Christina Cady

Christina Cady

Christina Cady writes about literature, television, and film. She is pursuing a BA in Literature/Writing at the University of California- San Diego.

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    Latest Articles

    Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
    Film
    35

    The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Memory and Association

    Lacuna is a company in Michel Gondry’s film The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which offers a procedure to have...

    Christina Cady

    Literature
    30

    The Making of Middle Earth and its Mythos: Subcreation vs Allegory

    Subcreation, a term coined by J. R. R. Tolkien, is at its core built on philosophical ideas of perception and...

    Christina Cady

    Latest Topics

    2
    tv
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    The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt building on the Foremothers of Female Centric Comedy

    An Analysis of Tina Fey and Robert Carlock's new comedy and how it has been shaped and influenced by it's predecessors from "I Love Lucy," "30 Rock," "Parks and Rec," to more recent contemporaries like the "Mindy Project," and "Girls." "Unbreakable" would serve as the center piece for the larger discussion of the emergence and evolution of female centered comedies.

    • Great idea! I think there seems to be a rise in female-centric comedy that makes a bold step away from shows like Sex and the City! It would be interesting to think about why this shift has occurred. – Jessica Marie Farrugia 10 years ago
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    3
    film
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    Comic Actors who Have Excelled in Dramatic Roles

    The Academy Award winning "Birdman" stars many actors primarily known for their comedic roles. Looking at other films (Jim Carey in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," Steve Carell in "Foxcatcher," and many more) it shows that this transition is not so rare. This article would explore such casting choices and the transition between comedic and dramatic acting. Is it easier to transition from comedy to drama, are there any examples of the inverse? This could also take a list format to rank such performances while addressing some of these questions.

    • Robin Williams is also worth mentioning for Good Will Hunting, The Fisher King, and Good Morning Vietnam. – Cagney 10 years ago
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    1
    tv
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    ShondaLand: A Study on the Occupation Based Drama

    Shonda Rhime's has created a pantheon of successful shows based on occupations with which grade schoolers often complete the phrase "When I grow up I want to be a…" (Grey's Anatomy- doctor, Scandal- president, How to Get Away with Murder- lawyer.) This article would be an study on why this model has worked so well, the narrative formula, and the fictions and truths of the occupations that these shows focus on. There should also be an argument for the character driven story and whether or not the occupation matters as more than just a frame for the dramatic storylines.

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      2
      film
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      Jurassic World: The Gains and Pitfalls of Technology in Hollywood

      The Jurassic Park franchise is known for it's astounding use of technology creating a hyperrealistic cinematic experience as seen in previous films. From what we've seen of the upcoming film "Jurassic World," it is evident that Spielberg has moved to more digital means of bringing his dinosaurs back to life. Critics have pointed out how this use of technology actually demerits the new film because it lacks the grit of the original films thereby distancing the audience from what is suppose to be an immersive experience. Still, while these early previews may be less than impressive, it is undeniable that the marketing for the film has done amazing work with secondary media. This is extremely well exemplified in the Jurassic World website with a very realistic interface that boasts live cams of the park, and details right down to current temperature making the fictional park seem as real as Disney World. This would be an analysis the different uses of technology, what it enables, and it's possible faults in anticipation of "Jurassic World."

      • I like this topic. I think it would be worthwhile to examine any other remake or sequels that have switched to using digital/computer graphics and have been less successful than the original. – Liz Watkins 10 years ago
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      • This would be a neat topic. The increased use of digital or computer graphics in movies is a trend, one that is unlikely to slow down. In terms of sequels that have used more graphics, it might be helpful to compare The Hobbit trilogy and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It seems to me that the LOTR movies are "grittier" than The Hobbit movies. – S.A. Takacs 10 years ago
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      • I think this is a very interesting topic. I think the suggestions from Liz Watkins and S.A. Takacs are all great to follow, and maybe if you are going to focus on how Jurassic World uses secondary media to promote the film, maybe you could look into how other films like The Hobbit use similar tactics with its marketing. – Seth Childers 10 years ago
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      2
      arts
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      Social Media as a Platform for Mixing Low Brow with High Brow

      This article would be a survey of how people have exploited social media in a way that connects high concepts with popular culture. Twitter accounts like KimKierkegaardashian, and comedy posts for Buzzfeed such as "47 Thoughts Everyone Has While Crossing The Rubicon To Invade Rome" are a couple examples off the top of my head. The article would display how different social media platforms work as a gallery for digital art and commentary.

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        1
        literature
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        From Screen to Page: The Appeal of Books by Television Celebrities

        Recently there have been a numerous books published by people who have been put in the spotlight by their appearances and contribution to Television (Lena Dunham's "Not that Kind of Girl," Mindy Kaling's "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?," Amy Poehler's "Yes, Please," and Tina Fey's "Bossy Pants" to name a handful.) This article would be a discussion of why these types of books are so appealing, while it is primarily female writers that produce such books, and some books that break from this convention while following a similar trend (such as BJ Novak's "One More Thing.") This article would use subjects such as the struggle for for the female voice in Hollywood, reader demographics, and trends in the memoire genre as support for the discussion.

