In What Ways Are “Blue Jasmine” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” Similar?
In notable ways, "Blue Jasmine" is a modernization of "A Streetcar Named Desire," with many of the same character beats, plot points, and themes.
Are the Most Captivating Scenes in “Match” the Dramatic Highs or the Calmer Moments?
"Match" is a three-handed drama full of intense highs and lows that are both crucial to the narrative - but it's the simmering moments of quiet drama that really supply the charm in…
In “Nightcrawler,” Does Lou Bloom Pass the Psychopath Test?
Played to eerie perfection by Jake Gyllenhaal, Lou Bloom shows some psychopathic tendencies, but does he qualify for the "psychopath" label according to Robert Hare's Psychopathy…
How Does “A Clockwork Orange” Use the Moon as a Symbol?
The film and novel versions of "A Clockwork Orange" use the moon as a symbol of life's cyclical nature, while alluding to the unprecedented social progress of the space race.
What Does the Title of “A Clockwork Orange” Mean?
"A Clockwork Orange" can seem an ambiguous title for viewers of the film, but Anthony Burgess' original novel gives more insight into the meaning of the title phrase.
How Did “Streetcar” Differ from Its Original Stage Version? What Tactics Were Used to Bypass Censors?
Massive changes to the content of "A Streetcar Named Desire" were issued by the censoring bodies in Hollywood in 1951, forcing Elia Kazan to use symbols, metaphor and ambiguity to convey…
How Did Patrick Stewart’s Stage Background Prepare Him for His “Match” Performance?
Patrick Stewart's background in stage performance is perfect for a film like "Match," Stephen Belber's stage-to-film adaptation that relies heavily on strong, commanding…
How Does “The Lion King” Show Similarities to the Stories of Joseph and Moses in the Bible?
"The Lion King" takes a number of story elements from the biblical tales of Joseph and Moses.
Based on Character Evidence, Was the Fate of “Blue Jasmine’s” Title Character an Inevitable Outcome?
Jasmine's character in "Blue Jasmine" is one unwilling to change or settle for the things she decided were important. Her deeply-seeded personality disorders disallowed her to…
In “Blue Jasmine,” Why Does Ginger Put Up with Jasmine and Listen to What She Says?
Jasmine represents what Ginger thinks she wants to be, and she idolizes her "perfect" sister despite her immense number of flaws.
In “Dr. Strangelove,” How Does Kubrick Use Dark Humor?
Stanley Kubrick's classic "Dr. Strangleove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964) uses black humor to drive home its message and enhance its satirical power.
In “Vertigo,” What Do the Ghost References Signify?
Through the story of the ghost in "Vertigo," Hitchcock shows that the urge to possess one's dream person is an elusive desire, an impossible act that transforms real life into a…