Crash Course
Moonlight: Crash Course Film Criticism
Moonlight is a hard-edged yet beautifully made story about a black American dealing with his sexuality in a sometimes unforgiving and violent world. Its director, Barry Jenkins, uses every trick in the filmmaking book to put us in the...
Crash Course
Selma: Crash Course Film Criticism
Selma tells the story of Martin Luther King Jr. and one of the greatest non-violent protests in U.S. history. Ava DuVernay directs this historical drama that captured hearts and minds but also made us ask some questions about historical...
Crash Course
Pan's Labyrinth: Crash Course Film Criticism
In 2006, a movie took on authoritarianism and the violent aftershocks of the Spanish Civil War—all through the eyes of an innocent young girl and the fairy tale world she discovers in the woods. Pan's Labyrinth is both a beautifully...
Crash Course
Apocalypse Now: Crash Course Film Criticism
Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now" is a different kind of war movie. It's a multi-genre film that maybe says more about human psychology than it does about war. In this episode of Crash Course Film Criticism, Michael Aranda takes us...
Crash Course
Citizen Kane: Crash Course Film Criticism
Try CuriosityStream today: http://curiositystream.com/crashcourse and use the promo code "crashcourse" to get the first two months free! Is Citizen Kane the BEST MOVIE EVER MADE? Is that even an answerable question? Michael Aranda will...
Crash Course
2001 - A Space Odyssey: Crash Course Film Criticism
Well, here we are. It's the final episode of Crash Course Film Criticism and we're going to chat about one of the more polarizing films ever made: Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. On the surface, 2001 tells the story of human...
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Do the Right Thing: Crash Course Film Criticism
Mainstream American films don’t often tackle race and racism head-on, and when they do, they often end up trying to find easy answers. Which makes films like Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing all the more powerful. It’s an intimate portrait...
Crash Course
Aliens: Crash Course Film Criticism
James Cameron rocketed onto the action film scene with 1984's "The Terminator" and followed that up with a highly anticipated sequel to the 1979 film, "Alien." His film, "Aliens," would go on to not only be a financial success, but a...
Crash Course
Where Are My Children: Crash Course Film Criticism
Before the Hayes Code was enacted, movies were a lot more brazen than we sometimes tend to think. Director/Producer Lois Weber spent much of her career making movies that challenged audiences. Her film, "Where Are My Children" is no...
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In the Mood For Love: Crash Course Film Criticism
Cinematic love stories come in all shapes and sizes. Movies are really good at both capturing and projecting emotions. And one of the best directors at the modern love story is Wong Kar-Wai. In this episode of Crash Course Film...
Crash Course
Three Colors - Blue: Crash Course Film Criticism
Movies are really good at making us feel. Happy, sad, excited, etc... Part of that is because they use so many different types of media all at once. Photography, music, performance, and editing all play into their ability to communicate...
Crash Course
Beasts of No Nation: Crash Course Film Criticism
Beasts of No Nation is available to stream on Netflix (as it is a Netflix release). Some films are about war, some films are about kids, but some films are about kids during a time of war. Even more upsetting are films about kids who...
Crash Course
Lost in Translation: Crash Course Film Criticism
It's time to take a look at a quieter, sweeter, and maybe happier film in this series. Sophia Coppola's "Lost in Translation" is a wonderful romantic comedy that doesn't play by the usual rules of its genre. In this episode, Michael...
Crash Course
Crash Course Film Criticism #5: In the Mood for Love
Cinematic love stories come in all shapes and sizes. Movies are really good at both capturing and projecting emotions. One of the best directors in the modern love story is Wong Kar-Wai. In this episode of Crash Course Film Criticism,...
Crash Course
Crash Course Film Criticism #7: Lost in Translation
It's time to take a look at a quieter, sweeter, and maybe happier film in this series. Sophia Coppola's Lost in Translation is a wonderful romantic comedy that doesn't play by the usual rules of its genre. In this episode, Michael talks...
Crash Course
Crash Course Film Criticism #8: Apocalypse Now
Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now is a different kind of war movie. It's a multi-genre film that maybe says more about human psychology than it does about war. In this episode of Crash Course Film Criticism, Michael Aranda takes us...
Crash Course
Crash Course Film Criticism #9: Pan's Labyrinth
In 2006, a movie took on authoritarianism and the violent aftershocks of the Spanish Civil War-all through the eyes of an innocent young girl and the fairy tale world she discovers in the woods. Pan's Labyrinth is both a beautifully...
Crash Course
Crash Course Film Criticism #10: The Limey
Steven Soderbergh is known as much for his Oscar-winning tense dramas as he is retiring, then not retiring. He was a part of the indy revolution in the 1980s and 90s that helped usher in a new case of writers and directors who didn't...
Crash Course
Crash Course Film Criticism #11: Three Colors Blue
Movies are really good at making us feel. Happy, sad, excited, etc. Part of that is because they use so many different types of media all at once. Photography, music, performance, and editing all play into their ability to communicate...
Crash Course
Crash Course Film Criticism #12: The Eagle Huntress
During our Film History and Production series, we talked about how Film is an "Illusion of Reality." That filmmakers use shots, cuts, and narrative structure to trick us into believing what we're seeing. But, what happens when that...
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Crash Course Film Criticism #1: Citizen Kane
Is Citizen Kane the BEST MOVIE EVER MADE? Is that even an answerable question? Michael Aranda will try to help us through both of these questions as we take a look at our first film in Crash Course Film Criticism, Citizen Kane.
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Crash Course Film Criticism #2: Aliens
James Cameron rocketed onto the action film scene with 1984's "The Terminator" and followed that up with a highly anticipated sequel to the 1979 film, "Alien." His film, "Aliens," would go on to not only be a financial success, but a...
Crash Course
Crash Course Film Criticism #6: Do the Right Thing
Mainstream American films don't often tackle race and racism head-on, and when they do, they often end up trying to find easy answers. Which makes films like Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing all the more powerful. It's an intimate portrait...