Film guides and reviews Books

Book SynopsisAre you tired of trawling through movies you don't recognise on Netflix? Sick of reading short film descriptions that sound boring? Don't know what to watch next?Let leading film critic David Stratton introduce you to 101 movies that you probably haven't heard of, and tell you why they are worth seeing.David Stratton's selection of overlooked gems includes movies from such well-known directors as David Lynch, Ang Lee and Sydney Lumet. They star popular actors such as Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Sean Connery, Cate Blanchett, Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, Greta Scacchi, Robert Redford and Jack Nicholson. They include comedies, thrillers, westerns, musicals and romances, and were produced from the 1980s through to the past few years. A perfect gift for anyone who relishes a cosy night at home with a good movie.Trade Review'Fun to flick through while selecting your next movie' - Jeff Popple'An invaluable book for those wishing to enlarge their movie repertoire but seeking out cinematograph delights that may have been previously missed. I know I've complied a long list of gems for future viewing.' - John Hagan'101 Marvellous Movies is a great book to pass around at Christmas or a group party.' - Brisbanista

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Book SynopsisFeaturing production art and photography from the eagerly anticipated new film Chappie, starring Hugh Jackman with Sigourney Weaver! Chappie is an upcoming film directed by Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium), written by Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell. The film stars Sharlto Copley (Elysium, The A-Team), Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire), Ninja and Yo-Landi Vi$$er, Jose Pablo Cantillo (The Walking Dead).Trade Review"Most of the book is dedicated to this kind of almost happy-go-lucky customization that the artwork evolves through, and it’s pretty awesome flipping the pages as different pieces of the project take shape." - Midroad Movie Review"You won't regret reading it, because it's something different and beautifully dark for adult readers. It's one of the best and most fascinating retellings of Snow White available." - Artbook Passion"Very well put together." - City of Films"If you are like me, fascinated with the art of filmmaking, and behind the scenes information from character design to set design this is one you will want to pick up." - Watch Play Read"If you want further exploration into the movie and interested in the world building aspects, the way cool mech designs and shooting locations of Chappie, then Chappie: The Art of the Movie should be picked up and added to your library shelf." - Retrenders"It’s hard to believe that there’s any piece of information about the production of “Chappie” that isn’t included here." - Roger Ebert.com

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Book SynopsisWelcome to the jungle. The origin of one of cinema's most beloved and most fearsome monsters is explained in Kong: Skull Island. This official companion to the blockbuster movie features the breath-taking art, storyboards, designs, and set photos that conjure King Kong's world. Interviews with the crew and all-star cast explain how they brought the beast to life.Trade Review“great coffee table book read that is beautifully presented with thick pages and vibrant images that just scream from the page.” Impulse Gamer“recommended for the impressive art and the skills of the artists it showcases” - Cinema Sentries “A great coffee table book, you don’t have to be a fan of the film to appreciate the work that took Skull Island from concept to the big screen. Simon Ward and Titan Books put together a great companion to the movie” - Project Fandom

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Book SynopsisThe making of the Star Wars saga, as told by the cast and crew. In this third special collection celebrating the Star Wars phenomenon, the appeal of intergalactic supervillain Darth Vader, writer Lawrence Kasdan share secrets of the creative process on Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the cast and crew of Revenge of the Sith look back on the third chapter of the Star Wars saga! Each volume brings together a collection of the best of the official Star Wars Insider magazine content, celebrating the complete Star Wars experience, from movies to books, videogames to comic books, and more! Featuring rare cast and crew interviews, and exclusive behind the scenes pictures, this is an essential read for Star Wars fans of all ages.

