Truth, Lies, and Cinema: A Brief History of Cinematic Propaganda Ellena Zellhuber-McMillan April 24, 2019 Analysis, Features, One Off Film is uniquely suited to act as a vehicle of propaganda; its combination of visual and audio storytelling makes it effective for audiences of different ages and literacy levels. Propaganda is about creating...
I’m Fine Now: The Millennial Experience on Film Carmen Paddock March 15, 2019 Analysis, Features, One Off This article discusses plot points of Benjamin, out in cinemas on Friday, and generalises freely about the lives and habits of young adults in the US and UK. Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade – out in the UK in...
Is Captain Marvel Here to Save Women in Film? Alex Goldstein March 5, 2019 Features, One Off, Opinion It’s a big ask, being brought back from the past to save half the universe from a Mad Titan. As if that wasn't enough, the woman behind Captain Marvel is flexing her own muscles to drive change for women...
ORWAV Oscars 2019 – The Results Tom Bond February 24, 2019 Analysis, Features, One Off Not to brag, but we had a pretty great set of nominations for the ORWAV Oscars this year, with the Academy's top picks enhanced by the kind of family favourites and comedy performances that rarely get as much...
Dark, Moody, and Remote: The World of Scandinavian Thrillers Alice Rooney February 20, 2019 Analysis, Features, One Off “Lie still. I’ve never done this before… and there will be blood." Lisbeth Salander, a stylish and intelligent enigma, is a character that embodies Scandinavian thrillers. Niels Arden Oplev’s The Girl...
ORWAV Oscars 2019: The Nominations Tom Bond February 19, 2019 Analysis, Features, One Off It's a good time to be a film fan, and unusually, it's a pretty good time to be an awards fan too. Aside from the chaos unfolding within Academy HQ as they change the format of the broadcast (then change it...
In the White City: Remembering Bruno Ganz Patrick Nabarro February 18, 2019 Analysis, Features, One Off The common access points to Bruno Ganz for many Anglo-American commentators seem to be his iconic performances in Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire (1987) and Oliver Hirschbiegel's Downfall (2014). While those are...
How to Train Your Dragon’s Refreshing Approach To Disability Phil W. Bayles January 28, 2019 Analysis, Features, One Off The How to Train Your Dragon movies are far and away the best work DreamWorks Animation have ever produced. For one thing, they’re simply gorgeous to look at, bursting with vibrantly designed creatures and...
Oscar Nominations 2019: The Full Rundown Calum Baker January 22, 2019 Analysis, Features, One Off, Opinion 10 years ago, Bradley Cooper may as well have been nobody. Then he starred in The Hangover. Then... uh... The Hangover 2. But six brief years since his "serious film" breakout Silver Linings Playbook, the...
2018: Netflix’s First Great Year Calum Baker December 20, 2018 Analysis, Features, One Off I can't believe I'm writing this, but the most critically acclaimed film of the year was just, like, dropped last weekend. On Netflix. Alfonso Cuarón's long-gestating followup to Gravity has absolutely...
From Stage to Screen: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Notable Predecessors Carmen Paddock December 19, 2018 Analysis, Features, One Off Lin-Manuel Miranda might be the closest thing the arts industry has to a Renaissance man. While still without an Oscar, the Hamilton writer/composer/singer/actor has the Emmy, Grammy, and Tony (and MacArthur...
Into Heaven’s Mouth: Remembering Alfonso Cuarón’s Y Tu Mamá También Patrick Nabarro December 12, 2018 Analysis, Close-Up, Features, One Off If we include the about-to-be-released Roma, Alfonso Cuarón has only directed eight feature films across a near 30-year career. The reason for this relative slimness of output is likely to have many factors...
The ORWAV Playlist – 2018’s Music Moments Bertie Archer December 4, 2018 Features, One Off As the end of the year draws near and the nights draw in, what better time to catch up on the films you missed in 2018 or revisit the best of the vintage. A great music cue, where the soundtrack, score, or...
The Thing – Horror Cinema’s Greatest Remake Katy Moon November 13, 2018 Analysis, Features, Love Letter, Nostalgia, One Off Creating horror remakes is often a thankless job. Taking familiar intellectual properties with built-in audience recognition and repackaging them with a little more sex or violence than the originals were...
Widows’ Best Shot and How it Takes Over the Film Calum Baker November 11, 2018 Analysis, Close-Up, Features, One Off Any conversation about the director Steve McQueen will involve his long shots. It’s impossible to think of Hunger without remembering Michael Fassbender and Liam Cunningham just chatting for 17 minutes, in...