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?
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
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
Scandal, Star Wars, and Being “Out of Character”
Why some choices can seem so out of character, they leave fans of stories like Scandal and Star Wars feeling betrayed.
Storytelling
Why Black Sails Has One of the Best Main Characters in TV History
Here’s why Captain Flint on Black Sails is one of the best-written characters in this current era of Peak TV.
Storytelling
How Jordan Peele Changed Get Out from Script to Screen
Compare the biggest changes between Jordan Peele’s screenplay for Get Out and his finished film.
Storytelling
10 Subtly Amazing Moments in Lady Bird
Lady Bird is a movie that does nearly everything right. Here’s why Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut works so well.
Storytelling
Why Outlander Is the Show America Needs Now
How do the big differences between two of TV’s most talked-about prestige dramas reflect a vast gap in pop culture?
Storytelling
The Surprising Theme in Pixar’s Coco
For a hero’s journey story, Pixar’s Coco has an unusual character arc… but its underlying theme is even more surprising.