The Mandalorian takes place some time after the fall of the Empire, in the outer reaches of the galaxy, which evades the authority of the New Republic. As we witness the beginning of the show, we see the setting similar to that of a western movie. A bar with thugs, and the hero, the Mandalorian … Continue reading The Mandalorian – Chapters I-III “The Law of the Tribe”
Earlier this year, I wrote an article about this very film, “Last Breaths of Christendom in the Land of the Rising Son”, emphasizing the role of the Japanese state (Tokugawa Shogunate) and the Hobbesian reading which implies that the state proscribes the teachings and religions practiced by the populace; in this case the state religion … Continue reading Silence (Martin Scorsese, 2016) “The Dark Night of the Soul”
When we talk about personal expression I’m often reminded of [Elia] Kazan’s film America America – the story of his uncle’s journey from Anitolia to America; the story of so many immigrants who came to this country from a very, very foreign land. I kind of identified with it and was very moved by it. Actually, … Continue reading In Martin Scorsese’s Words “Cinema and Spirituality”
Chris Evans, the actor who impersonated Captain America, said the following words regarding his character's transition from the WWII era to the modern day: “It's not so much about his shock with [technology]... It's more about the societal differences. He's gone from the '40s to today; he comes from a world where people were a … Continue reading Captain America: The Winter Soldier (MCU, 2014) “Freedom or Security?”
For the second part of the list dealing with the films based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, with a focus on the fairy tale Red Riding Hood, I chose a Japanese animated film "Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade" and a surrealist Czechoslovakian film "Valerie and Her Week of Wonders", films which deal with this fairy tale in an extraordinary way...
Brothers Grimm's fairy tales are now part of our collective imagination (I will not use Jung's term “collective unconscious” since it is a bit problematic). Isabel dos Santos, the author of the article about Brothers Grimm “Reluctant Romantics”, writes: “Throughout the entire world, fairy tales have for generations played a significant part in children’s upbringing … Continue reading 5 Films Inspired by the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales (Sleeping Beauty & Snow White)
Editor’s Note: Since the film is in the cinemas at the moment while I am writing this article, I will not reveal any details about the film's plot, and I will certainly not write a value judgment of the film. Whether the film is enjoyable or not in the final verdict is a matter of … Continue reading Joker (Tod Phillips, 2019) “Pathological Struggle for Recognition”
Verhoeven compared making RoboCop with making Elle and once said that the experience was a “leap into the unknown”. He elaborates it in an interview: So you go to an unknown part of the world where you don't know the people, and that's frightening. But also, at the same time, if you do it, it turns … Continue reading In Paul Verhoeven’s Words: “A Leap into the Unknown”
Aronofsky’s Black Swan follows the ballet dancer Nina, who gets a part in the production of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. She is fragile, innocent, fearful and pure, but lacks the feel for playing the Black Swan, while she is a perfect cast for the White Swan. In the performances of Tchaikovsky’s ballet, the same ballerina sometimes … Continue reading Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky, 2010) “Dionysiac Union With Art”
Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing. Aemon Targaryen Daenerys Targaryen is at Dragonstone, isolated and refusing to eat, looking worn out, pale, exhausted beyond recognition. She is well aware of Jon’s betrayal and the choice to confide with her sister, which resulted in Varys plotting to destroy her, possibly poisoning her in … Continue reading Game of Thrones “Dany’s Agony: Purification Through Fire”
