In addition to reporting on the Austin Film Festival and South by Southwest, Best Pictures students also have the opportunity to produce longer written pieces and video essays. These essays can discuss films that were part of the given semester’s agenda of films discussed in class, or on other films that students found particularly rewarding from recent years.<\/p>\n
Fall 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n Essays<\/em><\/p>\n “Portrait of a Lady on Fire<\/em> and C\u00e9line Sciamma’s Mastery of Color and Light”<\/a> by Vanessa X. Sun<\/p>\n Video Essays<\/em><\/p>\n “Birds of Prey<\/em> and the Identity of Harley Quinn”<\/a> by Marshall Comeaux<\/p>\n “Spike Lee’s Restless Aspect Ratios in Da Five Bloods<\/em>“<\/a> by Mackenzie Graham<\/p>\n “Disability and A New Cinema of the Body”<\/a> by Selome Hailu<\/p>\n “Horror and Social Commentary in\u00a0Parasite<\/em> and\u00a0The Assistant<\/em>“<\/a> by Emma Hoffman<\/p>\n “Establishing Perspective in Portrait of a Lady on Fire<\/em>“<\/a> by Praveena Javvadi<\/p>\n “Cinematic Memory in Portrait of a Lady on Fire<\/em> and Pain and Glory<\/em>“<\/a> by Morgan Jeitler<\/p>\n “Repetition, Consequences, and the Time-Loop Film (‘Palm Springs’)”<\/a> by Joe Levin<\/p>\n “The Many Cameras of Spike Lee’s\u00a0Da Five Bloods<\/em><\/a>” by Kyser Lim<\/p>\n “Atlantics<\/em> and Feminist Horror”<\/a> by Rachel Schlesinger<\/p>\n Fall 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Essays<\/em><\/p>\n “(Not) Sorry to Bother You<\/em>: Boots Riley Unapologetically Intrudes on Capitalism”<\/a> by Ross Trivisonno<\/p>\n Video Essays<\/em><\/p>\n “Burning<\/em>, a Cinematic Study of Rural and Urban Life”<\/a> by Anne Chow<\/p>\n “Magic and the Marginalized (Happy as Lazzaro<\/i> and\u00a0I Am Not a Witch<\/em>)”<\/a> by Amanda Hua<\/p>\n “What Constitutes True Power? (I Am Not a Witch<\/em>)”<\/a> by Amarachi Ngwakwe<\/p>\n “The Plight of the Child Onscreen (Capernaum<\/em> and Shoplifters<\/em>)”<\/a> by Danielle Nwosa<\/p>\n “Humor Destabilizing Power in\u00a0The Favourite<\/em> and\u00a0The Death of Stalin<\/em>“<\/a> by Nila Selveraj<\/p>\n