How ‘Dune’ became a beacon for the fledgling environmental movement − and a rallying cry for the new science of ecology

When Frank Herbert sat down in 1963 to start writing ‘Dune,’ he wasn’t thinking about how to leave Earth behind. He was thinking about how to save it.

Devin Griffiths, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences • conversation
March 15, 2024 ~10 min

Mavka: The Forest Song – Ukrainian animation echoes the ecocide of wartime

Sometimes I feel that after Chernobyl our land is cursed. Hearing about French children watching Mavka in a Parisian cinema, I felt hope.

Viktoriia Grivina, PhD Candidate, School of Modern Languages and Social Anthropology, University of St Andrews • conversation
Feb. 27, 2024 ~7 min


‘Jaws’ portrayed sharks as monsters 50 years ago, but it also inspired a generation of shark scientists

‘Jaws,’ published in 1974, terrified the public of sharks, but it also brought shark research into the scientific mainstream.

Gavin Naylor, Director of Florida Program for Shark Research, University of Florida • conversation
Jan. 31, 2024 ~10 min

How movies use music to manipulate your memory

A sad song coupled with a happy movie scene can become strangely memorable.

Libby Damjanovic, Research Fellow of Psychology, Lund University • conversation
Nov. 20, 2023 ~7 min

Book: TV monsters prompt big questions as religion wanes

Ahead of Halloween, an expert explains the symbolism of some classic on-screen monsters and the theological questions they raise.

Jade McClain-NYU • futurity
Oct. 27, 2023 ~6 min

Gangsters are the villains in 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' but the biggest thief of Native American wealth was the US government

The Osage murders of the 1920s are just one episode in nearly two centuries of stealing land and resources from Native Americans. Much of this theft was guided and sanctioned by federal law.

Torivio Fodder, Indigenous Governance Program Manager and Professor of Practice, University of Arizona • conversation
Oct. 16, 2023 ~10 min

Representation of women physicians is lacking in US movies

Women and people of color are largely missing from movie roles depicting physicians, a new study finds.

Andrea Clement-Emory • futurity
Sept. 13, 2023 ~5 min

What are Hollywood actors and writers afraid of? A cinema scholar explains how AI is upending the movie and TV business

What would you do if the industry you work in could clone your skills, style and even the way you look and sound?

Holly Willis, Professor of Cinematic Arts, University of Southern California • conversation
Aug. 7, 2023 ~9 min


Actors are really worried about the use of AI by movie studios – they may have a point

AI might not yet be able to create leading performances from an actor’s likeness but the jobs of those in the background are far less safe.

Dominic Lees, Associate Professor in Filmmaking, University of Reading • conversation
July 24, 2023 ~8 min

Barbenheimer: Two Movies, One Day

VOA Learning English • voa
July 21, 2023 ~7 min

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