‘Thor: The Dark World’ Comes Close to Being a Viable Story
In Thor: The Dark World there's a dangerous villain, a universe-ending threat, and a star-crossed romance -- but none of it makes sense.
natalie portman
Why Does Alex Garland’s ‘Annihilation’ Perpetuate the Hidden Figure of Henrietta Lacks?
Alex Garland relied on HeLa easter eggs to proffer a "key" to the Shimmer in Annihilation, but his interpretation mimics the instrumentalization decried throughout Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
‘Vox Lux’ Is an Oblique Meditation on Innocence, Celebrity and Trauma
Brady Corbet's second film, Vox Lux, has a chaotic relationship with celebrity and carries a heavy — some might say overloaded — symbolic heft. How is it that it's still so fun?
‘Thor’ Blasted the Comic Book Superhero Genre Away from Earth
Kenneth Branagh's Thor (2011) took the largely Earth-based, sci-fi genre into the realm of supernatural space fantasy, leading the way for a wider array of comic book superhero films.
TIFF 2018: ‘Vox Lux’
Brady Corbet's Vox Lux is a horror movie about the link between hedonism and explosive violence in the 21st century. Don't let anyone tell you differently.
Born to Die: Interview with Filmmaker Christopher Quinn and Farmer Frank Reese on ‘Eating Animals’
Frank Reese is one of the country's last truly independent farmers, and filmmaker Christopher Quinn tells his story and explores the devastating effects of factory farms on the planet in Eating Animals.
Fear and Loathing in the Zone: ‘Annihilation’s’ Dreamy ‘Death Drive’
Annihilation's reflections on what Freudian psychoanalysts have referred to as the 'death drive' offers an account of modern life we cannot ignore.
The Sound of the Shimmer: Interview with Annihilation’s Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow
Emmy-nominated composer Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow, music producer and founding member of Portishead, speak with PopMatters about their original score for Alex Garland's science-fiction film, Annihilation.
What ‘Annihilation’ Shows Us about the Future of Serious Nerd Movies
Contrary to Alex Garland's disappointment that Paramount sold his film to Netflix, it might be a good thing for film nerds.
‘Annihilation’ Scares and Baffles in Equal Measure
Alex Garland's follow-up to Ex Machina is a visceral cinematic experience that, while plagued with structural problems, delivers plenty of thrills and eye-popping spectacle.
‘Thor: The Dark World’ Brings the Hammer (and the Enthusiasm) Down
Thor worked due to its surprisingly-effective Shakespearean framework. Thor: The Dark World follows conventional Hollywood tropes and suffers for it.