Like many kids, I too grew up watching Star Wars. I was captivated by the epic tales of heroism, the intricate world-building, and the timeless battle between good and evil. George Lucas’ galaxy far, far away wasn’t just a film series; it was a cultural touchstone that inspired awe and wonder. This video essay delves into how that legacy has been diminished since Disney acquired the franchise, providing a detailed critique of the Sequel Trilogy and the slate of Disney+ shows that have followed. Here I learned how critical storytelling and world-building are to maintaining a franchise’s cultural significance. The essay argues persuasively that Disney’s corporate-driven approach has prioritized profitability over creativity, leading to the erosion of what made Star Wars special.

The video begins by exploring the lack of cohesion in the Sequel Trilogy, highlighting how disconnected storylines and inconsistent character arcs undermined the saga’s integrity. It emphasizes the absence of a unified creative vision, contrasting Disney’s approach with Lucas’ careful planning of the original and prequel trilogies. The essay also critiques the Disney+ shows, pointing out how the oversaturation of content has diluted the magic of Star Wars. While the essay acknowledges the occasional successes, such as The Mandalorian, it laments the overall mediocrity and formulaic nature of the newer offerings.

What sets this video apart is the emotional resonance of the creator’s voiceover. His passionate and candid delivery allows us to feel his genuine disappointment as a lifelong fan. The script he has crafted adds another layer of personality to the video, revealing his character as someone who deeply cares about the franchise and longs for it to regain the respect it once commanded. This personal touch gives the essay an authenticity that makes it stand out in the crowded space of Star Wars critiques.

This video essay offers a comparative analysis of how both Whiplash and Black Swan portray the journey of artists consumed by their craft. It explores the character motivations and thematic elements that drive the protagonists in their relentless pursuit of perfection. I learned how these films parallel one another, each following a trajectory where an inciting incident sets the protagonist on a path of obsession. Both stories vividly depict the physical and psychological toll of this all-consuming ambition, culminating in climactic performances that represent both the height of their achievements and moments of profound personal reckoning. This comparison reveals the universal tension between ambition and the sacrifices demanded by the pursuit of artistic excellence.

Regarding the videographic form, the essay effectively employs side-by-side comparisons and interwoven clips from both films to illustrate parallels and contrasts. The use of voice-over narration guides the viewer through complex analyses, while on-screen text emphasizes key points. The pacing is deliberate, allowing viewers to absorb the information without feeling overwhelmed. This approach demonstrates how visual juxtaposition, combined with clear narration, can enhance understanding of comparative film analysis.

This video essay delves into the use of dreams in movies, exploring how characters often find themselves stuck in the monotony of their day-to-day lives, feeling misplaced or emotionally disconnected. These characters are in a kind of liminal space, caught between who they are and who they want to become. For them, escaping into a dream world seems like the only logical option, offering a utopian retreat from reality. These dream worlds are often depicted as idealistic, unrealistic landscapes that provide the comfort and excitement missing from their ordinary lives.

How we experience the dream often has to do with the state of the character we are following through it. Many times, movies will pair dreams with unreliable characters who suffer from schizophrenia, insomnia, or other mental health issues. This narrative device blurs the line between fact and fiction, making it difficult for both the audience and the characters to distinguish between what is real and what is imagined. By showing us the dream through the eyes of these unreliable narrators, the film forces us to question both the dream world and the reality they are trying to escape from.

From a videographic perspective, I love how the essay guides us through the different stages of the dream experience (utopia, surrealism, and dystopia) as if we are going through the dream sequence ourselves. The transitions between stages, combined with the atmospheric sound design and visual effects, make the analysis feel immersive, as though we are being led on a journey through the subconscious. This technique enhances the dreamlike quality of the video, creating an experience that is both informative and emotionally engaging.

