Our Take: Eternals
Eternals is Marvel Studios’ latest Phase 4 release and like many of its predecessors, it’s riddled with mediocrity particularly in its plot and dialogue. Marvel is no stranger to auteurs when it comes directing its feature length films. Each adding their own style and aesthetic to…
5 mins read
Breaking Down the Symbols in Echoes of the Rainbow
Set in the 1960s British Hong Kong, Echoes of the Rainbow (EOR) is able to capture and shed light on contentious social issues, such as the growing prevalence of the use of English, the large wealth gap and immigration that are reminiscent of that period of…
7 mins read
The Suicide Squad: The Anti-Villain and Anti-Hero Trope Explained
James Gunn revitalized The Suicide Squad with his rendition of this anti-villain action flick released this summer. Compared to its 2016 prequel, this one certainly got us laughing and awestruck at the visuals (and rooting for King Shark’s dumb adorability) as we left the cinema. With its diverse, colourful (personality-wise at least), complex and at times chaotic characters, the film got us thinking: what makes an anti-villain? Truth is having a plain, old-school evil-for the-sake-of-being-evil bad guy has become boring and dull. What makes a captivating antagonist is depth and their imperfection. It makes these characters seem more real and believable. …
10 mins read
How These Musicals Disillusion the Fairy Tale Romance
Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! and Jacques Demy’s Les Parapluies de Cherbourg are films that are essentially under the genre of musical. Being under a genre, means that there are certain characteristics that are to be expected from these films. While Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! excessively and parodic use of these characteristics, Jacques Demy, who rose during the French New Wave, albeit he does not consider himself as part of the movement, attempts to subverts the fairytale…
10 mins read
Different Forms of Art in I Am Sam
I Am Sam is the story of a father’s fight to win custody of his daughter. Sam (played by Sean Penn) has an intellectual disability, but that doesn’t stop him from being everything his loving daughter, Lucy (played by Dakota Fanning) needs. The film mainly explores the familial love and parenthood, particularly what it takes to be a “good” parent. A major element in the film is art. …
8 mins read
The Psychology Behind Soul Explained
⚠️Warning — Spoilers Ahead! Compared to the recent animated films Pixar has released, Soul appeals to an older demographic with mature themes like the importance of living and tackling the profound question of the meaning of life. How the Narrative Structure contributes to the theme — Want vs. Need Soul utilizes a “Want vs. Need” structure wherein the conflict lies in the internal struggle of what the protagonist wants and what he actually needs.
8 mins read