Film Essays and Analysis
How ‘What We Do In the Shadows’ Reshapes the “Man Alone” with Vampire Cinema - Reassessing New Zealand cinema's "man alone" trope for Taika Waititi's much-loved vampire mockumentary 'What We Do In the Shadows'. Essay by Jacob Davis.
‘In the Cut’ and How Marriage Can Kill You, Actually - How Jane Campion erotic thriller 'In the Cut' (2003) starring Meg Ryan subverted the expectations of the erotic thriller genre and has gone underappreciated for close to two decades. Article by Margaret Roarty. 
Katie Doyle’s “Movies I had a Religious/Spiritual Experience With” Part 5: The Exorcist - "inspiration has come from the most unexpected of places - the 1973 horror film, The Exorcist. God really does work in mysterious ways." - Katie Doyle in Pt. 5 of her Religious/Spiritual Experience series.
Funny Games and the Victimisation of the Audience - How Michael Haneke makes us as much the victims of his world-renowned horror film 'Funny Games' as he does his central characters. A feature essay by Jacob Heayes. 
How Midsommar and The Wicker Man Hold Much of the Same Wisdom - How in trying to avoid taking pointers from 'The Wicker Man', Ari Aster made the closest thing to it, 'Midsommar', and how both films use the same wisdom to terrify all of us. Article by Louis B Scheuer.
Requiem for an American Dream - Requiem for an American Dream - how Darren Aronofsky's 'Requiem for a Dream' (2000) is about more than just drugs, it's about commodification, capitalism and modernity. Article by Kristina Murkett.
Loincloths, Muscles, Sorcery and the Rock of Uranus: A Journey Into the Realm of the Italian Peplum (c.1958-1965) - A journey into Italian Peplum, the cinema of mythical gods, muscle-bound heroes, sorcery and loincloths, as presented by Paul A J Lewis.
Harry Potter and the Uncredited Creator of That Chess Scene - The story of Jeremy Silman, the International Master of Chess uncredited with work on 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' and that iconic chess scene. Article by Kieran Judge.
‘Burning’ and Elusive Truth - How Chang-Dong Lee purposefully obscures the truth in his 2018 mystery 'Burning' to provide one of the most engaging examples of the genre in decades. Article by Jack Cameron.
Hollywood Spectacles – Nerds, Perverts and the Morally Deviant - Bespectacled film characters have long been presented with a number of damaging traits, the least of which is "being a nerd". Ciaran Duncan explores this problematic representation in this feature essay.
Nolan’s Films Are Complex, but Are They Deep? - Famed film director Christopher Nolan has long been a filmmaker who pursues interesting concepts, but are movie releases such as 'Tenet' and 'Inception' actually deep? Louis B Scheuer explores.
Christopher Nolan’s Cinematic Chores: Understanding ‘Tenet’ - Nolan frequently assigns his audience chores, engineering his films in such a way that requires them to participate in each narrative actively. 'Tenet' is no exception. Leoni Horton explores.
Feeling Blue, Facebook? The Colour Symbolism of The Social Network - How David Fincher's Mark Zuckerberg Facebook movie uses colour to evoke meaning and further story. Essay by Kristina Murkett.
Blockbuster Filmmaking and Transmedia Storytelling at the Great Pit of Carkoon - How the Great Pit of Carkoon in 'Star Wars - Return of the Jedi' is an example of commodified transmedia storytelling and blockbuster filmmaking. Essay by Jacob Davis.
CGI Vs Animatronics - In 2020, the debate surrounding the use of CGI versus the use of Animatronics is more divisive than ever. o which is better? Louis B Scheuer explores.
The Little Game of Dogville, and a Philosopher Who Sucks at His Job - Lars von Trier's Bertolt Brecht-inspired film about absent of most elements of set paints a picture of a broken capitalistic system. Cole Clark analyses how in this piece on the movie starring Nicole Kidman and Paul Bettany.
Why Is It So Hard to Make a Good Shark Film? - They did it. We had one. A good shark movie. So why has it been so difficult for anyone else to come close to matching 'Jaws' in the 45 years since its release? Martha Lane breaks it down.
