Chris
Chris Lambert
I grew up in the 5,000 person town of Canal Fulton, Ohio. Started writing poetry at 14. Fiction at 19. Movie analysis at 23.
My primary focus on this site is explaining movie endings, narrative construction, and how movies connect to the psychology of our day to day lives.
I had always loved movies, but it wasn’t until college at Case Western Reserve University that I studied film and discovered a natural ability to understand and explain films in a way that helped others. At Case Western, I studied with Robert Spadoni and Linda Ehrlich. At the University of New South Wales, Jodi Brooks.
I’m a novelist. I’ve had two books published—Killer &Victim, Killer Unconquered. Both heavily inspired by Don DeLillo and Roberto Bolano. A major part of my life is deconstructing and understanding and utilizing narrative technique. I’ve been formally trained in poetry (Sarah Gridley; Mette Jakobsen), fiction (Wayne Johnson; Mary Grimm), and non-fiction (Ted Gup). I was the editor-in-chief of the literary journal Red Fez.
Articles by Chris
- No One Will Save You (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- M3GAN (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Midsommar (2019) | The Definitive Explanation
- Violent Night (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- Troll (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- Jawan (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- The White Lotus Season 2 | The Definitive Explanation
- All-Time Movie Rankings | Chris Lambert
- 2023 Movie Rankings | Chris Lambert
- Blade Runner (1982) | The Definitive Explanation
- Arrival (2016) | The Definitive Explanation
- The Menu (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- Tár (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- The Whale (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Interstellar (2014) | The Definitive Explanation
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- Bottoms (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Infinity Pool (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- Parasite (2019) | The Definitive Explanation
- Polite Society (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Everything Everywhere All At Once | The Definitive Explanation
- Cocaine Bear (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Bullet Train | The Definitive Explanation
- Beau is Afraid (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Blackberry (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Blue Beetle (2023) | The Good, Bad, and Ugly
- Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- Air (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Past Lives (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Hypnotic (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Hereditary (2018) | The Definitive Explanation
- You Hurt My Feelings (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Babylon (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- The Last Voyage of the Demeter | The Good, Bad, and Ugly
- Bones and All (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- Inception (2010) | The Definitive Explanation
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem | The Definitive Explanation
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem | The Good, Bad, and Ugly
- Oppenheimer (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Talk to Me | The Definitive Explanation
- Talk to Me | The Good, Bad, and Ugly
- Barbie (2023) | The Definitive Explanation
- Vanilla Sky | Movie Guide
- Barbie | The Good, Bad, and Ugly
- Oppenheimer | The Good, Bad, and Ugly
- Mad God | The Definitive Explanation
- Shutter Island (2010) | The Definitive Explanation
- White Noise (2022) | Movie Guide
- Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One | Movie Guide
- 65 | Ending Explained
- Joy Ride | Movie Guide
- Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny | Movie Guide
- Clive’s alive at the end of Final Fantasy XVI | Explained
- No Hard Feelings | Movie Guide
- Asteroid City | Themes and Meaning
- Asteroid City | Movie Guide
- The Flash | Questions and Answers
- The Flash | Movie Guide
- Past Lives | Questions and Answers
- The secret of Secret Invasion’s AI-created intro
- The Flash | Bad Writing
- Past Lives | Important Motifs
- Past Lives | Ending Explained
- Past Lives | Themes and Meaning
- Past Lives | Title Explanation
- Past Lives | Movie Guide
- Casino Royale | Movie Guide
- Past Lives is the better version of La La Land
- TV Rankings | Chris Lambert
- You Hurt My Feelings | Questions and Answers
- You Hurt My Feelings | Themes and Meaning
- You Hurt My Feelings | Title Explanation
- You Hurt My Feelings | Movie Guide
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse | Questions and Answers
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse | Ending Explained
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse | Important Motifs
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse | Themes and Meaning
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse | Title Explanation
