Audiences should go see “A Wrinkle in Time” with an open mind and a lot of patience. The adaptation of the classic sci-fi book is at times frustrating, simply because its narrative is so unconventional. The film doesn’t spoon-feed the plot to audience members, instead making them work to understand, but that’s part of what […]
Category Archives: Film & TV
Researchers study underrepresentation in film, TV
This year’s Hollywood Diversity Report confirms the film industry has continued to fall short in its representation of the United States’ population. Data shows the film industry disproportionately underrepresented women and people of color throughout both film and television, despite evidence that diversity sells. The Hollywood Diversity Report, released by the UCLA Institute for Research […]
UCLA alum uses bright colors to explore dark themes in upcoming film
This post was updated Mar. 8 at 4:30 p.m. The film “Pink Trailer” transforms a simple knock on a door into a chilling occurrence. Directed and edited by UCLA alumna Mary Neely, the female-led film follows two best friends as they encounter a terrifying stranger at their doorstep. “Pink Trailer,” set to premiere Saturday at […]
Playing the Villain: Villains create environments which develop characters and their views
A movie is only as good as its villain, and a good villain is much more than a monster with maniacal laughter or a sinister-looking entity surrounded by henchmen. From the anarchist Joker to the cunning and brutal Annie Wilkes, countless successful films have earned their iconic status thanks to their antagonists. Each week, columnist […]
Student film portrays nuances in LGBTQ relationships, culture
Patrick Boyd opens his film with a quote from Aristotle: “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” Boyd’s story divides a single soul among five people. Boyd, a graduate student in directing, explores an open relationship between five gay men in his upcoming film, “You & Me, & Him, & Him, & […]
Second Take: New comic sequel to ‘Avatar’ will bend minds, fill plot holes
Everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked, but the continued popularity of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” has not. Though the series concluded in 2008 with the two-hour finale, “Sozin’s Comet,” its legacy lives on. “Avatar” message boards are still actively used, and cosplayers flood the internet with realistic incarnations of the four nations, whether through […]
Reel Representation: Fantasy films often don’t include people of color within their worlds
Fantasy films are vehicles to gorgeous, vibrant magical worlds. But those worlds aren’t all that beautiful when they’re built to exclude you. Growing up, I fell in love with “The Lord of the Rings.” But as a young biracial girl, I knew that I didn’t belong in Middle-earth’s mystical provinces and kingdoms – there […]