Fake It Flowers at Five
Five years ago, deep into the COVID-19 pandemic, we were all looking for something to take our minds off things. For many, it was binge-watching TV shows, for others, it was podcasts. And of course, music fans do what we always do and turn to the joy of music. It was at that time. A new artist came into my life and very quickly became a favorite.
beabadoobee was born Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus in the Philippines and raised in London. Both of these worlds had significant impact upon who she became as a songwriter. As a teen, her musical tastes were informed by listening to her native Original Pilipino Music and indie rock popular in the UK at the time. The result was a mix of guitar-driven Indie folk pop with both coffee shop, singer, songwriter, and rock undertones. Basically perfectly tailored for my musical tastes.
I don’t recall where I first heard Beabadoobee, probably served to me by the Apple Music algorithm, but it was a song from an earlier EP called She Plays Bass. I was pretty much hooked from go. I pre-ordered Fake It Flowers ‘ debut album. Immediately upon hearing the first single, Care I knew I was going to dig this.
The album opens with two rockers, the aforementioned Care and Worth It; both of these songs reminded me of female-fronted bands from the ‘90s that I loved. The rest of the album, in general, is lighter, more acoustic guitar-focused, as is much of our catalogue, but I love that as well. Her voice is gentle and angelic, and her melodies are infectious. On the heavier songs, she employs essentially a four-piece rock band who really know how to bring it.
This album is much more than the bedroom rock that it is associated with. It sounds like a more mature artist than she actually was at the time, the songs deal with the things that we all deal with: love, heartbreak, friendship, and heartache. She explores each of these and a way that really connects with a listener.
Fake it flowers came at a perfect time for me, and I spun them endlessly upon receipt. I loved it so much that I named it my album of the year for 2020. It would be a few years before I saw beabadoobee live, but she is just as good live as her records, bringing a heavier, more rock approach to the songs.
If you’re not a fan of this particular artist now, is your chance to check her out! Happy fifth anniversary to Fake It Flowers by beabadoobee.
Tron: NIN As Alive As We Need It To Be
Admittedly, the bulk of my hype for Tron: Ares centered around the spectacular soundtrack by industrial rock luminaries Nine Inch Nails. Not to say I wasn’t excited for another Tron movie, I totally was, but the NIN score sealed the hype.
The trilogy of movies that make up the Tron universe is all pretty weird. And that may certainly be part of the appeal. The films exist on the same server, so to speak, but they all have different vibes. The central conceit of the Tron universe is that since the advent of the computer age, there exists a parallel digital universe to our reality where programs representing data and their real-world user counterparts. Steve Jobs-esque tech CEO, certified guru-hippie Kevin Flynn, has found a way to connect to that parallel universe with haughty hopes of a digital utopia that could also inform a similar experience in reality. In general, there are defined boundaries between worlds, but each movie breaks those boundaries in specific ways to establish the central tension of the films.
Tron: Ares begins with exposition, bringing viewers up to speed on the events of the last 40 years, making direct connections to Flynn and the original story, and providing an off-ramp to largely ignore, for now, the events of the tremendously underrated Tron: Legacy. After the events of Legacy, Sam and Quorra are “off grid”. Encom is now run by the Kim sisters and rival Dillinger Enterprises is run by the grandson of Dillinger from Tron. Both companies are searching for the film macguffin, the “permanence code” which could have important consequences for earths future.
We quickly learn not much has changed from the 80s, Encom is looking for something to change the world for good, and Dillinger has far more nefarious plans, which begin and end with Ares, a security program that can exist in the real world…for 29 minutes.
Our characters begin moving between worlds with the very existence of both at stake. The movie moves at an extraordinarily brisk pace, dispensing with things like deep character development. We’re unfortunately not given much to care about. But we are given extraordinary visuals, cool ass weapons, interesting chase and fight sequences, and a throbbing, infectious soundtrack.
There’s also fun throwback sequences featuring reproductions of the original film’s then-groundbreaking computer-generated graphics.
The film also reaches for but never quite achieves its lofty, more existential aspirations - something its predecessors did a much better job at. Why are we here? Why are we? Why? and all that. Ares' awakening seems far less consequential than Quorra’s, but the film strongly hints that it is something they’d like to explore.
Tron has always been a mirror of our modern reality. Asking big questions about existence and the impact of technology on our world. Ares does an interesting job in reflecting how technology, oligarchy, and impermanence are changing our world, and has cool light cycle chases.
