If you've seen my annual wrap ups before, you know I'm often playing catch up. Case in point, Nope (2022), Jordan Peele's brilliant homage to blockbuster creature features that holds up a mirror to society - it's no coincidence a character dubs aliens 'Viewers'. Nope has more in common with…
Bill Door made the mistake millions of people had tried before with small children in slightly similar circumstances. He resorted to reason. Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett The biggest problem with kids these days is adults these days (and those days, and the days before that, and the days before…
When people aren't complaining about kids being 'groomed' by 'woke' teachers, they complain about 'woke' kids critiquing movies that glorified substance abuse and non consensual sex. I guess the latest definition of 'woke' means being less susceptible to actual grooming or rape. A lot of those movies bothered me back then, too, and people got mad despite their own criticisms of Hollywood. Maybe they make exceptions for their own failings. "Different times". Spare me. The pain and consequences are the same throughout history. When adults mock children for respecting boundaries and consent and demanding the same in return...well, it's once again clear the 'war on woke' has nothing to do with protecting children.
A son who enjoyed the movie raised his eyebrows and said "wut?" when I asked if it hurt his feelings. Amazingly the thirteen year old boy who loves rats, Fortnite, and the color pink did not identify with any of the characters, least of all the dolls, but understood the social commentary because he's confident and perceptive. Seems to me people feigning offense on behalf of men should give them more credit because the real offense is pretending this gentle hug of a movie attacks them. Kenough already.
Technology can be a useful tool to connect people. It can not be a substitute for connection.
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodent is not one of those times. I don't think a film adaptation would ever fully do justice anything written by Terry Pratchett. So much of the pleasure readers take in his storytelling is found in the word play, allusions, pop culture references, historical…
All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die. Rutger Hauer as Batty in Bladerunner I'll be referencing Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick a lot, but I chose that quote from the film adaptation Bladerunner specifically because the monologue…
She doesn't own a dress, her hair is always a messIf you catch her stealin', she won't confess Meet Virginia, Train When I went to college, I relied on public transportation. I didn't get my license until I was twenty three due to the one-two punch of untreated ADHD and…
I should be doing promotion, but last month's post about gun violence and pregnancy could have easily been written this month, only with different links to different real life horror stories. Book banning efforts have also taken a darker turn, and I've obviously got a lot to say about that.…
Any regard for the wellbeing of hypothetical children begins and ends with denying bodily autonomy. Consistently.