In 1990, Francis Ford Coppola released the third installment in the universally acclaimed Godfather series: The Godfather Part III. But unlike its predecessors, The Godfather Part III was anything but universally acclaimed. In late 2020, Ford Coppola released a recut version of The Godfather Part III, titled The Godfather Coda The Death of Michael Corleone. We’re going to look at what we can learn from The Godfather Coda by comparing it to the original cut. We’re going to analyze pacing, audio enhancements, and structural differences with the intent of better understanding the final chapter in the Corleone crime family.Continue reading The…
What is an anecdote? In simplest terms, an anecdote is a short story that illuminates a nuanced facet of a greater subject matter. We’re going to break down anecdotes by looking at their definition — and anecdote examples in film and literature. By the end, you’ll know how to recognize and implement anecdotes in your own works.Continue reading What is an Anecdote — Definition, Examples, and Functions
At one point or another, we’ve all asked the question: what was the first movie ever made? Was it the one with the train robbery? Was it the one where the moon had a face? Both The Great Train Robbery (1903) and A Trip to the Moon (1902) were early examples of movies, but neither was the first one. We’re going to answer the ever-so-elusive question to “what was the first movie ever made?” by placing it in historical context. By the end, you’ll know what the first movie ever made was and some fun facts about the early years…
What is a hero? Heroism is a concept we’re taught at a very young age. But is the definition we’re taught really accurate? Today, we’re going to explore the hero definition in a new light by looking at examples in psychology, film, and literature. By the end, you’ll know what makes a hero, and how to make your own characters heroic. Continue reading What is a Hero — Definition, Examples & Types Explained
It’s no easy task cutting down a list of the best Sci-Fi movies of all time to just 25, as Sci-Fi has been on the bleeding edge of storytelling since the beginning of time. Although some Sci-Fi stories have parabolic elements of warning, most do so with optimistic intentions. Those that don’t typically are more dystopian. As such, dystopian movies have their own place in cinema history, and therefore are mostly excluded from this list.So boot up your hyperdrive and set your phasers to stun as we rank the greatest Sci-Fi movies of all time!Continue reading 25 Best Sci-Fi Movies…
Woody Allen is a writer and director who bares his emotions and neuroses on screen. It’s for this very reason that so many of his films feel so personal.Yet, as an audience, it feels harder than ever to make sense of the complicated nature that is Allen’s catalog of work, especially in light of allegations of sexual assault that have been made against him.But still, it’s undeniable that Allen is not only one of the most prolific filmmakers in the history of cinema, but also one of the best.In this article, we’re going to judge Allen’s work by four movie…
There’s no doubt about it: Stanley Kubrick is one of the greatest filmmaking pioneers of all time. Stanley Kubrick was, in many ways, a perfectionist. As such, his filmography isn’t as expansive as those of his contemporaries. But for what Kubrick lacked in quantity he made up for in quality: Each film he directed was a product of detailed planning and masterful execution. Here, we’re going to rank the best Stanley Kubrick films based on these four criteria: acting, filmmaking, and story.Continue reading Best Stanley Kubrick Movies — 13 Masterpieces Ranked (and Video Essay)
Bane may not be the most celebrated villain in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, but he still has some great quotes. We’re going to rank the best Bane quotes in The Dark Knight Rises by diving into the mind of the masked mercenary. Let’s be honest, it wasn’t easy to hear what he was saying underneath the mask — which is a shame because his dialogue was really good. With that said, now is not the time for fear, let’s jump into the best Bane quotes, with clips and script excerpts!Continue reading Best Bane Quotes in The Dark Knight Rises, Ranked…
What is a character arc and why are they so important in storytelling? A character arc is an essential part of writing a fully-fledged character. As much as we like seeing goals being achieved, it is the internal, positive change in characters that we really gravitate towards. We’re going to answer those questions with a character arc definition – then we’ll look at character arc examples in literature and film. By the end, you’ll know how to write a satisfying arc.Continue reading What is a Character Arc — Definition & Types of Character Arcs
What is an epilogue? It’s a term that we hear often but we don’t see it in every story. So why are epilogues so commonly talked about to when they aren’t always used? We’re going to get to the bottom of that question with examples from Harry Potter, Star Wars, and more. By the end, you’ll know how to implement them in your own stories. But before we get into the best and most creative examples in literature and film, let’s define epilogue.Continue reading What is an Epilogue — Definition & Examples
