"Broken Pieces" – Star Trek: Picard S1E08
There’s a delightful (if not disconcerting) moment near the middle of “Broken Pieces,” where Agnes Jurati asks Jean-Luc Picard if he believes in hell. Picard’s breathy sigh and casually lifted eyebrow are a wonderful piece of subtle acting from Patrick…
Love Jones (1997) & The Photograph (2020): The Value of Words
Nearly 25 years ago, the producers of the independent gem Love Jones had a modest and honest goal with its romance. They sought to make a modern film about African-American life that did not use violence and/or recreational drugs as…
"Nepenthe" – Star Trek: Picard S1E07
There are certain things in this episode that cannot go unaddressed. To begin with, it sees the return of Will Riker and Deanna Troi. This provides us with a new vision of one of the most beloved and archetypal symbols…
Hamilton: Racial Reconciliation or Revolutionary Revisionism?
Three years ago, I was mortified when my teenage daughter became obsessed with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s award-winning Broadway musical Hamilton, with its suggestive lyrics and revisionist history. Hamilton’s brilliant hip-hop soundtrack and talented, racially-diverse cast eventually won me over, especially as…
Review| Burden
Like I talked about in my review of last year’s Skin, it is difficult telling a story of America’s ugly past dealing with racism, and the terrorism that the Ku Klux Klan visited upon our African American brothers and sisters. It…
"The Impossible Box" – Star Trek: Picard S1E06
Star Trek: Picard feels like a fever dream. It’s a big ball of nostalgia bouncing around a very modern sci-fi playground; a reboot of sorts that’s not quite a retcon nor a sequel. It’s Earl Grey that’s decaf now, an…
Review| Reel Redemption
Reel Redemption is a visual essay by film critic and academic Tyler Smith about the conflicts between Hollywood and Christianity. He has a solid grasp on how we got to where we are, and in just under an hour, with…
Frozen II and the Inescapable Story of Redemption
Frozen II is quite honestly an amazing sequel, as far as sequels go. The animation is gorgeous, the musical sequences are entertaining and thought provoking, and the messages of trust, family solidarity, and real loyalty are all delivered. Through the…
"Stardust City Rag" – Star Trek: Picard S1E05
Note: I can’t very well begin this article any other way than the episode did: with spoilers. Make sure you’ve seen “Stardust City Rag” before reading any further, as well as Voyager’s season 7 episode “Imperfection.” Picard still thinks there’s…
A Liturgical Watchlist for Lent and Easter: Navigating That Space Between Death and Life
As we enter the season of Lent, a period of reflection and preparation as we move towards Easter, many people will be giving consideration to what it is they will be giving up as a symbol of this figurative time…