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MacGuffin Spotlight
An Analysis – The Significance of Family in the Films of Paul Thomas Anderson
There are significant aesthetic and tonal differences throughout all of Paul Thomas Anderson’s films, yet there’s a thematic continuity that is striking. From even his earliest film, Hard Eight, to his most recent, The Master, Anderson’s films tend to explore the nature of family, where…
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Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic
Recently, I was lucky enough to attend the opening of the Experience Music Project/Sci-Fi Museum’s (EMP/SFM) latest major exhibit, Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic, showcasing materials from fantasy worlds such as Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter. In honor of…
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An Appreciation – The Three Colors Trilogy
One of the most fascinating examinations involving the mystery of human connection comes from Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Three Colors Trilogy (1993-94). The three films (Blue, White, and Red) signify the tenets of the French Revolution: Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. But that doesn’t begin to describe what…
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Double Feature Showdown – 3D IMAX Top Gun vs. 3D IMAX Jurassic Park
I’m not a huge fan of 3D, and I am especially not fond of the current trend to retrofit older movies with it. But when I heard that they were releasing both Top Gun and Jurassic Park in 3D IMAX, I completely bought in to…
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CinemaCon Days 3&4 Recap
If screenings of clips from Star Trek Into Darkness and Fast & Furious 6 weren’t cool enough, we still had two days worth of studio presentations (Disney, Sony, 20th Century Fox, and Lionsgate) at CinemaCon 2013. Generally the presentations went two ways: either the presenters would briefly mention a…
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CinemaCon Days 1&2 Recap
Two days into CinemaCon—the convention formerly known as ShoWest—the studio presentations have been full of action and surprises. CinemaCon is the yearly convention for the National Association of Theater Owners, but it has also become a platform for the major studios to showcase their upcoming…
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An Analysis – Reflections on 30 Rock
30 Rock ending hit me harder than I ever imagined. It took until the second-to-last episode to really have it sink in that we were near the end of one of the most improbable shows to air on TV for seven seasons. Its ratings were…
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An Appreciation – Paris, Texas
Paris, Texas (1984). Let’s examine that title for a moment. When you hear the name of the town, chances are you immediately think of the city in France. Strange that the place referenced in this film is located in the vast desert of the second…
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