The following is a list of some of my longer and more in-depth film-related writing.
The Classic Hollywood Town at the Dawn of Suburbia
An extended essay looking at the depictions of small town life in Hollywood movies of the 1940s and outlining some of the features that distinguish our idealised communities from those that were actually constructed in the great suburban boom from the 1950s onwards. Originally published at Senses of Cinema, this was the basis for material in the first chapter of my first book.
Is Film Theory Bullshit? A Look Back at Noël Carroll’s Mystifying Movies
A discussion of good and bad film theory with particular reference to Noël Carroll’s book Mystifying Movies.
Beowulf vs Animation
What is the point of the animation in Bewoulf and what does it mean for the artform?
Location, Location
Thoughts on the importance of location in movies.
Close and Choppy
A discussion of the oft-cited scourge of modern cinema: overly shaky and choppy filming styles, as seen in the Bourne films.
Kael
My appreciation of uber-critic Pauline Kael, looking at her influence, style, and weaknesses, as well as some wider observations about the cultural status of critics.
Life Reproduced in Drawings: Realism in Animation
This is a slightly revised and extended version of the essay originally published in Animation Journal. It discusses the way in which assumtions about realism that are applied to live-action film fail to translate when applied to animation, and attempts to outline a model that will allow more sophisticated discussion of realism in animation.
Steven Spielberg
My career profile of Steven Spielberg, written shortly before the release of Munich. Originally published at Sense of Cinema.
Serkis Performer
Did Andy Serkis deserve Oscar nominations for his roles as Gollum and Kong?
The Endearing Charms of Friz Freleng
My contribution to the Friz Freleng blog-a-thon, which marked the 100th anniversary of Friz Freleng’s birth on 21 August 2006.
Bob Clampett: It Can Happen Here
A tribute to the great animation director Bob Clampett.
Interview: Jonathon Nossiter, Mondovino
An interview with director Jonathan Nossiter, relating mostly to his movie Mondovino. Discusses the controversy surrounding the film, and his use of handheld digital cameras.
Better than Ever
A response to an old bugbear of mine: the idea that movies are getting worse. Instead, I argue that movies just keep getting better and better.
Only a Conservative Deals in Absolutes
An examination of the politics of Star Wars. (A real time capsule this one, given events since!)
Stallonezenegger
Asking the big question: can Stallone and Schwarzenegger ever be successful at the same time? (I guess today this would be about Vin Diesel’s and the Rock).
Two Murders in Dallas: Documentary, Reality, and Dubious Truths
A look at two controversial films dealing with real life murders: Oliver Stone’s JFK and Erroll Morris’ The Thin Blue Line. The essay uses these two fascinating films to look at the arguments about whether documentaries can ever really claim to be “true.”
Book Reviews
The Animated Man (Michael Barrier, University of California Press, 2007)
Citizen Spielberg (Lester D. Friedman, University of Illinois Press, 2006)
The Jaws Log: 25th Anniversary Edition (Carl Gottlieb, Newmarket Press, 1975/2001)