One Hundred and One Dalmatians 1961 Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamilton Luske, and Clyde Geronimi Welcome back to Movie Monday, dear readers! Since this is the first Monday of the month, we're taking our customary break from my ongoing exploration of cinema's most spectacular failures to enjoy a palate cleanser. Think of it as a … Continue reading Disney 17 – One Hundred and One Dalmatians
The Last Unicorn and the Tax Collector
A Fairy Tale for Modern Times In the kingdom of Eldermere, where morning mist clung to ancient oak trees and starlight pooled in forgotten meadows, there lived a tax collector named Cornelius Quillbottom. He was a man of precise measurements and careful calculations, with ink-stained fingers and spectacles that perpetually slipped down his pointed nose. … Continue reading The Last Unicorn and the Tax Collector
Question of the Week #458
If you were handed an envelope with the date of your death inside, and you knew you could do nothing to alter your fate, would you look? This week's question from Gregory Stock's The Book of Questions arrives like a philosophical landmine disguised as innocent curiosity. On the surface, it seems straightforward—a simple binary choice … Continue reading Question of the Week #458
Practical Effects vs. CGI: How Star Wars Evolved from Miniatures to The Volume
When the first Star Wars film launched in 1977, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) revolutionized cinema with groundbreaking practical effects that made audiences believe in a galaxy far, far away. Nearly five decades later, the franchise continues to push visual boundaries, but the journey from handcrafted miniatures to cutting-edge digital technology—and back to a sophisticated … Continue reading Practical Effects vs. CGI: How Star Wars Evolved from Miniatures to The Volume
The Rise and Fall of Physical Challenge Shows: From Double Dare to Wipeout
In the summer of 1986, something revolutionary happened on children's television. Nickelodeon premiered a game show where kids didn't just answer trivia questions—they got gloriously, spectacularly messy. Double Dare, with its iconic green slime and obstacle courses filled with whipped cream and "mystery meat," didn't just entertain audiences; it launched an entire genre of television … Continue reading The Rise and Fall of Physical Challenge Shows: From Double Dare to Wipeout
Schmidt’s Wisdom: Life Lessons from New Girl
How a "douchebag jar" regular became television's unlikely guru on growth, love, and authenticity. When New Girl premiered in 2011, Winston Schmidt seemed like just another sitcom archetype: the vain, self-absorbed roommate whose primary purpose was comic relief. Seven seasons later, however, Schmidt's journey from "Long Island street trash" to devoted husband and father revealed … Continue reading Schmidt’s Wisdom: Life Lessons from New Girl
Rewatching Smallville – Episode 68
Welcome back to Rewatching Smallville, my weekly dive into the iconic series that explores Clark Kent’s journey before becoming Superman. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the show, you’re invited to join in each Tuesday as I revisit episodes and share my thoughts and observations. Be sure to share your own memories and … Continue reading Rewatching Smallville – Episode 68
The Worst 47 – The Avengers
The Avengers 1998 Directed by Jeremiah Chechik Welcome back to Movie Monday, where we're continuing our relentless march down my personal list of the worst movies I've ever seen. This week we're suiting up for number 47: The Avengers, the 1998 satirical spy action comedy that managed to take a beloved British television series and … Continue reading The Worst 47 – The Avengers
The Last Truth
Chapter 7: The End Tuesday, 11:47 PM The sirens had finally stopped. Luna sat in the back of the ambulance, a shock blanket draped over her shoulders, watching them load Eli's body into the coroner's van. Her hands still trembled—not from fear anymore, but from the weight of what she'd discovered in those final moments … Continue reading The Last Truth
Question of the Week #457
When was the last time you felt real excitement and passion in your work? What about your life in general? How important is passion to you? This week's question from Gregory Stock's The Book of Questions arrives loaded with cultural baggage about what passion is supposed to look like, when it's supposed to strike, and … Continue reading Question of the Week #457
The Confusing Middle 