The movie is a mess and could have been so much more, done so much more. I walked out smiling, mostly from having Nine Inch Nails music on the loudspeakers for two hours. As a Tron movie, it’s pretty ok. As a nine inch nails delivery mechanism, it’s perfect.
Oh, and Tron isn’t even in the movie—a big miss IMHO. I’d have loved for this movie to follow up on Legacy more directly. I fear the promise of this movie to connect these two streams may not happen. And that’s a shame. Because while it’s never been perfect, Tron has always been a unique and original IP with so much promise, even if it fails to answer the big questions it asks fully.
Taylor Swift Comes Back as a Showgirl and It Totally Rules
Taylor Swift is back! Taylor Swift 12, The Life of a Showgirl, is Taylor’s first post-Eras tour era album, and on first listen, it serves…
First, Taylor is HAPPY and she shows it. If this album doesn’t make you smile, you might want to check on your cold, black heart. Her relationship with sportsballer Travis Kelce clearly is working for her.
Second, moving back to Max Martin and Shellback is a turn, but not a step backward. Rather, it’s like putting your favorite epic books (Antonoff/Desner) on the shelf and grabbing a comfort book instead. This album is a bop, shedding the folk/indie rock of the ‘ore albums and stepping back from the sprawling epicness of TTPD.
1989+Reputation (Midnights) = The Life of a Showgirl.
Taylor feels at home here, and despite this album standing firmly on its own, songs reach back and touch influences from her own albums (Elizabeth Taylor evokes the last great american dynasty, for example) and takes influences from all over the music world (George Michael on Father Figure, obviously, Weezer on Actually Romantic, Jackson 5/Mowtown on Wood, and Sabrina Carpenter on the title track).
CANCELLED! is straight up Rep vibes and makes me want those Rep vault tracks like now.
The title track is a Sabrina Carpenter song, and I will not be taking questions at this time. Taylor and Sabrina are perfect together. Their vocals and styles match so well.
Taylor’s vocals are as breathless and mature as ever, strongest on tracks like Eldest Daughter and The Fate of Ophelia. Again, while those songs fit on this record, they echo folklore and evermore. Woodvale tracks, perhaps?
I think this album slots right among Taylor’s best. Honestly, it may already be one of my favorites.
Highlights include: Actually Romantic, Wood, Eldest Daughter, and the title track. This is more than a solid album; it’s another example of Taylor Swift being one of the best songwriters of all time. Crafting songs that evoke memories and emotions, make you want to scream and dance, and burrow themselves mercilessly into your ear, brain, and heart. While haters gonna hate, the truth is there’s a Taylor Swift for almost everyone. From country to indie rock to pop she’s a multi-genre artist making some of the most memorable songs in decades.
Actually Romantic is my favorite track, a Weezer song through and through that would also feel right at home in Olivia Rodrigo’s catalogue. It’s this album’s Cruel Summer.
We definitely need something positive and happy right now, and Taylor has delivered a tour de force with Showgirl, kicking off a new era and giving us new classics to scream along to in our cars, offices, and hopefully someday soon, arenas.
Nobody's Perfect: Fight Your Fight!
I've had numerous people across multiple social media criticize me for my support of Taylor Swift, the LA Dodgers, and NPR.
First, I am not perfect. I never claim to be. I do, however, have principles & values I hold dear & I do try my best to uphold those mostly progressive principles.
I believe in fighting for what's right. I vote with my wallet and am actively engaged in politics and the community. I make decisions based on verifiable facts when possible. And if I find something different or something changes, I will absolutely adjust my approach. That said, I'm human and not infallible. Because I am so vocal about the things I’m fighting against, you know, little things like racism, fascism, bigotry, xenophobia, and misogony, the second someone sees me veer outside “my lane,” they call me out. and fair. But I’m also not going to apologize for enjoying some things that I love.
I also firmly believe you have to do what's right for you. If Target or Walmart is close to you and has the best prices, well, you gotta eat.
If you like Taylor Swift, great! Listen to Taylor Swift. Yes, she's a billionaire. Yes, she and her fiancé could absolutely use their platforms to denounce any of the numerous atrocities happening in the world. But people need joy. They need something to look forward to. And music gives that to people. Joy is resistance.
Yes, NPR was complicit in sanewashing Trump, but to what degree are we willing to allow the closest thing we have to balanced, public news? We've lost an entire half of our nation to Fox News; are we willing to lose a valuable resource in public media out of spite?
