One of my favorite fantasy movies of all time is The Dark Crystal. This groundbreaking film comes from the mind of Jim Henson. It is directed by his longtime collaborator Frank Oz (known to Star Wars fans as the voice of Yoda). Unlike many fans of this cult classic, I did not watch The Dark […]
The Dark Crystal and the Sinful, Schismatic Skeksis Read More »
Padre Pio himself said, “It would be easier for the world to exist without the sun than without the Holy Mass.” To believe this statement beyond a mere pious platitude about the importance of the liturgy requires a deeper spiritual vision that not only accepts the power of worship, but revels in our participation in
Thanksgiving: the Apocalypse Antidote Read More »
“At the end, I am there with them. I am holding their hand and they’re holding mine…” Every episode of the Netflix fantasy drama, The Sandman, based on the graphic novel by Neil Gaiman, is a powerhouse of thought and emotion. The superb acting of both the main character, Dream, played by Tom Sturridge, and
Remember Sister Death and Her Sweet Sting, But Whose Victory? Read More »
In part one of this two-part blog, I reviewed the story and themes of Dracula, but I opened the conversation by shooting a shot across the bow of common Dracula analysis. dracula-doesnt-suck-part-2 I contend, with absolute seriousness, that the lusty or salacious elements of Bram Stoker’s Dracula are minor themes at best, and only present
Dracula Doesn’t Suck! – part 2 Read More »
“Dracula,” by Bram Stoker, must be the most abused book in literary history. Wikipedia summarizes the themes of Dracula in a pithy three categories: gender and sexuality, race, and disease. I’m going to put my cards on the table up front. That’s an absurd assessment of “Dracula.” But it’s a great example of how mainstream
Dracula Doesn’t Suck! – part 1 Read More »
“I should have said that!” This thought that goes through the head of virtually every person since upper adolescence as every one of us reflects back upon past conversations where some comment has taken us off guard. We not only crave the opportunity for that perfect retort when insulted but also that pithy comment, that
Dr. Peter Kreeft & the Art of the “Fictionalized” Conversation Read More »
I once read someone describe the Babadook as, “like “The Shining” if the main character, Amelia, is both the Jack Nicholson and the Shelly Duvall character. This is a hilariously apt description. Instead of a snowed-in mountain, however, Amelia’s isolation takes place within the very bowels of our alienated 21st century society. She’s the overtaxed
In the first installment of this three-part essay series exploring Walter M. Miller, Jr.’s magnificent science fiction novel A Canticle for Leibowitz, we examined the book’s first novella, “Fiat Homo.” Here, the monks of Miller’s fictional Albertian Order of Leibowitz offer striking parallels to the history of the Catholic Church’s relationship with the natural sciences.
A “Lux” Shines in the Darkness: Part 2 of A Canticle for Leibowitz Read More »
The 6 ‘3, flamboyant playwright that was Oscar Wilde will, regretfully and most likely only be remembered in academia and popular education for his wit and as an icon of eros. He is remembered for his farcical plays and decadent life. What he should be remembered for, though, are his fairy tales. High school educators
Wounds of Love: Redemption in Oscar Wilde’s “The Selfish Giant” Read More »
Walter Mitty lives his life through a series of fantasies, which show him being the person he wishes he was and doing the thing he wishes he could. The movie, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” is all about discovering the meaning and value of the regular, real life. Let’s move past the cliched elements
Walter Mitty and the Man “Fully Alive” Read More »