        • I have not read any of the mentioned, and those are not books I would typically put on my list to read, so it would be interesting for someone to write on the appeal of this books for anyone--not just fans of the celebrities. I would like to know which ones would be worth reading for someone who is just an avid reader. – Liz Watkins 10 years ago
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        • I have not read any of the books mentioned but my mother has. She loved them and is a big believer in some of them. I would to read an article about what is so note-worthy about these books. – abutler6 10 years ago
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        2
        tv
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        Shrinking the Screen and Expanding the Story: Adapting the Blockbuster to Television

        Exploring the conventions of transforming a cinematic world to television through the analysis of recent shows. Twelve Monkeys, Hannibal, and Bates Motel are some of the most recent adaptations of film to television; in these adaptations we see similar tropes seen in these adaptations. More intricate storylines, modernized settings and genderbent characters are among the changes seen in such shows. The article would highlight and analyze the use of these tools of adaptation.

        • A very nice topic. Title could be reworked. Adapting the Blockbuster to Television: Shrinking the Screen and Expanding the Story. This I read to do in the Guide :) The adaptation necessarily has such tools as you mentioned, and the list could be enlarged. Changing characters according to the target audience, minimizing budget, choosing appropriate breakpoints for episode ends, etc. It'll make a nice article. – Abhimanyu Shekhar 10 years ago
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        Latest Comments

        Christina Cady
        Mar 13, 2015
        Christina Cady

        Nice read, I think that the show’s ending made sense for the reasons that were laid out here though I will agree that the final season wasn’t the best but that’s beside the point. HIMYM has always been a show that had a strong grounding in it’s story concepts and arcs I think this is a theme that was pretty well reflected in its finale. Thanks for the article!

        		 Why the How I Met Your Mother Series Finale was Actually Genius
        Christina Cady
        Mar 10, 2015
        Christina Cady

        Really interesting and insightful article! Another aspect to be explore that supports the idea of the raising artistry in half hour shows could be binge watching. At first it may seem counter intuitive that shorter shows follow the trend of binge watching but there is definitely an argument that these shorter stories are more digestible. It could be argued that because the storylines are more streamline they are more driven and the viewer is more compelled to watch more.

        		 The Rise of the Half-Hour Television Series in the Era of TV Auteurism
        Christina Cady
        Jun 3, 2014
        Christina Cady

        I have only watched a few Daria episodes but from the episodes and countless gifs I’ve seen I think that it is a show that has really aged well. That is something that, as you pointed out, can not be said of much of what is seen on MTV today. Thanks for the article, this show is on my to watch list!

        		 Daria Morgendorffer: A Character Study
        Christina Cady
        May 30, 2014
        Christina Cady

        You raise some really great questions and ideas! I think there is something to the fact that while specific memories can be erased, the connections between memories are not. Still, as we see in Mary, there must be some emotional trigger to which the erased memories were connected in order for some growth in the character. In this way, perhaps, things are changed through the memory of emotions. Remember too that it was not just suffering that was erased but all his happy memories with Clementine as well. Maybe it would have been better of me to say simply say “experience is necessary for growth.” In this way, I don’t think he sees Clementine as a person who will save him but rather “change” him, and in this way perhaps she is still a concept. The very fact that she is a character in his head makes her a in fact a concept, but we also see her develop as a character. The difference then between a character and the concept trope, then becomes the realization of faults and emotions beyond the self, allowing a sort of symbiotic growth.
        On this basis, I would speculate that Joel in both cases, with and without the erasure, would have experienced some form of growth, but the two would end up in very different life places. Memory-erased Joel reverts to the mind set where meeting Clementine is something he is driven to experience. On the other hand, Joel with memories is beyond his initial infatuation with her, making something of a psychologically-temporal disconnect.
        I think that, as the story stand, there is a greater chance for the relationship to change than there is for it to repeat because of the the retained emotions and the fact that the characters in someways have been shown to act as emotional triggers to one another. My suspicion is that their relationship will form more rapidly than their first go-round and this will change the course of the relationship. I hope this makes some sort of sense! Thanks for the really though provoking comment!

        		 The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Memory and Association
        Christina Cady
        May 27, 2014
        Christina Cady

        The way O’Brien use of metafiction as catharsis specifically in the context of war and its aftermath is really interesting. I think you explored well the author’s depiction (of the depiction) of war as an art aimed at understanding. Thanks for the article!

        		 Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried: Using Fiction to Cope With Tragedy
        Christina Cady
        May 27, 2014
        Christina Cady

        There are a lot of layers to this film and I think that is what makes it so redolent and enduring. I’m amazed by actors who excel in parts outside of their usual roles. The best examples of this I can think of off hand are (of course) Jim Carrey in this film, and Bruce Willis in Twelve Monkeys. I think both actors are really well known for their big budget roles but underrated for their acting potentials. Thanks for the comment!

        		 The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Memory and Association
        Christina Cady
        May 27, 2014
        Christina Cady

        Thanks for the comment! Sorry it got hard to read I’ll try to improve my editing the next time around. I’m really glad the article managed to pique your interest in the film! I hope you enjoy it!

        		 The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Memory and Association
        Christina Cady
        May 27, 2014
        Christina Cady

        This film is really an interesting mix of psychological/high-concept science-fiction/romance/dark comedy all in a wonderful balance that I think keeps it interesting for different audiences. Thanks for the comment!

        		 The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Memory and Association
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