I should make it more straightforward that I do not really care about sports anymore. Millionaires playing kids' games while drunken adults froth at the mouth and throw remotes at their TVs when their team loses isn't my scene. I used to enjoy sports and occasionally watch them. The Dodgers have always been my team, and they also support the LGBTQ+ community FAR better than my local team, the Reds. That matters.
Guess what, I love Tom Cruise. He's a nut job. He's a Scientologist. It's gross. I still love and watch his movies.
The bottom line is, I fight all day, every day. It's exhausting. I boycott M@GA businesses. I attend protests. I speak out online. I support causes I believe in with financial contributions. I support and fight for marginalized communities. I'm not perfect. No one is. I will be listening to Taylor Swift, and I will speak out against genocide in Gaza. I will cheer on the Dodgers, and I will fight tooth and Nail against ICE. I will support NPR while boycotting Fox, Trump, and MAGA. And I'll see Top Gun 3. We need joy. We need hope. We need to fight. Do what you can and do all you can. Don't feel bad if one thing you don't support, everything you believe in. All we can do is our best.
I've Got My Spine, I've Got My Orange Crush: Reviewing the Orange iPhone 17 Pro Max
I’ve been an iPhone guy since day one. Literally. I was an Apple employee when the first iPhone was launched and received a phone as a gift from Steve Jobs. As an Apple fanboy and former employee, Android has never really been on my radar. I’m glad there is competition, and I know people love their Google phones, and that’s great.
Some iPhone upgrades have been massive, while others have not been so much. The annual cycle, tied to major software updates, originally encouraged fans to upgrade annually, causing a frenzy at Apple stores and carriers around the world. As phones improved, became more expensive, and lasted longer, people began to abandon annual upgrades, waiting for a compelling reason or offer to spur them to upgrade.
As an annual upgrader, sometimes I’ve been blown away, sometimes I’ve just been happy to have a cool new phone with a fresh battery. This year, it’s the former. Apple FINALLY released Pro phones in fun colors. In previous years, the Pro model phones were whatever Apple was calling black, white, and silver at the time. With the move back to aluminum from titanium, the company was able to add some colors. And what colors they added. Deep Blue and Cosmic Orange debuted alongside a silver option. No white. No black. For some, not having a neutral option was a shock, but most people entomb their phones in plastic sarcophaguses anyway. I always try to get whatever the “cool” color is that year, and this year, that’s orange. I’m not really an orange guy otherwise, but damn, I love this color. It’s bold, bright, and exciting. It stands out in a crowd. It’s…orange. And I love it.
Hands On
Seeing the phone in person, I was blown away. Pictures don’t do it justice. The Blue is sexy af too. While I KNOW that the phone is heavier, it feels lighter. It feels great in the hand, but as always, the Pro Max is HUGE. The aluminum is cool to the touch and looks incredible. All of the buttons, volume, action, and camera control are here and feel and work great.
The most significant design change, in addition to the color, is the camera plateau, which now extends all the way across the top of the phone, while the cameras are still in the left corner. The plateau and two-tone design give the phone a new and exciting look, more interesting to look at than a slab of flat glass.
Performance
As expected, the phone is incredibly fast. Apps open in a snap, everything is responsive and fun. Games and videos run smoothly, and in my experience, the phone runs cool.
Software
Apple introduced a fresh new interface to this year’s software improvements, called Liquid Glass. They think so much of this new look they jumped from iOS 16 to iOS 26. And despite rumblings that the betas were rough and it was tough to design for, I freaking love it. It looks different, cool, new, and fresh. It’s fast, fun, and fluid.
I did have some issues with crashing on my iPad Pro, but my mini and new phone run it very well.
Should I Upgrade?
If you’re on anything older than a 16, sure. It’s fast, fun, fresh, and new. The 16 series of phones is still fine, of course. If you like orange, do it now.
Am I Switching To Android? Thoughts on Apple’s September 2025 iPhone Event
If you’re not aware, I’d like to add a disclaimer to this piece: I am a long-time Apple fan and a former employee, having worked in retail and B2B sales for Apple for 14 years, from 2001 to 2015.
Each year, like clockwork, Apple holds an event, summoning the press, bloggers, and YouTubers (not me) to Cupertino to hawk its latest wares. That usually means incremental updates to iPhone, Apple Watch, and associated accessories. It used to be a much more exciting event, and nerds in the US would get caught up in the excitement to upgrade to the new phone every year. As changes have become less striking, the economy is less specific, and the competition much hotter, the excitement is muted. This year, for me in particular, was even more muted. Tim Cook’s decision to not only bend the knee to the current US administration has really soured my opinion on him and Apple.
