Defiant Ninja Vampires Soars Past Dumbo
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Yes, Disney’s Dumbo was expected to soar to the top of the box office, pink bubbly elephants and all. And, if the plucky elephant couldn’t top the charts, surely Jordan Peele’s Us or Marvel’s Captain Marvel would make a triumphant return to No. 1, right? Instead, Defiant Ninja […]
Culture Clips: As the Jussie Smollett Case Turns
We live in a strange, confusing and unpredictable world. Need proof? Look no farther than the Jussie Smollett saga. First, we heard that the actor, who’s both black and gay, was attacked by two folks with some apparent racist, homophobic leanings. (Oddly, both attackers were black, too.) Then we were told that Smollett actually knew […]
‘We Are Not Guaranteed Anything.’ A Talk With the Creators of the Poignant Doc The Long Goodbye
Paul tells us in Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” But that promise can also make the pain and grief we feel so much harder, in some ways, and so much more confusing. I had this thought […]
Box Office Gives Plenty of Money to ‘Us’
Jordan Peele’s newest horror film, Us, could be read as a parable about society’s haves and have-nots. But as for the movie itself … well, it’s unquestionably one of the haves. Appropriately enough, Us killed it at the box office this weekend, with the dollars it earned seemingly multiplying like rabbits. Peele’s smart, bloody slasher […]
Captain Marvel Snags Another Win
We don’t know how she’s going to fare against Thanos come April. But Captain Marvel sure can dominate the box office. The galactic champion reigned supreme in earthbound theaters for the second-straight weekend, earning an estimated $69.3 million in North America alone. Captain Marvel has already earned $266.2 million, adding to its already huge lead […]
Culture Clips: Happy Birthday, World Wide Web! Time To Grow Up!
Yes, it’s time to trot out the cake, light the candles and sing happy birthday to something we all know and, sometimes, love. That’s right, the World Wide Web turns 30 this month! But its father, while proud of his techno-progeny, thinks his creation has a little growing up to do. Tim Berners-Lee, who proposed […]
Captain Marvel Caps Marvelous Weekend
So, I understand some folks were calling for a boycott of Captain Marvel, largely due to star Brie Larson’s criticism of white, male movie critics. Don’t think it worked. Captain Marvel, the 21st film in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, obliterated its competition as if the movie was equipped with its hero’s plasma-blasting fists. Consider: Captain Marvel […]
Culture Clips: Leaving Neverland Leaves Viewers Disgusted, Conflicted
Not in doubt: Michael Jackson was a pretty talented guy. And all that talent helped Jackson and his posthumous reputation (the singer/dancer died in 2009) weather lawsuits, accusations and rumors about his alleged sexual inclinations. But perhaps no more. HBO’s documentary Leaving Neverland, focusing on two men who allege that Jackson molested them as young […]
Religion on the Wane? NatGeo’s The Story of God Says Otherwise.
It’s said that we’re living in a post-Christian society these days. Church attendance is declining. The number of Americans who claim no formal religious affiliation is growing. But does that mean that religion’s influence is fading? Not according to Morgan Freeman. “I’m not sure it’s correct to say that religion is on the wane in […]
How to Train Your Dragon 3 Buries Madea’s Family Funeral
The Hidden World was anything but hidden in its second weekend of business. The last chapter in the How to Train Your Dragon series experienced nary a hiccup as Toothless (the dragon) took home its second box-office win in a row. It did so by edging another franchise making its final curtain call. And while […]