Dr. Vincent M. Gaine is a film and television researcher. His first book, Existentialism and Social Engagement in the Films of Michael Mann was published by Palgrave MacMillan in 2011. His work on film and media has been published in Cinema Journal and The Journal of Technology, Theology and Religion, as well as edited collections including The 21st Century Superhero and The Directory of World Cinema.
The whodunnit provides a certain kind of cinematic pleasure. The crime which is never straightforward. The host of suspects, all with motives and sometimes conflicting alibis. The elaborately twisting plot where half the fun is not knowing and the other half finding out. Through the decades and across media from literature to film to television…
After a long and difficult road for Martin Scorsese’s crime epic memoir, all the ingredients are present for a masterful piece of cinema. The talent includes eight Oscar winners: Director Scorsese, screenwriter Steven Zaillian, editor Thelma Schoonmaker, costume designer Sandy Powell, as well as four Oscar-winning performers — Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci…
Morgan Spurlock burst (at the seams) onto the documentary scene in 2004 with his exposé on fast food, “Super Size Me.” Since then he’s directed and produced a host of documentaries, culminating in his latest “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!,” which is due out on iTunes and On Demand on December 9, 2019. In…
Who fancies a chicken sandwich? Would you like it grilled? Fried? Crispy? Imagine that fresh-looking white meat, that crunchy coating, the mayonnaise and lettuce, the bun that is just moist enough without being soggy. Delicious, right? Healthier than a McDonald’s burger, surely? After viewing Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!, the latest film from Morgan…
Politicians spouting foolish and frightening rhetoric is almost run of the mill these days. As a result, recollections of simpler times are suggested by news footage of Tony Blair and George W. Bush talking about weapons of mass destruction, the invasion of Iraq and UN resolutions, times before the confusion of Brexit Britain and Trump’s…
Is Le Mans ’66 (also known as “Ford v Ferrari” in the U.S.) about racing? It’s a question comparable to “Is ‘Jaws’ about a shark?” or “Is ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ about espionage?” Certainly racing features in the film, leading up to, as it does, the 1966 Le Mans Grand Prix, as well as other…
Here we go again. This is a phrase that can be uttered (silently, out of respect to fellow viewers) to many aspects of Terminator: Dark Fate. Sometimes it may be uttered with glee, other times with impatience or even exasperation. On the one hand, it demonstrates the continued appeal of James Cameron’s original creation. On…
