Essays

Sound of Metal

‘Sound of Metal’ and the Superpower of Silence

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Riz Ahmed crackles with powerful and recognizable distress in the film. Through his characters’ confrontation, we can all find a path to letting go of our past selves.

Happiest Season Gay Christmas Movie

Make the Yuletide Gay: Why We Need More Queer Christmas Movies

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Clea DuVall’s ‘Happiest Season’ proves the want and need for LGBTQ+ Christmas stories.

Mandalorian Season Western Science Fiction TV

The Western Lives On in Science Fiction Television

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Traditional Westerns may still be out of fashion, but you can find a semblance of the genre in ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Star Trek’ TV series.

The Witches 2020 Hathaway

‘The Witches’ Brings Horror to a New Generation

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Robert Zemeckis’ version of ‘The Witches’ has arrived and is ready to traumatize an all-new generation.

Tim Heidecker Fear Of Death

Tim Heidecker’s ‘Fear of Death,’ Lars von Trier’s ‘Melancholia,’ and the Comfort in Facing the End

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There’s an unlikely link between the controversial Danish filmmaker and the absurdist comedian: how they approach human mortality.

Matrix ending

The Ending of ‘The Matrix’ Explained

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While the ending of ‘The Matrix ‘seems overwhelmingly positive, Neo is in fact stuck in a cycle of control, which continues through the next two films.

Badlands Terrence Malick Sky

Style is Substance in ‘Badlands’

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An exploration of how the visuals of Terrence Malick’s debut paint the dream world Kit and Holly are chasing.

Se7en Seven Brad Pitt Morgan Freeman

The Timeless Nihilism of ‘Se7en’

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Released 25 years ago, David Fincher’s film is a crushing look at just how meaningless life can be.

Small Axe Lovers Rock

‘Lovers Rock’ Immerses Us in an Energetic Reggae House Party

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Steve McQueen revitalizes what we all miss about house parties and depicts an experience unique to the vibrant West Indian community in London circa 1980.