For Only A Fistful Of Dollars – How A Low Budget Western Reinvented the Hollywood Hero - The Sergio Leone directed Spaghetti Western 'A Fistful of Dollars' left an indelible mark on the film industry in a lot of ways, but how it reshaped the male hero may be its biggest. Article by Stephen Vega.
When Love Transcends Time (Travel) - "Time travel [...] can miraculously give characters their happily ever after, snatch it cruelly away, or both." Time travel and love in cinema - an essay by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
The Trickling Influence of ‘Inception’ - How Christopher Nolan hit 'Inception' "mark[ed] the turning of the tide – planting the idea of the more intelligent blockbuster". Article by Aaron Bayne.
Rachel McAdams: The Time-Traveller’s Wife - "I have a question for you Rachel McAdams: where is your agency? And, why do you have such a thing for time-travellers?" - Annice White on Rachel McAdams: the time traveller's wife.
How Music Reframes the Violence in You Were Never Really Here - How the music composed by Jonny Greenwood for 'You Were Never Really Here' borrows from Aphex Twin to create a dialogue between character and narrative. Essay by Cole Clark.
How Every Element in the Final Sequence from ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ Works To Create A Wonderfully Disturbing Finale - How Anthony Minghella's 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' borrows from Hitchcock and Film Noir to create a phenomenal and tense final sequence. Analysis by Sophie Cook.
Real-Time: Examining How the Safdie Brothers Experiment with Naturalistic Cinema - Are Josh and Benny Safdie, The Safdie Brothers, the quiet revolutionaries of contemporary cinema? Leoni Horton examines their exploration of naturalistic filmmaking thus far, looking at the likes of 'Uncut Gems' and 'Good Time'.
Superhero Bust: The Future of the Superhero Genre - Have we seen the pinnacle of the superhero movie mountain? Gillian MacLeod looks at the facts, analysing the genre in conjunction with a prominent film theory in this special superhero movie essay.
An American Werewolf In London – Unfinished Game-Changing Fun - Roger Ebert once described horror-comedy 'An American Werewolf in London' (1981), from director John Landis, as "unfinished". Sarah Williams looks at how this unfinished movie changed the game by making horror fun.
‘Green Street’ and Toxic Masculinity - Toxic masculinity and violence in 'Green Street' (2005) starring Elijah Wood and Charlie Hunnam. How critique of the film seems to have missed the point, as written by George Forster. 
Breaking Principles: Passive Characters in ‘Vivarium’ (2020) - How 'Vivarium' (2020) succeeds in frustrating some and enlightening others through its choice of presenting actively-passive characters against all usual writing principles. Essay by Kieran Judge. 
Examining Controversial Depictions of Jesus Christ in Cinema - As one of history's most influential figures, depictions of Jesus Christ have caused controversy and discord since the days of the early church, and the same goes for cinema. In this piece Katie Doyle examines cinema's most provocative interpretations of the Easter Story.
Are Musicals Cinema’s Next Big Trend? - With the future of the film industry uncertain, people are turning to the ultimate form of escapism: the movie musical. Could the often suppressed genre be cinema's next big trend? Charlie Gardiner explores.
Windows Into Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Parasite’ - Bong Joon-ho's Best Picture Oscar winning feature 'Parasite' (2019/2020) makes spectacular use of windows to establish and reinforce themes. Sam Sewell-Peterson explores in this 'Parasite' essay.
Plot Reveals vs Plot Twists – When They Work and When They Don’t - When plot twists work and when they don't. Kieran Judge explores one of cinema's most controversial, discussion stirring narrative elements, ruminating on some of the form's best and most famous examples.
The Identity Crisis of Hong Kong Cinema - How the films of the likes of John Woo and Wong Kar-wai have illustrated the identity crisis and cultural anxieties of Hong Kong during the state's rich history of cinema.
100 Years of ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ – Is It Still Significant? - Famed German Expressionism horror-thriller 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' turns 100 years old in 2020, but is it still relevant? Jacob Davis explores Germany's first massively popular German export here.
