Film Matters

Film Matters The magazine for future film scholars. Film Matters is an exciting film magazine, celebrating the work of undergraduate film scholars.

It is published three times a year, by students and for students, and each issue contains feature articles, as well as a healthy reviews section. In addition, with an undergraduate audience in mind, Film Matters will include occasional service-oriented pieces, such as profiles of film studies departments, articles that engage the undergraduate film studies community and prepare students for gradua

te study in this field, and resources and opportunities that undergraduate scholars can pursue. In an effort to give undergraduate scholars real-world, applied-learning experiences, all Film Matters feature submissions will undergo a peer review process (typically managed by undergraduate film and media students). We strive for inclusivity in all areas of our operations. Broadly speaking, we seek to empower undergraduates from diverse backgrounds (race, ethnicity, gender/gender identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, and economic status are our primary concerns), engaging our mentors/editors from varied experiences of academia (community colleges, private colleges, public universities, tenure track, non-tenure track, adjunct, graduate student, etc.). If you want to write or edit for us, we want to work with you. We feel, however, during these changemaking times, that it is particularly important to state that Black Lives Matter. The views and opinions of all posts, including reviews and interviews, are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect those of the editors, the editorial board, or the advisory board. Film Matters is published by Intellect with support from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

It's Film Still Friday! again, thanks to Soohwan Lee (University of Utah):"[H]is films also start with a simple, sensati...
24/10/2025

It's Film Still Friday! again, thanks to Soohwan Lee (University of Utah):

"[H]is films also start with a simple, sensational opening. Inside that, human instinct, morality, desire, and guilt clash. Additionally, he constantly urges the audience to reflect on his message."

https://www.filmmattersmagazine.com/2025/10/23/film-still-friday-a-decision-to-leave-yet-never-to-part-by-soohwan-lee/

University of Utah - Department of Film & Media Arts University of Utah College of Fine Arts

Park Chan-wook is the director behind Oldboy, Thirst, and The Handmaiden, comparable to B**g Joon-ho. Whenever his new feature film is released, people jokingly – yet with a sense of expectation — ask, “Who’s going to die this time?” This … Continue reading →

On Film Matters, a review of Carmen & Bolude (2025) by Holley Anne Brabble (University of North Carolina Wilmington):"Ea...
17/10/2025

On Film Matters, a review of Carmen & Bolude (2025) by Holley Anne Brabble (University of North Carolina Wilmington):

"Each group of people meets Carmen and Bolude differently, some with open arms and others with more trepidation; but each person they meet teaches the two women something about identity. How these people choose to identify, whether through race, ethnicity, or nationality, further probes the complexities of these labels and what it means to live with them."

Quick-paced and quick-witted, Carmen & Bolude (2025) is both a lighthearted good time and a deeply introspective watch. The film uses comedy to showcase a deeply multicultural world and all its nuances. The result is an exploration of themes like … Continue reading →

FM author Oisín McGilloway has launched a new film magazine for young scholars! Follow the link to read more about mov.r...
14/10/2025

FM author Oisín McGilloway has launched a new film magazine for young scholars! Follow the link to read more about mov.r Magazine and how to get involved!

mov.r Magazine is a new film and moving image art magazine that recently launched online. Aiming to give young people a space to vent their frustrations with political and social issues through analyzing and understanding newer forms of filmmaking, both … Continue reading →

On Film Matters, a review of The Cinema Within (2024) by Holley Anne Brabble (University of North Carolina Wilmington):"...
10/10/2025

On Film Matters, a review of The Cinema Within (2024) by Holley Anne Brabble (University of North Carolina Wilmington):

"Perhaps expectedly, the editing in this film is a marvel. It’s an interesting task to explore continuity editing, a mode meant to be invisible, through the art of film editing. The Cinema Within more than rises to the occasion."

When you watch a movie, how often do you notice a cut? You might be surprised to learn that unless your answer is every few seconds then you hardly ever notice a cut at all. This is because film editing … Continue reading →

We are a Proud Sponsor of the 13th Annual — from emerging filmmakers to seasoned voices, this is where stories that mat...
09/10/2025

We are a Proud Sponsor of the 13th Annual — from emerging filmmakers to seasoned voices, this is where stories that matter take the spotlight. Join us at this year’s edition! Get tickets at

Chelsea Film Festival | An International Festival That Features Filmmakers From All Over the World. Buy In-Person and Online Passes Now.

😀
04/10/2025

😀

Pleaseeee, I'm begging you. If I get re-routed one more time.


