Was “I Live Here Now,” The Leftovers second season finale, a successful ending to the season?
"The Leftovers" second season finale, "I Live Here Now," more than suitably serviced the season and ended it on a satisfying, compelling note.
How does “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” stress the importance of group education?
In "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," students are forced to form Dumbledore's Army, a secret study group training in defense of the dark arts.
What is the significance of Harry and Dumbledore’s meeting place in “HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone”?
Dumbledore meets Harry in front of the Mirror of Erised, a magical device that reveals a person's innermost desires. Here, the bond between the two is formed, and Dumbledore is established as…
How was “A Night at the Opera” a transitional film for The Marx Brothers?
"A Night at the Opera" took the Marx Brothers away from Paramount and over to MGM, where their affiliation with Irving Thalberg noticeably changed their style and resulted in a higher…
Why was Pittsburgh used as Gotham city for the majority of “The Dark Knight Rises”?
"The Dark Knight Rises" was shot largely in Pittsburgh as a city that has interesting architecture and a fine representation of tightly-knit upscale and working class areas side-by-side.
What do “Ran” and “Madadayo” reveal about Kurosawa’s later life?
As the director entered a dark time in his career, and life for that matter, his material become darker and more personal.
What does “Youth” say about aging?
"Youth" is a meditation on aging and the attempt to look back on our lives as we near the end.
In “Chi-Raq,” what is the influence of Brecht and epic theater?
In "Chi-Raq", Spike Lee draws on the epic theater aesthetics of Bertolt Brecht and Jean-Luc Godard.
In “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” is there any redeeming quality to Dolores Umbridge?
There may be hints of good hiding somewhere in the totalitarian Umbridge.
Does the apparent economic class of the “Christmas Vacation” family make it hard to relate to them?
"Christmas Vacation" is a beloved holiday film with some legitimate holiday sentiment. But what is up with Clark Griswold acting like he's so broke?
In the original Star Wars trilogy (and “The Force Awakens”) is Han Solo Force-sensitive?
The much beloved Han Solo may or may not be averse to the force.
Is Syndrome the illegitimate son of Mr. Incredible?
Subtext in "The Incredibles" suggests that Mr. Incredible and Syndrome might be father and son.