No, You Are: Deconstructing Dinesh D’Souza’s Interview with Richard Spencer - Dinesh D'Souza and Richard Spencer walk into a sit-down interview on right wing American politics. Jacob Davis deconstructs 'The Death of A Nation' here.
A Brief History of the Director’s Cut - From the Ridley Scott's Director's Cut of 'Blade Runner' to Peter Jackson's 'Lord of the Rings' extended editions and right through to the Snyder Cut of 'Justice League' - the history of the director's cut as presented by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
How Cathy Yan’s ‘Birds of Prey’ Reawakens the Ethos of the Riot Grrrl - ‘That girl thinks she’s the Queen of the neighbourhood, I got news for you, she is!’ - How Cathy Yan's 'Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey' embraces the Riot Grrrl ethos in its fresh attempts to validate female anger. Article by Leoni Horton.
10 Years of Shutter Island – Flawless Directorial Command and Mental Health Examination - Released 10 years ago (2010), Martin Scorsese's 'Shutter Island' has taken on a life of its own to remain a relevant and enticing masterpiece from one of cinema's greatest. Beth Sawdon explores...
The Streaming Romance: Reception and Perception in Modern Moviestaying - Jacob Davis looks at 5 Netflix rom-coms with noticeable disparities between their critic and audience scores to decipher why those disparities exist and hopefully lend a helping hand on which one/s to watch.Why Parasite’s Oscars Dominance Matters - 'Parasite winning, and winning so big, shows that maybe barriers are being broken down'. Jacob Davis on why 'Parasite' winning big at the Oscars 2020 matters.
From ‘Foreign Language’ To ‘International Feature’: Why A Change In Name Isn’t Enough - The Oscars have renamed their 'Best Foreign Language Film' category 'Best International Feature Film' in the name of inclusivity - but, as Sophie Butcher discusses, this alone is not enough to improve recognition for world cinema.
Could ‘Frozen II’ Win Best Original Song? – Oscars 2020 - "in the final “Into the unknown” in the chorus, [Elsa] goes so far past the safe notes, way into the enchanted forest. Here the chorus acts as a microcosm for the whole narrative." - Sophie Cook on why "Into the Uknown" should win Best Original Song at the 2020 Oscars.
In Defence of The Academy – A Sarcastic Address of the Controversy Surrounding The Oscars - For close to a century, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been a pillar of open-mindedness and has set benchmarks for inclusion. This article celebrates their otherworldly knowledge and passion that totally isn't bought or the source of controversy.
1917 Is Not Nationalistic - Is '1917' inherently nationalistic? The multi-time Oscar nominee and Golden Globes winner has come under fire from certain sections of the press, but Jacob Davis disagrees with the consensus. Full feature/essay here.
‘Joker’ Vs ‘Us’: Their Significance, Similarities – And Why Is One Missing From The Oscar Nominations? - The Oscar nominations for 2020 are out, and Sophie Butcher has a question - why has 'Joker' received so much recognition, and 'Us' none at all, despite their similarities? Click here to read in full.
Ravished by Romance – Before Sunrise’s Antithetical Approach to Love - After a quarter of a century on the big screen, why does Richard Linklater's seminal romantic piece 'Before Sunrise' still resonate with audiences? Joseph Wade explores.
Baz Luhrmann’s Iconic Postmodern Trilogy: An Exploration - Baz Luhrmann exercises postmodernism in his work through his instantly recognisable work in adaptation and reimagining, including in his three most iconic pieces, a postmodern trilogy explored by Sophie Cook.
Why ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ Has Become Hard To Watch - Why 'The Muppet Christmas Carol' Has Become Hard To Watch in the contemporary landscape of inequality according to Annice White.
5 Christmas Movies Rewritten According to Brexit and UK Politics - As the UK enters another General Election, Katie Doyle rewrites five Christmas classics of cinema to fit the modern political discourse in this entertaining piece.
What ‘Le Mans 66’ Gets Right That Other Motorsport Films Did Not - Does 'Ford v Ferrari' manage to satisfy racing fans as it seems to be pleasing filmgoers? Dan Mason analyses in this special feature. 