This year, Apple continued its tradition of a live event built around pre-recorded introduction videos. A trend that started because of COVID remains, and it’s fine. It allows for fun, polished videos and no on-stage mistakes, but it loses the magic of a live event. I miss Steve.
The first announcement was AirPods Pro 3. This is exciting as AirPods are the most magical Apple product in years, and I use mine constantly. I have a problem with buying WAY too many devices to deliver music and podcasts into my ears, and I’ve already pre-ordered these.
Next up was Apple Watch, and there wasn’t a whole lot new. Apple Watch is a good device; I need to upgrade mine, but I have not yet been compelled to do so.
Finally, iPhone. The big news here is the new iPad Air and the unbelievably hot Cosmic Orange iPhone Pro. The Pros and Pro Max received updated designs and new colors, and I am smitten. I’m having trouble deciding between the blue Air and the orange Pro Max.
So, am I switching to Android?? No, of course not. But I am REALLY ENJOYING my free coffee mug from Google.
Fantastic Four Is Fantastic
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is Fantastic!
The Fantastic Four: First Steps heralds the new era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, kicking off Phase 6 of the MCU. The movie drops us right into the action on Earth-828. The Fantastic Four have been around for four years. Having encountered a space anomaly that altered their DNA, giving them fantastic powers. This is not an origin story, but the film pauses long enough to give us the backstory we need. But outside this pause, the film doesn’t really let up. Within a few minutes we find out Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) and Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) are going to parents (Yay!) and that their Earth has been marked for death by Galactus (bummer).
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Is Fun!
Set in a retro-futuristic world, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a marvel to behold. Its retro aesthetic echoes the 60s when the Fantastic Four made their comic debut. But this isn’t our 60’s so there are also touches of futuristic technology, such as flying cars and H.E.R.B.I.E. the robot. The character designs, costumes, and ships all look cool as hell. The spectacular score adds adventure, excitement, and gravitas to the movie.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Is Fabulous!
Remember how Sue is pregnant and the Earth is doomed? Yea. After the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) lets them know Galactus (Ralph Ineson) is coming to eat their planet, our heroes go to negotiate with him. It…doesn’t go well.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Is Family!
At its core, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a family drama. Reed, Sue, baby Franklin along with brother Johnny (Joseph Quinn) and best friend Ben (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) are a family. They enjoy Sunday dinner together, and save the world together. When Galactus demands too high a price to spare Earth, the Four are forced to find a fantastic way to save the earth. While they are indeed saving earth they are saving baby Franklin. To the Fantastic Four, the scale is the same as an egg to a planet.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Is Far Fetched!
Sure. This is a superhero movie where a guy is a rock and a giant intergalactic super being devours planets in minutes but its most unrealistic notion is that the world comes together completely to save the world. But that’s what makes this movie special and what made me cry. This movie’s most fantastic aspect is hope. In our world, the idea of the entire planet coming together for anything even its own survival, seems far-fetched. We can’t even come together to save our own country. I loved having hope, especially in a hopeless world.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Is Fearless
After what many consider to be a shaky Phase 5, Marvel needed something bold to remind us why we go to the movies. This is a comic book movie through and through. It’s like Jack Kirby and Stan Lee’s imagination is being drawn onscreen in real time, portraying their world in ways unimaginable in 1961.
This movie gives me hope. If not enough for our future, enough for the MCUs. Four out of four stars.
Happy Gilmore 2: Electric Boogaloo
Fore! Adam Sandler and his crew of misfits have teed up a sequel to their beloved 1996 sports comedy Happy Gilmore. While Saturday Night Live’s first few comedies from the 90s are quotable, endlessly rewatchable, goofball classics, he’s spent a while meandering around romcom mediocrity. Dipping into the nostalgic well makes a lot of sense.
Happy Gilmore 2 takes place in real time, 30 years after its predecessor. Happy and Virginia (Julie Bowen) are married, with five kids and seven golf championships. Life is good. Until tragedy strikes.
Gilmore’s life is unexpectedly thrown off course into a downward spiral of despair. When his daughter, an extraordinarily talented ballet dancer has the opportunity to attend a prestigious dance school in Paris, Happy has to snap out of his funk and return to golf to save the day.
This movie is impossible to discuss without spoilers. And if you plan on watching it, it’s best to go in spoiler-free and let the surprises and cameos wash over you. This isn’t Citizen Kane. It’s a big, dumb unnecessary sequel. Much like Kevin Smith’s later View Askewniverse movies, it’s specially designed to tug on your nostalgic heartstrings while providing plenty of laughs along the way. If you were a fan of the original AND you’re a GenX girl, dad, it’s a must-watch.