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Book SynopsisY Tu Mamá También (2001), an intelligent and sensual road movie directed by Alfonso Cuarón and co-written by him and his brother Carlos, is both an acclaimed feature by a director who would go on to win Oscars and a box office success abroad and in its native Mexico, where it was the biggest grossing local film of all time. Its teenage protagonists Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna went on to be major stars of global cinema. Yet on its release the film was vilified by established Mexican critics as a coarse comedy and ‘Penthouse fantasy’ of youthful lust for an older woman. Paul Julian Smith's lucid study of the film argues that Y Tu Mamá También not only addresses with playful seriousness such major issues as gender, race, class, and space, which are yet more urgent now than they were on its release; but that the film’s apparently casual aesthetic masks a sophisticated audiovisual style, one which brings together popular genre film and auteurist experiment. Smith suggests Y Tu Mamá También remains an example for world cinema of how a very local film can connect with a global audience that is ignorant of such niceties. Combining production and distribution history, based on unexplored material held in Mexico City archives, with close textual analysis, Smith makes an argument for Cuarón’s film as an enduring masterpiece that hides in plain sight as an ephemeral teen movie.Trade Review[An] illuminating study. -- Miranda France * Times Literary Supplement *Smith writes with the fluency of an award-winning journalist and the analytical sharpness of the leading academic that he is. This is an essential and highly readable book for anyone who wants to learn the story of Y tu mamá también and understand how it has become a classic film of Mexican and international cinema. -- Deborah Shaw, University of Portsmouth, UKPaul Julian Smith combines a breadth of knowledge of Mexican film with insights from online fan cultures in this broad ranging, distinctive, and highly readable book. It is a must for those studying both Y tu mama también and Mexican film culture. -- Niamh Thornton, Liverpool University, UKPaul Julian Smith has written the essential book on what I consider to be Mexico’s best film of the century so far. With a deep knowledge of its production and circulation, this book provides readers not only with a comprehensive study of Y tu mamá también, but also with a model on how to write a book that is at the same time rigorous and readable. -- Ignacio M. Sánchez Prado, Washington University in St. Louis, USA.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: Still Charolastras 1. Pop Kills Poetry? 2. Alternative Routes 3. Sound and Vision 4. Sweat and Stardom 5. Afterlives Notes Credits

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Book SynopsisEarning critical acclaim and commercial success upon its 1998 release, Rushmore—the sophomore film of American auteur Wes Anderson—quickly gained the status of a cult classic. A melancholic coming-of-age story wrapped in comedy drama, Rushmore focuses on the efforts of Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman)—a brazen and precocious fifteen-year-old—to find his way. Restless, energetic, struggling, and overcompensating for his insecurities, Max pursues a dizzying range of possible futures, leading him into the orbit of local steel magnate Herman Blume (Bill Murray), elementary school teacher Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams), and a host of cooperative schoolmates who help him to stage lavish film-derivative plays. Kristi McKim’s compelling study of the film argues that despite the film’s titular call for haste and excess (rush/more), it challenges a drive toward perfectionism and celebrates the quiet connections that defy such passion and speed. After establishing Rushmore’s history and reception, McKim closely reads Rushmore’s energetic musical montages relative to slower moments that introduce tenderness and ambiguity, in a form subtler than Max’s desire-built drive or genre-based plays. Her analysis offers an urgent corrective to what might be perceived as an endearing portrait of privilege that perpetuates a status quo power. Drawing out Rushmore’s subtleties that soften, temper, ease, expand, and equalize the film’s zeal, she reads the film with a generosity learned from the film itself.Table of ContentsPreface: Making Rushmore New, Now Introduction 1 Context 2 Rush/More 3 Slowness/Grace 4 A World of Time (Not Things) 5 Teaching and Learning Notes Credits

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Book SynopsisEndlessly fascinating, dark and bright, The Red Shoes (1948) employs every branch of the cinematic arts to sweep the audience off its feet, invigorated by the transcendence of art itself, only to leave them with troubling questions. Representing the climax of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's celebrated run of six exceptional feature films, the film remains a beloved, if unsettling and often divisive, classic. Pamela Hutchinson's study of the film examines its breathtaking use of Technicolor, music, choreography, editing and art direction at the zenith of Powell and Pressburger’s capacity for ‘composed cinema’. Through a close reading of key scenes, particularly the film's famous extended ballet sequence, she considers the unconventional use of ballet as uncanny spectacle and the feminist implications of the central story of female sacrifice. Hutchinson goes on to consider the film's lasting and wide-reaching influence, tracing its impact on the film musical genre and horror cinema, with filmmakers such as Joanna Hogg, Sally Potter, Martin Scorsese and Brian De Palma having cited the film as an inspiration.Trade ReviewHutchinson knows how to be both expansive and economical with an expert’s confidence and a fan’s enthusiasm. -- Hannah McGill * Sight & Sound *[Hutchinson is] en pointe on everything from the ballet’s ecstatic agony and queer readings to the film’s influence, and at her best showing how Shoes frames a key question: ‘How far would you go for art?’ -- Kevin Harley * Total Film *Unmissable … The Red Shoes employs the slyest wit as it teases out a kaleidoscope of themes in the greatest of all ballet films. -- Donald Clarke * The Irish Times *Fans of Powell and Pressburger’s tale of artistic obsession will pirouette their way through Pamela Hutchinson’s wonderful essay in one sitting. The pocket-sized book is packed with history, anecdotes and a view of the film so en pointe it’ll have you jeté-ing back to the screen with fresh eyes. * Sight & Sound, Books of the Year *Stuffed with insight and background. -- Robin Ashenden * The Spectator *The films of Powell and Pressburger continue to hold their power – and this guide to their ballet-based classic coincides with the BFI’s expansive season bringing their films back to the big screen. Across 100-plus pages, this paperback delves into the making of the film, and unpicks its thematic resonances. * Empire *An excellent close reading … A record of remarkable artistic freedom made possible for a prolifically imaginative director and writer to cast their spells, enthusiasm and love. * London Grip *A fascinating examination of Powell and Pressburger’s 1948 cinematic masterpiece. * Choice *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments 1.First position: ‘Put on the red shoes, Vicky’ 2.Overture: the rabbit in the hat 3.Pas de deux: Powell and Pressburger 4.The company: ‘enough genius in each man or woman’ 5.Balletomania: ‘To live? To dance.’ 6.The ballet: ‘I am that horror’ 7.Coda: ‘doubtful comforts’ Notes Credits

