Essays

All That Glitters: Style as Substance in John Boorman’s ‘Excalibur’

By Meg Shields 

The man, the myth, the legend.

Martin Scorsese Just Wants to Hang Out with His Friends

By Will DiGravio 

His recent work is full of small moments that remind us to keep our friends close and to hang out with them whenever possible.

Mini Monsters Will Always Be More Terrifying Than Titans

By Christopher Campbell 

We’re looking out for the little guys in this tribute to ‘Gremlins,’ ‘Critters,’ and other movies with tiny terrors.

The Hidden Monsters of ‘The Mist’

By Aurora Amidon 

In this Stephen King adaptation, there is one creature that is more terrifying than the monsters themselves: fear.

Navigating Sexuality and Utility in ‘Ghost in the Shell’

By Mary Beth McAndrews 

Mamuro Oshii’s 1995 anime is a fascinating examination of the female cyborg and her assumed sexuality.

An Ode to the Diner Scene in Michael Mann’s ‘Thief’

By Anna Swanson 

Proof that lowkey doesn’t have to mean dull and that a conversation can have as much tension as a heist sequence.

Gamera: the Godzilla Knockoff That Became So Much More

By Chris Coffel 

Gamera may have begun as a cheap Godzilla knockoff, but the flying fire-breathing turtle has earned his place at the big boy kaiju table.

The Infinite Reinvention of Wong Kar Wai

By Luke Hicks 

With the release of The Criterion Collection’s “World of Wong Kar Wai” set, we look at how Hong Kong’s King of Cool has built an inimitable career on repetition and iteration.

‘Cloverfield,’ ‘Trollhunter,’ and the Birth of the Found Footage Monster Movie

By Mary Beth McAndrews 

DIY aesthetics meet big budget productions in two films from the late aughts.