The movie really leans into the pro golf universe with tons of cameos from pro golfers. I am not a golf fan, so I had no idea who these people were. The first film didn’t require you to be an expert pro golf fan, whereas this one suffers a bit if you’re not.
Again, big dumb fun. Lots of surprises and cameos. Full of real-life pro golfers. Not great.
Also of note, some of the cameos are questionable, with a few figures having done/said some problematic things. There’s also an alligator scene, which makes sense in the context of the first film, but comes across a bit tasteless here.
A Wild Trip To Eddington
he only thing I knew going into Eddington was that “Pedro Pascal and Joaquin Phoenix yell at each other.” And yes, that does happen—but the film is so much more. So buckle up: pop a Xanax, throw on a tinfoil hat, slap on a mask, and prepare for a wild descent into Ari Aster’s latest fever dream.
Eddington is about America. That’s the simplest way to explain it. The film manages to touch on nearly every major issue facing the country today, including:
Social media
Mental health
Racism
COVID-19
The economy
Conspiracy theories
Artificial intelligence
Climate change
Gun violence
Political division
Cults
Abortion
Corruption
Fertility
Police brutality
Xenophobia
Interpersonal trauma
Social justice
Elections
Homelessness
Native American sovereignty
And somehow—miraculously—it’s not heavy-handed.
Set in a small rural town in New Mexico during the height of the COVID pandemic, just before and after George Floyd’s murder, Eddington follows Sheriff Phoenix and Mayor Pascal, whose opposing views on masks and mandates fuel growing tensions. Phoenix resists mandates to "protect freedoms,” while Pascal supports public health efforts to curb the virus.
From the opening scenes, I felt anxiety and PTSD bubble up. Though I weathered the pandemic in the Midwest suburbs of Ohio, Aster nails the emotional tenor of the time—just in a different setting. If that period was traumatic for you, this film is going to hit hard.
But the political clash is only part of it. Phoenix and Pascal have tangled personal histories, too—including Pascal’s ex-wife (played by Emma Stone), now married to Phoenix, and suffering severe mental health issues. Her condition is worsened by her mother’s descent into online conspiracy rabbit holes, which leads both women into a Q-like cult.
Things unravel quickly. A homeless man brings COVID into town and infects Phoenix. Meanwhile, a shady AI company lobbies to build a data center, introducing a new layer of corruption. What starts as a small-town pandemic story spirals into chaos.
By the time protests erupt in the wake of George Floyd’s death, Phoenix is battling respiratory illness and descending into madness. Emma Stone and her mother sink further into cult life. The town is collapsing—and it’s painful to watch.
There are no clear heroes here. People are trying to do the right thing, others… not so much. But the lines are blurred—like Phoenix’s feverish vision.
Eventually, the sheriff makes a series of horrendous choices that snowball out of control. He even attempts to frame a deputy for his crimes—and nearly gets away with it.
The film’s climax is a gut-punch: a violent shootout with well-funded right-wing terrorists masquerading as Antifa. It’s gruesome, shocking, and will absolutely make you squirm.
Eddington is not for the faint of heart. It’s dense, relentless, and brutal. But it’s also timely, unflinching, and worth watching—if you’re ready for it.
There aren’t enough trigger warnings in the world for this movie. But if you can brave it, Eddington offers one of the most raw cinematic snapshots of modern America ever put on screen.
Jurassic Park Unnecessary!
Jurassic Park Unleashed! marks the seventh entry in the storied, multibillion-dollar dinosaur franchise—and the second in-universe reboot. Is it necessary? Absolutely not. Is it fun? Against all odds, yes.
I won’t pretend Jurassic Park Unchained! is a great film. Honestly, it’s not even a great Jurassic Park movie. But I enjoyed myself. Time flew by, and I wasn’t mad at the end. The franchise itself is fascinating: massively popular despite most of the movies being... fine at best. The original Jurassic Park? Untouchable Spielberg perfection. The rest? Less so.
Jurassic Park Unlimited! lives in the same universe as its predecessors, but it's a full reboot. No returning characters—no Jeff Goldblum chaos theory monologues. Dr. Grant gets a passing mention. We're told that most dinosaurs have perished or relocated to a slim equatorial ring, the only remaining habitable zone for dinosaur life.