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Book SynopsisExplore the magical, mysterious world of Korean cinema, in this new book from the authors of Ghibliotheque.'A book for both the well-versed and the newcomer.'-EMPIREFrom smash hits such as Parasite to cult favourites Oldboy, The Handmaiden and Train to Busan, Korean cinema is a hotbed of creative talent and the force behind the most exciting, captivating filmmaking in the world right now.In this essential guide to the country's cinematic story, Michael Leader and Jake Cunningham - authors and hosts of the hit podcast Ghibliotheque - guide you through the must-see films from a century of Korean movies.Exploring 30 movies, from the breakout hits to deeper cuts, hidden gems and future classics, Film Korea is a gateway to everything you need to know about the white-hot world of Korean cinema. Combining reviews and director biographies with recommended further viewing and a catalogue of beautiful film stills and movie posters, this is your one-stop guide to an incredible, captivating artform.

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Book SynopsisRevised and updated - includes Miyazaki''s new masterpiece, The Boy and the Heron.Explore the films of magical Japanese animation masters Studio Ghibli in this film-by-film celebration for newcomers and long-time fans alike.Ghibliotheque reviews each Studio Ghibli movie in turn, in the voice of expert and newcomer. The lively text delves into production details, themes, key scenes and general reviews, as well as Ghibli-specific information. It''s beautifully illustrated with stills and posters from each movie.Written by the hosts of the acclaimed Ghibliotheque podcast, this is the first and last word on the films of Studio Ghibli.

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Book SynopsisBeginning with early trailblazers like Different from the Others, Kyle Turner has selected 100 of cinema’s greatest queer films to guide you through the eras. From Hitchcock’s Rope and cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show through the New Queer Cinema movement of the 90s to the present day, where LGBTQIA+ narratives have increasingly made their way into the mainstream and dominated award seasons with films like Carol, Tangerine, and Moonlight. From scrappy auteurs to Academy Award winners, The Queer Film Guide celebrates LGBTQIA+ stories and artists, offering a fresh take on what defines great cinema, and lending a voice to the diverse creators and characters who have shaped the artform.

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Book SynopsisWithnail and I sank almost without a trace when it was first released in 1987. Financed by HandMade Films, the late George Harrison’s production company, and drawing heavily on first-time writer-director Bruce Robinson's experiences, this virtually plot-free story follows two out-of-work actors (Withnail, played by Richard E. Grant, and 'I', played by Paul McGann), eking out a living in a run-down London of the late 1960s, and embarking on a booze-fuelled weekend in the country which takes various unexpected turns. Although it initially failed to find an audience, it did not take long for the film to attract a dedicated cult following which still persists today. Lines from the film such as 'we've gone on holiday by mistake!' and 'Bring me the finest wines known to humanity!' have become popular favourites and the subject of countless internet memes. Kevin Jackson's in-depth study gives a full account of the film's origins and production history. But his main focus is the mood and magic of the film, its aesthetics and sensibility, seeking to show, without ever detracting from the film's comic brilliance, just how much more there is to Withnail and I than drunkenness and swearing. 'It is an outstandingly touching yet witheringly unsentimental drama of male friendship,' Jackson writes, 'a bleak up-ending of the English pastoral dream, a piece of ferocious verbal inventiveness' - and, without question, one of the greatest of all British films. In his new foreword to this edition, writer Bharat Tandon pays tribute to to both Withnail's peculiar genius and enduring appeal, and to his close friend Kevin Jackson.Trade ReviewBruce Robinson's first and most famous outing as a writer/director, Withnail & I has gone down in history as the student film...this book is lively with enthusiasm and full to bursting point with anecdotes and analysis...He doesn't try to come across as anything more than what he certainly is: a die-hard Withnail fan with a keen eye for detail and a delightful nose for a story. -- FilmwerkTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Foreword to the 2022 edition Introduction: Withnail and Me 1. A Terrible Cult? 2. The Arena of the Unwell 3. A Kingdom of Rains 4. The Last Island of Beauty 5. The Company of Wolves Notes Credits

