James MacDowell's (University of Warwick) research is primarily concerned with exploring the aesthetic strategies of popular screen art, with a particular focus on the generic conventions, narrative strategies, and stylistic properties of Hollywood film, American independent cinema, and (most recently) YouTube. His work is influenced by philosophical aesthetics, and by critical traditions dedicated to exploring the interdependence of style and meaning. He has written books about the nature of irony in film, the Hollywood 'happy ending', as well as numerous articles about contemporary 'quirky' indie filmmaking, and cult movies valued for being 'so bad they're good'. Current research interests include the aesthetics of YouTube, the role of intention in film interpretation, and the critical possibilities of audiovisual essays. He also makes video essays on his YouTube channel, The Lesser Feat.

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