“A Real Pain” and the Burden of Survival

by

Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial debut walks us through memory, grief, and the unresolved distance between family members

Late in A Real Pain, the film offers the hallmarks of an emotional climax. The childhood home of a Holocaust survivor, rediscovered by her two American grandsons. The camera lingers, the characters pause, a symbolic gesture is made. And then—nothing. No cathartis. No monologue. Just a stretch of quiet that first feels unresolved, until you realize it isn’t. The silence is the answer.

Read more

Introducing Project Drake: A Sci-Fi Novel in Progress

by

Follow the development of Project Drake, a new near-future science fiction novel about space elevators, family legacy, and the search for meaning.

Designing the New Logo for Plot and Theme

by

As Plot and Theme will be devoting more time to forms of storytelling other than movies, the need for a fresh logo arose, one that could aptly represent this expanded scope. Simplicity was the guiding principle in designing the logo. A clean, uncluttered design is not only visually appealing but also communicates the core values … Read more

How to Edit Your Manuscript: a Case Study with “Viral Agents”

by

This year, I’ve spent most of my writing time editing the manuscript for Viral Agents. In this post today, I’ll walk you through my editing process, making note of the rationale behind each step of the approach. This is still a work in progress, of course, so I will refrain from spoiling anything in the story. Plus, since the novel isn’t actually published yet, I can’t say that this approach has been successful from the perspective of actually producing a work fit and capable for public consumption. But, the process is underway, and I stand by it for now. Let’s get going.

Read more

Plot and Theme’s Top Ten Films of 2022

by

People love lists, and none more than ones subjectively ranking assorted items (preferably related somehow). It is in that spirit that I have compiled my Top Ten Films released in 2022, especially now that I have seen some of the prestige films released near the end of the year. There are still quite a few … Read more

“Babylon”: Damien Chazelle’s Hollow Ode to Hollywood

by
a

I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but Damien Chazelle likes movies. Babylon, the director’s latest celebration of his own art form, is a monument to the indulgence of early Hollywood, documenting the seamy culture while celebrating the magical products that it produces. The result is an uneven and haphazard slog of over three … Read more

“The Whale” Devastates with a Timeless Look at Choice, Forgiveness, and Love

by

The Whale fucking destroyed me. With about fifteen minutes to go, I felt the lump forming in my throat. After a tiny plot twist, things started getting blurry. During the climactic scene, the tears started flowing freely, and by the time the credits rolled, I was an absolute mess. I wasn’t the only one, as … Read more

The Knives Out and Glass Onion Double-Feature Film Review

by

The “whodunit” style of mystery story has experienced a renaissance over the recent years with updated versions of the classic Agatha Christie stories like Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile having reasonable success with audiences. More thriller-style mysteries like Gone Girl and Where the Crawdads Sing have been adapted from popular … Read more

Avatar 2: The Way-off Water

by

Avatar 2: The Way of Water is a three-hour Disney ride more than an actual film, and it feels as though the creators believe that’s plenty. Characters are drawn broadly and their motivations even more so. Plot elements are convenient, shoe-horned, and repetitious retreads of the first film, at least when they aren’t completely nonsensical. Themes are unchanged from the original, an afterthought at best. This is a movie that is more about the experience of watching it than the actual content of the movie.

Read more

Project Announcement: “Viral Agents” – A Science Fiction Novel

by

Since about 2015, I have been keeping jottings on various creative writing projects. Some are probably best suited to short stories, but I felt that others had a good chance to become full-fledged novels. In November of 2017, I wrote the opening scene to one of these projects in a fit of inspiration and creativity. Then I set it aside for almost four years. Partly this was because I wasn’t prepared to focus on it, and partly because I knew I needed to learn a lot more about plotting, writing, and everything else that comes along with turning a blank page into a complete work. I read books on writing (a post for a different day, I’m sure). I plotted out my story. I developed my characters and themes, and at some point the only thing left to do was write.

Read more