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Chris Lambert
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Chris Lambert
Chris Lambert is the co-founder and lead writer of Film Colossus. He specializes in film interpretation, narrative structure, and explaining how movies use story, imagery, and technique to create meaning. His work on Film Colossus has reached millions of readers, with more than 500 articles covering films ranging from Fight Club and Black Swan to Perfect Blue and The Odyssey.
Explaining the ghost metaphor in Crimson Peak and why it’s sort of lackluster
Crimson Peak straight up tells us that the ghosts are a metaphor. Great! That takes the mystery out of that! Can we end this article now? Nope. What is that metaphor? There’s a very superficial way to understand that metaphor: the…
The Martian and why Mark Watney’s lack of love interest is the best thing for science. Also: Neil deGrasse Tyson.
The Martian does a really interesting thing, something that I can’t remember a recent movie trying. “What’s that, Chris?” you might be asking yourself. But let me ask you: Did Matt Damon’s character, Mark Watney, have a love interest? It’s…
Was Rudderless based on a true story?
A lot of people are wondering if Rudderless was based on a true story. Sort of. I mean, really, the answer is no. There was no guy whose son shot up a school and who then lived on a boat and started…
Explaining the end of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri left me in a weird spot. Which is true with a lot of people. I found it problematic that I was being asked to sympathize with Jason Dixon. Dude was the embodiment of awful cops. And…
A CURE FOR WELLNESS | The Quick Explanation
On first watching A Cure For Wellness most viewers will be clear on how the “wellness center” is actually a nefarious front for a mad scientist’s plans for immortality. That Hannah is the mad scientist, Volmer’s, daughter. And that Volmer’s trying to have a…
Explaining the end of The Shape of Water
When The Shape of Water ended, I was excited for a few reasons. First, I’m a sap and the happy ending made me happy. Second, the ending was mysterious enough that I knew I’d be writing about it. Third, I recognized that…
The Best Explanation of The Lobster’s ending
I think one of the reasons the ending of The Lobster leaves people so bemused and unsure is because it’s a philosophical ending rather than a resolution. Movies and books have trained us to expect resolution. Ask anyone what the parts of a…
Blow-Up explained
Blow-Up deals with the themes of transience and elusiveness. How do you develop such a theme in a movie? Well. You make a lot of things transient and elusive. I recently wrote about The Lobster and how it’s a conclusion based on philosophy rather…
Explaining the end of The Fountain
The Fountain makes things difficult by being three separate stories. And the lines are blurred between what is real and what isn’t real. To that end, there’s arguments to be made for a very fantastical reading of the film and then…
Explaining the end of No Country for Old Men
Most of us have heard about the writing rule of “show, don’t tell.” Usually this is about how someone writes an individual moment or scene. Telling would be, “Bobby came home angry, ignored his mother, and went right to his room.” Showing would be,…
The Glena Avila Documentary
Look, I love the movie Warrior. I throw it on all the time and have it playing in the background while doing other things. It’s the last hour that gets me. The fights. I mean, I’m not even that huge…
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