film

Updated 12:11 p.m

From 1942 to 1945, Hollywood created over 200 movies centered around World War II. Thus creating the genre of World War II films, which continued in its popularity even into the 21st Century.

In a new book, “World War II On Film”, author Dave Luhrssen examines the genre through 12 movies and explains how they painted a picture of the war that often blurred the lines of reality.

The holiday season doesn’t just mean snow, decorations, and cookies. For many people, it’s also the highly anticipated time of year to watch a slate of new TV Christmas movies.

Sophia Coppola has earned her place among Hollywood’s best directors with over two decades of filmmaking. Her unique style was most recently applied to writing and directing the comedy, On The Rocks.

With the pandemic impacting what would have been a season of new thrilling releases, this year is a great time to revisit your favorite Halloween films. From the classics like Hocus Pocus, The Exorcist or the Scream franchise, there are plenty of movies available to stream at home.

Ryan Jay, Lake Effect's film contributor, shares some of his top movie picks to watch this Halloween:

Nowadays, there are multiple LGBTQ media outlets for people around the world to tap into and see themselves and their stories represented. But this hasn’t always been the case.

When Franco Stevens realized she was a lesbian, there was hardly any representation of queer women. So in 1990, she decided to change that and founded Curve — the best-selling lesbian lifestyle magazine that still exists today.

When it comes to LGBTQ films, there are a number of good romantic comedies. And a new film, Breaking Fast by writer and director Mike Mosallam, is adding the underrepresented queer, Arab Muslim-American voices to cinema.

Screenwriter and filmmaker Charlie Kaufman isn’t afraid to ask the big, confusing questions about life. His previous work, including Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, takes somewhat of a surreal approach to answering questions about our collective humanity.

Four out of 5 Native women have experienced violence in their lives. Native women are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault than all other American women. One out of 3 Native women report having been raped — over 80% of the time, it's by non-Native men.

The terrible fact that attributes to this: people exploit gaps in tribal authority. Native women have no legal protection for domestic violence committed on tribal lands, particularly if it’s done by a non-Native man.

Last Friday Disney premiered their latest live action remake, Mulan, on their streaming platform Disney+. The 1998 animated film told the story of a heroine who disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father’s place in battle. 

While the animated version came with an array of characters, both human and animal, it’s actually based on a 6th Century poem called “The Ballad of Mulan.” The newest live action remake takes the more serious tone of the ballad and strays away from a shot-by-shot musical replication as Disney’s previous remakes have followed.

While some larger cinema chains are just starting to open and show films to audiences again, yet another Milwaukee festival moved to a virtual platform this year.

The Milwaukee Short Film Festival usually takes place over two days at the Fox Bay Cinema. But as the coronavirus hit during the festival’s submission period, organizers realized they had to change course.  

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, more films have accepted their fate of digital-only releases.

TV and film can be powerful mediums — especially for connecting people to lives or worlds different from their own. Historically, these representations have been mostly damaging for transgender people and experiences.

As Pride is celebrated in June, people are looking back on all of the accomplishments and progress the LGBTQ community has made — like the recent Supreme Court decision that bans LGBT employment discrimination.

June is Pride month in honor of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Greenwich Village, New York. The riots against police brutality and oppression were largely led by LGBTQ people of color. One of those leaders was Marsha P. Johnson, a gay liberation activist and self-identified drag queen.

>> Stonewall: The Hidden History Of Gay Rights

Campaign finance, dark money, Super PACs, political campaigning — sounds like a perfect comedy to be set in small town Wisconsin.

If you turn on Netflix, the top 10 films during the international Black Lives Matter protests following the killing of George Floyd include movies like The Help, Greenbook, or Crash. But these films aren't necessarily the ones to watch to learn more about race issues and racism.

While films are a powerful medium and a widely accessible tool, it’s important to watch films that give accurate representations of events and are made by voices of color — whether fiction or documentaries.

