Sure, Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning is a loud, blockbuster-y popcorn movie. But that doesn’t mean it’s empty. In fact, there’s a lot to talk about—if you know how to look. Abstraction, in ...

Ryan Coogler uses the opening shot of Sinners to establish the film’s primary theme: freedom. Modern cinema has defaulted to using the very beginning of the movie as a thesis for the story’s main ...

If you want a quick explanation of A Complete Unknown, here it is. A Complete Unknown has two levels. The first is Bob Dylan’s journey into and out of the folk scene. Initially, it’s something he ...

If you want to understand Luca Guadagnino’s Queer, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that much of the story boils down to a simple theme: connection. And that explains essentially 95% ...

Bishop Robert Barron had quite the response to Conclave. He said: If you are interested in a film about the Catholic Church that could have been written by the editorial board of the New York Times, ...

I found Emilia Pérez difficult to write about. Why? Jacques Audiard is not part of either the trans or Mexican communities. And both groups have had some very serious criticisms over Audiard’s often ...

The end of Heretic is designed to make viewers wonder what information is relevant or irrelevant. For example, there’s a whole stretch of the film where Mr. Reed wants Barnes and Paxton to believe ...

Man, Naomi Scott gave everything she had to Smile 2 to convey Skye Riley’s grief, trauma, and struggle. One of the most memorable horror performances in recent memory. And Skye feels very much of the ...

The end of Possession can leave you at a complete loss, asking yourself, “What did I just watch?” But don’t give up hope! Possession provides inroads that give us the context necessary to piece ...

The ending of Terrifier 3 is brutal. Like…really brutal. Seemingly, Sienna is left with nothing. So it’s easy to think of the ending as a complete downer, as a pessimistic look at how life is ...

What is Transformers One about? Transformers One introduces the idea of “staying on protocol” as a challenge to viewers. It’s that message that you’re more than meets the eye. You have potential. But ...

What is the point of Speak No Evil? Speak No Evil has two primary themes. The need for healthy honesty and the impact parents have on children. Ben is someone who struggles with healthy honesty while ...