A culture blog that reads between the lines
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When Gattaca (1997; dir. Niccol) premiered, it offered a vision of the future that was uncomfortably plausible. Its central philosophical message—one that champions human potential and rejects reductionism—still resonates over two decades later. Today, the film feels even more relevant in a…
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Despair, Morality, Redemption, and Forgiveness: A Comparison of Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans and Bicycle Thieves
At first glance, the feverish Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009; dir. Herzog) and the neorealist masterpiece Bicycle Thieves (1948; dir. De Sica) couldn’t seem more different. One is a wild, chaotic exploration of a cop’s descent into…
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A Tale of Two Lives: It’s a Wonderful Life and The Green Knight
I tend to dislike Christmas movies but two of my favorite (Christmas) films are It’s a Wonderful Life (1946; dir. Capra) and The Green Knight (2021; dir. Lowery) both revolve around a central, existential question—What would life be like without…
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Taking a Chance on Genius: Caroline Shaw and the Attacca Quartet’s Orange and Evergreen
At times, culture can find you when you aren’t looking. Several years ago, I was thumbing through the clearance section of my local record store, an eclectic jumble of forgotten albums, obscure indie bands, and the occasional misfiled treasure. In…
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The Twilight Saga (2008-2012; dirs. Hardwicke, Weitz, Slade, & Condon)
Though I tried watching the first installment of this series in 2009 or 2010, I fell asleep during it and never went back. I decided to watch the whole series for one reason, the Instagram memes made these movies seem…
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Comparing Ran (1985; dir. Akira Kurosawa) with Throne of Blood (1957; dir. Akira Kurosawa)
Ran has always been on my radar but I never got motivated enough to watch it before this week. The reasons I would want to watch it are straightforward and of obvious appeal to me, it’s a Jidaegeki (i.e., Japanese…
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What’s on tap
While my son slept on me I scrolled Kanopy for something to watch. I’ve been doing this (on Kanopy, Criterion, Netflix, etc.) since he was born on 10/05/24, understanding that I may only get to watch 30 minutes at a…
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Welcome
This blog is, ostensibly, a culture review through the perspective of one man. A person with an advanced education and some credentials. (I work in a university, get to converse with many scholars, attend talks, and engage with all different…
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The Curated Life Worth Reading 