Published inFanfare·Jun 27, 2022Member-onlyI Watched Matt Walsh’s ‘What Is a Woman’ So You Don’t Have ToHow the documentary failed and what can be learned from it — On its surface, Matt Walsh’s recent documentary What Is a Woman seeks to penetrate the web of jargon and popular culture that hampers meaningful discourse on gender. After all, how can we have a thoughtful conversation about [x] if we don’t know what [x] even is, right? The film opens…Film6 min readFilm6 min read
Published inThe POM·Oct 12, 2021Member-onlySpeed Bag MeditationA poem — Poetry1 min readPoetry1 min read
Published inFanfare·Sep 23, 2021Member-onlyNightbooks and the Evolution of HorrorHow David Yarovesky blends past and present through family-friendly horror — It’s no secret that children’s stories have changed over time. From their roots as gruesome cautionary tales centered on didactic instruction, popular tales like Little Red Riding Hood and Rumpelstiltskin have softened over time to the gentler versions we know today. But has this evolution watered down children’s horror or…Film5 min readFilm5 min read
Published inFanfare·Mar 2, 2021Member-onlyComing to the New AmericaThe legacy of the 1988 romantic comedy in the America of 2021 — When it released in 1988, John Landis’s Coming to America marked a turning point in Eddie Murphy’s breakout film career. He had proven his chops as a comedy actor and taken a few swings at playing an action star, but this marked another side of his talent with a more…Film8 min readFilm8 min read
Published inFanfare·Feb 23, 2021Member-onlyThe Map of Tiny Perfect Things Strikes GoldHow Ian Samuels explores new territory in a well-worn trope — The Map of Tiny Perfect Things, the new Amazon Studios film by director Ian Samuels and written by Lev Grossman (The Magicians), expects that you know the premise of Groundhog Day. And Edge of Tomorrow. And have at least a familiarity with Taxi Driver, X-Men, and Time Bandits. If you…Film4 min readFilm4 min read
Published inFanfare·Feb 9, 2021Member-onlyThe Ignorance of Mike Cahill’s BlissThe sacrifice of meaning for mystery — It’s obvious from the start that something is amiss in Amazon’s new sci-fi, romance film from writer/director Mike Cahill (Another Earth). We’re immediately bombarded with a sensory overload of alarms and demands and information that establishes the near-constant state of tension for much of the story. The seeds of suspicion…Film3 min readFilm3 min read
Published inThe POM·Jan 26, 2021Member-onlyThe New American Dream of Amanda Gorman’s ‘The Hill We Climb’How the poet connects America’s past to its future. — Plenty of history was made on January 20, 2021. Plenty of firsts. Plenty of barriers broken. And while it’s easy to get swept up in the currents of politics that dominate our attention, there was another current flowing strong that day. …Poetry4 min readPoetry4 min read
Published inThe Writing Cooperative·Jan 16, 2021Member-only5 Benefits of Reading Your Work AloudHow to improve your writing through speaking and listening — We’ve all heard about public speaking’s status as most people’s number-one fear. As an English and creative writing educator for over 10 years, I’ve learned just how many students would rather take a failing grade instead of presenting a project to a class of their peers. But any teacher knows…Writing5 min readWriting5 min read
Jan 14, 2021Member-onlyQAnon Book Report: HamletQ. Anon Freshman English January 6, 2021 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and the Deep State William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet around the year 1600, influenced in part by the death of his son, Hamnet. Misspellings matter! The play focuses on prince Hamlet of Denmark fighting corruption and terrorist forces, guided by the ghost of his murdered Patriot father, JFK…Humor2 min readHumor2 min read
Published inThe Apeiron Blog·Jan 6, 2021Member-onlyHow Should We Talk About Justice?What we mean when we say “fair.” — Ask an average person on the street if they believe that justice is good or bad and you’ll get an overwhelming response that it’s a good idea. Justice is a value of such universal appeal that we regularly incorporate it into children’s narratives and pop culture brands. …Philosophy6 min readPhilosophy6 min read
