Kwisatz Haderach: The Promised Savior in Dune Part 1 (2021)
I had no experience with Dune before I watched Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film adaptation, and that lack of grand expectations is probably why I was so happily surprised by how fresh, epic, beautiful, and well made it was. In an…
The Chief End of (Wo)man – Barbie (2023)
We’re all good and equal now, right? Natalie explains why Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is THE movie for millennial women.
Redemption in the Desert: Obi-Wan Kenobi season 1
Now THIS is Star Wars: Lightsabers, saving the princess, and redemption.
The Unavoidable Allure of Alternate Universes: Right Place, Right Time
Alternate universe stories give us a chance to see what the characters in the narratives we love are really made of. Strip away the trappings of their circumstances, put them in different hardships and opportunities, and what do they become?…
The Unavoidable Allure of Alternate Universes: Women in the Room
There’s a real seduction to multiverse stories. Seeing how all the same pieces rearrange themselves into a recognizable but different whole; seeing who these characters really are by removing the trappings; watching how a tiny choice made in a tiny…
"Crisis Point" – Star Trek: Lower Decks S1E09
After episode 8 overdosed on fan nostalgia for The Undiscovered Country, “Crisis Point” makes it clear that there’s a competition for the episode with the most fun fan callbacks; and the prize isn’t even close to being awarded yet. Thankfully,…
"Veritas" – Star Trek: Lower Decks S1E08
“Guys, this is basically a resort compared to what the Klingons do to you.” —Beckett Mariner Ok, but…it’s pretty much exactly what the Klingons do to you. This is the fanservice-iest episode of the season, by far. Mostly for The…
"Much Ado About Boimler" – Star Trek: Lower Decks S1E07
I’ve always loved Star Trek’s penchant for forcing characters together who don’t really interact much in a usual story; you see Sisko & Kira scenes and O’Brien and Bashir scenes all the time, but every once in a while the…
"Terminal Provocations" – Star Trek: Lower Decks S1E06
First of all, I felt personally attacked by this episode’s cold open. Just because I listen to Star Trek warp engine sounds while I work sometimes and can definitely tell the difference between the Enterprise-D’s and Voyager’s ambient warp core…
"Cupid’s Errant Arrow" – Star Trek: Lower Decks S1E05
Find yourself someone who talks about you the way Tendi and Rutherford say “Whoosh.” “Cupid’s Errant Arrow” is the first story I’ve felt fit within the duration of a Lower Decks episode thus far. While the other four entries into…