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Book SynopsisAlan J. Pakula’s political thriller All the President’s Men (1976) was met with immediate critical and commercial success upon its release, finishing second at the box office and earning seven Academy Award nominations. Through a close reading of key scenes, performances and stylistic decisions, Christian Keathley and Robert B. Ray show how the film derives its narrative power through a series of controlled oppositions: silence vs. noise; stationary vs. moving camera; dark vs. well-lit scenes and shallow vs. deep focus, tracing how these elements combine to create an underlying formal design crucial to the film’s achievement. They argue that the film does not fit the auteurist model of New Hollywood film-makers such as Coppola and Scorsese. Instead, All the President’s Men more closely resembles a studio-era film, the result of a collaboration between a producer (Robert Redford), multiple scriptwriters, a skilful director, important stars (Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman), a distinctive cameraman (Gordon Willis), an imaginative art director (George Jenkins) and ingenious sound designers, who together created an enduringly great film.Trade ReviewAn exemplary analysis of the workings of Pakula’s film, a truly insightful study of the way it has been put together and of the sense that its formal details make … I can’t recommend it highly enough. * Film Alert 101 *This stealthy dissection of Alan J. Pakula's seminal political thriller promises to "imitate" reporters Bernstein and Woodward by "asking questions and taking notes and making connections". Job Done. Strong on context, the book really takes flight with its often shot-by-shot analysis, which places everything from bicycle wheels to banjos under the microscope. -- James Mottram * Total Film *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction 1.Who’s in Control? 2.The Scripts and Their Ellipses 3.Cast Performance Styles 4.Découpage and Dialectics Conclusion Notes Credits

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Book SynopsisThroughout history, apocalypse fiction has explored social injustice through fantasy, sci-fi and religious imagery, but what can we learn from it? Why do we escape very real disaster via dystopia? Why do we fantasise about the end of the world?The word apocalypse has roots in ancient Greek, with apo (off) and kalýptein (cover) combining to form apokálypsis, meaning to uncover or reveal. In considering apocalypse fiction across culture and its role in how we manage, manifest and imagine social, economic and political crises, Goh navigates what this genre reveals about our contemporary anxieties, and why we turn to disaster time and again. From blockbusters like War of the Worlds to The Handmaid's Tale and far beyond, we venture through global pandemics to the climate crisis, seeking real answers in the midst of our fictional destruction. Let's journey to the end.

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Book SynopsisProduced in the aftermath of the Second World War, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's A Matter of Life and Death (1946) stars David Niven as an RAF pilot poised between life and death, his love for the American radio operator June (Kim Hunter) threatened by medical, political and ultimately celestial forces. The film is a magical, profound fantasy and a moving evocation of English history and the wartime experience, with virtuoso Technicolor special effects. In the United States it was released under the title Stairway to Heaven, referencing one of its most famous images, a moving stairway between earth and the afterlife. Ian Christie's study of the film shows how its creators drew upon many sources and traditions to create a unique form of modern masque, treating contemporary issues with witty allegory and enormous visual imagination. He stresses the teamwork of Powell and Pressburger's gifted collaborators, among them Director of Photography Jack Cardiff, production designer Alfred Junge, and costume designer Hein Heckroth, and explores the history of both British and international responses to the film. Christie argues that the film deserves to be thought of as one of the greatest achievements of British cinema, but of all cinema.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments 1. Beginnings 2. Production 3. Responses Epilogue: Afterlife Notes Credits

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Book SynopsisWith season 2 now released, don't miss out on getting the perfect gift for any Stranger Things fan in your life. Grab your Eggos and prepare to enter Hawkins, Indiana – just don't forget your fairy lightsIf you devoured Stranger Things and you're looking to fill the demogorgon-sized hole in your life, then look no further than Notes From the Upside Down. This fan handbook is here to tell you more about the origins of the show, including the mysterious Montauk Project conspiracy theory, get you clued up on the inspirations behind the characters, and assess the show's DNA. If you've ever wondered why Spielberg is such a huge influence, which Stephen King books you need to read (HINT: pretty much all of them) and how State Trooper David O’Bannon earned his name, then this book is for you. Guy Adams is a superfan and this is his amusing and informative guide to everything you're going to need to know to understand Stranger Things.

