, examining the key causes and effects at play, and the response of...

Toxic Masculinity and Machismo in Junot Diaz’s “Drown”

Introduction Gender is inescapable. It does not matter whether one agrees with the emerging progressive narrative of gender being a construct or not. Being a male or a female comes with its own set of expectations, codes, and experiences, which are impossible to run from. Junot Diaz’s “Drown” does an...

“Farewell”: Interpersonal Communication in the Film

Introduction Communication is a critical element in building interpersonal relationships between individuals in the modern world. The multiple spheres, including economic, political, social, and cultural, depend on effective communication for better understanding between people. With the growing influence of globalization tendencies on contemporary people, communication remains a vital tool capable...

Theme of Grief in “The Secret Life of Bees”

The Secret Life of Bees is a novel by Sue Monk Kidd that explores themes of loss, grief, acceptance, and forgiveness. Furthermore, in her book, Kidd raises the topics of race and color. In fact, in 2004, the novel received The Indies Choice Book Award and was nominated for The...

Lighting and Landscapes: The Movie “Call Me by Your Name”

Throughout the movie Call Me by Your Name, both lighting and landscapes play a central role in promoting the metaphorical semantics and emotional background. Elio is generally shown in darkness in a number of scenes, such as in the bathroom (Guadagnino 00:06:15-00:06:19). The dark lighting setting can also be observed...