Shot For Shot: Safe-Theft Scene in Hitchcock’s ‘Marnie’ (1964) - Over half a century later, Hitchcock's movies still have us on the edge of our seats. But why? Kieran Judge breaks down how he masterfully manipulates his audience in a shot-by-shot analysis of a scene from 'Marnie' (1964).
Analyzing ‘Star Wars’ Lore: The Jedi - The history, development and contradictions in Jedi lore in the 'Star Wars' franchise. Article by Jacob Davis.
A24 Horror: Success, Religion and Difference in Modern American Cinema - How A24 have managed to tap into the zeitgeist with recent releases 'The Witch' and 'Hereditary' to offer horrors that do more than make you jump out of your skin. Article by Beth Sawdon.
Joker: Incels, Violence, the Alt-Right – Tackling the Discourse Around 2019’s Most Controversial Movie - Jacob Davis tackles the hysteria surrounding Todd Phillips' 'Joker' (2019), breaking down the discourse forged by the opinions of high-ranking journalists in an attempt to get to the bottom of the controversy. 
Modern Problems Require Modern Solutions: Expectations of Star Wars Lore in the 21st Century - How expectations regarding 'Star Wars' lore have been cultivated and why it isn't the end of the world that you don't know anything about Snoke. 
The Wizard of Oz – 80 Years of Social Relevance - The impact of 'The Wizard of Oz', its context to politics at the time and the profound effect it had during the 2nd world war examined in the year of its 80th anniversary by Beth Sawdon.
A Textual Critique of ‘Stand Your Ground’ - 2014 Michael McClendon movie 'Stand Your Ground' sides you with the assailant in a "based on true events" story of a real-life murder trial from the perspective of the perpetrator's mother. Jacob Davis explores its problematic stance.
The Art of the Social Media Thriller; Narcissism, Paranoia and Tools for Good or Ill - "Technological paranoia has always been great fuel for exciting films and filmmaking." Sam Sewell-Peterson takes us through 4 of the best examples from the recent trend of Social Media Thrillers.
Far From Home – Throwing Shade at the Superhero Factory - "Compelling character first, crash-bang-wallop second", the compelling subtext of 'Spider-Man: Far from Home' (2019), by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Far from Home – E.D.I.T.H. and the Morality of the MCU - Spider-Man: Far from Home introduces a problematic new piece of technology that illustrates a genre shift in politics that Jacob Davis explores, here.
It Just Might be His Masterpiece: Revisiting Tarantino’s ‘Inglourious Basterds’ Ten Years Later - Will Quentin Tarantino ever top 'Pulp Fiction'? Maybe he already has. Samuel Sybert breaks down the artistry behind the iconic director's 'Inglourious Basterds'. 
A Textual Analysis of ‘John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ - An analysis of the use of colour and the narrative progression on offer in 'John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum' by Jacob Davis.
Loki: The Development of One of Marvel’s Greatest Villains - He became one of the most iconic superhero villains of all time. In this feature, Francesca Militello charts Loki's development from prince to villain to brother between 'Thor' and 'Infinity War'.
Laika Animation: Meditations on Alienation and Death… for Kids! - Laika, the stop-motion animation house behind 'Kubo and the Two Strings' and 'Missing Link', have been tackling soft subjects in child friendly ways for a decade. Sam Sewell-Peterson takes a look at how they made death and alienation not only digestible but also relatable. 
A Clockwork Orange In Retrospect – Its Themes, Its Reception and Kubrick’s Directorial Masterclass - 'A Clockwork Orange', the controversial 1971 release from directorial master Stanley Kubrick, has been analysed by Lucas Hill-Paul regarding its themes, reception and delivery in this exclusive retrospective.
From Final Girls to Kickass Women – What Modern Female Protagonists Have in Common with Ellen Ripley - "Ellen Ripley stands as one of the first pages torn out of a sexist and archaic rulebook." From Final Girls to Kickass Women - What Modern Female Protagonists Have in Common with Ellen Ripley.
