In ‘Disclosure Day,’ Spielberg Fights for Truth and Empathy Over Alienation
The master filmmaker returns to his signature subgenre for a bumpy, exhilarating ride.
Latest
'Obsession' and 'Backrooms' Are Destroying Our Assumptions About the Box Office
It's an incredibly interesting time at the U.S. box office right now. Backrooms, a movie directed by 20-year-old YouTuber Kane Parsons based on his YouTube series (which itself was based on an anonymous 4chan post), is breaking records left and right. It generated over $81
Cannes 2026 Dispatch #3: The Palme d’Or-Winning 'Fjord' And Other Festival Highlights
Stephen David Miller wraps up his coverage of the Cannes Film Festival with reviews of Fjord, The Black Ball, The Beloved, and Orange-Flavoured Wedding, and a recap of the Closing Ceremony Hello again, Decoding Everything readers! I’m back again with the final installment of my 2026 Cannes Film
Cannes 2026 Dispatch #2: No, An AI-Generated Feature Film Did Not Premiere At Cannes (And Reviews Of Things That Did)
Stephen David Miller gives his second update from the Cannes film festival, including a brief detour into the new AI-generated movie Hell Grind and reviews of Her Private Hell, Hope, Minotaur, and Paper Tiger. Hello again, Decoding Everything! I’m back for another installment of my Cannes 2026 coverage,
Cannes 2026 Dispatch #1: Catching Up With New Films By Jane Schoenbrun, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Paweł Pawlikowski, and Hirokazu Koreeda
Stephen David Miller shares his take on the buzziest films of Cannes 2026.
‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Is More of a ‘Star Wars’-Shaped Object Than a Real Movie
The episodic ‘Star Wars’ show makes for a dull feature film.
'Mortal Kombat II' Is a Cautionary Tale About Being Too Faithful to the Video Game
David reviews the new 'Mortal Kombat' film
‘Michael’ Is a New Low for Music Biopics
Antoine Fuqua’s film makes the King of Pop into a blandly pleasant mascot.
'Lee Cronin's The Mummy' Was Gross and Upsetting (Complimentary)
David reviews 'Lee Cronin's The Mummy' and shares some brief thoughts on Steven Soderbergh's 'The Christophers.'
'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' Left Me Feeling Empty Inside
David Chen shares thoughts on the new 'Super Mario Galaxy' film.
This Year's Oscars Felt Like the End of an Era for Hollywood
Decoding Everything is a newsletter by David Chen. I’ve been a commentator on movies, TV, tech, and the media for over 15 years. You can support my work by subscribing to this newsletter, sharing about it on social media, or becoming a Patron. Thanks! The 98th Academy Awards were
‘Project Hail Mary’ Is a Gorgeous, Funny Ride Through the Cosmos
‘The LEGO Movie’ and ‘21 Jump Street’ directors have crafted a warm, inspiring tale based on Andy Weir’s novel.
Movie Reviews
'Scream 7' Is a Moral and Artistic Failure
Even at their worst, the Scream films have always at least tried to inject interesting ideas about fandom and horror culture into their storylines. That trend comes to an end with Scream 7.
Does Anybody Want This? AI Fights, Fantasies and Fictions
It is, once again, joever. A viral 15-second clip of an AI generated fight between Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt has “spooked Hollywood”, spurred Disney to legal action and had Deadpool screenwriter Rhett Reese warning “it’s likely over for us.” Creator Ruairi Robinson claims to have generated it
Movie Reviews
'Wuthering Heights': Emerald Fennell’s Maximalist Adaptation Yields the Story’s Least Interesting Version
By bringing every emotion straight to the surface, the new movie leaves little worth considering.
Commentary
Observations from Watching This Year's Super Bowl
David Chen shares a few observations from this year's Super Bowl broadcast.
We Watched 26 Films from Sundance 2026. Here Are Our 6 Favorites.
David Chen and Stephen David Miller share some highlights from the online portion of the Sundance Film Festival
Movie Reviews
Sundance 2026 Dispatch #2: Fighting to Save Lives as Death Rains Down
Matt Goldberg finishes up his remote Sundance viewing with American Doctor, Public Access, Extra Geography, Hanging by a Wire, and LADY
Commentary
Darren Aronofsky’s AI Slop Is a Betrayal of Everything His Movies Stand For
For a director whose films leaned into raw humanity and stressed an environmental message, his latest effort is a crushing disappointment.
Film Festivals
Sundance 2026 Dispatch #1: Dark High School Musicals, Childhood Traumas, and Freedom of the Press
Matt Goldberg shares his thoughts on Josephine, The Musical, Run Amok, Seized, and The Incomer.
Movie Reviews
‘Send Help’: McAdams and O’Brien Are a Vicious Blast in Sam Raimi’s Horror-Comedy
The two terrific actors relish the film’s gnarly thrills.
10 Cinematic Pairings That Reflected The Spirit Of 2025
Stephen David Miller explores the year via twenty interconnected films.
Six Reactions to the 2026 Academy Award Nominations
The 98th annual Academy Award nominations were announced this morning at the Academy’s headquarters in Beverly Hills, CA. Overall, a great list of films was recognized, with shockingly few baffling decisions or outrages. Below are some of my reactions to the nominations, followed by the full list. Feel free
Movie Reviews
In '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,' We Are All We Have
I wasn't a huge fan of 28 Years Later, Danny Boyle and Alec Garland's 2025 follow-up to their 2002 horror classic 28 Days Later. But I've now seen 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and I'm pleased to say, this film rips.