Fighting Over Fiction

We watch Mullholland Drive and ask...

We watch Into The Spiderverse and ask...

We watch D.EV.S and ask...

We watch The Social Network and ask... Does The Social Network prove that protagonists don't need to be likeable? What make an unlikeable protagonist compelling? Does Sorkin's dialogue make Mark engaging? Is the film more relavent today than when it was released? Would the film be as compelling if it wasnt based on real people?

We watch Pan's Labyrinth and ask...

We watch Se7en and ask... Does Se7en prove that ordinary people are more terrifying than anything supernatural? Is John Does scarier because he feels profoundly human? Does the film's bleak world view tip into misery for misery’s sake? Does Se7en work better when defined as horror rather than a thriller?

We watch Hot Shots : Part Deux and ask... Does Hot Shots prove that parody deserves more respect? Does the parody still work if the audience haven't seen the references? Are the visual gags stronger than the dialogue? Does the film still work for a first time viewer in 2026?

We watch Warfare and ask... Does Warfare change how we see comabt in filmmaking? How does the real time structure change the way we experience combat? Does the lack of traditional backstory make the chatacters feel more authentic? Is the sound desing the film's greatest asset?

We watch The Drama and ask... Does The Drama push boundaries or completely cross the line? Is the twist daring or just desinged to shock us? Does the writing build to the darker turn effectively? Are the characters complex enough to justify where the story goes?

We watch Annie Hall and ask... Does Annie Hall deserve its status as one of the best Romantic Comedies ever made? Does the film feel genuinely romantic or is it an anti-romance? Ia the films unconventional structure part of what makes it great, or does it feel self indulgent? Did Annie Hall change the RomCom genre for the better? How does Woody Allen's real-life legacy affect the way modern audien...

We already watched Chernobyl so now we ask... An actual Scientist about what happend during the real life Chernobyl disaster. We are lucky enough to have the brain behind the Hey! Science Fans podcast to explain the science of it all. Many thanks to Mrs Corbett for lending us her big, beautiful brain.

We watch Chernobyl and ask... Does Chernobyl prove that talking in rooms can create more tension than action? Does Chernobyl turn exposition into suspense instead of making it feel like information dumping? Does the shows commitment to hiatorical accuracy make the drama stronger? Was Mazin’s decision to open with the explosion the right one? Would Chernobyl be as gripping if it relied more on visu...

We watch How to Train Your Dragon and ask... Does How to Train Your Dragon prove that animation is at its best when it make the impossoble feel emotionally real? Is the films emotional impact driven by it's animation or its plot? Does the animation make Toothless feel more human than the human characters? Is it a great family film because it trusts kids with big emotions?

We watch Titanic and ask... Does Titanic romanticise tragedy to make its audience feel more deeply? Does the romance strengthen the tragedy or overshadow the real disaster? Does the film’s spectacle enhance the tragedy or diatract from it?

We watch Everything, Everywhere All At Once and ask... Is EEAAO a masteclass in maximilist filmmaking or just overwhelming? Is the film’s chaotic editing and genre hopping emotionally purposeful? Is the humour a good counter balance to the heavier themes? Does the film ultimately reject nihilism or repackage it as existentialism?

We watch Fleabag and ask... Is Fleabag’s fourth-wall breaking a successful tool for audience connection? Do the fourth-wall breaks bring us closer to Fleabag, or keep us at a safe distance? How does the fourth wall breaking change the emotional weight of key moments? Would Fleabag be as compelling without the fourth wall breaks?

We watch Top Gun : Maverick and ask... Does Maverick prove that a sequel can be as good if not better than the original?

Does Lego Movie balance it's appeal to children and adults effectively? Do the jokes land equally for kids and adults? Does the emotional core reseonate more with adults or children? Do the fast past visuals prioritise younger viewers over deeper themes? Does the conformity vs creativity message resonate differently for adults and children?

We watch Role Models and ask... Does Role Models use dual protagonists to tell a coherent story? Does one protagonist dominate the story? Does the dual structure strengthen or weaken the film? Can we separate the film’s comedy from its problematic humor? How does Role Models compare to single protagonist films of the Noughties?

We watch Forrest Gump and ask... Does Forreat drive his own narrative, or is he carried by it? Is Forrest a reliable narrator? Does Forrest activley affect the live of Jenny and Lieutenant Dan? Do the filming techniques support Forrest’s version of events, or encourage us to question them?

We watch Taxi Driver and ask... Is Travis Bickle a compelling protagonist even though he isn't a typical 'good guy'? Can we sympathise with Travis is any way? Does Travis’s violence feel justified when it shouldn't? Why are we still engaged by Travis even when we don't like him? What does Travis tell us about Paul Schrader?

We watch the end of Game of Thrones and ask... Did the ending of Game of Thrones ultimately have more strengths than weaknesses? Did the major character endings feel ewrned or rushed? Does the finale balance story and spectacle?

We watch A Knight’s Tale and ask... Is a Knight’s Tale a clever reinvention of the medieval epic, or a superficial modern mash up? How effectively does the film blend fantasy settings with medieval elements? Did William Thatcher’s story follow the traditional fantasy hero epic, or is it shaped by modern storytelling conventions? Do the themes of class and changing your stars hit in a meaningful wa...

We watch Sinners and ask... Is Sinners a Genre defying masterpiece? Does the fusion of hostorical drama, blues culture and supernatural horror break genre boundaries? Does Michael B. Jordan’s dual performance elevate Sinners? Did the film’s stylistic choices push it beyond traditinal horror filmmaking? Does Sinner earn its award season recognition or is its cultural significance doing some of the...

We watch Mad Max : Fury Road and ask... Does Mad Max : Fury Road prove that action alone can be a powerful form of storytelling? How does the film use action sequences to reveal character motivations and relationships without relying on dialogue? Do the visiuals and pacing communicate the world effectively? Would more dialogue elevate the story? Is Mad Max : Fury Road a feminist film?