Introduction to Ana de Armas


Book Description

Ana de Armas is a Cuban-Spanish actress who has become a rising star in Hollywood over the past few years. She was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, and started acting in Spanish-language films and television shows in her early twenties. In 2015, de Armas made her Hollywood debut in the film Knock Knock, which also starred Keanu Reeves. She then appeared in the critically acclaimed Blade Runner 2049, as well as the crime dramas War Dogs and Hands of Stone. In 2019, de Armas starred in the hit murder mystery film Knives Out, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. She has since landed the highly coveted role of Bond girl Paloma in the upcoming James Bond film No Time to Die, set to be released in 2021. Despite her success in Hollywood, de Armas remains deeply connected to her Cuban and Spanish roots. She frequently speaks of her love for her hometown of Havana, and often returns to visit family and friends. Her heritage also plays a significant role in her career; she has expressed a desire to represent Latinx women on-screen and tackle stories that are important to the Hispanic community. In addition to her acting work, de Armas is also an ambassador for the nonprofit organization Save the Children, which provides aid and support to children in need around the world. In this book we discuss topics such as: Introduction to Ana de Armas: Early life and career, Rise to fame, Impact on Hollywood Ana's Filmography: Role in Blade Runner 2049, Work in War Dogs and Hands of Stone, Career in Spanish cinema Ana's Personal Life: Early relationships, Marriage and divorce with Marc Clotet, Romantic involvement with Ben Affleck Impact on the Film Industry: Representation and diversity in Hollywood, Ana's advocacy for women's rights, Awards and recognition Future and upcoming projects: Upcoming roles, Potential projects, Ana's vision for her career Conclusion: Recap of Ana de Armas' career and impact, Future outlook and Final thoughts on Ana de Armas as a Hollywood actress. Quizzes are provided at the end of each section.




American Cities in Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction


Book Description

Visions of the American city in post-apocalyptic ruin permeate literary and popular fiction, across print, visual, audio and digital media. American Cities in Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction explores the prevalence of these representations in American culture, drawing from a wide range of primary and critical works from the early-twentieth century to today. Beginning with science fiction in literary magazines, before taking in radio dramas, film, video games and expansive transmedia franchises, Robert Yeates argues that post-apocalyptic representations of the American city are uniquely suited for explorations of contemporary urban issues. Examining how the post-apocalyptic American city has been repeatedly adapted and repurposed to new and developing media over the last century, this book reveals that the content and form of such texts work together to create vivid and immersive fictional spaces in ways that would otherwise not be possible. Chapters present media-specific analyses of these texts, situating them within their historical contexts and the broader history of representations of urban ruins in American fiction. Original in its scope and cross-media approach, American Cities in Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction both illuminates little-studied texts and provides provocative new readings of familiar works such as Blade Runner and The Walking Dead, placing them within the larger historical context of imaginings of the American city in ruins.




The Sound of Silence


Book Description

The Sound of Silence explores how non-verbal communication in film, shown primarily through the acting of Ryan Gosling, provides an expressive space in which passive audience viewing is made more active by removing the expository signifier of dialogue. The German Expressionist era may have been brief, but the shadows cast since its end nonetheless loom large. The silhouetted, cigar-wielding men of film noir and their respectively dark, doom-laden haunts mirror the angst-inducing atmospheres of their forebearers, while also introducing the now-familiar figure of the silent hero. Considering the numerous silent hero actors in film history, there's one that stands out in the 21st century like no other: Ryan Gosling. His later career has seen some of the most iconic silent heroes of the past decade, with films such as Drive, Only God Forgives, Blade Runner 2049 and First Man cementing him as the go-to guy for a monosyllabic, taciturn and moody hero whose actions speak louder than words. This book argues that it is Gosling's expressive capabilities that keep audiences compelled by his performances. With the use of non-verbal silence – combined with its counterbalance, sound – a more active, emotive audience response can be achieved. Looking further into this idea through theorists such as Michel Chion and Susan Sontag, the book demonstrates that the sound of silence is one of the most meaningful cinematic sounds of all.













Resisting James Bond


Book Description

Beginning with Casino Royale (2006) and ending with No Time to Die (2021), the Daniel Craig era of James Bond films coincides with the rise of various justice movements challenging deeply entrenched systems of inequality and oppression, ranging from sexism, racism, and immigration to 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, reproductive justice and climate change. While focus is often placed on individual actions and institutional policies and practices, it is important to recognize the role that culture plays within these systems. Mainstream film is not simply 'mindless' entertainment but a key part of a global cultural industry that naturalizes and normalizes power structures. Engaging with these issues, Resisting James Bond is a multidisciplinary collection that explores inequality and oppression in the world of 007 through a range of critical and theoretical approaches. The chapters explore the embodiment and disembodiment of power and privilege across the formal, narrative, cultural and geopolitical elements that define the revisionist-reversionist world of Daniel Craig's Bond.




Plant Metabolites and Regulation under Environmental Stress


Book Description

Plant Metabolites and Regulation Under Environmental Stress presents the latest research on both primary and secondary metabolites. The book sheds light on the metabolic pathways of primary and secondary metabolites, the role of these metabolites in plants, and the environmental impact on the regulation of these metabolites. Users will find a comprehensive, practical reference that aids researchers in their understanding of the role of plant metabolites in stress tolerance. - Highlights new advances in the understanding of plant metabolism - Features 17 protocols and methods for analysis of important plant secondary metabolites - Includes sections on environmental adaptations and plant metabolites, plant metabolites and breeding, plant microbiome and metabolites, and plant metabolism under non-stress conditions




Introduction to Spanish Translation


Book Description

Introduction to Spanish Translation is designed for a third or fourth year college Spanish course. It presents the history, theory and practice of Spanish-to-English translation (with some consideration of English-to-Spanish translation). The very successful first edition of the text evolved from the author's experiences in two decades of teaching translation in the Department of Language and Foreign Studies of The American University. The emphasis is on general material to be found in current journals and newspapers, although there is also some specialized material from the fields of business, the social sciences, and literature. The twenty-four lessons in the text form the basis for a fourteen-week semester course. This newly revised edition contains an index, a glossary, examples of cognates and partial cognates, and translation exercises for each lesson.




The Palgrave Handbook of Image Studies


Book Description

This handbook brings together the most current and hotly debated topics in studies about images today. In the first part, the book gives readers an historical overview and basic diacronical explanation of the term image, including the ways it has been used in different periods throughout history. In the second part, the fundamental concepts that have to be mastered should one wish to enter into the emerging field of Image Studies are explained. In the third part, readers will find analysis of the most common subjects and topics pertaining to images. In the fourth part, the book explains how existing disciplines relate to Image Studies and how this new scholarly field may be constructed using both old and new approaches and insights. The fifth chapter is dedicated to contemporary thinkers and is the first time that theses of the most prominent scholars of Image Studies are critically analyzed and presented in one place.