It's Film Still Friday! And, appropriately enough for October, this week's entry celebrates a (family) horror film--what...
03/10/2025

It's Film Still Friday! And, appropriately enough for October, this week's entry celebrates a (family) horror film--what Ari Aster excels at--courtesy of Soohwan Lee (University of Utah):

"One of the most symbolic moments in the film happens early: the family takes a portrait, but the son only looks at his father. At first, it seems like affection, but it actually shows the son’s distorted desire—a visual clash between the happy family scene and an unsettling obsession."

https://www.filmmattersmagazine.com/2025/10/02/film-still-friday-the-strange-thing-about-the-johnsons-by-soohwan-lee/

University of Utah - Department of Film & Media Arts University of Utah College of Fine Arts

The name Ari Aster is no longer unfamiliar to horror fans. With his feature debut, Hereditary (2018), followed by Midsommar (2019) and Beau Is Afraid (2023), he gained recognition for exploring the themes of familyties and the lurking anxieties of … Continue reading →

Undergraduates, Film Matters announces CFP 18.1 (open theme) for our first issue of 2027! The deadline is March 1, 2026....
01/10/2025

Undergraduates, Film Matters announces CFP 18.1 (open theme) for our first issue of 2027! The deadline is March 1, 2026. Submit your film- and media-related papers for consideration today.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Film Matters announces open call for papers from current undergraduates, authors who have been invited to revise and resubmit previous submissions (including authors who did not make it past our prescreening for a previous call), and recently graduated undergraduates for consideration in … Continu...

Calling all horror fans!The B Stream, an alternative to Netflix, is celebrating Halloween every day during the month of ...
01/10/2025

Calling all horror fans!

The B Stream, an alternative to Netflix, is celebrating Halloween every day during the month of October. Each day of the month, a new horror movie is being released on The B Stream at 6:66 PM; that’s 7:06 PM for you normal folks. Just to add a few more screams to this Spooky Season, each movie is being kept a secret until it’s unleashed.

Although the terrors that await are being contained for the time being, a few facts have slithered out of their cages. The 31 films include new releases, special directors’ cuts, remastered classics, and even a couple exclusives that have never been seen anywhere else in the world outside of festivals or cinemas.

Operating as a subscription streaming service, The B Stream releases movies and TV series in the uncensored manner they receive each title. It never interrupts its viewers movie watching with advertisements and even features a social media element it calls The Hive (the community feature on its apps). Here subscribers can interact with each other, post their own videos and photos, and even request movies to be licensed. Subscriptions are available as low as $5.99 a month when purchased annually or no commitment required for only $7.99 a month. It can be found at thebstream.com and through your Apple and Google Play App stores.

Take advantage of the 3-day free trial currently being offered!

01/10/2025

Hurrah! FM is pleased to report that we have officially submitted FM 16.3 (winter 2025) for copyediting/typesetting.

In this issue, you will find:

PEER-REVIEWED FEATURES
* "Tracing the Diasporic Experiences of Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Palestinians on Screen: Cinema Fouad (1993) and Sultana’s Reign (2023)" by Aaron Jagger
* "Robbing the Patriarchy: Collective Female Agency in the 'Femme-Heist' Film" by John Alexander Mansilla
* "How Does Marilyn Monroe’s Performance in Don’t Bother to Knock (Ward Baker, 1952) Expose the Emotional Constraints Imposed on American Women by the Patriarchy During the Fifties?" by Joanna Neame
* "The Vamp: Sexuality, Vampirism and the Dismantling of Gender Stereotypes in Jennifer’s Body" by Faith Spalding
* "Class as Currency: Wife Swap (USA) 2004-2013" by Jennah Sutton

OSCARS DOSSIER
* "'For Me, For All of Us': A Night at the Oscars in Ryan Murphy’s and Ian Brennan’s Hollywood (2020)" by Tom Ue
* "Themes, Style, and Legacy of the 2004 Best Picture Nominees" by Megan Coakley
* "When Chicago Met Middle-earth: Examining the 2003 Academy Awards" by Sarah Munro

PARIS IS FOR (CINEMA) LOVERS DOSSIER
* "Paris Is for (Cinema) Lovers: Introduction" by Liza Palmer
* "Agnès Varda: A Gem of Paris" by Izzie Barrett
* "Man Ray: Legacy and Influence" by Holley Anne Brabble
* "Delphine Seyrig" by Erica Maggio
* "Seen and Seeing: Agnès Varda, Paris, and the Feminist Gaze" by Mackenzie McCarron
* "Jacques Demy: France’s Film Icon" by Charlie Slattery

