ZooScope

Tag: War

  • They Shall Not Grow Old. Dir. Peter Jackson. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.. 2018.

    Not often is a film’s purpose so clearly stated in its title, yet Peter Jackson’s They Shall Not Grow Old1(TSNGO) is a documentary with meticulous dedication to preserving the stories of those who fought in World War One. Framed by black and white footage of pre-war conscription and the return home from combat, the documentary’s centre is…

  • Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. Dir. Rupert Wyatt. 20th Century Fox . 2011.

    The scene which I believe most questions anthropocentric notions of human superiority in ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ is the moment when Caesar verbally expresses his frustrations, in defence against his oppression and abuse. The film depicts animals gaining agency against being controlled by humans in many forms, such as pet-keeping, animal testing…

  • Mulan. Dir. Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook. Buena Vista Pictures. 1998.

    Disney’s Mulan (1998) takes on a Chinese folktale of a woman who takes the place of her father in the fight against the Huns who have recently invaded China. The film follows the adventures and troubles of Mulan, a young woman who breaks the stereotypes of Disney’s classic princess, as well as the expectations which…

  • Pom Poko. Dir. Isao Takahata. Studio Ghibli. 1994.

    Pom Poko. Dir. Isao Takahata. Studio Ghibli. 1994 Pom Poko (Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko) is written and directed by Isao Takahata, a co-founder of Studio Ghibli which animated and published the movie in 1994. The story takes place during the late 1960s at the edge of the Tokyo sprawl. A housing project, aimed at expanding…

  • Pan’s Labyrinth. Dir. Guillermo del Toro. Warner Bros. Pictures. 2006.

    Pan’s Labyrinth (Original Title: El laberinto del fauno) Guillermo del Toro’s visually arresting Pan’s Labyrinth is set in 1944 against the backdrop of post civil-war Spain. It follows the story of the young Ofelia, whose heavily pregnant mother has transported her across the country to live with her fascist stepfather, Captain Vidal, as he carries out Franco’s…

  • War Horse. Dir. Steven Spielberg. DreamWorks. 2011.

    Steven Spielberg’s War Horse (2011) tells the story of teenager Albert Narracott and his horse Joey, tracing their journey from rural Devonshire farm to the Western Front. Joey is the dominant character within the film with the plot line tied directly to his experience rather than Albert’s. Throughout the course of the film Joey encounters…