I’m in the midst of some other writing, so to feed the Internet algorithm, I give you Screen Junkies’ now-annual tradition of explaining all the best picture nominees in their irreverent manner. You can check out all the nominees on the academy’s web page and if you’re wondering which films to cram in before Sunday’s ceremony, Joe Reid over at Vulture gives you his ranking of all 50 films nominated. It’s been years since I’ve…
One of the kids is currently studying World War II, so I reminded them that dads (not just Baby Boomers) are required to know all sorts of military history. It’s like a Dad Merit Badge. In fact, I think World War II is only the first one. Anyway, to help dads everywhere earn or maintain their Military History trivia bona fides, check out George Dvorsky‘s article on 8 low-tech weapons and tactics used during the…
Going through some of my old research on space exploration –because why shouldn’t one write science fiction of space explorers knowing some related science fact?– I came across this article by Denise Chow for Space.com back from 2011. It’s all about how people are practicing how to explore space while still here on Earth. And since it’s from 2011, I wondered how some of these projects turned out in early 2026, 15 years later. The…
A definite plus of last year was reading the number of books I did: far more than I had the previous few years. Not only did it help with my writing, but it also helped provide some solace amid all the happy fun stuff happening in the world. But before I advocate wanton reading, you should be made aware of the research done by Gregory Berns and others, research that indicate STORIES CHANGE YOUR BRAIN.…
I’m old enough to remember when they started the National Film Registry and it’s always nice to see which 25 films are added each year. It’s always a combination of films crossing genres, decades, and current awareness. Some films you know well, some you think “about time,” and some –let’s be honest, fellow cinemaniacs– we don’t know… which means we have new films to check out! Anyway, here’s where you can learn about this year’s…
The Golden Globes have come and gone, and the Oscar nominations have been announced (as well as the Actor née SAG Awards). If you suddenly feel the urge to catch up on what are deemed the “best films” from 2025, you’re not alone. I am here to help that endeavor. Now, if you’re the type of person who’s all about group consensus, you might want to go no further than Metacritic’s round-up of the top…
Some days, you discover something and must share it with the world. You know that piece of rousing music you probably most associate with the circus? It often heralds the entrance of the clowns. I’ll let Marty the Zebra refresh your memory: Well, as it turns out, this particular piece of music was not written for the big top, but it was written with another circus in mind, a circus that takes it to the…
After all the viewing guides to date, we finally arrive at Deep Space Nine (DS9). While I love several other Star Trek series a whole lot (as you probably picked up on), this one remains my favorite for a multitude of reasons, not just for the root beer. No, this spinoff with no Enterprise –and not even set on a starship– is where the producers kept pushing the envelope for how much serialization they could…
Okay. Perhaps you read the viewing guides for TOS yesterday. Maybe you’ve been watching Lower Decks, which references the O.G. animated series enough that you feel like you need to see this oft forgotten Trek series for yourself. But do you need to see every episode? No. I mean, you could. Budget a relaxed day and you can watch the whole series that same day. It’s only 22 half-hour episodes that, since they were made…
My post ranking every episode of the original Star Trek series remains one of the most popular on the site which means we’re well overdue to have a viewing guide. This year will mark the 60th anniversary of adventures of the starship Enterprise first appearing on television sets. There’s aspects of the show, like any show, that are of its time, but it also sets the tone echoed by future Trek series where the exploration…