The Big Picture MagazineChelsea Zhao is a staff writer for the Dominican Star and an avid consumer of foreign films. She appreciates the cultural context of cinema and enjoys learning languages through the original works of diverse filmmakers.
Brutal drama and cheeky humor, with a dash of 00s fashion, Mean Girls (2004) as the typical dramatic comedy has aged well with its animated narcissists. Much of the early 2000s still echoes with “fetch”, “you can’t sit with us” and “on Wednesday we wear pink”. Mean Girls is one of those movies that has melted […]
When we think of films addressing devastation and disaster, graphic imagery replete with dramatic plotlines are what first come to mind. From tension-filled, post-apocalyptic sci-fi to explosion-ridden war films, the theme of suffering becomes upscaled and unrealistic. Films that carry the highest emotional impact of destruction tend to be subtle and artistically experimental, like Schindler’s […]
Following the anti-hero trend – from Maleficent (2014) to Joker (2019) – Disney brings back a most unexpected villain story: the animal abuser Cruella from 101 Dalmatians (1961, 1996). What is equally astonishing is how well put together everything is, but this completeness is only possible by examining Cruella (2021) on its own, not as a prequel to 101 Dalmatians. […]
In the plethora of coming-of-age movies that dominate the pop culture scene, teenagers are portrayed as glamorous and composed mini-adults. From as far back as High School Musical (2006) to as recent as To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018), teen romance often is depicted as shallow and picture-perfect, which is fine for audiences seeking a […]
Tom McCarthy’s Spotlight (2015) teases out the drama in an explosive news investigation. It is genuine, focusing on both personal reconciliation over a harsh reality and societal corruption. The plot progression of the film is gradual. The introduction is tedious as all the information is gathered, which makes the ending all the more poignant. The story starts […]
Susanne Bier’s Bird Box (2018) starts, like many horror-thriller movies, with a terrifying premise — a monster that gives the insane power and the innocent death. However, as the movie progresses, I have to wonder if the monster has a deeper meaning regarding the human psyche. Malorie (Sandra Bullock) refuses outside contact as she focuses on her artworks. […]
Do the Right Thing (1989), a provocative piece set in 1980s Brooklyn, is an audacious directorial dive into the underlying forces of racial tensions. Bound to stimulate generations of heated discussions, Spike Lee’s film retains its resonance even decades after the film first appeared on screen. It is a film that screams and roars, startling and […]
Inspired by and adapted from the novel of the same name, Perfume (2006) by Tom Tykwer is an offbeat thriller with oversaturated cinematography. The most illuminating aspect of film is its ability to impress, shock, and stimulate the minds of the audience, but movies such as Perfume lose their essence in pursuit of marketability and visual effects. In […]
Fierce, funny, and willfully independent, Lady Bird (2017) diverges from traditional coming-of-age narratives to feature a mother and daughter relationship major movies often ignore. Delightful and sincere, with bursts of teenage angst, this film sings with youthful energy. Christine (Saoirse Ronan), a theater kid with a rebellious air, starts off the movie by dropping out of […]