Arrival (2016): Will We Understand Aliens When (If) They Arrive?
How many civilizations are there in our galaxy? According to the Drake equation, written in 1961 by American astrophysicist Frank
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Film Essays
These essays examine how cinema engages with philosophy, politics, identity, ethics, psychology, and film theory. Through close analysis of canonical works, cult films, and contemporary releases, Matthew Jones explores the ideas beneath the surface and the questions that remain after the credits.
Spinoza Quotes and Arguments On Substance
Argument In Part I, Proposition 13 of Baruch Spinoza’s Ethics, Depicted in Geometrical Order, Spinoza quotes the following argument to
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A Defense of Mill and the Principle of Utility
John Stuart Mill illustrates the Principle of Utility as a guide for individual action in which morality is determined by
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On Sartre’s Existentialism and the Meaning of Human Existence
In Jean-Paul Sartre’s essay, Existentialism is a Humanism, he seems to argue against any inherent meaning in human existence. He
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Toto the Hero, the Antithesis to Classical Hollywood
European art cinema, above all else, seeks to break free of the conventions of Classical Hollywood filmmaking. By creating a
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John Carpenter’s They Live and the Dilemma of Retrospective Film Critique
Now that the world is far removed from the 1980’s and its many idiosyncrasies, it has become increasingly difficult to
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Case Study: Elements of Horror in Take Me to the River
Genre is, as it relates to filmmaking, an unspoken agreement between filmmaker and viewer. While genres are used to categorize
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The Rise and Fall of Danny Boyle: From Shallow Grave to T2
Danny Boyle has had a prolific career spanning three decades, earning one Academy Award win, three nominations, and great success
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Confronting Rape in the New French Extremity
At times, how we go about interpreting films has little to do with story arc or character development, and more
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Metzger’s Women: Gender Representations and Visual Abstraction in ’60s Sexploitation
In the years following the 1948 Paramount Case, independent cinema gained a competitive edge in the United States. As the
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Politics in Horror: American Anxieties Play Out on Screen
It is not new or revolutionary to connect the political and social realities of our times to films that we
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Sex and the Creation of Horror in It Follows
Since the earliest days of horror films, sex has been a key component of the genre. Sometimes the sexual content
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Cinematography and Style in Rebel Without a Cause
Very few films, even today, accurately portray the complexities of teenage life. It is an age group with which it
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Analysis: Confession of a Child of the Century
Sylvie Verheyde’s 2012 film, Confession of a Child of the Century, based on Alfred de Musset’s 1836 semi-autobiographical novel, tells
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Human Nature and Technology in Science Fiction
Since the earliest days of cinema, films have explored the role of technology in science fiction. The moving picture, in
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Stoicism in Film: Changing Lanes
True stoicism in film is somewhat rare. Many films put particular emphasis on emotion and its impact in our daily
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Nebraska and Happy People: A Year in the Taiga—Escaping Modernity
Originally published June 2, 2016. Updated August 26, 2026. This essay contains spoilers. Few films appear less comparable than Alexander
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