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse | Movie Guide
- The meaning of Barry’s finale | John’s smile explained
- Succession had a bad finale
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Meaning of “Don’t”
- Blackberry | Title Explanation
- Blackberry | Movie Guide
- Hypnotic | Questions and Answers
- Movies recommendations for fans of Hypnotic
- Hypnotic | Important Motifs
- Hypnotic | Ending Explained
- Hypnotic | Themes and Meaning
- Hypnotic | Title Explanation
- Hypnotic | Movie Guide
- Under the Skin | Movie Guide
- Under the Skin | Podcast
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Questions and Answers
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Important Motifs
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Ending Explained
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Themes and Meaning
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Title Explanation
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Movie Guide
- Polite Society | Questions and Answers
- Polite Society | Movies Like
- Polite Society | Important Motifs
- Polite Society | Ending Explained
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Good and Bad
- Polite Society | Themes and Meaning
- Polite Society | Title Explanation
- Polite Society | Movie Guide
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie | Questions and Answers
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie | Ending Explained
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie | Themes and Meaning
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie | Title Explanation
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie | Movie Guide
- Scream VI | Questions and Answers
- Scream VI | Movie Guide
- Scream VI | Important Motifs
- Scream VI | Ending Explained
- Beau is Afraid | Movies Like
- Beau is Afraid | Questions and Answers
- Beau is Afraid | Important Motifs
- Beau is Afraid | Movie Guide
- Beau is Afraid | Ending Explained
- Beau is Afraid | Themes and Meaning
- Beau is Afraid | Title Explanation
- Scream VI | Themes and Meaning
- Scream VI | Title Explanation
- Movies Like Scream: Meta Masterpieces and Horror Hits
- Scream (1996) | Questions and Answers
- Scream (1996) | Important Motifs
- Scream (1996) | Ending Explained
- Scream (1996) | Themes and Meaning
- Scream (1996) | Title Explanation
- Scream (1996) | Movie Guide
- Air | Questions and Answers
- Air | Themes and Meaning
- Air | Title Explanation
- Behind-the-scenes sports movies like Air
- Air | Movie Guide
- The Whale | Questions and Answers
- The Whale | Important Motifs
- The Whale | Ending Explained
- The Whale | Themes and Meaning
- The Whale | Title Explanation
- 8 Compelling Movies Like The Whale: Family, Guilt, Faith
- The Whale | Movie Guide
- The 2022 movie rankings | Chris Lambert
- 65 | Themes and Meaning
- 65 | Title Explanation
- Must-Watch Movies Like 65: Dinosaurs, Space, and Survival
- 65 | Movie Guide
- All Quiet on the Western Front | Movie Guide
- All Quiet on the Western Front | Questions and Answers
- All Quiet on the Western Front | Important Motifs
- All Quiet on the Western Front | Ending Explained
- All Quiet on the Western Front | Themes and Meaning
- Cocaine Bear | Questions and Answers
- Cocaine Bear | Key Shots
- Cocaine Bear | Important Motifs
- Cocaine Bear | Ending Explained
- Cocaine Bear | Themes and Meaning
- Cocaine Bear | Title Explanation
- Cocaine Bear | Movie Guide
- All Quiet on the Western Front | Title Explanation
- Everything Everywhere All at Once | Movie Guide
- Everything Everywhere All at Once | Important Motifs
- Everything Everywhere All at Once | Questions and Answers
- Everything Everywhere All at Once | Themes and Meaning
- Midsommar | Questions and Answers
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania | Bad Writing
- Midsommar | Key Shots
- Midsommar | Important Motifs
- Midsommar | Ending Explained
- Midsommar | Movie Guide
- Midsommar | Themes and Meaning
- Ranking the movies of 2021 | Chris Lambert
- Midsommar | Title Explanation
- Infinity Pool | Questions and Answers
- Infinity Pool | Important Motifs
- 2019 Movie Rankings | Chris Lambert
- Infinity Pool | Title Explanation
- Infinity Pool | Ending Explained
- Infinity Pool | Themes and Meaning
- Babylon | Movie Guide
- Babylon | Questions and Answers
- Babylon | Important Motifs
- Babylon | Ending Explained
- Infinity Pool | Movie Guide
- Babylon | Themes and Meaning
- Tár | Questions and Answers
- Tár | Important Motifs
- Tár | Ending Explained
- Tár | Movie Guide
- Tár | Themes and Meaning
- Tár | Title Explanation
- Babylon | Title Explanation
- Parasite | Questions and Answers
- Parasite | Important Motifs
- Parasite | Movie Guide
- Parasite | Ending Explained
- Parasite | Themes and Meaning
- Parasite | Title Explanation
- Knives Out | Questions and Answers
- Knives Out | Ending Explained
- Knives Out | Important Motifs
- Knives Out | Themes and Meaning
- Knives Out | Title Explanation
- Knives Out | Movie Guide
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Questions and Answers
