From movies to novels to video games, dystopian fiction is consistently one of the hottest genres in entertainment. But given its broad scope and variety of forms, the dystopian genre can sometimes be hard to categorize. What is dystopian fiction? What are its defining features and how can we account for its enduring popularity? This article will define dystopian fiction, explain its purpose and function, and provide important examples of it from across the storytelling spectrum.
Continue reading What is Dystopian Fiction? Definition and Characteristics
What is Surrealism in film? To understand the best Surrealist films, we need to know the basics of the term. You can probably imagine what “realism” might be — strict adherence to reality. Surrealism takes the “rules” and expectations of realism and turns them on their head; logic and reason need not apply. Filmmakers have embraced this freedom and creative expression for almost a century and produced some of the most fascinating work along the way. Let’s define Surrealism and take a closer look at some of the best Surrealist films.
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The best dark comedy movies and TV shows go for the jugular. It’s not enough to just be edgy, or even malicious. You need to tap into deep, disturbing levels of discomfort… and build a summer home.
We made the ultimate list of dark comedy movies and TV shows, plus a video essay that takes a deep dive into one dark comedy, The Lobster. Let’s jump into our list of the best dark comedy movies and TV shows.
Continue reading 70 Hilarious Dark Comedy Movies & TV Shows
How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list.
We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there can keep up with what you need to watch next.
From horror to comedy and everything in between, it’s all gathered right here. We’ll rank each film based on its acting, filmmaking, writing, and overall entertainment value for people bored on Friday night.
Of all the top Netflix movies available to stream, who knows?… Keep reading
Art is inherently referential; everyone is influenced by something that came before. Great (and not-so-great) artists all get inspiration from somewhere and will sometimes show it in their works. If an artist makes a reference to something in their own work, that is often seen as an homage. But what is homage? Is it anything like copying? And how much is too much when it comes to references?
Continue reading What is Homage — Definition & Examples in Art and Film
There are a lot of great kids movies to watch, whether you’re looking for something to show your children, niece/nephews, classroom, etc. – or you’re just looking to reconnect with your childhood. We’re going to rank the best kids movies of all time based on three criteria: visuals, creativity, and moral/insightful message.Â
Note: we tried to make the picks on this list as varied as possible by picking from different eras, genres and styles of film. With that note out of the way, let’s jump into our list of the best kids movies of all time!
Continue reading Best Kids Movies of All Time — Classics Every Kid Should See
The post-apocalypse can often be one of the most intense and dynamic settings for a film. There have been many excellent post-apocalyptic films over the years but also plenty of not-so-good ones. Sorting through the deluge of ’80s Mad Max knockoffs and contemporary low-budget, straight-to-DVD apocalyptic films can make finding the gems a little tricky. Today we present you with a list of the best post-apocalyptic movies ever made.
Continue reading Best Post-Apocalyptic Movies — The End is the Beginning
The best movie directors of all time — the idea of such a list sparks immediate debate. Rather than try to impose any sort of definitive or objective best directors list, consider this more of a celebration of the entire medium. Woefully underrepresented on this list are women. While women have been an integral part of the film industry since the beginning, the opportunity to direct was rarely given to them. That means that any list that covers the entirety of film history will be unfortunately one-sided. Thankfully, women have been making great strides in reversing this over the years and we’ve seen some truly masterful and inspiring work from the best female directors working today.… Keep reading
There’s no denying that Terry Gilliam’s films have left an indelible imprint on the landscape of cinema. Gilliam got his start as a cartoonist in L.A. before joining the Monty Python. While with the Pythons, Gilliam worked as an animator, writer, director, and actor. After the group went their separate ways in the early 1980s, Gilliam began directing his own films. We’re going to rank the best Terry Gilliam movies from both his time with the Pythons and on his own. Each film on this list is a feature either written or directed by Terry Gilliam.
Continue reading The Best Terry Gilliam Movies, Ranked for Filmmakers
Start with a heaping spoonful of hard-boiled grit. Add a splash of neon lights. Then liberally sprinkle on some corruption and cybernetic enhancements — now you’ve got yourself a cyberpunk movie. This subgenre is thriving in the 21st century and we’re about to get into the top 10 best cyberpunk movies.
Cyberpunk, also known as neon-noir, sci-fi noir, and future-noir, is the industrialized spin-off of neo-noir infused with elements from other science fiction subgenres. Some of the most influential titles of all time are cyberpunk movies: The Terminator, The Matrix, and Blade Runner, to name a few.Â
Continue reading 10 Best Cyberpunk Movies, Ranked for Filmmakers