When word got out that Quentin Tarantino was making a film about slavery, it sparked controversy. Given his reputation for stylized violence and dark humor, many questioned whether Django Unchained would handle such a sensitive subject with the seriousness it deserved. However, Tarantino approached the issue by crafting a revenge story that gave his protagonist, Django, the power to reclaim his freedom and seek justice, while addressing slavery through a unique lens.

Tarantino creates two protagonists—Django and Dr. King Schultz—who are essential to each other’s development. Schultz teaches Django to read, write, and think critically, shaping him into a more capable and independent figure. In return, Django influences Schultz’s moral growth, leading him to make a stand against the brutal institution of slavery. Their intertwined arcs make them both responsible for the other’s transformation, and without this connection, neither would experience the personal growth they achieve.

From a videographic perspective, I appreciated how the essay used interviews with Tarantino to highlight the controversy surrounding his movies. By incorporating Tarantino’s own words, the video essay adds context to his intentions and methods, giving viewers a more direct understanding of his approach to sensitive subjects like race and slavery. These interviews not only clarify his perspective but also show the tension between the filmmaker’s vision and public reception, which enriches the overall analysis.

When I first watched Tenet, I had no clue what was actually going on. I left the film more confused than when I entered it and wasn’t really a big fan, like many others. However, after watching it again, I was stumped by everything I discovered on a second viewing. I was amazed and began praising this beautiful work.

The video essay “Why TENET is a Modern Masterpiece” examines Christopher Nolan’s film as an example of how a single viewing approach to film criticism can be unreliable, particularly for films as complex and layered as Tenet. One of the main takeaways from this video is that Tenet defies the conventional expectations of plot clarity and character arcs, which is why many viewers, including myself, felt lost initially. The essay breaks down how the film’s intricate temporal mechanics, mirrored plot structure, and narrative pacing require viewers to engage deeply with the film multiple times to truly grasp its concepts and appreciate its craftsmanship.

From this video, I also learned that Nolan does not create films solely for straightforward narrative consumption but rather for experiential immersion. He deliberately constructs puzzles that engage audiences beyond just the viewing experience, prompting them to think, analyze, and rewatch. The essay asserts that this strategy aligns with Nolan’s belief that films should be approached as an experience rather than merely a story to be understood on a surface level.

The videographic essay showed me how the strategic use of on-screen text can significantly enhance the viewer’s comprehension of a critique, particularly when addressing complex ideas. The creator used text in sync with his voiceover, which clarified intricate concepts while maintaining an engaging flow. Specific words and phrases were bolded and highlighted to emphasize key terms, ensuring that the audience could focus on the main points without getting overwhelmed. 

This video essay offers an in-depth analysis of Borat‘s unique place in film history and the cultural impact it has had since its release. I learned how Borat transcends traditional comedic and narrative boundaries, utilizing its mockumentary style to blur the lines between fiction and reality. I was also enlightened on how Sacha Baron Cohen’s performance and the film’s format brought forth a new type of satire that exposed real-world attitudes and prejudices. The essay delves into how Borat’s hidden-camera approach allowed it to capture genuine reactions from the public, turning these interactions into a form of social commentary that remains relevant even today. The video also discusses the challenges and controversies Borat faced, emphasizing that the film’s unique circumstances and societal context would make it almost impossible to recreate in the present day.

DU Cinema’s approach is highly effective in guiding the viewer through complex ideas without overwhelming them. The creator uses a seamless combination of on-screen text, music, narration, and film footage to reinforce key points. For instance, on-screen text is employed not only for citation purposes but also to provide additional context or commentary, making the viewer’s experience richer and more nuanced. The video’s pacing is well-balanced, alternating between analysis and illustrative clips from Borat, which keeps the viewer engaged and ensures that the argument is continuously supported by visual evidence. The use of music and sound bites is subtle but purposeful, enhancing the essay’s tone without distracting from the spoken narrative. The transitions between these different elements are smooth and intuitive, which prevents the essay from feeling disjointed.

