How Did “Star Trek” Aim to Be Progressive With Its Casting Choices?
During the tension of the Cold War and civil rights, "Star Trek" featured a lead cast that contained a Japanese-American, a Russian, and a black woman in positions of power.
How Did “Star Trek” Reflect 1960s Sentiments About War, Peace, and Other Social Issues?
"Star Trek" was a series rooted in the actual events of the 1960s, including the Vietnam War, Cold War, the Space Race, racial issues, and feminism.
What Was “Star Trek” Creator Gene Roddenberry’s Vision for the Series?
In "Star Trek," every episode is both a suspenseful action story and a morality tale, set out to simultaneously entertain and provide enriching thought material for the viewer via…
How Does “99 Homes” Use Living Spaces to Send a Moral Message?
"99 Homes" is set almost entirely in living spaces and, through these spaces, makes strong moral statements about various kinds of homeowners.
How Does “The Keeping Room” Feel Like a Modern Political Parable?
Despite its Civil War setting, the abstract and radical "The Keeping Room" is a modern parable on race and gender equality.
What is “The Intern” Saying About Working Women?
Despite the "You Go, Girl!" attitude of this story about a female tech startup CEO befriending an elderly male intern, there are some conservative gender politics hidden in the film. What…
How Did the “Love & Mercy” Filmmakers Create Such Real-Looking Faux Documentary Footage?
"Love & Mercy" employed the use of handheld Super 16 cameras to capture footage that looked like it was recorded decades ago and portrayed a nostalgic, almost romantic tone…
How Did “The Birth of a Nation” Impact Real-World History and Race Relations?
Not only did racist epic “The Birth of a Nation” influence mainstream film editing, but its also impacted the dynamics of the NAACP and the KKK, along with helping a particular movie mogul on…
Is Emily Blunt’s Character in “Sicario” a Strong Female Character?
Emily Blunt plays a woman with a gun again. Is this one yet another "strong female character" or something more nuanced?
What Are Some Ways in Which “Star Trek: DS9” is a Tonally Darker Show Than its Predecessors?
"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" took a darker tone to its subject matter by opening up to conflict in a more human and believable way.
Was “Battleship Potemkin” Inspired by a True Story?
While “Battleship Potemkin” is a piece of political propaganda, it was actually based on a real-life mutiny…a mutiny that didn’t exactly have a happy ending.
Why Was “Battleship Potemkin” Censored Around the World?
While “Battleship Potemkin” was initially praised in the Soviet Union, it met opposition in countries like France, Germany, the U.S., and the U.K. because the governments of the world feared it…