Welcome to Day 12 of Blogmas 2025, where I continue to prove that yes, I have nothing better to do in December than write about Christmas every single day. For newcomers to this festive marathon, Blogmas is my annual tradition of posting holiday-themed content daily through December 25th. This year's posts are guided by AI-generated … Continue reading The Christmas Movie Survival Guide: Assembling Your Holiday Crisis Team
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The John Hughes High School Universe: Still Detention-Worthy?
Somewhere in the vast cultural wasteland of the 1980s, between New Coke and shoulder pads, a filmmaker named John Hughes decided that teenagers deserved more than just slasher films and sex comedies. What emerged was a collection of movies that would define an entire generation's understanding of high school—and occasionally make that same generation wince … Continue reading The John Hughes High School Universe: Still Detention-Worthy?
Two Ghosts of Disney Past: Mickey’s Christmas Carol vs. The Muppet Christmas Carol
Day 9 of Blogmas 2025 continues, because momentum is a powerful force and I'm too far in to quit now. For those just joining this December marathon, Blogmas is my annual tradition of posting holiday-themed content every day from December 1st through Christmas Day. This year's posts are guided by AI-generated prompts, because apparently I … Continue reading Two Ghosts of Disney Past: Mickey’s Christmas Carol vs. The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Worst 43 – Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps 2000 Directed by Peter Segal Welcome back to Movie Monday, where we're continuing our methodical descent through my personal countdown of the 100 worst movies I've ever endured. This week we're examining number 43: Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, the 2000 sequel that answered a question absolutely no one was … Continue reading The Worst 43 – Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
In Defense of One Magic Christmas: The Bleakest Holiday Film Disney Ever Made (And Why That’s Actually Great)
Welcome to Day 6 of Blogmas 2025, where I continue my masochistic tradition of posting holiday-themed content every single day until Christmas. This year's twist involves AI-generated prompts, because apparently I needed a digital taskmaster to keep me accountable. Today's prompt asks me to review a lesser-known Christmas movie (like Jingle All the Way, The … Continue reading In Defense of One Magic Christmas: The Bleakest Holiday Film Disney Ever Made (And Why That’s Actually Great)
Beyond the Fellowship: Women in The Lord of the Rings
When J.R.R. Tolkien penned The Lord of the Rings in the 1940s and 50s, he probably didn't anticipate that decades later, scholars would be dissecting his female characters with the intensity of Gandalf examining the One Ring. Yet here we are in 2025, still debating whether Galadriel is a Mary figure or a fallen angel, … Continue reading Beyond the Fellowship: Women in The Lord of the Rings
Disney 18 – The Sword in the Stone
The Sword in the Stone 1963 Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman 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 hitting the reset button on your … Continue reading Disney 18 – The Sword in the Stone
The One Christmas Movie That Gets Me Every Single Time
Welcome to Blogmas 2025, folks! For those new to The Confusing Middle, Blogmas is my annual tradition of posting holiday-themed content every single day from December 1st through Christmas Day. It's ambitious, it's exhausting, and by December 15th I usually question all my life choices—but here we are again. This year, I decided to shake … Continue reading The One Christmas Movie That Gets Me Every Single Time
Jurassic Park and the Dangers of Scientific Hubris
Every time I see a headline about scientists successfully extracting ancient DNA or making breakthroughs in de-extinction technology, I can't help but think: Haven't we literally watched this movie? Multiple times, in fact. Yet here we are in 2025, with researchers seriously discussing mammoth cloning and genetic resurrection while seemingly having learned nothing from Steven … Continue reading Jurassic Park and the Dangers of Scientific Hubris
The Worst 44 – Cats & Dogs
Cats & Dogs 2001 Directed by Lawrence Guterman Welcome back to Movie Monday, where we're steadily working our way through my personal countdown of the 100 worst movies I've ever had the misfortune to sit through. This week we're unleashing number 44: Cats & Dogs, the 2001 spy comedy that took the innocent concept of … Continue reading The Worst 44 – Cats & Dogs
The Confusing Middle 