Taken as a Genre
Pierre Morel’s Taken (2008) turned Liam Neeson from a serious dramatic actor into America’s favourite murder-dad. Here I examine one of the film's legacies, and argue that Taken can be understood as a genre unto itself.
We have a host of amazing guests who contribute to the site; you can find information about each of them in their respective posts. If you’d like to get involved, please do get in touch.
Pierre Morel’s Taken (2008) turned Liam Neeson from a serious dramatic actor into America’s favourite murder-dad. Here I examine one of the film's legacies, and argue that Taken can be understood as a genre unto itself.
Penned by The Kibitzer (Guest)
The Suicide Squad goes beyond just having a moral core; it has a moralistic one. Here we discuss the how the film revels in gory death and yet pleads for us (Helen Lovejoy-style) to 'think of the children'.
Penned by The Kibitzer (Guest)
A recurring theme in Bioware’s Mass Effect and Dragon Age series is that slavery – while bad – can be justified if it’s chosen. Here we consider whether volunteering to be a slave makes a moral difference.
Penned by The Temp & The Doctor (Guest)
Here we consider the power of shame and embarrassment as seen through the lens of Okja. This involves showing what can be accomplished through shame, but also what can’t.
Penned by The Kibitzer (Guest)
Sometimes, constructing the moral world doesn’t go smoothly. Maybe the hero doesn’t seem to stand for anything good, and so there’s no reason to accept them as the hero. Or perhaps the villain isn’t especially villainous; a sympathetic villain is common enough but something about this character makes it seem like they’re just straightforwardly in the right. There are a few ways a film can deal with this problem. I call one way ‘moral warping’.
Penned by The Kibitzer (Guest)
At the climax of The Trial of the Chicago 7, Tom Hayden uses his closing remarks to read out the names of Americans killed in the Vietnam War. One by one the defendants stand and raise their fists in solidarity. Music swells as the gallery stands. Eventually Richard Schultz, the prosecutor, sheds a tear and rises as well. “What are you doing?” asks his co-prosecutor, to which Schultz answers “paying respects.” It’s a powerful, well-constructed scene with a very significant problem: it never happened.
Penned by The Kibitzer (Guest)
We love that Jean-Luc Picard is back on TV. However, does this have weird implications for time travel in the Star Trek universe?
Penned by The Wildcard (Guest)
In this short and sweet piece, game studies expert Matthew Barr outlines his research on the benefits of video games for learning. Never fear, the justification for hours of gaming is here!
Penned by Matthew Barr (Guest)
Another thought-provoking review from Rob Maslen, exploring myths, language, memory, and fantasy. Guaranteed to enrich your reading of Ishiguro.
Penned by Rob Maslen (Guest)
And now, the winning entry: Pen Tynan's 'Universal Non-Translation'.
Penned by Pen Tynan (Guest)
Our final editors' pick: Mini Darth's 'Mini Darth of Firetop Mountain'.
Penned by Mini Darth (Guest)
Our second editors' pick: Tired & Tireder's 'Working Beauty'.
Penned by Tired & Tireder (Guest)
Our first editors' pick: Luca Saitta's 'The Consumptive Heroine'.
Penned by Luca Saitta (Guest)
Evolutionary linguist Sean Roberts outlines three ways his research is influenced by video games – including our understanding of the brain, language evolution, and linguistic diversity. Features Minecraft!
Penned by Sean Roberts (Guest)
What do Ankh Morpork, Blade Runner, and Casablanca have in common? They all feature in Rob Maslen's review of Terry Pratchett's "Guards! Guards!". A warning: Here Be Dragons.
Penned by Rob Maslen (Guest)