Teddy Roosevelt, The Odyssey, and the reality that Western civilization is stronger and more inclusive than defenders seem to believe

Soldier in early 20th century military uniform holding a rifle, standing on a rocky outcrop overlooking Athens with the Acropolis and Parthenon at sunset.

To some of the film’s detractors, casting a black woman as Helen of Troy, a transgender man as Sinon, and updating the story to reflect some aspects of modern values is an assault on the foundations of all they hold dear, but Teddy Roosevelt might disagree. Teddy Roosevelt spent much of his life advancing the… Continue reading Teddy Roosevelt, The Odyssey, and the reality that Western civilization is stronger and more inclusive than defenders seem to believe

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, the great cultural battles of our time, and the real problems with the film

Circular stone maze lit with blue light on a rocky island at night

Perhaps, low expectations will leave me pleasantly surprised while high expectations will have the inverse effect for others, or perhaps we all simply have far too much time on our hands to bicker about a movie as though it were deeply important to our lives. Rarely, does a film generate controversy three months before its… Continue reading Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, the great cultural battles of our time, and the real problems with the film

The Simpsons: America’s favorite animated family is still brilliant, funny, and biting after 33 years

The Simpsons numbers over 700 episodes and counting.  The show has birthed a thousand memes on social media, is said to have predicted the Donald Trump Presidency, but remains a family comedy at heart, turning this tried and true formula into an ongoing commentary on American life and culture. The Simpsons is more legend than… Continue reading The Simpsons: America’s favorite animated family is still brilliant, funny, and biting after 33 years