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The Architecture of Epic: Why Stranger Things Exists in a Category of Its Own
I watched Stranger Things from its very premiere. I was drawn in by its parallel to the era I grew up in—what many nostalgically call the “good old days.” While I cannot say I wholly subscribe to that framing, the emotional pull of the nostalgia was undeniable. There was a potency in its atmosphere, in…
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Challenging Expectations: How Predator: Badlands Reframes the Predator Mythos
Solid setup. Predator: Badlands hits the structural beats where it needs to. Sometimes, first watches can be misleading and lend themselves to prescriptive bias, and such was the case with my initial viewing of Predator: Badlands. A second watch—with one singular element adjusted—redirected my perspective and opened my eyes to why a second or even…
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Balancing Comedy and Cultural Respect: The Flaws of Perry’s Recent Film
At times, certain projects become liabilities within a creative’s broader portfolio. Though conceived with intention, they lack the narrative cohesion or thematic rigor necessary to command meaningful commendation. Such is the case with “Joe’s College Road Trip,” the 2026 feature from Tyler Perry. Defining Legacy With each production, Perry continues to shape a legacy—an evolving…
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Rosario: A Case Where Curiosity Conjured a Catastrophe
With some films, everything is predictable. The films seem to be written to be predictable, so much so that they lack any resonance or materialism. This seems to be the case with the 2025 horror film “Rosario.” ” A film with a pulse but not a heartbeat. A Premonitory Meeting This is the story of…
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The Art of Withholding: A Closer Look at Bugonia’s Subtle Emotional Resolution
Some films beckon critics by virtue of their positioning within awards season. Their acclaim alone becomes an invitation—an analyst’s cue to assess not only the individual work but also the broader temperature of the industry: what resonates, what falters, and what signals evolving tastes. That impulse informed my decision to engage with the 2025 feature…
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When the Device Runs Away: How ‘Couple Goals’ Loses Its Narrative
Among cineastes, there is a longstanding debate about the fundamental purpose of film. Most ultimately agree that cinema exists to tell stories—stories rendered through a visual medium. While storytelling may be the essence of filmmaking, not all films succeed at it. When evaluating a film’s effectiveness, the primary metric is always the quality of its…
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Ruth and Boaz on Netflix: Beautiful Intentions, Lackluster Execution
February is widely recognized as a month dedicated to celebrating Black excellence and love—an observance often marked by cultural features that bring both into sharp focus. “Ruth and Boaz (2026),” produced by Tyler Perry and Devon Franklin, positions itself squarely within that tradition. Drawing inspiration from the biblical story of Ruth, the film offers a…
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Unapologetically Dark: Ryan Murphy’s The Beauty Pushes Boundaries of Horror
FX’s horror drama The Beauty bears all the hallmarks of Ryan Murphy’s evolving artistic identity—one that continues to push beyond conventional boundaries and lean unapologetically into narratives that flirt with excess, discomfort, and psychological extremity. Whether The Beauty represents a departure or a distillation of Murphy’s sensibilities is open to debate. What is clear is…
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A Humanized Farewell: How Last Rites Reframes the Conjuring Series”
Sometimes the only way to understand unfamiliar terrain is to walk it yourself. Despite the mixed reactions surrounding The Conjuring: Last Rites, I chose to experience the film firsthand—partly because of my long-standing appreciation for the franchise, and partly because this installment was positioned as the closing chapter of a story I had followed for…
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“In Defense of the Unfinished: The Artistic Merit of It Ends”
Not all films adhere to conventional storytelling or move at a familiar pace. Some deliberately reject formulas, choosing instead to linger in ambiguity. These films resonate not because of a tightly constructed plot, but because they provoke emotion and thought that hold our attention long after the screen goes dark. “It Ends” (2025), a horror,…
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