In “Jurassic World,” How Did the Special Effects Crew Create the Dinosaurs?
In "Jurassic World," the dinosaurs were created using a blend of practical effects and motion capture.
What Does “Jurassic World” Say About Cynicism and Spectacle?
In "Jurassic World," customers are bored with boring old dinosaurs and want something new and exciting. Sound familiar? Perhaps this movie is actually commenting on summer blockbusters…
Is Simon Masrani a Hero or a Corporate Villain?
In Colin Trevorrow's new monster movie, audiences are introduced to Simon Masrani, the new CEO of Jurassic World. But is Simon Masrani a good guy or bad guy? Well, the screenwriters…
Did “Night Finds You” Do More to Reach the Thematic Expectations of “True Detective” Fans?
True Detective Season Two's second episode felt more like the True Detective many fans were expecting, but still has room to grow.
Does “Hot Girls Wanted” Ignore that Pornography is a Reflection of Societal Demands?
Pornography is a complex, human creation. It is a reflection of society, not a cause of its ills. Yet the material of Hot Girls Wanted ignores that nuance and offers a generalized takeaway of…
What Does “Hot Girls Wanted” Say About the Meaning of Fame and Success in 2015?
Fame and success have a different meaning in today's culture than they used to. With many people launching into the public eye through sexual exploits, it's easy to understand why teen…
Is “The Brink” Following the Current Trend of the TV Dramedy?
Typical of the currently popular "dramedy," much of "The Brink's" comedy revolves around the characters self-referential commentary on their own situation. This may stem…
Is “Hot Girls Wanted” One-Sided in its Representation of the Porn Industry?
"Hot Girls Wanted" takes a look at the pro-am market of the porn industry and uses it as a reflection of the industry as a whole.
How Does “Ballers” Make the Most of its Miami Setting?
Placing the action in Miami is one of the most important storytelling decisions made by "Ballers" creator Stephen Levinson and his writing team. Miami and South Florida function as the…
How Does “Guardians of the Galaxy” Reflect the Stark Contrast Between the West and the Middle East?
Besides the humorous and turbulent relationship between the titular characters, Guardians of the Galaxy’s (2014) main plot focuses on the clash of civilizations between two opposing forces that…
In “Taxi Driver,” What are the Existentialist Themes?
One of the most common elements in the works of existentialism is the theme of isolation and self-loathing. In "Taxi Driver" (1976), Travis Bickle (played by Robert DeNiro), a socially…
What Scientific Ideas Does “Parallels” Draw From to Craft its Premise?
Parallels draws on the scientific idea of parallel universes, a theory that stems from quantum mechanics and proposes that there are an infinite number of alternate universes that exist, where all…