The Fine Art of Black Comedy or Why It’s OK to Laugh When We Shouldn’t - Using three examples by filmmakers from three different continents, Sam Sewell-Peterson analyses the cathartic nature of Black Comedy in this special feature.
The Legacy of ‘Tomb Raider’ and Its Impact On Video Game Cinema - 21st century Hollywood's biggest attempt at a video-game-to-movie franchise, Tomb Raider, has left an enduring legacy. Craig Sheldon explores in this special feature.
Designing Nightmares: H.R. Giger and ‘Alien’ - When you think of 'Alien', you think of Ridley Scott and the Xenomorph, but the man behind the disturbing visuals is H.R. Giger, the artist profiled by Kieran Judge in this article.
The Success and Significance of The Wandering Earth - 'The Wandering Earth' has broken all sorts of records in China and at the worldwide box office. Joseph Wade tackles the significance of this success and why it is successful in this special feature.
From Captive Maiden to Captain Marvel – The Rise of the Female Action Hero - Captain Marvel is Marvel Studios' first female superhero movie lead, but it has been a long time coming. Craig Sheldon chronicles the development of female action heroes in Hollywood film.
Green Book’s Win Says More About the Academy Than Society - "A Green Book Oscars win is the cinematic equivalent of burying one’s head in the sand" writes Jacob Davis of its Oscars 2019 Best Picture win in this special opinion piece.
Green Book’s Verdant Views on Race Allow Inherent Contradiction - Jacob Davis goes to task on one of this Oscars season's most divisive and controversial films, questioning the morals and ethics of Peter Farrelly's 'Green Book'.
A Millennial’s Take on Vice - Approaching Adam McKay's Dick Cheney biopic 'Vice' from the perspective of someone too young to remember Cheney properly is Jacob Davis.
Director Spotlight: Na Hong-Jin - South Korean director Na Hong-Jin has developed a recognisable style throughout his three releases to date, something Kieran Judge dissects and celebrates in this Director Spotlight.
The Worst Show – A Historian’s Account of The Greatest Showman’s Problematic Retelling of History - "It’s not hard in this day and age to get your facts right and do some research." - a historian's account of The Greatest Showman's problematic retelling of history (by Darcy Rae).
“Shut Up and Deal” – How ‘The Apartment’ is Far From a Typical Christmas Love Story - With "sex, adultery and even suicide", Billy Wilder's 1960 comedy/drama 'The Apartment' is far from your typical Christmas love story. Craig Sheldon explores in this retrospective look at the all time classic. 
An Introduction to the Cinematography in Abel Gance’s ‘Napoleon’ (1927) - An introduction to the cinematography of the hugely influential French filmmaker Abel Gance via his epic genre classic 'Napoleon' (1927), by Francesca Militello.
The Man of Rearden Steel: Objectivism in Contemporary Cinema - Ayn Rand's Objectivism isn't only potent in 'Batman v Superman' but an unfortunate philosophy of film in general, according to Jacob Davis. 
The History of Zombies in Cinema - Drawing from John Landis' "Monsters in the Movies", Rhian Gillah explores the development of zombies throughout cinematic history. 
Jacob’s Ladder: A Masterpiece Often Forgotten - Why more people should remember 'Jacob's Ladder', a film that "takes the themes and iconography of horror and moves into something deeper and more meaningful" according to Kieran Judge.
Instruments of Terror: The Music In Horror Films - "music was the hot new thing in town and no other genre would benefit more than Hollywood’s angsty teenage brother, the horror film." Craig Sheldon's exploration of music in horror films, here.
A Look Inward: Introspection in A Star Is Born - "Seeing someone’s true self is important in 'A Star Is Born', but being able to look at one's self is even more important." Introspection in 'A Star Is Born', by Jacob Davis. 
Fabric Love: Costume in Gay Cinema - The role of clothing in male-male romances is very distinct. Annice White takes you through the how and why with comparisons between 'Call Me By Your Name', 'God's Own Country' and 'Brokeback Mountain'.
More Human Than Human: An Introduction to Cyberpunk - Where did cyberpunk originate and what makes it such an influential sci-fi sub-genre in cinema? Kieran Judge walks you through.
