Awesome Film Essays

“…it wasn’t so much a death, as it was a discovery.” The The Matrix trilogy, particularly its first movie, can be interpreted in so many ways. Now You See It offers that it can also be read as the expression of the Wachowskis’ desire to come out and be true to themselves.

Lessons from the Screenplay joins YouTube creators in doing breakdowns of Marvel movie scenes. His pick is the wonderfully intense car ride scene from Spider-Man: Homecoming, in which Adrian discovers Peter’s secret.

(PG-13: Language) We’ve seen Superbad at least a dozen times, and it doesn’t get old. The Cosmonaut Variety Hour provides his take on why he thinks the 2007 film is the greatest teen comedy of all time. It’s a great coming-of-age story disguised as a horny teen sex comedy.

Lessons from the Screenplay breaks down Spike Jonze’s meta movie Adaptation by mimicking the movie’s structure itself. It’s both a film essay and a comedic behind-the-scenes look at the channel’s production process, complete with YouTube cameos.

CineFix presents its picks for the best production design in movies, from the flashy and stylized like Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel, to the understated and naturalistic like Mike Mills’ Beginners, as well as standout picks from various movie genres.

…more specifically, non-fiction content, and to an extent, documentaries and news. Now You See It looks at how vlogs, podcasts and commentary channels thrive online thanks to being “authentic”, conversational, participatory and lengthy.

The Royal Ocean Film Society animated part of Richard Linklater’s commentary from his very first film, which is included in the Criterion release of Slacker. In it, the director talks about having patience in developing his career, and the importance of the mundane.

Before the Internet, movie fans were mostly passive audiences. But as Wisecrack points out, making online jokes and memes about pop culture has become so influential that it’s shaping how movies, TV shows, and their stars are perceived, marketed, and cast.

“You are infuriating. I’m not yelling. Oh, it’s perfect!” Now You See It explores the various effective ways that female characters can be written in movies, using Alien, The Silence of the Lambs, Kill Bill and Ladybird as examples.

Lessons from the Screenplay points out how, ideally, a movie scene should be a story on its own. He uses the third interaction between Clarice Starling and Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs as a shining example.

(SPOILERS) In the thriller Searching, a desperate father searches his missing daughter’s laptop for clues. The movie consists only of shots of device screens. Lessons from the Screenplay shows how the filmmakers adapted to and embraced this perspective.

Director Alfonso Cuaron is a master of the “oner,” those lengthy tracking shots which immerse you right in the heart of the action. From Y Tu Mamá También to Children of Men to Gravity to Roma, The Royal Ocean Film Society looks back at the evolution of his technique.

(SPOILERS) “Life is more than just what is. It’s what could be. What you could make it.” ScreenPrism points out that Bird Box and A Quiet Place don’t just have similar sci-fi plots. They also both reflect what it’s like to be a parent in modern times.

Lessons from the Screenplay explores the legendary February movie Groundhog Day. Instead of adding twists or a deus ex machina, the movie fully explores its premise – what if someone had all the time in the world? – without being boring or predictable.

Nora Ephron’s 1998 film You’ve Got Mail is regarded as one of the best romantic comedies of the ’90s. But as Wisecrack points out, there’s more to the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan flick than meets the eye, and it has more in common with Orwell’s 1984 than you’d think.

A quiet room. A phone rings. What murderous creep could be on the other end of the line? Film Qualia’s excellent video essay looks at how telephones have played an important role in cinematic horror over the years, from Rosemary’s Baby to Black Christmas to Scream.

(Gore, SPOILERS) ScreenPrism deconstructs the story and the various endings of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. It’s a story about itself, it’s a story about being a helpless consumer, and it’s a story about accepting that we can’t change the past.

Pixar’s movies are often tearjerkers. But they are also about characters who change for the better. ScreenPrism looks at Toy Story, Up and Ratatouille to show the three types of obstacles that Pixar characters overcome on their way to making us cry.

We don’t think there’s any way to accurately depict hallucinations, but filmmakers have tried for years to give us an idea, and thanks to CGI, we’re getting some really trippy effects on screen. Film Qualia explores how psychedelic imagery has made it into mainstream films.

(SPOILERS) Science fiction movies often explore human tendencies. But Alex Garland’s adaptation of Annihilation tackles large ideas: duplication, self-destruction and mutation. Lessons from the Screenplay looks at how the film manifests its themes.

While computer graphics can be used to greatly expand cinematic worlds, they can also be overdone. Marvel Studios is one of the worst culprits when it comes to slathering on the CGI, and film essayist Browntable provides some examples of why it takes us out of the action.

Back in 2014, CineFix named its picks for best long takes in films. Now, they revisit their list to add new ones, defend some picks, including fight scenes, slow burning shots, scenes that involve hundreds or thousands of people, opening shots, Steadicam shots and more.

(PG-13: Language) “What do I want a way outta here for?” Lessons from the Screenplay uses Good Will Hunting to demonstrate how writing fictional characters can sometimes be writing about psychology. Characters have traumas that need to be overcome before they change.