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
Why Ant-Man and the Wasp Is a Movie About Nothing
Ant-Man and the Wasp has a plot built entirely out of MacGuffins and a villain who finally breaks Marvel’s mold.
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.
Armchair Sociology
How the Villains Explain the Point of Pixar’s Incredibles Movies
The Incredibles movies explore complicated themes and complex characters — but are they also full of contradictions?
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 Surprisingly Right About 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…