Enter the plot: An obviously evil corporate exec recruits a redemption-hungry mercenary (ScarJo, naturally) and a surprisingly attractive nerdy doctor for a mission to a previously unmentioned island—an R&D site for mutant dinosaurs. Their goal? Retrieve blood from three prehistoric beasts to synthesize a life-saving heart medication worth trillions. The whole setup has a video game vibe, making it feel modern and accessible for a younger audience.
Meanwhile, a wholesome family sails into the danger zone. You think you know what’s coming—but surprise! They survive a dino attack thanks to our mercenaries, introducing one of several "Wait, they lived?" moments.
Jurassic Park Unbelievable! is chock-full of Easter eggs, nostalgic callbacks, and dino cameos. It's refreshingly light on the franchise’s usual heavy-handedness, sparing us a Chris Pratt cameo via glitchy training footage or worse. Once on the island, director Gareth Edwards cranks up the suspense and offers some genuinely fresh scares.
The story splinters into two parallel quests: the family tries not to get eaten, and the mercs hunt for dino blood. Their paths (hopefully) converge at a central facility, where ScarJo has a contingency plan involving—of course—a mercenary helicopter.
Jurassic Park Unveiled! delivers cool set pieces (some suspiciously shaped like dino teeth or spines), slick action, and satisfying kills. But again... did this movie need to exist? Not really. It leans heavily on exposition to introduce its all-new cast, which does slow things down, especially early on.
Predictability runs high: we’re on an island full of crossbred, hybrid dinosaurs apparently created with the same tech Palpatine used to whip up Snokes. So yeah, they’re nightmarish.
In the end, Jurassic Park Unnecessary! lives up to its name—utterly superfluous, yet oddly enjoyable in a popcorn-flick kind of way.
Thoughts on PBS and NPR, Brought to You By the Letters “F” and “U”
August 1 Update: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, established in 1967 to “ensure universal access to non-commercial, high-quality content and telecommunications services, “ announced today that it will wind down operations after federal funding was gutted by the Trump administration. This is extraordinarily bad and is another step on the road to an authoritarian regime/white nationalist government.
My earliest memories include PBS and NPR. And if you are a Gen Xer, yours probably does as well. I vividly recall sitting in the waiting room of my dentist’s and doctor’s offices as a kid, overwhelmed with anxiety and stress, though I didn’t know those words quite yet, nor how they’d impact me in the future, in the background was the unmistakably calming sounds of my local NPR station. The dulcet tones of the announcer’s voice were familiar, calming, and soothing, though I had no idea what they were talking about. It was in stark contrast to the talk radio and baseball games usually blaring out of the speakers of my dad’s Plymouth Volare.
At home, Sesame Street, The Electric Company, Dr, Who raised me. The colorful images flickering on our ancient TV were a constant in my life until we got cable, of course. But even then, I still returned to the comfort of PBS for the psychedelic songs teaching me my ABC’s and the possibility of catching one of Spider-Man’s adventures.
There was a sensibility to public broadcasting, a kind aura that emanated from it. It was educational, fun, but also felt important somehow, even to a kid. It also felt omnipresent and permanent, and that was also soothing.
As an adult, I listened to NPR on the radio for news and music, and as a parent, my kids also knew the educational glory of Sesame Street, though entertainment television like SpongeBob dominated their childhood. Yet still, they knew who Grover, Big Bird, and Oscar were almost instinctively. It’s part of our American culture, a baked-in permanence that raised and educated our kids and, most importantly, taught them to be kind.
Somewhere along the way, of course, this meant conservatives HATED it. At first, it was economic. Conservative Reaganism was purportedly about not wasting money. But as the conservative movement rotted and became twisted by hate, suddenly it was that we were wasting money on kindness. Of course, they hide their argument behind claims of socialism, left-leaning one-sidedness, and teaching kids “progressive” values. This means kindness. This means empathy. This means acceptance. This means love. All things conservatives claim to champion but obviously despise.
Finally, this week, congressional Republicans voted to strip over $1 billion in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). A massive win for hate. The CPB is a publicly funded nonprofit organization that subsidizes more than 1,500 NPR, PBS, and local radio and television stations nationwide. Often, these stations are a vital resource for rural communities to receive news and critical alerts, in addition to Sesame Street. The mission of CPB is “to ensure universal access to non-commercial, high-quality content and telecommunications services.” Everything about CPB, PBS, and NPR is wholesome. I mean, as stated on their website, while broadcast remains the main outlet for reaching Americans, public media has expanded to include digital and mobile platforms for creating, communicating, and curating content that educates, inspires, and entertains. WHOLESOME!