Throughout United States history, Milwaukee and Wisconsin have been politically significant. And Milwaukee has an interesting political past you may not know about: socialists ran the city for nearly half of the 20th century. One of the most notable was Mayor Daniel Hoan, who served for a consecutive 24 years — the longest socialist administration in U.S. history.

Since going to a movie theater currently isn't an option, and may not be for a long time, most of us are turning to streaming services for entertainment. 

The motion picture distribution system was under stress before the coronavirus pandemic, but as services like Netflix grow worldwide, the future of the traditional film industry and movie theaters post-pandemic is uncertain, to say the least. 

Music venues are closed around Milwaukee, the United States, and the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. Musicians have been canceling tours and performances, and many are simply unable to do their jobs at home. Still, people are making music in some new and creative ways.

Like other in-person institutions, movie theaters have been suffering during the coronavirus pandemic. For Milwaukee Film, which owns and operates the Oriental Theatre, the shutdown has meant changing its business model to fit the needs of its fans.

If there was ever a time to be stuck at home, at least it’s during what some call “the golden age of television.” From cable to streaming sites, there's an abundance of content to explore and make the time spent at home pass a little easier.

Whether you’re at home alone or have a family to entertain, our film contributor Ryan Jay has recommendations of great shows and movies to stream for all ages:

>>The Latest WUWM & NPR Coronavirus Coverage

The 92nd Academy Awards takes place this Sunday, celebrating the best films and performances that the past year has had to offer. This year Joker, directed by Todd Phillips, leads with 11 total nominations.

The international feature film Parasite has become an audience favorite, and it competes for best picture top contenders including Once Upon a Time in Hollywood by Quentin Tarantino and 1917 by Sam Mendes.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on Oct. 16, 2019 ahead of Bleed Out's Wisconsin premiere at the Milwaukee Film Festival. 

Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in America. Often caused by miscommunication, medical errors can lead to life-changing outcomes for patients and their families — and the Burrows family is proof.

Experiencing wars through film is often one of the few ways that audiences of all ages can connect with the tragedy of conflict. World War II and Vietnam War have had their share of films, but World War I has yet to get quite the same treatment. However, the film 1917 could change that.

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side," according to the Star Wars character Han Solo. But philosophy and the need to understand our personal journeys in the world has been a human need for centuries — from the Odyssey to Beowulf.

The Indianapolis 500 is one of the world’s most famous races. Thirty-three of the fastest drivers of open-wheel cars partake in the ultimate competition — and no drivers are guaranteed spots. Since 1911, drivers earn their starting place based on the order of qualifying time. 

It’s obvious when you look at the drivers on the track that this sport is still dominated by men. But one woman who made racing history is Janet Guthrie.

Louisa May Alcott released the first part of her novel Little Women in 1868, with the second volume published in 1869. The story follows the lives of the four March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, and their journeys from childhood to adulthood.

The novel — and it’s now eight film adaptations — address themes of domesticity, work, love, and women’s longing for independence and greater meaning during a time where little opportunity was given to them. The novel was an immediate success when it was first published, and the story still captures our attention today.

Patrick Wilson is the kind of actor you probably recognize but can't name. He started out in musical theater on Broadway before breaking big in movies like Phantom of the Opera, The Conjuring series and Aquaman.

Making fun of Nazis isn't a new trend in film — Charlie Chaplin did it in the 1940 film The Great Dictator, Mel Brooks made The Producers, and Quintin Tarantino made Inglorious Bastards.

The newest Nazi satire film Jojo Rabbit looks at Nazi Germany during World War II through the eyes of Jojo Betzler — a 10-year-old boy with a blind fanaticism for the Third Reich. Taika Waititi directed and wrote the screenplay, which is based off of Christine Leunens' novel Caging Skies.

The "vogue" is a dance style with fast-paced arm and body movements with attitude. It originated from the vibrant drag ballroom culture of New York City's LGBTQ community between the 1960s and 1980s.