Why You Should Reconsider Adam Sandler - Why it's time to reconsider Adam Sandler as an actor according to Joseph Wade.
The Nun: The Prequel We Didn’t Need - With a story that lacked narrative and jump scares that avoided originality, should 'The Nun' be the end for the 'Conjuring' universe? 
Who Is Jareth In Labyrinth (1986) and Why Has He Got a Bulging Penis? - Jareth's penis bulge has finally been explained. Why is Bowie trying to chat up a child, and why did Jim Henson create a sexually charged labyrinth? 
Why Are We Still Scared of Horror Movies? - How have horror movies changed to keep us squirming in our seats and seeking the thrill time and time again? Beth Sawdon investigates in this special feature.
The Era of Nostalgia in Cinema – Why Are We Watching So Many Remakes? - Beth Sawdon explores the sociological, financial and creative reasons behind Hollywood's current leanings towards sequels, prequels, remakes and reboots in this special feature.
How To Make A Good Book-to-Movie Adaptation - Beth Sawdon offers advice on how to make a good book-to-film adaptation, taking lessons from the good and often downright ugly adaptations of the past in this special feature.
The Exceptionals: The Philosophies of The Incredibles - In this special feature, Luke Whitticase explores the philosophies of 'The Incredibles' and its director Brad Bird, drawing particular parallels with exceptionalism and Randian Objectivism.
How Science Fiction Movies Have Influenced Technology - "what is science fiction really? By definition, it's science that isn't real. Or is it?" Craig Sheldon takes you through the real-life impact sci-fi movie gadgets and gizmos have had in this special feature.
An Artist’s Contributions: David Wark Griffith - Highly influential 'Broken Blossoms' and 'The Birth of a Nation' director David Wark Griffith is the topic of Francesca Militello's latest piece in her "An Artist's Contributions" series. Just how did Griffith influence modern cinema? Find out here.
A Retrospective Look at The Passion of the Christ and Its Artistic/Cultural Merits - In this eye-opening piece of analysis, Katie Doyle takes an in-depth look at 'The Passion of the Christ' as a piece of art and a cultural phenomenon, flagging issues regarding discrimination and the movie's post-9/11 politics. 
What Does the Crystal Mean in Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Mother!’? - What does the crystal represent in 'Mother!' (2017)? Elizabeth Howlett takes you through her theory about this vital aspect of the controversial Darren Aronofsky film starring Jennifer Lawrence, here. 
An Artist’s Contributions: Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein - Sergei Eisenstein, the father of many modern theories on cinema, is the latest filmmaker to be included in Francesca Militello's An Artist's Contributions series. Take a look at what made him so influential, here.
An Introduction to Italian Neorealism – Essay - Francesca Militello outlines the famous film movement of Italian Neorealism in this introductory essay complete with suggestions on what to watch and why.
Blade Runner 2049: Why is the Female Body the Future’s Prop? - Why is the female body the future's prop in 'Blade Runner 2049'? Alex Morden Osborne offers her critique of the Denis Villeneuve sci-fi movie here.
How the TV Renaissance Has Helped Film Actors - What was once a death nail to any film actor's career now seems like a more enticing proposition as film actors embrace tv, giving the small screen a bigger draw and changing the industry.
You’ve Been Watching ‘Signs’ Wrong - A 'Signs' alternative theory. Could the aliens in 'Signs' really be angels or demons? Joseph Wade takes you through the facts...
The Dark Crystal and Why 80s Nostalgia Can Be Good - Katie Doyle presents why she feels the reemergence of 'The Dark Crystal' via Netflix signifies the positive side of this decade's 80s nostalgia trip.How Robin Williams Affected Millennials - Robin Williams was a legend, but to millennials he was something more. Hear about it straight from the horses mouth in Catherine Giggal's special piece.
Should ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ be Considered a Feminist Franchise? - Sophie Grant sets out to answer the question everyone's been asking for years... Should the 'Fifty Shades of Grey' be considered a feminist franchise? 
The Evolution of Disney Dads - What does the interaction a Disney Princess has with her father tell us about how times have changed between 1989 and 2016? James Cullen explores.
