Self-Idealization and Reality: Why did Gatsby’s Vision Fail?

The iridiscent character of Jay Gatsby from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novella has been a cultural fascination for almost a century since it was first published in 1925. There are various reasons for that. The first one is certainly the rags-to-riches-story of a young man’s transformation from poor circumstances into a flamboyant, wealthy dandy. The second, and certainly most prominant one, is the romance of this … Continue reading Self-Idealization and Reality: Why did Gatsby’s Vision Fail?

Dune 2: What Paul Atreides Taming the Sandworm Teaches us About Facing Obstacles in Life

Dune 2 is coming to theatres today in pre-premiere before the official launch on March 1st. As if the sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s first installment of the franchise wasn’t already hyped enough, the Canadian star-director had decided to release a 7-minute sneak preview 2 weeks prior to the official release of the movie. To savour a little taste of Dune 2 in its anticipation, this … Continue reading Dune 2: What Paul Atreides Taming the Sandworm Teaches us About Facing Obstacles in Life

Is Christopher Nolan Secretly Preparing us for a Sequel of TENET?

While Christopher Nolan is currently busy winning every single award with his great success Oppenheimer, he has recently started shifting his attention back towards his previous movie Tenet. Starting this Friday, February 23rd 2024, Tenet will be back in selected IMAX theaters for the duration of one week. Tenet and Oppenheimer are closely related. As I already reported in an early announcement, it was while … Continue reading Is Christopher Nolan Secretly Preparing us for a Sequel of TENET?

Layers of Illusion and Schizophrenia in Christopher Nolan’s Inception

Despite its unquestionable complexity, Inception is probably the single fan-favourite Christopher Nolan film. This might be due to Leonardo DiCaprio starring in it, but it is certainly also due to the captivating topic of going through multiple layers of dreams within the human consciousness. In this essay I am going to attempt an inherently psychological approach at Inception, focusing on illusion and the loss of … Continue reading Layers of Illusion and Schizophrenia in Christopher Nolan’s Inception

The Father’s Love Beyond Time and Space in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar

Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar is one of those movies who have captivated their audience in all possible dimensions: the interest in scientific theories, the monumental visuals filmed in IMAX, the stellar performances of the starring actors, the deep, meaningful storytelling and the awe-inspiring soundtrack, that has swiftly risen up to the ranks of the most played soundtracks in the world. In all these aspects, Interstellar is … Continue reading The Father’s Love Beyond Time and Space in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar

Identity and Self-Acceptance in Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur and The Gentlemen

Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur is another one of those great movies who have gone rather unnoticed. Despite its little success it is still a fantastic and powerful movie that can teach us a lot about dealing with our own demons, with self-sabotage, and how self-acceptance of our own strength can be the key to overcome our self-doubt. Arthur’s identity is bound to the sword. Only … Continue reading Identity and Self-Acceptance in Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur and The Gentlemen

Time, Guilt and Redemption in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer

This essay is the attempt at a deeper understanding of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Beginning with the analysis of the filmographic techniques Nolan utilizes in the film, we will follow the clues that lead us to a better understanding of the conflict between the protagonist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his antagonist Lewis Strauss. Establishing context with Oppenheimer’s spiritual precursor Tenet, we will take a closer look … Continue reading Time, Guilt and Redemption in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer

The Artist and Addiction in A Star Is Born

A Star is Born is the love story between the successful country-musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) and the young, talented singer Ally (Stefani Germanotta). He wants to help her fulfill her potential and become successful. But their love relationship is tainted by Jack’s addiction to alcohol and drugs. Although the movie is very grounded and focuses solely on the interaction between the characters, the whole … Continue reading The Artist and Addiction in A Star Is Born

The Psychology of the Shadow, Part 2: The Dark Knight

This is part 2 of an essay-series about Christopher Nolan’s highly acclaimed Dark Knight Trilogy. The following is a standalone-article that can be read without the context of the other parts. For the sake of the best understanding of the matter, I strongly suggest you read part 1 about Batman Begins first. After Batman Begins redefined the perception of what levels of quality and depth … Continue reading The Psychology of the Shadow, Part 2: The Dark Knight

The Psychology of the Shadow, Part 1: Batman Begins

Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy has been justly praised for countless reasons. The psychological construction of the protagonist raised the Batman from a mere comic figure to a relatable hero of stature. The quality of the acting, screenplay, production design and especially Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack have elevated this trilogy into the ranks of modern cinema’s all-time classics. But there is one reason for praise that … Continue reading The Psychology of the Shadow, Part 1: Batman Begins