I've recently finished a good chunk of media, and since there wasn't one thing that really stood out to me I figured I'd just give some simple opinions without going too in-depth. I'm going to split these posts up into the different media. Today we'll be focusing on three books I've read. Moby Dick Rehearsed … Continue reading Some Quick Reviews Part 1: Books
Analysis
Other, Self, and the Fictitious Identity
One of the things that fascinates me the most within the realm of Fantasy and Sci-fi is the presentation of morality systems with the concept of the “other.” Much has been written about otherness, and what I’m writing here is in no way going to be a comprehensive review of this very broad, heavily debated … Continue reading Other, Self, and the Fictitious Identity
Confirmation by the Future: Dissecting a Fallacy
There's an argument, an argument that I've encountered numerous times on college campuses, and argument that bothers me very much. I was talking with one of my friends (a history major)about the nature of historical revisionism, specifically the way that individuals look at the past and then adjust certain cultural practices to be "good" or … Continue reading Confirmation by the Future: Dissecting a Fallacy
Art, Ritual, and Magic
I've always been fascinated by magic - the idea of mysterious forces intertwined with the natural world, yet somehow apart from it at the same time, its so very removed from the modern world. People used to live with an understanding that magical forces were very real, and very alive - in most cultures magic … Continue reading Art, Ritual, and Magic
The Revenant: Artistry and Subtlety
I've just returned home from watching The Revenant, a film as rough and gruesome as its hero's face. It's a heavy film, weighed down by its subject matter, its setting, and the way it tells its story. This isn't to say that it's bad - its an incredible film, and one that I enjoyed - … Continue reading The Revenant: Artistry and Subtlety
The Responsibilities of the Writer
Perhaps I'm delusional, but I feel like a lot of people seem to criticize works using the term or idea of "responsibility" to justify their opinions. Specifically they claim that writers (or any artist for that matter) has some responsibility to make their work appealing to the viewer/reader/etc. I cannot bring myself to agree with … Continue reading The Responsibilities of the Writer
Star Wars: Styles and Cycles
I finally saw The Force Awakens yesterday, and I'm still digesting my thoughts about the film. Star Wars is such a heavy, cumbersome cultural entity (and I don't mean that in a bad way) that it can be hard to simply have fun watching a film - even one so dedicated to being fun as … Continue reading Star Wars: Styles and Cycles
Save Yourself: Undertale, the Save Mechanic, and Choice
[If you haven't played Undertale yet - which you should - then I highly suggest you ignore this post until you have. It is a game to be experienced for yourself. Don't watch a letsplay, don't read the wiki, just play the game] I just beat my first play through of Undertale yesterday (technically this morning, but who … Continue reading Save Yourself: Undertale, the Save Mechanic, and Choice
The Cinema of Dreams
In my World Cinema class we've been studying Russian film from the 1920s, specifically Russian montage. Reading the essays of Eisenstein and Vertov started me thinking (as I am apt to do) and I began to wonder about my own theory of film. Obviously I'm not a very experienced filmmaker, but I dabble, and any … Continue reading The Cinema of Dreams
Pen and Screen 