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Book SynopsisOffering a fresh perspective on The General, arguably one of the most successful American films of the silent era, this insightful text analyses its initial critical reception and the thematic and stylistic characteristics of the film that made it difficult for critics to appreciate at the time, but led to its celebration by later generations.

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Book SynopsisThe Star Wars galaxy is a dangerous place. Be prepared! Would you survive in the spice mines of Kessel?Could you escape from a giant space slug?From tackling extreme weather and finding shelter, to avoiding social pitfalls, learn what to do to stay alive in a galaxy far, far away. & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.Trade ReviewTongue-in-cheek and pleasingly crammed. * SFX *When something as fun and light-hearted as How Not to Get Eaten by Ewoks comes along, it's something to be treasured. * Starburst Magazine *

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Book SynopsisSuitable for readers of Michael Pollan and fans of independent films, this book focuses on the sex lives of marine animals.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"If you already enjoy settling in at night with a glass of wine and your favorite rom-com, this book will evoke the same sensation of fun escapism. Who knows if Meslow did that on purpose or if it was just a happy accident. Either way, I’ll have what he’s having." — Joshua Axelrod, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "A sprightly homage to a popular, seemingly evergreen film genre." — Kirkus Reviews "Meslow tells lots of engaging making of stories (for example, how Pretty Woman was transformed from a fallen-woman tragedy into a Disney fairy tale), but it’s his overarching theme, that romantic comedies are much more than lovey-dovey fluff, that really holds our interest." — Booklist “Fans of the popular but often under-appreciated genre of romantic comedy will appreciate Meslow’s book, which offers insight on the development of landmark films and how some of Hollywood’s biggest names launched their careers.” — Library Journal "A lively history of the modern rom-com, Scott Meslow's book reveals the often surprising ways that films like Pretty Woman and Waiting to Exhale got made, and why they continue to matter." — Melissa Maerz, author of Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused “From Hollywood With Love gives rom-coms the analysis and respect they finally deserve, especially since part of the snobbery around them is rooted in misogyny.” — Rachel Bloom, comedian, actress, writer and author of I Want To Be Where The Normal People Are "A romantic comedy is bigger than two people working towards a climactic kiss. It's dozens of people—writers, producers, actors and their director—falling in love with an idea and coming together to walk it down the aisle into theaters. What Scott Meslow reveals here is that the making of each of these landmark rom coms is itself a tumultuous story of heartbreak, trust, and serendipity. The arguments and seemingly magical coincidences behind the scenes are as riveting as the hijinks onscreen." — Amy Nicholson, film critic and co-host of the Unspooled podcast “If you miss and love romantic comedies as much as I do, this book will scratch that itch!” — Judy Greer, actress and author of I Don't Know What You Know Me From

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Book SynopsisThe definitive guide to classic films from one of America's most trusted film critics Thanks to Netflix and cable television, classic films are more accessible than ever. Now co-branded with Turner Classic Movies, Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide covers films from Hollywood and around the world, from the silent era through 1965, and from The Maltese Falcon to Singin’ in the Rain and Godzilla, King of the Monsters! Thoroughly revised and updated, and featuring expanded indexes, a list of Maltin’s personal recommendations, and three hundred new entries—including many offbeat and obscure films—this new edition is a must-have companion for every movie lover.Trade Review“A must-have for movie buffs, but also… a standard reference for industry insiders.”—Clare Swanson, Publisher's Weekly"Indispensable."—Los Angeles Times "Head and shoulders above the rest."—The New York Times "Belongs next to every TV in every home."—USA Today "The single most important reference book in every American home."—Esquire

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Book SynopsisPresents a wide-ranging selection of Kehr's criticism from the Reader-most of which is reprinted here for the first time-including insightful discussions of film history and his controversial Top Ten lists.Trade Review"Dave Kehr is one of the most gifted film critics in America." -Roger Ebert "Dave Kehr belongs in the pantheon of film critics who have been associated in one way or another with the city of Chicago-in fact, he's one of the best writers on film the country as a whole has ever produced. This collection of his work for the Chicago Reader constitutes an important act of cultural recovery, which provides insights into a crucial period of transition in the film industry. Not only a critic but also a public intellectual, Kehr teaches us about film style, calls attention to pictures that have received too little attention, and makes us care more about an art form. When Movies Mattered is a great pleasure." -James O. Naremore, author of More than Night: Film Noir in Its Contexts"

