Zach Boylston: How did you first hear about Film Matters and what inspired you to submit your article?
Christina Marie Newland: I think I found Film Matters because I was fascinated with some of the big scholarly film journals – coming fresh from university, I started looking for opportunities for young film scholarship. I was so excited to find out that Film Matters existed and that it was such a quality platform, as well. In terms of my article, on Raging Bull [“Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull, Italian American Masculinity, and the American Dream,” FM 4.1, 2013], it was my favorite chapter of my final year dissertation at Nottingham Trent University. My professors encouraged me to get it published outside of school, so I went for it.
ZB: What did you gain from the experience of getting published in Film Matters?
CMN: It was a big, big deal for me – my first published work in print. I was so excited. The magazine is beautifully put-together, and considering I write mostly freelance and online film criticism, I still really cherish the physical copy of it. It’s so nice to have something that’s tactile.
ZB: What was the response to your article and how did you react?
CMN: Well, it was mostly very positive. I spent a lot of time researching and reading around boxing, homoeroticism in sport, Roman Catholicism and self-flagellation. The reaction seemed to be that I’d taken an interesting spin on a very discussed-and-written-about film, so that gave me a lot of confidence going forward.
ZB: What path have you taken since getting published in Film Matters?
CMN: I’m a freelance film critic, so I generally write more poppy reviews and analytical articles on movies. I did write an academic article on a forgotten film from the 1970’s, Looking for Mr. Goodbar (http://issuu.com/adambatty/docs/periodical_2android). I still love academic film studies and hope to return to get my MA in film studies very soon. You soon discover academia and criticism often can and do bleed into each other. Some of the finest writers on film combine both aspects, so ideally that’s where I’d like to find myself!
ZB: Are you a fan of Wes Anderson films? If so, why? If not, why?
CMN: I’ve always liked his films, particularly Rushmore, but had never fallen in love with them until 2012’s Moonrise Kingdom – that was a revelation for me. The pristine framing techniques, the dollhouse mise-en-scène, the droll humor – it just clicked together with that film. I tend to find that I prefer Anderson when he’s dealing with children as his subject matter. He is whimsical and precocious sometimes, and I see how some critics find that irritating, but he creates such beautiful worlds for his characters to inhabit. Grand Budapest Hotel continued the love affair in a major way. It took all of the great Anderson techniques and tendencies, but everything was funnier and more wistful. I was surprised how moved I was by it.
Author Biography
Zach Boylston is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where he majored in film studies. Originally from Raleigh, NC, he is a stand-up comedian and performs on stages and for films based in the southeast. His most recent film, a documentary he directed entitled A Brewing Community, was released in May 2014.
