Like all great fantasy science fiction stories, Dune 1 & 2 explore thought-provoking themes, especially fanaticism governed throughout religious sects. Prophesies, superstitions, and above all, the belief in a messiah who offers us promises have only led to tragedy. Unlike most fantasy stories in mythology, I love how Paul, the lead protagonist, is not the... Continue Reading →

Batman is not a hero. He is a villain. When you explore the political ideologies within the world of Batman you can see the right-wing fascist leanings within its politics, the idea that violence is an effective tool for interrogation and that the Batman is another corrupt cop with a badge who steps outside the... Continue Reading →

I wanted to explore a much more controversial and obscure cult film and so I decided to do Man Bites Dog, a 1992 black comedy which was written and directed by Remy Belvaux, Andre Bonzel and Benoit Poelvoorde. It’s hard to specifically classify Man Bites Dog because the film is an odd-ball hybrid of several... Continue Reading →

Professor Louis D. Giannetti states in his book Understanding Movies, “one way of understanding better what a film is trying to say is to know how it is saying it” (Giannetti, 8). Being a hardcore film critic and movie buff for several years, I completely agree with Giannetti’s statements and I believe specific cinematic aesthetics... Continue Reading →

In articles like Why Television and Making Meaning professor Jason Mittell and author Jeremy Butler explore the cultural, sociological, technological and industrial aspects of television and how the medium has greatly impacted American culture. I decided to go against the norm and present a cartoon program’s aesthetics to help illustrate Mittell and Butler’s key points.... Continue Reading →

There are three elements in John Carpenter’s remake of The Thing (1982) which are pulled off brilliantly. The first element is the setting and landscape used in the film, as Carpenter immediately transports viewers in extremely treacherous weather conditions, as our heroes are required to wear thick coats, masks and gloves to protect them from... Continue Reading →

I agree with Jason Mittell's argument in that two different shows can have completely different aesthetics and yet still be entirely successful. Each show can use its aesthetics like mise en scene, cinematography, lighting and shadows completely differently because every show individually has its own unique goals and audience that they are trying to appeal... Continue Reading →

While watching F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu (1922) and Roy Ward Baker’s the Vampire Lovers (1970) I came to discover that these vampire stories are less about the patriarchal battles of good vs. evil, and more about the repressed sexual battles between a man and a woman within the historical context of its time. Murnau's silent masterpiece... Continue Reading →