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Meg Shields

Based in the Pacific North West, Meg enjoys long scrambles on cliff faces and cozying up with a good piece of 1960s eurotrash. As a senior contributor at FSR, Meg's objective is to spread the good word about the best of sleaze, genre, and practical effects.
Angry Young Man Trope If Malcolm Mcdowell

Unpacking the “Angry Young Man” Trope

By Meg Shields 

He’s young, he’s angry, and he has something to say. 
La Dolce Vita

From Fellini to Felliniesque: The Turning Point of ‘La Dolce Vita’

By Meg Shields 

Here’s a video essay on why ‘La Dolce Vita’ represents a stylistic shift in the career of Federico Fellini.
Mulholland Drive Winkies Diner

The Winkie’s Diner Scene is the Key to ‘Mulholland Drive’

By Meg Shields 

Here’s a video essay on why the Winkie’s Diner scene is the key to understanding ‘Mulholland Drive.’
Contact Young Ellie Mirror

How They Shot the Impossible Mirror Scene in ‘Contact’

By Meg Shields 

Mirror, mirror on the wall what’s the most mind-boggling blue screen effect of them all?
Portrait Of A Lady On Fire Ocean

The Cinematic Resonances of ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’

By Meg Shields 

Here’s a video that teases out the cinematic resonances between ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ and the work of Jane Campion, Stanley Kubrick, and others.
Inception ending

‘Inception’ and the Phenomenon of Subliminal Influence

By Meg Shields 

Here’s a video essay about why Christopher Nolan’s ‘Inception’ still has us dreaming big, ten years later.
Hardware Metal Head

Alan Moore on the Call to Action of “Modernist Horror”

By Meg Shields 

Here’s writer Alan Moore with a definition of “Modernist Horror” and a compelling case for why genre film can be a call to action.
Donnie Yen Fight Scene

The Secret to a Great Fight Scene Is Structure

By Meg Shields 

Here’s a video essay on why the best action sequences are structured like stories rather than spectacles.
X Men First Class - Young group

The Most X-Cellent Scene in ‘X-Men: First Class’

By Meg Shields 

There’s a team of video essayists dissecting their favorite scenes from the X-Men films. Here’s one of our favorites: a video on why the attack on Division X scene from ‘X-Men: First Class’ exemplifies the “warm house” archetype.