BOOK REVIEWS
* "Alan J. Pakula: Interviews, Tom Ryan, ed. (2024)" by Daiyaan Hutson
* "Ulrike Ottinger: Film, Art and the Ethnographic Imagination, Angela McRobbie, ed. (2024)" by Oisín McGilloway
* "Picturing Peter Bogdanovich, Peter Tonguette, ed. (2020)" by Stephen Rini
* "Horses of Hollywood, Roberta Smoodin (2025)" by K. A. Vale

FILM REVIEWS
* "Portrait of a Lady on Fire: The Invisible Anatomy of Love" by Khaya Barnes
* "The Worst Person in the World: How to Hold a Mirror to Modern Lovers" by Noah Sherman
* "'An appetite, nothing more': Vampiric Metaphor, Female Sexuality, and the Subversion of Subjugation in Nosferatu (2024)" by Zoe Zimmerman

DVD/BLU-RAY REVIEW
* "Night Moves (1975)" by Evie Rosheger

FM 16.3 authors, please keep your eyes out for the first proof, which we hope to send out before the end of 2025 (Intellect is experiencing an EOY backlog, FYI).

Want to be an FM author? Then we want to work with you! Please take a look at our current opportunities!

https://www.filmmattersmagazine.com/submit/

On Film Matters, a review of Streets of Colour (2023) by Holley Anne Brabble (University of North Carolina Wilmington):"...
26/09/2025

On Film Matters, a review of Streets of Colour (2023) by Holley Anne Brabble (University of North Carolina Wilmington):

"[T]he fast-paced nature of the film works well with the story it’s telling. Tez’s many struggles are relatable, and viewers can connect with what feels like a constant barrage of setbacks across the narrative. The film shows Tez’s emotional response to what’s happening around him in a very raw way, which makes his journey all the more impactful."

Streets of Colour is a film that knows its identity and wastes no time in showcasing that identity to the audience. The film depicts a number of complex issues, such as in*******al relations, community, generational trauma, and grief. The film … Continue reading →

Announcing the TOC for FM 16.1, our first issue of 2025!Here, you will find peer-reviewed features by:-Kate Burney (Mont...
23/09/2025

Announcing the TOC for FM 16.1, our first issue of 2025!

Here, you will find peer-reviewed features by:
-Kate Burney (Montana State University)
-Lydia Fraser (Harvard College)
-Crystal Irwin-Childs (Goldsmiths University)
-Nadiya Jean McFadden (Florida Atlantic University)
-Sam Powers (Washington University in St. Louis)
-Isabella Trevisan (Wilfrid Laurier University)

Book reviews by:
-Daisy Adderley
-Austin Rambo (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
-Hannah Robinson (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
-Ruby Schweitzer (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
-Sam Taunton (King’s College London)

And DVD/Blu-ray reviews by:
-Sophie Durbin (Amherst College)
-Sylvia Felice Docker (Sheridan College)
-Laura Marcy (Queen Mary University of London)

Feature author interviews will follow soon! In the meantime, congrats to our authors, their mentors, and their schools! Please think about becoming an FM author yourself! We would love to work with you.

Film Matters here highlights the TOC of 16.1, edited by students at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, which marks our first issue of 2025, as well as the first issue supported by the University of Utah. In this issue, … Continue reading →

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Film Matters is an exciting film magazine, celebrating the work of undergraduate film scholars. It is published three times a year, by students and for students, and each issue contains feature articles, as well as a healthy reviews section. In addition, with an undergraduate audience in mind, Film Matters will include occasional service-oriented pieces, such as profiles of film studies departments, articles that engage the undergraduate film studies community and prepare students for graduate study in this field, and resources and opportunities that undergraduate scholars can pursue. In an effort to give undergraduate scholars real-world, applied learning experiences, all Film Matters feature submissions will undergo a peer review process (typically managed by undergraduate film and media students).

We strive for inclusivity in all areas of our operations. Broadly speaking, we seek to empower undergraduates from diverse backgrounds (race, ethnicity, gender/gender identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, and economic status are our primary concerns), engaging our mentors/editors from varied experiences of academia (community colleges, private colleges, public universities, tenure track, non-tenure track, adjunct, graduate student, etc.). If you want to write or edit for us, we want to work with you. We feel, however, during these changemaking times, that it is particularly important to state that Black Lives Matter.