Our Favorite Video Essayists

Harris Brewis combines comedy with unusually deep source work on plagiarism, games and online claims. The detours are entertaining, but on-screen evidence is what makes the conclusions hold.

Jacob Geller connects games with architecture, painting, history and fear while keeping a clear central argument. His best essays make criticism feel exploratory without becoming vague.

Dan Olson builds long arguments from primary material, financial incentives and close readings of online communities. His jokes serve the evidence, especially when a familiar internet story turns out to be a business model.

Natalie Wynn stages philosophical and political arguments through characters, elaborate sets and direct self-criticism. The production gives abstract disagreements emotional stakes without replacing the ideas.

Tony Zhou and Taylor Ramos used short videos and exact film clips to explain editing, staging and visual comedy. Every example proves the point while it is being made.

CJ The X delivers criticism at high speed through performance, editing and personal argument. The style is chaotic, but the best videos still build a line viewers can follow.

Evan Puschak makes short, polished essays about art, politics and filmmaking. The limited length forces each video to focus on one observable idea instead of treating runtime as depth.

Lindsay Ellis brought production history, genre knowledge and a sharp comic voice to popular culture. She can take musicals or franchises seriously without confusing seriousness with reverence.

Patrick H Willems treats film criticism as a production, using sets, sketches and serialized bits alongside analysis. The ambition gives viewers a reason to watch rather than read the same argument.

Broey Deschanel applies feminist criticism to films and celebrity culture in direct, accessible language. The essays stay specific to scenes and images rather than hiding behind academic terms.