Video Essays

How to Watch “The Tree of Life”

https://youtu.be/myy7pNAcMoo For almost every viewer, the Tree of Life is a baffling movie. On a first viewing, it's hard to tell who the characters are, what's happening, and what the movie is about. This video will help you understand some basics about the movie. It…
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February 7, 2020
Video Essays

Movies Cliches: The “Talking Killer”

Ever seen a movie where the villain has all of the tactical advantages necessary to kill the hero but doesn't? Ever been frustrated by the stupidity of the villain, and thus the stupidity of the movie, because of this? In this video, I'll discuss that…
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February 5, 2020
Movie ReviewsWar

Movie Review: 1917

Three out of Five Stars Directed by: Sam Mendes Written by: Sam Mendes and Kristy Wilson-Cairns Starring: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, and several surprise cameos from famous actors Music by: Thomas Newman The most striking aspect of Sam Mendes’ new World War I movie, 1917, is the backgrounds. Rare…
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February 3, 2020
Video Reviews

Parasite — A Quick Video Review

https://youtu.be/cQfOfP0mEZU Is "Parasite" as good as everybody says? It's got a Best Picture nomination at the 2020 Oscars, it was the unanimous winner of the 2019 Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and it has an amazing 99% on rottentomatoes.com. No, it's not that…
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January 30, 2020
Video Essays

Joker (2019) — A Quick Movie Analysis

https://youtu.be/-XfEvOYss1U Why did Joker receive so many Oscar nominations in 2020? I find it ironic that it did, given the grab-bag, kitchen-sink way that the movie describes why Arthur Fleck turned into the Joker. The movie makes appeals to conservatives, liberals, and everybody else. This…
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January 28, 2020
Video Essays

Die Hard, Political Messages, and Character Types

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX_ccG4-4J8&feature=youtu.be Using the 1988 movie "Die Hard," I'll show you how to watch movies like a pro. One way is to notice and interpret the obvious character types. What's a character type? A clear identity marker that shows what group a character belongs to. In…
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January 27, 2020