8 years ago
All posts by Michael Mirasol
Supercut: “The Chase”
This video was borne out of a single shot in George Miller's action epic Mad Max: Fury Road, when the biker gang chases Furiosa's war rig, bounding off desert foothills in relentless pursuit. Strangely enough, the scene triggered memories of Steven Spielberg's...
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Cynthia Rothrock, Hong Kong Action Films, and Expendable Women
Michael Mirasol talks to the venerable female actress and muses on the state of women in action films.
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Robin Williams: A Joyous, Liberating Force of Cinema
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It has nearly been a week since Robin Williams has passed away, and countless tributes (very much deserved) have poured forth since. Many have remembered him for his comedic genius, his acting prowess and his selfless gener...
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History of Film: “Once Upon a Time in the West”
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The English have Shakespeare, the French have Molière, the Russians have Chekhov, the Argentines have Borges, but the Western is ours.
- Robert Duvall
The Western may be the only art form entirely specific to a time and p...
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Should Superhero Films be Animated Instead?
With the latest trailer of Big Hero 6, another superhero movie has entered the fray, though this time it will be fully animated, as compared to ongoing trend of having these comic book creations filmed in live-action. But as more and more superhero story lines...
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Primates: Human Mirrors in Cinema
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What do we see when we look at an ape?
Throughout history, we have been drawn to how much they resemble us. No other animal comes close in our anatomical, behavioral, developmental, physiological and reproductive similaritie...
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How Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing” Changed My Perception of Black America For The better
"On Second Thought" is a weekly column filled with personal written and visual reflections on all things cinematic by critic and video essayist Michael Mirasol.
1989 was a turning point in my life. My family moved into a new home, a two-story house in a...
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Robots: Cinema’s Electric Dreams
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Another blockbuster film season is upon us, which brings another showcase of robots. When one thinks about it, our images of them are as old as the movies themselves. Like the cowboy, was there ever a time when we visualised the...
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A Letter to Roger Ebert
Dearest Roger,
Happy Birthday big guy! That's what I would always email you on your birthday. Today! Has it really been more than a year since you've left us? I still find myself checking your Twitter and Facebook accounts to see if you're really there. But...
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My Favorite Movie Dads
Here is a video tribute to my favorite fatherly moments in cinema. I chose them for no particular reason other than the way they personally struck me. My father, Luis Mirasol Jr., passed away before the end of the last century, so my choices can't help but sho...
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