In Depth
Articles
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Is Film Theory
Bullshit?
A discussion of good and bad film theory with particular reference to Noel Carroll's book Mystifying Movies. Beowulf vs Animation A discussion of what the performance capture technology used in Beowulf means for the art of animation. "This Never Happened to the Other Fellow:" Bond, Vesper, and Tracy A look at what Casino Royale means for the character and continuity of James Bond. The Endearing Charms of Friz Freleng My contribution to the Friz
Freleng blog-a-thon, which marked the 100th anniversary of Friz
Freleng's birth on 21 August 2006.
My appreciation of uber-critic
Pauline Kael, looking at her influence, style, and weaknesses, as well
as some wider observations about the cultural status of critics.
Independent
Cinema: The New
V!@GR@?
A look at the limitations of
new technologies for digital production
and distribution, and the implications these restrictions have for both
independent filmmakers and audiences.
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Published at Senses of Cinema, this is my extended essay written just before the release of Munich. It is a full career retrospective and discusses all the films he's directed. An appreciation of Warner Bros. cartoon director Bob Clampett. Only a Conservative Deals In Absolutes My discussion of the politics of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, which argues that for all their faults, the new Star Wars films have been judged somewhat harshly by the critics. An interview with director
Jonathan Nossiter, relating mostly to his
movie Mondovino. Discusses
the controversy surrounding the film, and his use of handheld digital
cameras.
A response to an old bugbear of mine: the idea that movies are getting worse. Instead, I argue that movies just keep getting better and better. |
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Stallonezenegger
A slightly tongue-in-cheek look at the careers of Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, suggesting there isn't room in Hollywood for both of them. A discussion of the
long-delayed Indiana Jones IV,
including a look back at what made the originals so good.
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