Movies

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World Year: 2019 Rating: PG Length: 104 minutes / 1.73 hours I haven’t always been a fan of DreamWorks movies, but the How to Train Your Dragon series is, in my opinion, perhaps the best they’ve ever created. Of course, I’m probably a little biased because each entry in the […]

Avengers: Endgame Year: 2019 Rating: PG-13 Length: 181 minutes / 3.02 hours With last year’s semi-cliffhanger, Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019) had a lot of ground to cover to reach a satisfying conclusion of over ten years of filmmaking. It’s no wonder that it’s just a smidge over three hours since there’s a lot of ground to […]

1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: 5th Edition Year: 2008 Author: Steven Jay Schneider Length: 960 pages As a movie aficionado, it was only a matter of time before I picked up this book. At the time, the 5th edition covered most of the films that were out at the time, but I do realize […]

Isn’t It Romantic? Year: 2019 Rating: PG-13 Length: 89 minutes / 1.48 hours I generally enjoy “self-aware” movies. Those films that know which genre they’re in and make fun of it the entire time. While it’s entertaining to see all the various tropes of a particular genre exposed in this method, these films still have […]

Anyone who was watching television in the mid-2000s was likely aware of NBC’s mockumentary sitcom, The Office. Even today, you’re likely to find this show on syndication somewhere on cable television. If you’ve seen an episode of the show, you’ll likely recognize Steve Carell as the boss of the eponymous office, Michael Scott. While he... Read more.

There are plenty of actors who have made the jump from being in front of the camera to being behind it. This is so much the norm that it is rare to find someone who works on a movie in a different capacity moving to the director’s chair. However, of these non-acting roles, writers have... Read more.

The reasons for giving a child up for adoption are nearly as varied as wanting to adopt a child. While it shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as an economic “supply and demand” situation, there are often times where children could be better off in an adoption situation than staying with birth parents. These situations can bring... Read more.

Pregnancy can often bring immense joy to a family, as soon-to-be parents prepare to bring their progeny into the world. On the flip side, an unexpected pregnancy can bring intense anxiety and emotions into potentially strained relationships. Of course, cynics might argue that the unforeseen pregnancies in our society have the potential to overwhelm us,... Read more.

Filmmaking, like any creative pursuit, can bring together people with similar goals. This is the foundation of any community. Even within these communities, individuals can bond over their shared past experiences. These bonds are how groups like the “Three Amigos” form. Rising to prominence in Hollywood at the turn of the millennium, the Three Amigos... Read more.

Cinematographers use plenty of camera techniques to create the director’s vision for the film. From zooms to pans, these techniques help tell a story and can help the audience understand what’s happening on screen. There are some advanced techniques, like the dolly zoom (also known as the Vertigo (1958) effect), that use the characteristics of... Read more.

Sometimes, I think we take the simple act of survival for granted, especially on Earth. Sure, there are extreme climates that prohibit long-term survival, but most areas on Earth can be survived for a significant amount of time. Humans have an inherent ability to find food, water, and shelter, even in the most unforgiving of... Read more.

Buzz Lightyear often says, “To infinity . . . and beyond!” but we all know it is impossible to go beyond the infinite. Still, people will always wonder what is past the endless emptiness of the universe. Are there parallel universes to ours with equal amounts of infinity? Can we reach these other universes by... Read more.

While most people use a plentitude of computers daily, few take time to think about the Operating Systems (OS) on these computers. Sure, when Windows is acting up or if iOS crashes, we become aware of the OS controlling the ubiquitous amount of computers and smartphones we use; but for the most part, we don’t... Read more.

Joaquin Phoenix is one of those actors who started acting in their childhood, and has been in plenty of movies but gained notoriety for their later work. Consequently, when people go back to watch their earlier works, they’ll exclaim, “I didn’t know _______ was in this!” One does wonder what growing up in the movie... Read more.