Justin Kownacki

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Daisy Ridley stars as Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Storytelling

The Storytelling Flaw That Ruined the New Star Wars Trilogy

There’s something missing from the new Star Wars trilogy, and without it, none of the characters can find satisfying closure.

By Justin, 6 months6 months ago
Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker movie poster
Storytelling

The Mystery Box Is Broken, and Here’s How to Fix It

From Lost to Game of Thrones to The Rise of Skywalker, the “mystery box” style of storytelling is coming up short. Here’s why — and how to fix it.

By Justin, 11 months6 months ago
Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) drive to graduation in Booksmart
Storytelling

Is Booksmart One of the All-Time Best High School Comedies?

Booksmart, Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut, is a glorious mess, just like its characters… and it works.

By Justin, 2 years2 years ago
Avengers: Endgame movie poster from Marvel Studios spotlighting the six original Avengers: Black Widow, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Captain America and the Hulk / Bruce Banner
Storytelling

How Avengers: Endgame Succeeds on the Strength of Marvel’s Characters

Avengers: Endgame owes its success to one word: character.

By Justin, 2 years6 months ago
Hugh Jackman, Zach Galifianakis, and Zoe Saldana are the voice actors of Sir Lionel Frost, Susan the Sasquatch, and Adelina Fortnight in Laika's animated movie Missing Link
Storytelling

The Unfortunate Lesson Storytellers Should Learn from Missing Link

Laika’s biggest animated fim is missing a crucial element that causes the movie to fall short of satisfying.

By Justin, 2 years2 years ago
Zachary Levi stars as Billy Batson in the Warner Bros. DC superhero movie Shazam!
Storytelling

The 3 Biggest Storytelling Problems in Shazam!

A hero is only as good as his villain, and that’s where Shazam’s plot problems start.

By Justin, 2 years2 years ago
Brie Larson as Carol Danvers on the movie poster for Captain Marvel
Storytelling

Captain Marvel: A Genius Lesson in Story Structure

Captain Marvel offers a smart answer to a hard storytelling question: how do you make a compelling movie about the world’s strongest hero?

By Justin, 2 years6 months ago
Joe Keery as Steve Harrington in Stranger Things 2
Armchair Sociology

Steve Harrington, Jaime Lannister, and the Secret to Writing a Redemption Arc

How did Steve Harrington become one of the most popular characters on Stranger Things?

By Justin, 2 years4 months ago
Mortal Engines stars Hera Hilmar as Hester Shaw
Storytelling

53 Reactions from a Drunken Viewing of Mortal Engines

Mortal Engines may be one of 2018’s biggest box-office bombs, but it didn’t have to be. Here’s the key ingredient the movie forgot to include.

By Justin, 2 years2 years ago
Chris Hemsworth as Billy Lee in Drew Goddard's movie Bad Times at the El Royale
Storytelling

What Went Wrong with Bad Times at the El Royale?

This caper flick wants you to believe it’s full of twists and turns… but it’s frustatingly empty.

By Justin, 2 years4 months ago

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“EndgameHow Avengers: Endgame Succeeds on the Strength of Marvel's Character
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