In the video essay, we learn about how Martin Scorsese uses silence to intensify emotional moments in his films. The essay focuses on key scenes from movies like Goodfellas and Raging Bull, where the absence of sound increases tension and highlights the characters’ internal struggles or moments of reflection. This use of silence creates a striking contrast to the fast-paced, high-energy scenes in other parts of his films. Scorsese’s control of sound and silence allows him to shape the rhythm of his storytelling, showing that silence can often communicate more than dialogue or action. It creates space for the audience to absorb the emotional weight of a scene and feel the characters’ emotions more deeply.

Tony, from Every Frame a Painting, effectively uses a clear and concise editing style to support its argument. The video essay contrasts noisy and quiet scenes to make the point about silence more impactful. The choice of clips is carefully curated, with well-timed cuts that visually emphasize the discussion. Additionally, the video essay uses voiceover in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the visuals but rather complements them, keeping the focus on the scenes themselves. This videographic form balances analysis with a compelling presentation, making its insights more digestible and engaging for viewers.

The first time I watched American Psycho, I had no idea the film was making a connection to the social and economic climate of 1980s America. At the time, I thought it was simply a murder film, focused on the violent and disturbing life of Patrick Bateman. However, through this video essay, I have been enlightened that the film critiques more than just Bateman’s psychopathy; it uses his character to explore the emptiness and superficiality of that era. The essay delves into Bateman’s lack of identity and his obsession with consumerism, highlighting how his violence and detachment reflect the hollow pursuit of perfection and status. Furthermore, Bateman’s character is an embodiment of a society that prioritises wealth, appearance, and power over human empathy and connection. Bateman’s world is a performance, devoid of genuine relationships, leaving him a shell of a person, obsessed with surfaces but lacking meaningful depth.

From a videographic standpoint, I appreciated the use of visual cues and editing techniques to reinforce the analysis. Clips from the film are strategically chosen to illustrate key points about Bateman’s behavior and the film’s commentary on society. The pacing of the video maintains viewer engagement, balancing between narration, scenes from the film, and textual overlays that enhance the spoken analysis. This combination of elements helped to clarify complex ideas, making abstract themes like Bateman’s internal void more tangible.

This 2014 video essay orchestrated by Tony Szhou argues that modern comedy has become predictably boring, lazily relying on dialogue through static and uninspired shots, leaving no consideration for the visual elements of filmmaking. Instead, Tony encourages his viewers to watch Edgar Wright’s films, which demonstrate how dynamic camera movements, choreographed physical actions, and fast-paced editing can make comedy more engaging and visually entertaining.

By fully exploring the possibilities of the comedic genre, Edgar Wright is able to find humour in places where others might overlook. One being how his characters enter and exit the frame, which is an aspect that has become mundane and largely ignored in many of today’s comedies. The “there and back again” example from Shaun of the Dead is a perfect demonstration of Edgar Wright’s visual comedy. In this scene, Shaun asks his friend Ed to check if the zombies are still outside. Instead of a simple answer, Ed opens the window curtains, looks at the zombies with their faces smeared on the window, and returns to Shaun, confirming with a casual “yes.” All of this is captured in one smooth camera pan that follows his entire movement. The humour comes from the dull, almost bored manner in which Ed performs the task, contrasting with the tension of the situation. By using a continuous pan, Wright highlights the simplicity and absurdity of the moment, turning what could be an ordinary exchange into a comedic beat that plays off both the action and the camera movement.

Tony Szhou also uses a fast-paced editing style, which mirrors Wright’s own technique. This stylistic alignment helps viewers better understand how Wright is using the camera and the cinematic medium as part of the joke itself. The commentary is supported by well-chosen clips that clearly demonstrate the differences between visual comedy and more dialogue-heavy styles. By juxtaposing examples from Wright’s films with clips from other comedies, the video essay effectively communicates how Wright’s approach stands out. By visually comparing examples side by side, viewers can immediately grasp how different techniques produce different comedic effects, something that would be more abstract and harder to visualise in a written format.