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Book SynopsisJoin Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, and the Guardians of the Galaxy on a stunning journey through the Marvel Cinematic Universe! DK is bringing its expertise in creating beautiful illustrated non-fiction to this modern pop culture phenomenon; Marvel Studios: The Visual Dictionary shows the world of the Avengers as it has never been seen before.Iron Man''s armour, S.H.I.E.L.D.''s helicarriers, the soaring towers of Asgard, Hawkeye''s bow, Thor''s hammer, mighty Thanos and the Infinity Stones, Star-Lord''s quad blasters - each subject is shown using beautiful movie stills and stunning prop photography, accompanied by engaging text explaining their key features and role in the Marvel saga. A unique and captivating showcase of the first ten years of Marvel Studios, this is the book that every Marvel movie fan has been waiting for! 2018 MARVELTrade ReviewDK is bringing its expertise in creating beautiful illustrated non-fiction to this modern pop culture phenomenon * Books Monthly *

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Book SynopsisExplore the Wars in Star Wars as never before!Enter a galaxy ravaged by conflict and discover the complete story of the epic struggles that define the Star Wars movies. This ambitious book presents major galactic conflicts from an in-world historical perspective: each battle is depicted with captivating imagery, explored with newly commissioned maps, and explained through detailed analysis of tactics, famous commanders, legendary warriors, key moments, and its impact on wider galactic history.This is the perfect book for any Star Wars fan, budding military historian, or would-be rebel hero! AND TM 2021 LUCASFILM LTD.

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Book SynopsisUncover the secrets of the Skywalkers: the family that shaped a galaxy far, far away...The Skywalker story has everything: passion, intrigue, heroism, and dark deeds.This revelatory biography explores every twist and turn of the Skywalker dynasty: the slow seduction to the dark side of Anakin; his doomed marriage to Padmé Amidala; the heroics of Luke and Leia; the fall and redemption of Han Solo and Princess Leia''s son, Ben; and the struggles of his dyad in the Force, Rey.Leaving no stone unturned in tracing the dynasty''s trials and tribulations, this definitive biography of Star Wars'' first family explores and explains the deeper, more personal story of the Skywalkers, their characters, motivations, and, against seemingly impossible odds, their ultimate triumph. AND TM 2021 LUCASFILM LTD.

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Book SynopsisKelly Knox is a freelance entertainment writer in the Seattle area and the author of Marvel Studios: Be More Spider-Man, Star Wars: Be More Obi-Wan, and Marvel Monsters. She contributes to the official websites for franchises like Star Wars, DC Comics, and Marvel Comics. She also writes for pop culture reporting sites including Nerdist and IGN. Kelly specializes in entertainment news and features and creating original DIY and craft projects for all ages.

