A compelling love story. Check. Cute Kids. Check. A catchy musical number (or four). Check. Nazi bad guys. Check. I’m not sure what you look for in a film, but by my measure, any movie that checks off all those boxes has instant classic written all over it. Though it is no surprise that a hit Broadway musical would find cinematic success, the idea that The Sound of Music would become one of the highest grossing films of all time (adjusted for inflation) certainly did not occur to the numerous critics who panned it upon its initial release. But here…
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A Writer’s Tale- Percy Shelley’s Heart
This week’s entry of A Writer’s Tale features a story that is less quirky and more macabre. It is also a special bonus edition as it involves not one but two of my favorite writers. Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the great poets of the Romantic Age. He is known for a great many works but you’ll indulge me in recognizing one of my own personal favorites Ozymandias. Percy was married to another quite famous writer whose work is well known to all of you. Mary Shelly, who authored one of the most famous novels ever written, Frankenstein. Our…
Reference Humor: Brooklyn Nine-Nine S1E6 “Halloween”
Halloween is just around the corner and to celebrate I’m bringing you the very first of Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Halloween specials. It’s scary at just how many references this show can fit into one episode. As always bold numbers represent the time at which the reference happened and Spoilers abound for a wide variety of films. Scroll down at your own risk. Okay, let’s get started. 00:25- Charles is dressed as Mario Batali a celebrity chef. (This episode aired before Batali faced multiple accusations of sexual harassment) 00:30- Jake guesses that Charles is dressed as a dumpy Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris…
Reference Humor: Psych Season 3 Episode 15 “Tuesday the 17th”
When it comes to meta and murder, no one does it better than fake psychic detective Shawn Spencer. And being as this is October and Halloween is just around the corner I thought I’d use this edition of Reference Humor to break down Psych’s Friday the 13th homage “Tuesday the 17th” As always bold numbers represent the time at which the reference happened and Spoilers abound for a wide variety of films. Scroll down at your own risk. You’ve been warned (cue evil cackle). 00:00 The episode title is a reference to the slasher film Friday the 13th (1980) 00:24…
Subtitle Subversives-Solaris
If you looked at a Venn diagram of films I like and films I recognize to be great works of cinema the two circles would largely overlap. Sure there would be quite a few films I like that I recognize are not great cinema but there would only be a tiny sliver of films I recognize as being excellent pieces of filmmaking that I did not particularly enjoy. Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1972 masterwork Solaris is one of those rare films that falls into the latter category. Which is why I thought it would be perfect for this edition of Subtitle Subversives.…
The Franchise-Green Arrow
Core Concept: Green Arrow is not an overly original character. Created all the way back in 1941, this hero is essentially an amalgamation of Batman and Robin Hood. It took a long time for his writers to come up with an idea that moved beyond those two core influences. It took until the 70’s in his joint adventures with Green Lantern for the hero to develop an identity all his own. Oliver Queen is at his best when he is seeking out social justice in addition to that of the vigilante kind. His political life, his commitment to the little guy,…
The Franchise-Doctor Who
If you’re not excited for Jodi Whittaker’s debut as the Doctor this Saturday you’re either not familiar with her work or a terrible person. As a devout Whovian I can guarantee you I’ll be glued to my seat the second that distinctive music begins to play. But for those of you a bit less fanatic about a sci-fi show that’s been on the air for over fifty years I thought I’d use this edition of The Franchise to give you a bit of a primer. Core Concept: “A Mad(wo)man with a Box” The Doctor may be a Time Lord with…
Troping the Riff- The Asylum Episode
There is nothing more difficult to quantify than someone else’s’ reality. And if I told you that I had lived a life battling the forces of evil or traveling the stars you would assume, and perhaps rightly so, that my perceived reality had gone a little far askew of the reality everyone else was living in. If I persisted with my delusions, there would be little choice but to have me committed to an institution. This is something we all accept as part of the real world and is a far more likely explanation for what is going on than…
A Writer’s Tale-Virginia Woolf
It occurred to me that I have done my readership a great disservice by somehow managing only to feature the quirky and wild tales of male authors up to this point. So in this edition, I will remedy that with a tale as amusing as it is cringe-worthy. And what literary lady will grace us with her tale this day? Why none other than the master of the modern novel herself, Miss Virginia Woolf. The year was nineteen ten, the place Dorset, England. Back before the great war, there was quite a rivalry between officers in Her Majesty’s Navy. As…
The Silver Bullet – Curriculum 12
Twelfth Grade: Seniors are for all intents and purposes adults and should be treated as such. They believe that means doing whatever they want. What it really means is holding them accountable for their own choices and education rather than leaning on their parents. You have to give respect to get respect as the saying goes. This is the culmination of everything they’ve worked for and often they can’t wait to get out the door. If you don’t stimulate their curiosity and their passion your not going to get anywhere with this group. Math: Calculus Science: Physics Computer Science: Computer…