The Republicans mask this as a HUGE savings for the American people, while their true intent is far more nefarious. They wish to silence what they consider to be “left-leaning” or “progressive” while also finding a way to fund their tax cuts for the ultra wealthy. It’s obvious in the language they use. Sitting President Trump’s top funder and former top advisor, Elon Musk, believes that empathy, a core tenet taught and championed by PBS, is a “weakness”. Conservatives froth at the mouth for NPR supporting democratic principles and delivering the news in a non-biased, fact-based way as “liberal”.
So, what can we do? Unfortunately, there is not much we can do. MAGA is systematically dismantling our republic while replacing the Constitution with Project 2025. There seems to be no stopping them, with Elon Musk and Peter Thiel funding them and Stephen Miller and Mike Johnson pulling the strings from the inside. Start by listening to NPR and watching PBS. Then, support your local NPR and PBS stations financially. Becoming a sustained supporter is best; give what you can. Call your reps, yes, even the Republican ones, and let them know how you feel about this. Follow NPR, PBS, CPB, and your local stations on social media. Dark times are ahead, but remember, K is for Kindness.
Look! Up in the Sky! It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a New Superman Movie
I still really don’t know what to think about James Gunn’s Superman. Did I love it? Did I hate it? I don’t know just yet. I’m afraid the hype got me, well, too hyped up.
Let’s get a few things out of the way. I grew up with the Christopher Reeve films and Superfriends. I got back into comics when they killed off Superman. I really liked Superman Returns and watched it right before I watched Superman. I hated the Snyderverse.
As for Gunn, I loved Guardians of the Galaxy, liked Peacemaker, and was fine with The Suicide Squad.
I was excited for this movie and was thrilled M@GA was triggered because Superman was “suddenly woke”. Spoiler alert: Superman has always been “woke”
Despite following the production and watching the trailers, I guess I still didn’t know what to expect.
Superman is not an origin story. In fact, it quite literally drops us right into the action after some exposition text gets us caught up on the last three decades, three years, three months, three hours, three days, three hours, and three minutes. Supes, played here by David Corenswet, has lost his first fight and needs help from his foster dog, Krypto, to get home to the Fortress of Solitude. Yes, Krypto is adorable. Yes, we will meet his owner later, hilariously. Kal El has emotionless robots that take care of him and the Fortress. They blast him with sweet, sweet radiation from Earth’s yellow sun, which makes Superman super.
After powering back up, he returns to fight the Hammer of something or the other, who is actually being controlled by Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor and his team of nerds. It’s what I imagine DOGE was. After the fight, we get to see Corenswet as Clark and meet Lois, played by Rachel Brosnahan.
I think it’s important to note that this is a Superman movie. Like, Corenswet is in the glasses for maybe 6 minutes? Thinking of Gunn’s Guardians movies, he didn’t deal with secret identities. Lois knows who Superman is, Guy Gardner, played perfectly finally by Nathan Fillion, certainly does and they talk about the power of the hypnoglasses, which I love. But most of the movie he’s in the super suit doing super things, which is also fun.
Let’s talk about the suit. It’s great! Gone are the drab colors and harshness of the Snydeverse. This is much more classic blues and reds and it looks fantastic. I think the S just stands for Superman and not hope or some shit. The other suits also look awesome—even Krypto’s cape.
The story here is that Luthor hates Superman. Like really, really hates him. And he has a convoluted plan that ends with Superman dead and Luthor the king of the country. The classic Luthor land grab scheme! I love it.
The acting here is top-notch. Everyone seems to fall fully into their characters. Hoult and Brosnahan are particularly awesome. Fillion is funny as hell as Green Lantern and the leader of the “Justice Gang.” Unfortunately, Isabela Merced seems somewhat underutilized as Hawkgirl. She screams a lot and is bad ass but doesn’t have a lot to say other than she doesn’t like the name Justice Gang.
As a Cincinnati native, it was thrilling to see our beloved Union Terminal/Cincinnati Museum Center cameo as the Hall Of Justice, but it was literally Union Terminal. Some CGI on the outside and construction cranes inside and out indicated that a transformation was happening, but that was it. Seemed weird to me, and I imagine they didn’t budget enough time or money for the Cincinnati shoot. Also, when Mr. Terrific flies off toward CGI Cleveland, standing in for Metropolis, my brain broke a bit. I’ve been to Union Terminal countless times in my life and looked lovingly at the Cincinnati skyline across from it every single time. So seeing NOT Cincinnati was too weird for my simple brain.
