Publications

Essays

June 27, 2026 · by Ethan Simmie

'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' Continues to Inspire 55 Years Later

In one of this year's highest-grossing movies, Backrooms, the influence of 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory can be seen with ease...

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Essays

June 25, 2026 · by Kam Ryan

"I Was Never Scared of This”: What Leviticus Taught Me About Hope, Self-Acceptance, and Myself

When I first watched Leviticus, it felt like I had seen it before. It was almost eerie — the sense of remembering a memory, a familiarity tha...

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Essays

June 25, 2026 · by Sara Ciplickas

‘Miami Vice’ 20 Years Later: Immaculate Vibes in a Digital Hellscape

To set the scene here, the Universal logo sequence goes quiet. You hear Linkin Park and Jay-Z’s “Numb” blasting from the nightclub speakers a...

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Essays

June 25, 2026 · by Sara Ciplickas

‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ 20 Years Later: ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ Sequel, but with Pirates

When we think about Disney as a megacorporation, we think about the princesses, the movies from Pixar Animation, and the Renaissance era, lik...

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Reviews

June 24, 2026 · by Joshua Mbonu

Review: ‘Supergirl’ Is Bolstered by Milly Alcock’s Anchored Performance but Painful and Bland in Nearly Every Other Aspect

The comic book movie genre has been in a fascinating struggle recently to regain the chokehold it once had on the public consciousness. What ...

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Reviews

June 24, 2026 · by Evan Miller

‘Toy Story 5’ Review: Pixar Delivers Another Worthy Entry in Their Most Beloved Franchise

As Randy Newman sang more than 30 years ago in “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”: “Our friendship will never die,” — and neither will the Toy Story...

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Reviews

June 24, 2026 · by Amritpal Rai

Review: 'Stand Up' is Beautiful, Resilient Coming of Age Drama

How does one make peace when the only way of living that made you seem invincible is suddenly taken away? That’s the core dilemma in Mari San...

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Reviews

June 24, 2026 · by Amritpal Rai

Review: 'A Mosquito in the Ear' is a Heartfelt Family Drama of Miscommunication

Miscommunication has never felt more pronounced than in the directorial debut of Nicola Rinciari’s A Mosquito in the Ear. The barrier of comm...

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Reviews

June 23, 2026 · by Claire May Lewis

Review: ‘Girls Like Girls’ Brings Hayley Kiyoko’s Hit Song to New Life

In 2015, pop artist Hayley Kiyoko released the song that would become her biggest hit: “Girls Like Girls.” The song is from the perspective o...

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Lists

June 22, 2026 · by Kasey Dunifer

Cozy Contemplation: 12 Moody, Meditative Movies for Cancer Season

The chaos of Gemini Season is left in the glittery dust as the sun shifts into Cancer Season on June 21. It is a time when the days grow long...

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Essays

June 22, 2026 · by Madiha Ali

Six Unexpected Awards Contenders So Far in 2026

Believe it or not, half the year is already gone. Apart from the obvious mega blockbusters — Obsession, Backrooms, and Project Hail Mary, whi...

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Lists

June 20, 2026 · by Adam Patla

Ouch, My Daddy Issues! Ten Movies to Watch if You Have a Complicated Relationship With Your Dad

Father’s Day is on the horizon and, for some, that may mean a dark cloud looming in the distance. These parent-centric holidays are always ha...

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