In a more philosophical mood today, which is not unsurprising on Veterans Day (probably known better as Armistice Day and Remembrance Day for some readers). For most of the organizations I’ve worked for over the years, I have worked with a lot of veterans. In our current times where the United States is feeling far less united, I take heart that all the veterans I know came from very different walks of life. And now?…
This year’s sci-fi offerings on screen have included some truly dickish tech bros from Nicholas Hoult’s self-assured Lex Luthor in the latest film version of Superman to Samuel Blenkin’s infuriating Boy Kavalier in Alien: Earth. Even if you haven’t seen interviews with tech titans professing their love of science fiction and related geekery, this video may prove to be more validation than surprises.
Evidently, events in this timeline have caused many to revisit Babylon 5, the 90s TV space opera aided by the immortal Video Toaster. And you know what? That’s a damn good reason and if you need a reminder, there’s YourFutureSelf’s video… BUT WAIT! Before you watch, if you haven’t seen Babylon 5, it has some serious spoilers that might detract from the enjoyment of the series unfolding. For you, there are two viewing guides to…
Okay, so last week, I shared an article about some creepy places to visit and, to my mind, film six to seven scenes of your indie horror opus. But what if you just want to engage in some movie tourism, spooky style? This compilation article (list-icle?) from Jonathan Carey, et al, from Atlas Obscura gives you a bunch of places to visit in person where you may have previously visited on screen, whether it’s getting…
It could be that growing up with both Count Gore De Vol and Count Floyd, I have a soft spot for “horror hosts,” those usually hyper-local curators of horror films good, bad, and ugly. Tea Krulos has a nice longer piece for Atlas Obscura that delves into not only the horror hosts, but the mission they serve in preserving frightening film history. Enjoy! And remember: there’s just a few more shocking days until Halloween!
Continuing the posts for spooky season, the idea of a ghost tour certainly comes to mind this time of year, but what about travel plans to specific creepy locations? Writer Kristine Hansen has your back (and for my filmmaking friends: don’t tell me you wouldn’t want one or more of these locations for your indie horror flick).
Well, assuming you want a historical perspective… Now that it’s spooky season, expect to see a bunch of posts on spooky topics and since seeing The Witch of Edmonton and The Crucible almost back to back at an early age, I though why not start with witches? Historian Mikki Brock goes over dozens of questions about all aspects of witches and witchcraft, so you’re likely to learn something new (no spells though, I think that’s…
The week has gotten away from me, but make no mistake, it’s Banned Books Week, a week to celebrate your freedom to read… and perhaps metaphorically walk in someone else’s shoes for a few hundred pages. As always, both the Banned Books Week site and the American Library Association (ALA) have a number of resources, from the Top 10 Challenged Books of 2024 to a 20-page PDF about the state of America’s libaries. The latter…
Perhaps thinking of my post back in August, how to deal with our interesting times has been on my mind, so that’s one of the reasons this hit me the way it did and might be useful to you. Besides suggestions for how to get through the timeline, he also has some good words on the “scarcity mindset” with people playing “zero-sum games” and a great perspective on gatekeeping vs. “paying your dues.” Leaving you…
Longtime readers may recall I do post about theater from time to time. I’ve worked for many theater companies and started attending theater performances long before then. The Washington, DC area has close to 100 active theater companies, a fact that seems obvious when you realize how clearly Washington likes drama. Alas, pretty much all theaters were hard hit by the Pandemic. Another issue then, and definitely now, is the availability of performance spaces. Now,…