Category: Coming-of-age

  • Labyrinth. Dir Jim Henson. Warner Bros., Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures, TriStar Pictures, FilmFlex, EMI Films. 1986.

    Labyrinth. Dir Jim Henson. Warner Bros., Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures, TriStar Pictures, FilmFlex, EMI Films. 1986.

    Teaching a Teen, Canine Companions, and the First CGI Animal in Movie History The last Jim Henson release, Labyrinth, a cinema flop but since a cult classic, follows a teenage Jennifer Connelly (Sarah) trying to rescue her baby brother from David Bowie (Jareth) by making her way through a Labyrinth “where everything seems possible and…

  • Watchers. Dir. Jon Hess. Universal Pictures, Alliance Releasing. 1988.

    Watchers. Dir. Jon Hess. Universal Pictures, Alliance Releasing. 1988.

    How are human-animal relationships redefined when the lines dividing their respective humanity and animality are warped for scientific advancements? Director Jon Hess explores these altered dynamics within the 1988 science fiction horror film Watchers. When a devastating fire rips through the Banodyne Research Laboratories, the ongoing chaos is manipulated into an escape by two genetically-engineered…

  • Rushmore. Dir. Wes Anderson. 1998. Buena Vista Pictures.

    Rushmore. Dir. Wes Anderson. 1998. Buena Vista Pictures.

    Bees in Wes Anderson’s Rushmore The swarm of the bees scene in Wes Anderson’s 1998 comedy film  Rushmore sees Herman J Blume (Bill Murray) subjected to further revenge for his romantic involvement with Miss Cross (Olivia Williams). Blume is rattled by an infiltration of bees in his hotel suite, orchestrated by the outraged Max Fischer (Jason…

  • Watchers. Dir. Jon Hess. Universal Pictures, Alliance Releasing. 1988.

    Watchers. Dir. Jon Hess. Universal Pictures, Alliance Releasing. 1988.

    If humans and animals navigate separate spheres within their shared world, then what becomes of creatures whose existence crosses into both realms? Jon Hess’s 1988 science fiction horror film Watchers queries the animal presence within humanity through the camera techniques used during the genetically-engineered OXCOM’s first attack on Travis Cornell. (Above) Humanity’s Fascination with Human-Animal…

  • Ringing Bell. Dir. Masami Hata. Crunchyroll. 1978.

    Ringing Bell. Dir. Masami Hata. Crunchyroll. 1978.

    “Wolf! Alright, I’ve decided to be your apprentice and learn to be strong! (…) I’m sick of being a sheep, all we ever do is stand in corners and shake!” – Chirin from Ringing Bell Ringing Bell was originally released in Japanese – this article focuses on the English dub.  Sanrio, the Japanese entertainment company…