Honoring female filmmakers who helped shaped the film industry behind the scenes

The film industry, like many others, is male dominated. That is not to say that women haven’t played an important role in it throughout its history. There have been, and continues to be, incredible women who play a major part in making great films.   Many of these women find success behind the scenes in critical filmmaking roles. There are many amazing female writers, costumers, and editors in film. While they aren’t necessarily common household names, they work alongside male directors that you would likely recognize.  Even the iconic director Martin Scorsese has had the same female editor, Thelma Schoonmaker, since…

Return of the rom-zom-com

Valentine’s Day and romantic comedies, much like a couple in love, go hand in hand. This month’s new release, Lisa Frankenstein, takes the best things about the beloved genre and gives it a healthy dose of horror. The new film marks the feature length debut of director Zelda Williams, daughter of the late actor and comedian Robin Williams. Taking inspiration from classic horror films as well as the candy-colored comedy staples of the 1980’s, the film tells the story of a teenage girl and her newly resurrected zombie boyfriend.  In honor of this new release, I decided to reach out…

Food movies to put you in the mood, yum!

The Thanksgiving holiday is soon approaching and that leaves just one thing on my mind — food. While there are plenty of Thanksgiving movies I could write about, it’s the food movies that I find lingering in my mind. I find all these films to be sort of comforting in one way or another, but all showcase the love of cooking and sharing a meal with those around you. I do have to make two small suggestions before you dive in. Put on your stretchy pants and make sure to grab some snacks. It is nearly impossible to watch these…

Professor shares her top horror films

Movies adapted from novels Pantoja covers in class Veronica Pantoja has been teaching at Del Mar College since 2009 and has offered what I consider to be one of the most enjoyable classes on campus. A lifelong horror movie enthusiast, her passion for the genre is shared with students in her English 1302 class-Vampires, Monsters and Madmen. Her experience teaching this class goes back 17 years to when she taught at Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Arizona. This class examines the foundational texts that have inspired countless years of film adaptations. With Halloween right around the corner, I decided to reach…

Affordable concerts seen on film

Chances are it has happened to you or someone you know — The Eras Tour. Taylor Swift’s most recent tour took the world by storm and, whether you are a “Swiftie” or simply an innocent bystander, I can just about guarantee that you heard about it. Avoiding news about the Ticketmaster site crash or the extreme ticket prices was nearly impossible. It was recently announced that a filmed version of the show would be hitting the big screen Oct. 13, and not wanting a repeat of the Ticketmaster fiasco, theaters amped up their websites and prepared for the attack. Now…

Banned books become major films

Banned Books Week started in 1982 and has since worked toward promoting open access to books in libraries and schools. Many of the books once banned or challenged have gone on to be considered classics and are staples of American literature. As often happens with great novels, Hollywood has adapted many of these stories to film. While in print they received lots of pushback, ironically, the film versions of these books were often met with great praise and nominated for prestigious awards. These three suggestions represent just a small sampling of the movies that give a new life to banned…

Explore the vast world of Hispanic cinema

Representation for Hispanics in film, as is the case with many ethnicities, has not always been easy to find. Major Hollywood stars like Rita Hayworth, whose birth name was Margarita Carmen Hayworth Cansino, had to veil their ethnic roots in order to find success in their careers. With the start of Hispanic Heritage Month beginning on September 15th, I thought this was the perfect time to compile a list of films representing the five areas of the world traditionally celebrated during this time. You’ll find that these movies all feature artists and filmmakers from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean as well…

3 perfect films for a homework break

With the start of the new semester upon us, what better way to escape the stress of back-to-school than kicking back and watching some movies? All these films deal with the dilemmas of life in college. From a silent film era comedy to an animated family classic and something scary for those looking for a thrill, there is something to fit any mood. ‘The Freshman’ – 1925 Although he may not be as often discussed as Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd was one of the biggest stars of silent film era comedies. “The Freshman” follows Speedy, played by…