Straight From a Movie / The film journal
Movie blog. Beyond the credits.
A film doesn’t always end when the credits roll. Here we revisit the scenes, memories and ideas that keep coming back, through personal essays and guest voices.
A few places to begin.
Film conversations
When two characters hold the screen
Michael McKown picks three memorable one-on-one conversations from film history.
27 Mar 2025
Cinema & culture
The films that shape us
A personal essay on how cinema colours the way we see our own lives.
9 May 2015
Nostalgia
A first encounter with dinosaurs
A return to Jurassic Park, a school television and the wonder of watching it for the first time.
21 Jun 2015
More from the film journal
Browse the rest of the archive, from character studies to film history and personal reflections. Publication dates are shown so older pieces can be read in context.
Movies: Taking us away from the mundane since 1895
Read the article →: Movies: Taking us away from the mundane since 1895Aren’t you tired of the mundane? Doesn’t it bother you to find yourself surrounded by things that are powerless and futile? Following same…
The Pensieve: Lock up your memories
Read the article →: The Pensieve: Lock up your memoriesMovies are impactful. They leave marks and smears in our heads with their fantastical concepts and thought provoking ideas. But many movies are…
Academy Snubs and Wins (2015) | Boyhood, Birdman and the Oscars
Read the article →: Academy Snubs and Wins (2015) | Boyhood, Birdman and the OscarsAcademy snubs and wins at the 2015 Oscars still make for a lively argument. This is my reaction to the February 22 ceremony,…
How I Met Your Mother Finale Explained
Read the article →: How I Met Your Mother Finale ExplainedHow I Met Your Mother finale explained: a personal look at Ted, Robin, the Mother, and why the ending still divides fans.
Keep the conversation going.
Have a film, a memory or an idea you’d like us to explore?