Essays

Posted January 16th, 2023


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Reading This Will Prevent the Robot Apocalypse
By Chris Bowyer

"What if robots rise up against us?" used to be an interesting question, but has been reduced to the banal. But there's a related, more interesting question that nobody seems to be asking.

Posted May 31st, 2017


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Breaking Down: Up
By Chris Bowyer

Up is the best thing Pixar's ever done, and that's saying something. This essay is my attempt to illuminate its depth; its recurring themes, expansive metaphors, and pervasive symmetry.

Posted April 18th, 2017

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James Cameron Probably Hates You
By Chris Bowyer

Most blockbusters are feel-good, life-affirming affairs. But James Cameron has somehow built a lucrative career out of telling us how terrible he thinks we are.

Posted February 17th, 2015


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Boyhood, Bears, and Roger Bannister
By Chris Bowyer

Boyhood is being hailed as a great film in large part for the manner in which it was created, which poses difficult questions about where filmmaking ends and films begin.

Posted January 13th, 2015

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No, Starship Troopers Is Not Brilliant Satire
By Chris Bowyer

Misunderstood upon its release, 1997's cult classic Starship Troopers is the target of a pop culture rehabilitation that confuses the film's ambitions for achievements.

Posted June 26th, 2012


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Arcs sont Triomphe
By Chris Bowyer

It used to be that the hero of a film or TV show could end the story in the same place they began, and nobody minded. But it's getting harder to engage modern audiences without a protagonist that undergoes actual change. And this shift in audience expectation is already changing the entertainment industry.

Posted December 2nd, 2011


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The Eminent Domain of Movie Remakes
By Chris Bowyer

Another month, another remake, and another round of dismissals about Hollywood's lack of originality. And while many are the cynical cash grabs they're derided as being, some are something a lot worse.

Posted October 26th, 2011


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In Defense of Boredom
By Chris Bowyer

It's okay, you can admit it: at least one an allegedly "classic" film has left you undeniably bored. And what's worse, there's an excellent chance you felt kind of bad about it. But does this actually say anything about your sophistication as a viewer?

Posted October 3rd, 2011


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Christopher Nolan's Useful Lies
By Chris Bowyer

To the chagrin of fanboys everywhere, director Christopher Nolan is as tight-lipped as ever about the final film in his Batman trilogy. But his filmography has matured to the point where recurring themes and distinct patterns have begun to appear, and his previous efforts may provide us with a few clues as to where Bruce Wayne's third act may go.