MOVIE: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005)

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The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Year: 2005 Rating: PG Length: 109 minutes / 1.82 hours For a book that has had so many adaptations in so many forms of media (radio drama, video game, TV series, etc.), one could argue that The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005) was merely the American adaptation that made it palatable to non-British audiences. While this may be the case, I think it does an excellent job of encapsulating this iconic piece of science fiction comedy with lots of high-profile actors and excellent CGI that enhances the otherworldly universe created by Douglas Adams. One of the challenges this film faces is all the different cutaway gags and bits required as the “Guide” provides exposition details for all the fantastical elements that are a staple in sci-fi. I love the style they used for the Guide and the bits with the whale were funny. The only problem is that they sometimes break the flow of the narrative—even if they...
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BOOK: The Other Half of Church (2020)

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The Other Half of Church: Christian Community, Brain Science, and Overcoming Spiritual Stagnation Year: 2020 Author: Jim Wilder and Michel Hendricks Length: 240 pages When I was first introduced to the book, The Other Half of Church, I thought it might cover topics similar to Thinking Fast and Slow where the authors would explore how neuroscience affects the religious experience that comes with attending / participating in church. While there was some discussion of these ideas, most of this text focused on the feeling of belonging that we get when we’re part of a group of like-minded individuals. This “hesed” appears to be vital for a healthy church, but it doesn’t really dive deep enough into the brain science that the early chapters promise. Perhaps my expectation was that The Other Half of Church would get into how individuals can make snap judgements that can determine their initial desire to be included in a particular church, but then get deeper into the relational part of...
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MOVIE: Wish (2023)

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Wish Year: 2023 Rating: PG Length: 95 minutes / 1.58 hours For a monumental achievement of 100 years of animation, Disney unfortunately let that landmark hold too much weight when they came up with Wish (2023). What should have been an original idea that could have been of Frozen (2013) or Tangled (2010) quality ended up being bogged down with nostalgia for older eras of the animation studio. Yes, most Disney fans will probably pick out the references to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Pinocchio (1940)—with the title being a clear call-out of “When You Wish Upon a Star.” However, this is not enough to make it worth watching. The premise of Wish is so basic as to be almost completely forgettable. That it’s basically a metaphor for trickle-down economics is probably lost on most, and ironic coming from Disney as well. Other choices, like having the goat talk (even if voiced by long-time collaborator Alan Tudyk) did not make these characters...
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VIDEO GAME: Sonic and the Black Knight (2009)

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Sonic and the Black Knight Year: 2009 Rating: E10+ Time Played: ~3.5 hours I’ll admit that playing Sonic Dash was enough to get me interested in the Wii game, Sonic and the Black Knight. I had seen these familiar characters put in the traditional roles of the Knights of the Round Table, and that seemed like an interesting enough concept to me that I wanted to play it. After purchasing the game on eBay, I finally had the chance to experience this Sonic game that I had missed years ago. Unfortunately, the gameplay itself was quite lacking, despite having an interesting premise. For a game as short as it is, Sonic and the Black Knight has a lot of cut-scenes. I understand there’s a sort of mini-sub series of Sonic games where the settings are almost storybook in nature, but at that point the Sonic developers just needed to either make an animated movie or a graphic novel (considering the fully voice-acted cut-scenes aren’t really...
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MOVIE: Mickey 17 (2025)

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Mickey 17 Year: 2025 Rating: R Length: 137 minutes / 2.28 hours I can appreciate when movies try to do something new. The trick is that I also want my movies to be an escape from reality. Science fiction is meant to ask tough questions about society, but sometimes I don’t think sci-fi looks far enough out when certain plots would be completely feasible in the near future. Mickey 17 (2025) basically answers the question, “When the poor have nothing else to give, what will capitalism do to them?” Answer: clone them as expendables for dangerous menial labor situations. Acting-wise, Robert Pattinson carries this movie on his ability to truly pull off cloned versions of the same person with quite unique personalities. Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette are also great in their roles as a couple who use authoritarianism to subdue a population on an alien planet. Naomi Ackie and Steven Yeun were good too, but didn’t have the extremes the other characters were portraying....
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BOOK: Jacky Ha-Ha (2016)

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Jacky Ha-HaYear: 2016Author: James PattersonLength: 273 minutes / 4.55 hours As my children get into longer books (and can pay attention to audiobooks), I’ve appreciated some of the stories that they have chosen. One such book was Jacky Ha-Ha by James Patterson. The story of a goofy kid trying to find her purpose—or at least who interacted with adults who saw her promise—was an amusing coming of age tale. The problem with the narrative was mostly around the negligent father figure who was absent for most of the story. This subplot was my main qualm with the book. The titular character in Jacky Ha-Ha frames the story as an acceptance speech years in the future, where she no longer suffers from the stuttering that gained her this nickname. The presence of mentors at her school who saw her clowning as a potential for improv and acting is the engagement I want from those who are teaching my kids, so I appreciate that...
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MOVIE: The Peanuts Movie (2015)

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The Peanuts Movie Year: 2015 Rating: G Length: 88 minutes / 1.47 hours Adaptations of classic animated IPs always face the challenge of either re-designing the aesthetic that made them popular in the first place or trying to mimic the original style in a way that still appeals to modern audiences. With The Peanuts Movie (2015), Blue Sky was able to both recreate that original Peanuts visual style while also giving it a CGI polish that made the whole thing pop. Mix in well-known musical cues from past animated Peanuts specials and a heartwarming plot that gives Charlie Brown (Noah Schnapp) a happy ending. My only qualm with The Peanuts Movie is that, even at a brisk runtime, there isn’t a big enough story to maintain the focus for the entire film. Sure, the little vignettes with Snoopy are cute and align with the expected antics of the beagle, but it almost felt like the overarching Charlie Brown storyline was made thinner to account for...
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VIDEO GAME: Wii Sports (2006)

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Wii Sports Year: 2006 Rating: E Time Played: ~20 hours Few games have had the immense cultural impact quite like Wii Sports. As the game included with new Wii systems, Nintendo knocked it out of the park for a game that not only was simple to pick up and play but that also was accessible to anyone who could move their arms. While previous generations of launch titles highlighted the graphical capabilities of the system, Wii Sports sold many on the motion controls that were essential to the console itself. With five different sports included in the game, Nintendo chose sports that were simple and common enough that most people just understood how to play them without much need for explanation or tutorial. Kids, adults, and grandparents could all bond over the fun experience of virtual bowling, baseball, or tennis while more serious gamers could perfect their handling of the Wii Remote to master virtual golf or boxing. Of course, the issue here being that...
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MOVIE: The Substance (2024)

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The Substance Year: 2024 Rating: R Length: 141 minutes / 2.35 hours Social commentary is a fine line to walk for any film. Most times, the message is too heavy handed that it beats the audience over the head with it. The Substance (2024) leans into this and literally beats the characters over the head with the harsh reality of aging—especially for women in show business. While uncomfortable to watch on an enormous movie theater screen, this modern adaptation of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" is almost perfect with only a few plot choices that left a bad aftertaste. The premise of The Substance is so simple and easily understandable at its core. Take this drug and split into two bodies, one of which is a younger and more attractive version of yourself. The packaging, font, and presentation of the titular substance was top-notch and a definite highlight of the film. Of course, one could argue that the secondary message aside from the unending obsession...
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