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.
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.
Storytelling
Why Damien Chazelle’s First Man Feels So Empty
Why, despite some stellar filmmaking, does First Man fail to satisfy?
Storytelling
What Makes the Best Pilot Episodes in TV History Tick?
From The Sopranos to Westworld, how the 10 of the best TV shows displayed their game-changing brilliance from their very first episodes.
Storytelling
What Makes Game of Thrones So Addictive?
Every “must-see” TV show uses some of these addictive story tricks, but only Game of Thrones combined them all to create a runaway hit.
Storytelling
6 Ways to Interpret Skyscraper as Dwayne Johnson’s Defining Movie
The missing ingredients in Skyscraper accidentally define Dwayne Johnson’s true appeal.
Armchair Sociology
Why We Replaced Heroes with Antiheroes
From Superman to Iron Man, the difference between a hero and an antihero was always clear.. until now. Here’s what changed, and why it matters.
Storytelling
8 Reasons Why Ocean’s 8 Is the Perfect Feel-Good Heist Movie
From the humor to the pacing, Ocean’s 8 works in a way that provides a template for other heist movies to follow.
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.