Seventeen years ago, on a warm May evening in 2008, moviegoers settled into their theater seats expecting nothing more than a decent superhero flick about a B-list Marvel character they might vaguely remember from Saturday morning cartoons. What they witnessed instead was the first domino falling in what would become the most ambitious—and successful—cinematic experiment … Continue reading Assembling the Heroes: A Retrospective of MCU Phase One
Movies
Christmas Eve Watchlist: A Flexible Tradition in the Streaming Age
Welcome to day 24 of Blogmas 2025, my annual series of holiday-themed blog posts that runs through Christmas Day. First off, merry Christmas Eve to all of you reading this! Whether you're frantically wrapping last-minute gifts, preparing tomorrow's feast, or already settled in with your own holiday viewing traditions, I hope this evening finds you … Continue reading Christmas Eve Watchlist: A Flexible Tradition in the Streaming Age
The Worst 41 – Unfaithful
Unfaithful 2002 Directed by Adrian Lyne Welcome back to Movie Monday, where we continue our relentless march through my personal countdown of the 100 worst movies I've ever endured. This week brings us to number 41: Unfaithful, a 2002 erotic thriller that manages the impressive feat of making adultery—one of humanity's most dramatically fertile subjects—feel … Continue reading The Worst 41 – Unfaithful
Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.: Building the Connective Tissue of the MCU
Let's be honest about something: without Nick Fury, the Marvel Cinematic Universe would have been just a collection of decent superhero movies that occasionally nodded at each other like awkward neighbors at a block party. Instead, thanks to Samuel L. Jackson's eyepatch-wearing spymaster, we got something unprecedented in cinema history—a shared universe that actually worked, … Continue reading Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.: Building the Connective Tissue of the MCU
The Stories He Gave Us: Remembering Rob Reiner Through Eight Films
The news of Rob Reiner's passing hit me hard this morning. In the wake of this tragedy, I find myself doing what I always do when processing difficult emotions—turning to the stories that have shaped me. And Rob Reiner gave us so many stories. Stories that made us laugh until we cried, stories that broke … Continue reading The Stories He Gave Us: Remembering Rob Reiner Through Eight Films
The Worst 42 – The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter
The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter 1990 Directed by George T. Miller Welcome back to Movie Monday, where we continue our methodical journey through my personal countdown of the 100 worst movies I've ever encountered. This week brings us to number 42: The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter, a 1990 sequel that serves … Continue reading The Worst 42 – The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter
The Soundtrack of Christmas Past: My Top 10 Holiday Songs from Movies and TV
Welcome back to Blogmas 2025, the annual tradition where I attempt to post something holiday-themed every single day from December 1st through Christmas Day. This year, I decided to shake things up by letting AI generate my daily writing prompts, because apparently I enjoy making my life both easier and more challenging at the same … Continue reading The Soundtrack of Christmas Past: My Top 10 Holiday Songs from Movies and TV
The Christmas Movie Survival Guide: Assembling Your Holiday Crisis Team
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
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 Confusing Middle 