To be clear, nobody is saying intertextuality is necessary new by itself. The first paragraph even states that it’s as “old as storytelling.” What’s new is the idea of “weaponized intertextuality” in the modern movie climate. And, again, nobody is suggesting these are necessarily emotionally rewarding by themselves, but rather the opposite when used inefficiently, or when the viewer isn’t connected to the emotional resonance brought by these specific image, characters and moments. I think you indirectly stated the video editor’s point while trying to argue against it.