"RKO 281" offers a vividly compelling presentation of the troubled history behind Orson Welles and his magnum opus "Citizen Kane." This historical drama about the so-called “boy wonder” helming a film inspired by the life of a powerful man highlights the ego clashes and politics surrounding Hollywood. As a cinematic offering, it frames itself as a dramatically sound genesis of what is often described as “The Greatest American Film of All Time” through its amalgam of fictional recreations and historical accounts partly based
Tag: Hollywood
(Media Review) The Accidental Catalyst: Examining Pressreader-aggregated Articles on How Disney’s Mulan Sparked Media Campaigns Addressing the Plight of Uighur Muslims
A media review for my Media Theory class analyzing the increased Uighur Muslims coverage after the release of the Disney live-action film "Mulan" After the straight-to-streaming release of Disney’s Mulan in the Disney+ platform in the U.S. and other selected countries on Sept. 4, 2020 (‘Mulan (2020)’ [IMDb], n.d.), this live-action adaptation of the Chinese legend came under fire after viewers discovered the acknowledgment of the government security agency in the Chinese province of Xinjiang in the film’s closing credits. Xinjiang authorities are accused of the
(Response Paper) David Bordwell: The Blurred Line Separating Art Cinema with Classical Hollywood Cinema
In response to: The David Bordwell essay “The Art Cinema as a Mode of Film Practice” from the journal “Film Criticism” A response paper for my Advanced Film Theory and Criticism class In the essay “The Art Cinema as a Mode of Film Practice,” American film theorist and film historian David Bordwell primarily discussed how art cinema can be considered as a distinct mode of film practice by comparing it to classical narrative cinema (which can be traced to studio feature filmmaking in Hollywood since
(Response Paper) Understanding Andrew Sarris’ Premises of the Auteur Theory
In response to: The Andrew Sarris essay “Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962” from the book “Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings” by Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen A response paper for my Advanced Film Theory and Criticism class American film critic Andrew Sarris’ “Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962” expressed the concerns about the auteur theory, particularly outside the insights coming from the French thinkers and the film magazine Cahiers du Cinema. Unlike Francois Truffaut in his essay “A Certain Tendency
(Response Paper) Pauline Kael’s Journey to the Two Sides of the Spectrum
In response to: “Replying to Listeners” in the book "I Lost It at the Movies" by Pauline Kael and the blog post “Trash and Art: Critics on/of Pauline Kael” by Jim Emerson in the RogerEbert.com blog "Scanners with Jim Emerson" A response paper for my Advanced Film Theory and Criticism class Pauline Kael (1919 to 2001), is a household name in American film criticism, as well as a familiar name cited when looking for film books for academic use, as far as
Influential Movies in Hollywood Film History: 1990 to 2010
Who can forget films that influenced eras and generations of film enthusiasts? Anyone from film school or just about any film buff well adept with classics would have seen films like "The Birth of a Nation," "Battleship Potemkin," "Citizen Kane," and "2001: A Space Odyssey." Even the young filmgoers of today would most likely know big movie franchises such as "King Kong," "Jurassic Park," and "Star Wars." The past 30 years has its own offering of influential Hollywood motion-picture projects worth chronicling
Blu-ray Review: ‘The Descendants’
"The Descendants" releases on a two-disc set consisting of a Blu-ray disc and a DVD. The package houses the HD, SD, and digital copies of this Oscar-winning family drama by Alexander Payne. Based on the novel of the same title by Hawaiian author Kaui Hart Hemmings, this 2011 film explores the ups and downs in the lives of an American family living in Hawaii. It stars George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard, and Beau Bridges.
‘The Descendants’ Film Review: Hawaiian family landscape
Based on the novel of the same title by Hawaiian author Kaui Hart Hemmings, "The Descendants" is a non-preachy family drama packaged as an island-hopping road movie. It examines the depth and complexity of life, love, relationships, and humanity through a fine mix of slapstick and pathos, while also exploring its lush Hawaiian locales with genuine emotionality. Just like the varying waves in its beach locations, this film allows the audience's emotions to naturally rise and fall with laughter and tears
Tim Burton Filmography: His early works as a filmmaker (1971 to 1990)
Filmmaker Tim Burton is widely known for his dark, quirky, and expressionist films. Early on, Tim Burton's exposure to classic horror movies reflected the kind of works he would eventually do as a Hollywood filmmaker. His early career was filled with luck and opportunities, but not necessarily inspiring and fulfilling ones for the young, promising artist. He hailed from Burbank, California, an area where many television and movie studios are located. He received a Disney scholarship to attend the California Institute of
Top 50 best Hollywood-released movies of 2005
This "Top 50 Best Movies of 2005 List" is a tough mix of cinematic offers that earned their ranks as the best of 2005. It's not all about the big budget and bankable stars. These things actually count in the overall charm of a film, but they aren't the only reasons why people love watching movies. Top 50 Best Movies of 2005 List Ranking is based on a number of factors including storytelling quality, awards and nominations, thematic and technical achievements, critics' ratings,