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Important Motifs
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Ending Explained
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Themes and Meaning
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Title Explanation
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Movie Guide
- M3GAN | Movie Guide
- M3GAN | Questions and Answers
- M3GAN | Important Motifs
- M3GAN | Ending Explained
- M3GAN | Themes and Meaning
- M3GAN | Title Explanation
- White Noise (2022) | Questions and Answers
- White Noise (2022) | Important Motifs
- White Noise (2022) | Ending Explained
- White Noise (2022) | Themes and Meaning
- White Noise (2022) | Title Explanation
- M3gan | Bad Writing
- White Noise (2022) | Movie Guide
- Hereditary | Movie Guide
- Hereditary | Questions and Answers
- Hereditary | Key Shots
- Hereditary | Important Motifs
- Hereditary | Ending Explained
- Hereditary | Themes and Meaning
- Hereditary | Title Explanation
- The Banshees of Inisherin | Questions and Answers
- The Banshees of Inisherin | Key Shots
- The Banshees of Inisherin | Important Motifs
- The Banshees of Inisherin | Ending Explained
- The Banshees of Inisherin | Themes and Meaning
- The Banshees of Inisherin | Movie Guide
- The Banshees of Inisherin | Title Explanation
- Black Swan | Questions and Answers
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery | Bad Writing
- Black Swan | Ending Explained
- The giant explanation of Black Swan
- Black Swan | Movie Guide
- Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio | Questions and Answers
- Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio | Key Shots
- Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio | Important Motifs
- Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio | Ending Explained
- Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio | Themes and Meaning
- Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio | Title Explanation
- Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio | Movie Guide
- Avatar: The Way of Water | Questions and Answers
- Avatar: The Way of Water | Important Motifs
- Avatar: The Way of Water | Ending Explained
- Avatar: The Way of Water | Themes and Meaning
- Avatar: The Way of Water | Title Explanation
- Avatar: The Way of Water | Movie Guide
- The White Lotus S2 | Character Arcs
- The White Lotus S2 | Ending Explained
- The White Lotus S2 | Themes and Meaning
- The White Lotus | Title Explanation
- The White Lotus | Season 2 Guide
- Violent Night | Questions and Answers
- Violent Night | Important Motifs
- Violent Night | Ending Explained
- Violent Night | Themes and Meaning
- Violent Night | Title Explanation
- Violent Night | Movie Guide
- Prisoners | Questions and Answers
- Prisoners | Key Shots
- Prisoners | Ending Explanation
- The Colossal Explanation of Prisoners
- Prisoners | Movie Guide
- Bones and All | Questions and Answers
- Bones and All | Important Motifs
- Bones and All | Ending Explained
- Bones and All | Themes and Meaning
- Bones and All | Title Explanation
- Bones and All | Movie Guide
- Bullet Train | Questions and Answers
- Bullet Train | Movie Guide
- Troll (2022) | Movie Guide
- Troll (2022) | Questions and Answers
- Troll (2022) | Important Motifshttps://filmcolossus.com/troll-2022-explained
- Troll (2022) | Ending Explained
- Troll | Themes and Meaning
- Troll (2022) | Title Explanation
- The Menu | Movie Guide
- The Menu | Questions and Answers
- The Menu | Ending Explained
- The Menu | Themes and Meaning
- The Menu | Important Motifs
- The Menu | Title Explanation
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery | Movie Guide
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery | Themes and Meaning
- Glass Onion: AKOM | Questions and Answers
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery | Title Explanation
- Ranking the Marvel Cinematic Universe | Chris Lambert
- Inception (2010) | Key Shots
- Inception | Ending Explained
- Inception | Movie Guide
- Inception | Important Motifs
- Inception | Themes and Meaning
- Inception | Title Explanation
- Inception | Questions and Answers
- The end of The Ides of March explained
- Her | Questions and Answers
- American Psycho | The Definitive Explanation
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | Bad Writing
- What is the Talokan hand gesture? | Explained
- Triangle of Sadness | The Essential Explanation
- Who Invited Charlie? | Scouting Report | Austin Film Festival
- CRIMES OF THE FUTURE | The Essential Explanation
- Black Adam | Bad Writing
- SMILE | Why did I feel personally insulted?
- Barbarian | The Essential Explanation
- THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING | The Essential Explanation
- Us (2019) | The Definitive Explanation
- Enemy | The Definitive Explanation
- The Predator franchise | Ranked
- Denis Villeneuve movies ranked | Chris Lambert
- Nope | The Definitive Explanation
- The Northman | The Essential Explanation
- The worst moment of MORBIUS | What happens on the rooftop?
- Thor: Love and Thunder | Bad Writing
- Minions: The Rise of Gru | Bringer of world peace?