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FOR CRITICISM 2019From the MAN BOOKER PRIZE- and WOMEN''S PRIZE-SHORTLISTED author of Changing My Mind and Swing Time - discover a second unmissable collection of essays from Zadie Smith''Generous, courageous, and tough-minded... [A] classic English essayist in the vein of Orwell, Woolf and Angela Carter'' Financial Times''Engrossing, astute... Should you read this brilliant book? Absolutely'' Independent''Generous and curious'' Evening Standard''Brilliant, lively and frequently hilarious... She''s one of the brightest minds in English literature today'' NPRNo subject is too fringe or too mainstream for the unstoppable Zadie Smith. From social media to the environment, from Jay-Z to Karl Ove Knausgaard, she has boundless curiosity and the boundless wit to match. In Feel Free, pop culture, high culture, social change and political debate all get the Zadie Smith treatment, dissected with razor-sharp intellect, set brilliantly against the context of the utterly contemporary, and considered with a deep humanity and compassion. This electrifying new collection showcases its author as a true literary powerhouse, demonstrating once again her credentials as an essential voice of her generation.Trade ReviewA writer so insistent on the possibility of imaginative connection, so generous and curious with regard to her readers * Evening Standard *Refreshingly insightful on any number of topics, from Martin Buber to Justin Bieber...Reviewing a book by her countryman Geoff Dyer, [Smith] writes that she is most struck by 'his tone. Its simplicity, its classlessness, its accessibility and yet its erudition-the combination is a trick few British writers ever pull off.' Without question, Smith is one of them * TIME Magazine *Brims with a wide-ranging enthusiasm...[Smith's] open-mindedness gives the whole of Feel Free a lively, game-for-anything spirit...Enchanting * USA Today *Fascinating stuff! * Love It! *Charmingly digressive...Smith sets an unpretentious tone...As the pages pass, there's a palpable absence of self-certainty. In its place are ample reserves of curiosity and empathy * Minneapolis Star Tribune *The joy of this collection is Smith's straightforward phrasing, often summing up her thesis with a single thoughtful sentence. Her words are not overwritten; they do not distract from her purpose, nor are they a barrier to her argument; they are welcoming. I found myself re-reading the brightest of these sentences over and again, marveling at her humor and her brevity * Associated Press *The strongest essays showcase Smith's skills as an art, literary and cultural critic...One of the pleasures of reading Feel Free is in savoring Smith's joy when she writes about formative cultural experiences. As with any book of opinions, Feel Free makes claims one might dispute...But a collection of essays that doesn't prompt disagreements would be a dull book, and Feel Free is anything but dull * Houston Chronicle *Getting In and Out' is the kind of essay that sheds light on a whole career, and it would justify this collection even if Feel Free didn't include a handful of more perfectly crafted pieces of prose * Chicago Tribune *For years, [Smith] has been one of the most important literary journalists we have. This is why * Buffalo News *Smith writes [ . . . ] with such infectious zeal and engaging accessibility that it makes you want to turn up at her house and demand tutoring * Dazed and Confused *Publisher's Description: Dazzlingly insightful, explosively funny and ever-timely, essential writer Zadie Smith is back with a second unmissable collection of essays, following up her critically acclaimed collection, Changing My Mind * Penguin *It's good to know that, while my body rusts, I can keep my mind stretched and nimble by reading Zadie Smith * Observer *A preturnaturally gifted writer with a voice that's street-smart and learned, sassy and philosophical all at the same time * The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisThe first critical study of Disney films.Trade Review"... a wealth of local insights into many specific Disney projects, from their animated classics up to and including their work produced and distributed under their various other corporate names ..." - American Quarterly "The Disney book with a difference! ...These tightly structured and passionately but thoughtfully argued points should provoke lively debate..." - Brave New WorldTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Walt's in the Movies—Elizabeth Bell, Lynda Haas, and Laura SellsSection I: Sanitizations/Disney Film as Cultural PedagogyBreaking the Disney Spell—Jack ZipesMemory and Pedagogy in the "Wonderful World of Disney": Beyond the Politics of Innocence—Henry A. GirouxPinocchio—Claudia CardDisney Does Dutch: Billy Bathgate and the Disneyficationof the Gangster Genre—Robert HaasThe Movie You See, The Movie Don't: How Disney Do's That Old Time Derision—Susan Miller and Greg RodeSection II: Contestations/Disney Film as Gender ConstructionSomatexts at the Disney Shop: Constructing the Pentimentos of Women's Animated Bodies—Elizabeth Bell"The Whole Wide World was Scribbed Clean": The Androcentric Animation of Denatured Disney—Patrick D. MurphyBambi—David PayneBeyond Captain Nemo: Disney's Science Fiction—Brian AtteberyThe Curse of Masculinity: Disney's Beauty and the Beast—Susan JeffordsSection III: Erasures/Disney Film as Identity Politics"Where Do The Mermaids Stand?"Voice and Body in The Little Mermaid—Laura Sells"Eighty-Six the Mother": Murder, Matricide, and Good Mothers—Lynda HaasSpinsters in Sensible Shoes: Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks—Chris CuomoPretty Woman Through the Triple Lens of Black Feminist Spectatorship—D.Soyini MadisonPachuco Mickey—Ramona FernancezContributorsIndex

