Criticism – Confluence

On the Reinvention of the Horror Genre

by Vyanne DinhPosted on February 20, 2020February 20, 2020Advanced Writing CourseCriticism

The psychological elements of Hitchcock’s "Psycho" remain crystallized in our cultural zeitgeist to this day, inspiring new generations of horror filmmakers. The rise of Jordan Peele, Ari Aster, and Robert Eggers signals a contemporary shift.

The Screen and Us

by Clenine AnicetPosted on February 18, 2020February 18, 2020CriticismInterdisciplinary Seminar

Jordan Peele's 2019 film makes a political statement with an unnerving horror, but the audience remains at a safe distance.

Blue Bird Is Watching

by Fatima C. JulienPosted on February 13, 2020CriticismInterdisciplinary Seminar

A Brief Analysis of Performing and Being Watched on Social Media Platforms

Don’t Be an Art Historian

by Armaan AhmedPosted on February 6, 2020February 6, 2020CriticismFirst-Year Writing Seminar

"Bolero reminds me of something—not something I have forgotten but rather something I have never thought." Why knowing nothing about a work of art can aid appreciation.

In the Moment

by Max LernerPosted on January 29, 2020January 29, 2020Advanced Writing CourseCriticism

If I like a film enough after the first watch, I think about it nonstop for weeks on end. I ponder the moments that made me shudder and gasp.

I Am Not Real

by Aiyana LapeyroleriePosted on January 27, 2020CriticismInterdisciplinary SeminarPoetry

Precursor: I am going to lie to you. Everything is a choice.

The Single Woman: From Spinster to Self-Partnered

by Gabriela SerpaPosted on December 17, 2019December 16, 2019CriticismIndependent ProjectResearch

The term 'self-partnered’ doesn’t suggest that we have to be alone, rather it softly reminds us that there is a value in being with ourselves.

Black and white photo of a young girl watching television

An Ode to Bad Netflix Movies

by Caroline MeredithPosted on December 11, 2019CriticismIndependent Project

An exploration of camp in three of Netflix's guiltiest pleasures.

Ambiguous Aesthetics and Affect on Instagram

by Caroline ReaganPosted on December 10, 2019December 13, 2019CriticismIndependent Project

So, the photos we post act as representatives of our selfhood; they reveal desires, both conscious and unconscious, that hold our attention.

The Deception of The Bird Revelation

by Olivia BrownPosted on November 20, 2019Advanced Writing CourseCriticism

Chappelle's casual and conversational performance style in this special has a very specific function: It gets the audience on his side.

Family Ties

by Olivia Boreham-WingPosted on November 7, 2019November 7, 2019CriticismInterdisciplinary Seminar

Obligation to Familial Intimates in "Titanic" and "Lion"

The Radical Comedy of Fleabag and Get On Your Knees

by Caroline MeredithPosted on October 23, 2019CriticismIndependent Project

In their groundbreaking one-woman plays, Phoebe-Waller Bridge and Jacqueline Novak prove that uncensored comedy celebrating female sexuality can find mainstream success.

Music Streaming & Monopolizing “Taste”

by Kamau Littletree-HolstonPosted on October 22, 2019October 31, 2019CriticismIndependent Project

How does the convenience of music streaming inform our respective music tastes? And why is this alarming for both artists and fans? A meditation on how streaming influences our tastes in music, featuring songs by Prince, Ryo Kawasaki, Erykah Badu & Portishead.

The Holy Anorexic

by Caroline ReaganPosted on October 22, 2019October 22, 2019CriticismIndependent Project

Simone Weil, Between Materialism and Mysticism

What’s Going On?

by Pieter KeushkerianPosted on October 18, 2019CriticismInterdisciplinary Seminar

Philosophy of Religion in "The Seventh Seal" and "A Serious Man"