Violence has been a part of human nature since the beginning of time, and while we like to think we have evolved beyond it, the fact of the matter is that it is still very much alive within all of us. Some of us are better at controlling it than others, but one simply needs to look at the media […]
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Since the dawn of Man, we have used stories as a way of understanding both ourselves and the world around us. Many of the best stories are about journeys, both metaphorical and actual. Some follow a character or characters from one location to another, and others serve as a chronicle of the progression from one stage of a character’s life […]
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It’s Christmas time in Hollis, Queens (and other non-Run-DMC approved locales), so in honor of this most beloved of holidays, Cinematic Soulmates will turn its attention to a couple of films that (at the time) put a fresh and fun spin on the most famous Christmas story of them all, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Both Scrooged (1988) and A […]
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For some people, fame is like a drug, and their desire to attain it becomes the driving force of their lives. This has been the case for a very long time, but it seems to have reached a sort of fevered pitch in the modern era. The rise of “reality television” would seem to bear this out. Indeed, for over […]
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With Halloween right around the corner, it seemed like a good time to take a look at two films that not only redefined the horror genre, but also had a lasting impact on the culture as a whole. Director Herk Harvey’s Carnival of Souls (1962) has developed a strong cult following in the years since its release, but it is […]
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Stories that follow the traditional “hero’s journey” template are often geared toward adolescent boys, and feature easily identifiable male characters in the lead role. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and countless other properties can be placed into this rather broad category, and they all tend to reinforce the notion of the young male protagonist as champion or […]
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From the earliest days of cinema, filmmakers have long been fascinated by the often contentious relationship that exists between Mankind and nature. Indeed, one simply has to look at director Robert J. Flaherty’s Nanook of the North (1922) for an early example of this, as it perfectly illustrates the give and take relationship we share with the natural world. Since […]
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Good satire is often timeless, even when the package it comes wrapped in is horribly dated and square according to current standards. Such is the case with this month’s double feature. Both Death Race 2000 (1975) and The Running Man (1987) contain social commentary that is eerily relevant to the events of today, despite several aesthetic trappings that root them […]
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Sometimes, the connections between two films are obvious, but there are other times when a little digging is required to find a common thread that links them. This can often yield even greater rewards, as it can open up entirely new ways of looking at both films, and can unlock things that you didn’t even realize were there. That brings […]
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Now that the War on Terror™ is finally over (and America totally won! USA! USA!), it seems like now is as good a time as any to look at a pair of recent films that examine the fear, anger and paranoia that emerged in the wake of September 11. Both The Mist (2007) and War of the Worlds (2005) serve […]
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