Everyone on the Internet is talking about why Top Gun: Maverick never explicitly names the enemy nation. That’s because it doesn’t really matter.
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The First Extraterrestrial Church and How Hollywood Sci-Fi Explains the Search for Faith with Aliens
In some instances, Hollywood writers have used the search for aliens as a metaphor for the search for faith. The three most prominent examples help us learn quite a bit about how culture and ourselves view faith: Contact, Signs, and Ad Astra.
Read MoreMary Sue Who?
What’s a Mary Sue? Am I one? There’s a lot of confusion about this topic, and just as much anger. So I will definitively answer the questions surrounding two recently accused Mary Sue’s by saying…maybe?
Read MoreAssembled: The Marvel of Long-Form Storytelling
I want to talk about Endgame. I want to talk about all the incredible moments that will make fans stand up and cheer or want to weep. Both exist. And perhaps in a couple weeks I’ll delve into a more spoiler-unfriendly review. This isn’t a review so much as it is a letter of appreciation.
Read MoreThe Humanity of Good Sci-Fi
Sure, sci-fi needs to look cool and show us something new, but truly legendary sci-fi needs to show us something human.
Read MoreThe Dilemma of Characterization and "That Character Wouldn't Do That!"
It’s a harsh reality to get slapped in the face by disappointment when someone we love lets us down. It’s even harder when that person is fictional.
Read MoreWe Should've Seen It Coming
Truth be told, George Lucas’ later mistakes in the Star Wars prequels were all our fault. We should’ve seen it coming.
Read MoreWhy Sequels Are So Often Doomed to Fail
Sequels are like playing the lottery and, just like in the real lottery, you have better odds of being stabbed in the eye by a passing pirate captain than you do of winning.
Read MoreMaking (Fake) Death Matter
There are several characters in pop culture who died and left us feeling…well, nothing. So how exactly do you make a character’s death matter?
Read MoreThe Things We Share
In days gone by, older cultures had epic tales of great warriors and mythical beings. Today, we have Star Wars.
Read MoreThe Problem with Prequels
As long as Star Wars wants to mine the past for these new stories…you're going to keep on seeing these sort of narrative hoops get unsuccessfully navigated.
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