Film as a Political Medium: Propaganda and ‘The Triumph of the Will’ - Nazi propaganda film 'The Triumph of the Will' is analysed for its effectiveness as a documentary and comparisons are drawn to contemporary politics in James Cullen's informative film essay. 
‘I, Daniel Blake’, Its Significance and Recognition - 'I, Daniel Blake' has become a significant film for more than just its art. In this piece, Joseph Wade outlines how the film transcended cinema and looks at the reasons for its lack of awards show recognition.
Bodies of Power: Masculinity and Femininity in ‘Rambo: First Blood Part II’ and ‘Aliens’ - Ripley from 'Aliens' and Rambo from 'Rambo: First Blood Part II' each represented different ideas of masculinity and femininity in 80s America, according to James Cullen's film essay.
He Sees You When You’re Sleeping: The Psychology of Christmas Horror Films - What draws us to Christmas-themed horror films? James Cullen takes a look in this special seasonal piece.
An Analysis Of John Candy’s Role In ‘Uncle Buck’ (1989) - John Candy's iconic performance in 'Uncle Buck' has been analysed by Catherine Giggal in this special feature.
The Celluloid Threat of Atomic Annihilation – The Cinema of Nuclear War. - Take a special look back at the history of cinema's relationship with the bomb in this special guest publication from Closer To Midnight's Ben Taylorson.
How Everyone Finally Got Over Ben Affleck Being Batman - Ben Affleck won over most of his critics with his performance in 'Batman v Superman' (2016). Joseph Wade analyses how he managed to do so in a follow up to his contentious piece 'Why It's Finally Time To Get Over Ben Affleck Being Batman' (released in 2015).
An Artist’s Contributions: Orson Welles - Orson Welles may be the most influential American director of all time. Francesca Militello has analysed his artistic contributions in this special article.
Kubrick & Kids – The Work of a Dictatorial Director & His Child Stars - Stanley Kubrick isn't the first name you think of when thinking of directors working with children in film, but Jacqui Griffin points out that maybe he should be in this special feature article.
What’s Wrong With the Original ‘Spider-Man’ Trilogy?! - "These movies came at a time when people needed them" in Katie Doyle's special look at Sam Raimi's 'Spider-Man' trilogy (2002-2007). It’s Not What You Watch, It’s How You Watch It - In Katie Doyle's latest contemplative piece, she writes about how important the ways you watch film can be to your reception of it, and offers a few examples from her own past.
It’s A Wonderful Life: The Truest of Christmas Films - Tis the season for a Christmas rant. Katie Doyle presents hers in the form of her latest piece: 'It's A Wonderful Life: The Truest of Christmas Films', here.
The Main Theories and Interpretations of ‘Toy Story’ - Three of the top fan theories regarding Disney Pixar's 'Toy Story' trilogy have been presented by Jack Gooding in this special feature.
The Most Important Concept in Film - Tricia Lowney presents one of the most important concepts in film today: suspension of disbelief. Read the piece, in full, here. 
The Blair Witch Project: How Does It Compare To Contemporary Horror Films? - How does 'The Blair Witch Project' compare to the horror films of the 21st century? This is a question Jack Gooding answers in his latest article, available here.An Analysis of ‘American History X’ & Its Contemporary Relevance - In his debut piece, Jack Gooding has written about 'American History X' (1998), its controversies and its contemporary relevance. Read the article here.
A Celebration of the Animated Classic “The Prince of Egypt” - A celebration of "The Prince of Egypt" (1998) by Katie Doyle. Discover just what you were missing from the 'original' non-Disney animated feature, here.
In Memory of Christopher Lee – An Analysis of The Wicker Man (1973) - Katie Doyle has dissected the importance and brilliance of the 1973 version of The Wicker Man starring the recently passed Christopher Lee, and has paid a fitting tribute to the actor, here.
Video Games to Films – Where Does It All Go Wrong? - Greg Forrester has asked: "video games to films - where does it all go wrong?" You can read the post that highlights a number of big budget adaptations, here.