Storytelling
The Biggest Story Problems in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Remembering the story and plot lessons that Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park got right but sequels like Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom keep forgetting.
Storytelling
How Tag Hid a Heartfelt Movie in a Crass Comedy
Tag shouldn’t work as a movie, but it does — almost despite itself. Its crass, uneven comedy hides a surprisingly satisfying emotional payoff.
Armchair Sociology
How the Villains Define the Themes of Pixar’s Incredibles Movies
Brad Bird’s Incredibles 2 asks a question that serves as the movie’s theme. But does the Pixar sequel provide a clear answer, or does it contradict itself?
Social Media
Author and YouTube Star Jenna Moreci’s Writing and Vlogging Tips
Author and vlogger Jenna Moreci shares tips for writing fiction and building a YouTube channel.
Business Advice
11 Surprising Facts About How Movie Box Office Works
How Hollywood and America went crazy over box office reports… and why the numbers aren’t always what they seem.
Storytelling
The Tone Paradox in Deadpool 2
It’s no surprise that Deadpool 2, the ultra-violent R-rated superhero action comedy with the heart of a cartoon puppy, has a tone problem.
Storytelling
What Solo Gets Right About the Theme of Star Wars
Director Ron Howard and star Alden Ehrenreich add new layers to the legendary antihero while staying true to the central theme of Star Wars.
Armchair Sociology
Sollers Point: Unraveling Masculinity Onscreen
Sollers Point has its finger on the pulse of a huge American problem: masculinity in crisis. Writer-director Matthew Porterfield is a dedicated chronicler of Baltimore’s lesser-told stories, and in Sollers Point he finds a true diamond in the rough. The story follows Keith (McCaul Lombardi), whose life after house arrest Read more…
Armchair Sociology
Westworld: Reality, A.I., and the God Problem
When I was about 5 or 6, I had a thought that both exhilarated and terrified me. I was riding in the car with my parents, looking out the window, and I thought… How do I know if I’m real? Beyond that… how do I know if “reality” even exists? Read more…
Storytelling
Avengers: Infinity War Shows How to Write a Huge Ensemble Story
Why Marvel’s biggest movie yet is a great example of how to write for a large ensemble of characters.