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Book SynopsisProvides a comprehensive introduction to and resource for cinema of the "Maghreb". This book examines the political and cultural context of the films and the film industry in the post-independence era. It includes a dictionary of more than 135 North African filmmakers and a chronological filmography.Trade ReviewArmes (Middlesex Univ., London) scrutinizes the formation and characteristics of filmmaking in the Maghreb (Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria), the area of North Africa once colonized by France. The book is the product of years of precise, systematic research, which the author deploys in an effective organization that is almost encyclopedic. Armes divides the contents into two parts: Histories, a chronological, decade—by—decade account of the development of film in all three countries; and Themes and Styles, with ten full—scale analyses of significant films from the region. As a factual history of postcolonial moviemaking in the Maghreb, this book will not soon be superseded, but it is also important for its theory. The author distinguishes among the film cultures of the three nations while allowing their basic similarities, and he also distinguishes the Maghreb movies from French cinema—once again, noting similarities. He concludes that nationalism and colonialism are not simply antagonistic opposites. North Africans become French in the cinema, but they are principally engaged in changing the meaning of the two terms. One of the finest recent studies of national cinemas, this book includes two valuable appendixes: Dictionary of Feature Filmmakers and a complete list of films (1965, 2002). Summing Up: Essential. Lower—division undergraduates and above.R. D. Sears, Berea College, 2005oct CHOICE"Roy Armes's new book Postcolonial Images: Studies in North African Cinema provides an extremely useful survey of films from Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco, as well as films made by filmmakers of the North African diaspora in the postcolonial or politically post—Independence period..." —H-Net, April 2005"Roy Armes's new book Postcolonial Images: Studies in North African Cinema provides an extremely useful survey of films from Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco, as well as films made by filmmakers of the North African diaspora in the postcolonial or politically post—Independence period...—H—net, April 2005" —"The book is the product of years of precise, systematic research, which the author deploys in an effective organization that is almost encyclopedic....One of the finest recent studies of national cinemas..." —Choice, October 2005"... Armes's well-researched book provides the reader with a major text on a neglected, important, and vibrant cinema." —Ali Abdullatif Ahmida, University of New England, INTNL JRNL MID EAST STD - IJMES, Vol. 40 2008Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsList of AcronymsIntroductionPart I. Histories1. Beginnings in the 1960s2. The 1970s3. The 1980s4. The 1990s5. Into the PresentPart II. Themes and Styles6. An Indigenous Film Culture: El Chergui (1975)7. History as Myth: Chronicle of the Years of Embers (1975)8. A Fragile Masculinity: Omar Gatlato (1976)9. Memory Is a Woman's Voice: La Nouba (1978)10. Imag(in)ing Europe: Miss Mona (1987)11. Defeat as Destiny: Golden Horseshoes (1989)12. Sexuality and Gendered Space: Halfaouine (1990)13. A Timeless World: Looking for My Wife's Husband (1993)14. A New Future Begins: Silences of the Palace (1994)15. A New Realism? Ali Zaoua (1999)ConclusionAppendix A. Dictionary of Feature Filmmakers Appendix B. List of FilmsNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisA FRONT-ROW SEAT TO A YEAR'S WORTH OF MUST-SEE FILMSDirector, producer, screenwriter, author, actor, and film critic, Peter Bogdanovich knows movies. Now, in this unique new book, he shares his passion with a connoisseur's insight and delight by inviting the reader to join him for a year at the movies--fifty-two weeks, fifty-two films, fifty-two reasons to watch. Which films does Peter Bogdanovich call . . .'The most hauntingly chilling, strangely prophetic science-fiction picture ever made.'(You'll be treated to it on Halloween)'A scintillatingly directed comedy.'(Discover it with someone you love on Valentine's Day)'A bittersweet human comedy of vintage genius [that] only becomes more precious as the years pass.'(Ringing in the New Year with it is reason enough to celebrate)With recommendations specific to the seasons and holidays--from sparkling comedies, timeless musicals, landmark foreign films, powerful dramas and thrillers to l

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Book SynopsisThe definitive, lavishly illustrated reference guide to the universe of the first six films! This comprehensive boxed set of three hefty volumes covers every aspect of Star Wars, from the original six movies to The Clone Wars, radio dramas, comics, novels, cartoons, short stories, and video games. With a treasure trove of information on more than thirty years of Star Wars—and a millennia in the galaxy far, far away—this is the must-have centerpiece for every Star Wars library. Abundantly illustrated with full-color artwork and photos, and now in a new three-volume edition to accommodate its wealth of detailed entries, the Star Wars Encyclopedia encompasses the full measure of George Lucas’s creation. Here’s just a sampling of what’s inside: • character portraits of both the renowned (Luke Skywalker, Queen Amidala, Darth Vader) and the obscure (Tnun Bdu, Tycho Celchu, Bib Fortuna) • the natives and customs of planets as diverse as Tatooine and Hoth, Dagobah and Kashyyyk • the rituals, secrets, and traditions of Jedi Knights and Sith Lords • a timeline of major events in Star Wars history, from the Clone Wars and the inception of the Empire to the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker and the invasion of the monstrous Yuuzhan Vong Scrupulously researched and written by leading authorities Stephen J. Sansweet, Pablo Hidalgo, Bob Vitas, and Daniel Wallace, this landmark work is the must-have centerpiece of every Star Wars library.

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Book SynopsisRecognised as one of America's leading film historians and critics, Leonard Maltin has become a household name and media personality due to his regular appearances on the highly successful syndicated TV program Entertainment Tonight and the Encore cable-TV service, his syndicated radio program, Leonard Maltin's Video View, his monthly reviews in Playboy magazine, and the featuring of Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide on the World Wide Web, via the popular Amazon.com website. He lives in Toluca Lake, California.Trade Review“A must-have for movie buffs, but also… a standard reference for industry insiders.”—Clare Swanson, Publisher's Weekly"Indispensable."—Los Angeles Times "Head and shoulders above the rest."—The New York Times "Belongs next to every TV in every home."—USA Today "The single most important reference book in every American home."—Esquire

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