Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now" is a different kind of war movie. It's a multi-genre film that maybe says more about human psychology than it does about war. In this episode of Crash Course Film Criticism, Michael Aranda takes us on a trip through the Vietnam War through the eyes of a director at the end of his rope.

Beasts of No Nation is available to stream on Netflix (as it is a Netflix release).

Some films are about war, some films are about kids, but some films are about kids during a time of war. Even more upsetting are films about kids who participate in war. Beasts of No Nation tells the story of Agu, a child forced into serving in a war in Africa and it is both upsetting and compassionate. In this episode of Crash Course Film Criticism, Michael Aranda talks to us about the craft of filmmaking in Cary Fukunaga's "Beasts of No Nation."

During our Film History and Production series, we talked about how Film is an "Illusion of Reality." That filmmakers use shots, cuts, and narrative structure to trick us into believing what we're seeing. But, what happens when that Illusion of Reality is an Illusion of Actual Reality? Otto Bell's "The Eagle Huntress" is a feel good, enchanting, and powerful hero's journey. But its characters are real. It's a documentary. And, as good as the film is, it's not without appropriate criticisms. In this episode of Crash Course Film Criticism, we take a look at a documentary that's as moving as any narrative fiction film.

Steven Soderbergh is known as much for his Oscar winning tense dramas as he is retiring... then not retiring. He was a part of the indy revolution in the 1980s and 90s that helped usher in a new case of writers and directors who didn't play by the rules of the Hollywood system. He's also known for making quirky and emotionally potent small films. In this episode of Crash Course Film Criticism, we'll look at one of his smaller films. It's called The Limey and it's about a British lifetime criminal seeking revenge for the death of his daughter.

Selma tells the story of Martin Luther King Jr. and one of the greatest non-violent protests in U.S. history. Ava DuVernay directs this historical drama that captured hearts and minds but also made us ask some questions about historical accuracy in film. In today's episode of Crash Course Film Criticism, Michael takes us on a journey through the film Selma.

Movies are really good at making us feel. Happy, sad, excited, etc... Part of that is because they use so many different types of media all at once. Photography, music, performance, and editing all play into their ability to communicate ideas and make us feel emotions. And Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Three Colors: Blue" is a master class this.

Before the Hayes Code was enacted, movies were a lot more brazen than we sometimes tend to think. Director/Producer Lois Weber spent much of her career making movies that challenged audiences. Her film, "Where Are My Children" is no different. In this episode of Crash Course Film Criticism, Michael talks about this film and it's sometimes contradictory stances.