How Did the “Ballers” Pilot Episode Set-up The Central Conflict?
The tagline for HBO’s new half-hour show "Ballers" is “Legends Don’t Retire. They Reinvent,” but the major conceit of the Dwayne Johnson vehicle comes in a line of dialogue from a…
Does “Montage of Heck” Suggest Cobain’s Biggest Problems Were the Product of His Childhood?
The embarrassment Kurt felt as a child of divorced parents, and as someone who never fit in with other teens, developed a deep fear of humiliation that carried through his life.
How Does “RoboCop” Work as Satire?
Sure, "RoboCop" is a great action flick, but it's also a vicious satire on American culture and politics.
What Does “RoboCop” Have to Do with Christianity?
In addition to all the gory gunfights, "RoboCop" is also full of intentional references to Christianity, such as the crucifixion and resurrection. In fact, director Paul Verhoeven even…
Why Is It That Documentaries like “Montage of Heck” Spur Debates About Their Validity and Agenda?
Any film that shows evidence of something contrary to a person’s original beliefs can make people want to discredit that film. Montage of Heck is no exception.
Did Season Two’s Pilot Capture the “True Detective” Spirit, or Fall Short by Comparison?
It's only the first episode of "True Detective" (Season Two), so there's still time for the story to evolve - but compared to the first episode of the first season, "True…
It’s Natural to Want to Compare “True Detective’s” Second Season Pilot to Season 1? Is Doing So Fair?
Comparing the seasons of True Detective is a completely legitimate thing to do, given the show's title and thematic consistencies.
Who Is Involved with AMC’s “Humans?” Why Remake a Swedish show for British/USA Audiences?
The cast and production team for Humans involves many renowned talents, mostly from England.
How Did the Actors in “Humans” Prepare for Their Roles as Artificial Intelligence Synths?
The actors on Humans had to undergo a "synth school," where they studied and perfected the mannerisms for their artificial intelligence characters.
What Should “Humans” Hope to Add to Discourse About the Relationship Between Humans and Lifelike AI?
If well-written, the show should be able to touch on many powerful themes using its premise: love and authenticity, sentience, slavery and control, freedom and servitude, humanity vs. programming,…
What Does “Avengers 2: Age of Ultron” Have to Say About the Post-Soviet States in Eastern Europe?
Age of Ultron contains many artistic decisions meant to reflect the dreary and hopeless feeling that is associated with the region of the world where a large portion of the film is set –…
In “Léon: The Professional,” How are Sexual and Mature Concepts Presented Between the Characters?
A complicated relationship exists between Leon and Mathilda, but the intent is pure if examined the way it was meant to be seen.