- The Black Phone | The Essential Explanation
- The best movies for fans of Tenet
- How to watch US | critical notes
- How to watch Perfect Blue | critical notes
- Elvis | The Essential Explanation
- Get Out | The Essential Explanation
- Movies for fans of Everything Everywhere All At Once
- Top Gun: Maverick | The Essential Explanation
- Joker 2 | Meaning of “Folie à Deux”
- Tenet | The Definitive Explanation
- The essential explanation of BIRDMAN | Ending | Meaning | Point
- Is America Chavez the first MCU mutant? | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- The Batman (2022) | The Definitive Explanation
- Did Neil sacrifice himself at the end of TENET?
- Watch these movies if you love The Batman more than The Dark Knight
- The Batman | Did Riddler know Bruce Wayne is Batman | Explained
- Dune | Why Paul’s visions don’t always come true
- The ZOLA movie ending doesn’t do justice to the Zola story
- Perfect Blue | The Definitive Explanation
- The Definitive Explanation of The Wailing (곡성)
- Zack Snyder’s Justice League Epilogue explained
- Colossus Explains: Sharp Object’s ending
- The surprising meaning of “Intergrade” in Final Fantasy VII Remake: Intergrade
- Colossus explains: Joker’s main themes
- Colossus Explains: the end of 1917
- Don’t misunderstand ‘The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel’
- Cut Throat City’s ending explained
- FIGHT CLUB | The Essential Explanation
- The flaws of Wonder Woman 1984
- Attorney-client privilege in Primal Fear
- Colossus talks: “Show, Don’t Tell” and Primal Fear
- Colossus explains: Primal Fear’s ending
- THE END OF EVANGELION | Meaning Explanation
- PAPRIKA | The Quick Explanation | End + Theme
- 3 ways to explain The Beach Bum’s dreamy ending
- The Art of the Surprise Smash: why we love Goose the Cat, Hulk, and Groot
- How Miles Morales found his spark, and how you can too
- Creed II: how fathers influence sons and sons influence fathers
- Drawing in the sand—Velvet Buzzsaw is a $21 million “fuck you” to the film industry
- Serenity, computer simulation, and why the twist of Patrick murdering his step-father makes sense
- Suspiria explained: why Susie erased Klemperer’s memories (and more)
- Explaining the end of Anomalisa, what the mechanical Japanese woman means, why Lisa is an anomaly, and Michael’s mechanical face
- A Star Is Born: explained
- Clouds of Sils Maria: explained
- Explaining the season 7 Winterfell plot between Arya, Sansa, and Little Finger in Game of Thrones
- Split and The Dusty Finish, the Shyamalan Twist, and M. Night’s Resurrection
- Explaining the end of Frank, how Bigdungsromans work, and whether or not Jon commits suicide
- Meet Matthew Puccini, writer/director of The Mess He Made
- Exploring why Lights Out was more popular than The Babadook and why the two are siblings
- Explaining the thematic development and goodness of Creed by using examples from T.S. Eliot, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Fight Club, The Untouchables, and Battleship Potemkin
- How Vintage Tomorrows defamiliarizes sci-fi fan culture
- Explaining the ghost metaphor in Crimson Peak and why it’s sort of lackluster
- The Martian and why Mark Watney’s lack of love interest is the best thing for science. Also: Neil deGrasse Tyson.
- Was Rudderless based on a true story?
- Explaining the end of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, the theme of moral ambiguity, how endings inform the story, and whether or not Mildred kills the soldier
- A CURE FOR WELLNESS | The Quick Explanation
- Explaining the end of The Shape of Water, the origins of Elisa, the similarities to Pan’s Labyrinth, and whether or not Elisa actually died
- The Lobster (2015) | The Definitive Explanation
- Explaining the end of Blow-Up, how thematic endings differ from plot and philosophy, transience, elusiveness, and more
- Explaining the end of The Fountain, how there’s a fantastic ending and a grounded ending, and the theme of coming to terms with death
- Explaining the end of No Country for Old Men, how showing versus telling works, the importance of the title, and the concept of generational push
- The Glena Avila Documentary
- Sex Ed versus Boyhood and the depth of one over the other
- The Essential Explanation of DONNIE DARKO
- Explaining the end of Manchester by the Sea, showing versus telling, why Lee is the way he is, and if Lee has a decent future
- Explaining the opening scene of Nocturnal Animals and how to find meaning in movies
- Explaining the end of Nocturnal Animals, why Edward didn’t show up, why this is existential revenge, and why Susan is doomed
- In Spectre, why did Madeleine Swann try to leave James Bond?
- The failure of Ashley’s foot/leg creature thing in Blair Witch
- In Sicario, what was the role of Silvio, the Mexican police officer? Why did he say “Medellin”?
- What Art of the Prank reveals about news media, featuring Making a Murderer, Peace Officer, and The Hunting Ground