When Skepchick Rebecca Watson wrote her viral post on the Planned Parenthood scandal (“Planned Parenthood is Not Selling Baby Parts, you F*** Idiots"), no one had to guess which side she was defending or what she thought of the pro-life crowd. The article is worth considering – not because she's right, but because she is frustratingly wrong in both her facts and assumptions. As … [Read more...]
Inside Out
Pixar's latest blockbuster, Inside Out, chronicles the life of Riley, an eleven-year-old girl, as she moves with her family from an idyllic, postcard kind of town to a large and lonely city. And by "chronicles the life of Riley I mean it tells her story by focusing mostly on her five core emotions: Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear and Sadness. Up until the move, Riley has led a life … [Read more...]
Undivided (The Unwind Dystology)
If you aren't reading Neil Shusterman, you should be. Unwind may be one of the best current Young Adult series addressing significant moral and social issues in a way that leads readers toward the truth. This review will cover the final book, Undivided. If you are not familiar with the series, it may be helpful to read some observations about the previous books (just click on … [Read more...]
Age of Ultron: Human Visions, Second Chances and Filled Gaps
The Avengers have invaded your local theaters - and the public consciousness. Critics like it and audiences love it. It passed the $700million dollar mark only eight days after its release, and a spokesperson for Disney said it should pass the $1.5 billion that the first movie brought in. That billion, with a 'b'. The next Avenger movie is several years away, but between now … [Read more...]
Saint Odd
Odd Thomas has become perhaps the iconic name associated with Dean Koontz. The series has sold over ten million print copies and 900,000 ebooks just in the United States. There are also three graphic novel prequels, a couple novellas, and a movie based on the first book. Odd Thomas deserves the popularity – and the acclaim. Odd is a genuinely good guy, devoted to doing the … [Read more...]
Black Mirror: The Future We Deserve
Black Mirror is a British TV sci-fi series that takes a serious and provocative look at the unintended consequences of technology. Though not prolific (seven shows in two seasons so far), Black Mirror has won numerous awards, and its viewership around the world is growing tremendously. At least one episode is being turned into a movie, and an American version is sure to show up … [Read more...]
Attack On Titan
Both the anime and manga of Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan have been absurdly popular and widely praised. Last year, five of the books in the series were in the Top 20 graphic novels in the U.S., beating even The Walking Dead; 8.3 million copies sold in just the first half of 2014 to boost its total sales close to 22 million copies in just under five years. To give you an … [Read more...]
Scientific Mythologies: How Science And Science Fiction Forge New Religious Beliefs
James A. Herrick's Scientific Mythologies: How Science and Science Fiction Forge New Religious Beliefs offers a fascinating look at the interplay between fiction and reality. Sci-fi literature has had more of an impact on scientific research than one might expect. Rather than being a purely logical endeavor, science is sometimes fueled by - and often distorted by - what … [Read more...]
Worldview and Culture: The Stories That Shaped Us in 2014
As this year wraps up, I offer the following retrospective on some of the more popular entertainment in 2014. It's not an exhaustive list, and I don't necessarily recommend everything on it. It's simply meant to provide insight into the cultural stories that are reflecting and/or shaping a lot of worldviews, particularly those of a young adult audience. Though some of the … [Read more...]
Dracula Untold
Dracula Untold looks to do for Dracula what Maleficent did for its title character. What if there is more to Dracula than we thought? What if he is a hero (albeit a problematic one)? Dracula Untold suggests that he is just that – a misunderstood monster who has become what he is for love. And make no mistake, Vlad the Impaler is a monster. His childhood is tragic. He and 999 … [Read more...]