The post is cohesive enough. Luthor hates Superman. He’s done his research on how to fight him and convinced the government to empower him to arrest and detain him. There’s a great big threat from Luthor’s unhinged experiments. Jimmy Olsen does some journalism to unravel Luthor’s plot while being in the weirdest love triangle ever. Everything is building up to Luthor being exposed and defeated without needing a huge face-off between Luthor and Superman. I’m sure we’ll get that eventually.
I still struggle to wrap my head around how I feel about this movie, 24 hours later. I liked way more than I didn’t like. I had fun. However, I suppose I am just disappointed that I didn’t immediately love it as enthusiastically as most. I mean it’s LEAGUES better than anything from the Snyderverse. It felt more like Superman than those movies ever did. Using the classic soundtrack was great for nostalgia, but since this isn’t connected to the Donnerverse or Returns, it seemed a bit out of place. I feel like the pendulum swung too far to the lighter side from the Snyderverse. I was having a bit of whiplash trying to adjust to Gunn’s comedic style in a Superman movie.
Here’s the deal. This movie is fun. The casting and acting are fantastic. The movie looks good, despite some questionable CGI. Brosnahan and Hoult shine. Brosnahan captures what made every Lois Lane before her so good and makes the role her own. Cornenswet is very good, but some of his delivery, particularly as Clark Kent, seemed inconsistent and just a bit off somehow in a way I can’t place my finger on. He does a good job of being the most “human” Superman we’ve seen. He even does a big speech about it. I was not a big fan of how either set of parents was portrayed. The Kents seemed too over the top in, well, whatever it was Gunn was trying to make them. They seemed like a parody of a random rural couple? If the twist about his Kryptonian parents’ true intentions is true, I’m not sure about that either.
Listen, I like this movie, just not as much as you probably do, and I’m not certain why. It seemed like a puzzle that wasn’t completely finished, because some of the pieces were from another puzzle that had been mixed in with this one. Also, some of the classic Gunnisms that work so well in GotG and Peacemaker seemed out of place here. The Mr. Terrific fight scene outside the entrance to the pocket dimension, in particular, sticks out. The unnecessary Kaiju, too.
The bottom line is that I love seeing people connect with this and go to theaters to have a good time. Half of my theater clapped at the end, which makes me happy. If this is the Superman we need right now, I’ll take it.
Two Years Ago Taylor Swift Pointed At Me: Reflecting Upon The Eras Tour
It’d Been a Long Time Coming…
Two years ago Taylor Swift pointed at me.
The Story Of Us
Rewind to a different era: September 2019. Taylor Swift had just announced LoverFest, a bicoastal celebration of her new album Lover, set to take place in LA and Foxborough. It felt like the start of something magical. After 13 brutal hours on Ticketmaster (the first Great War, perhaps?), I somehow landed tickets to both California shows.
Even more amazing? The timing. LoverFest aligned perfectly with Comic-Con, Hella Mega Tour, and Summer at Disneyland. We wrapped it all into a once-in-a-lifetime family trip. Tickets bought. Hotels booked. Flights secured. That Christmas, we surprised our kids with it all—and the excitement was off the charts.
But then…
Stop Everything Now
On March 13, 2020, the United States declared a national emergency in response to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’d been hearing news stories about this new disease, a cold of sorts with extreme respiratory symptoms and sometimes deadly results. It started in China, followed by a few US cases, and then began ravaging senior living communities. Soon, it was everywhere.
Eventually, LoverFest was canceled. RIP
Begin Again
On November 1, 2022, two years after LoverFest should have happened, Taylor Swift announced The Eras Tour, calling it “a journey through the musical eras of my career.”
There was a rumor that former LoverFest ticket holders would get priority access. I don’t know if that’s true, but we somehow landed great tickets to both Cincinnati shows (June 30 & July 1, 2023)—at face value. After the dust settled from The Great War with Ticketmaster, we were also given an opportunity to purchase tickets for Nashville, and we were able to obtain great seats for Night 2 on May 6, 2023.
Things were good…
I Can Do It With a Broken Heart
And then, life threw another curveball.
In March 2023, after battling some health challenges, I found out I had massive blockages in my heart. The diagnosis was serious—quadruple bypass surgery was required. The first question I asked?
“Will I still be able to take my daughter to the concert in May?”
My doctor was confident: “If everything goes as planned, yes.”
Thanks to skilled surgeons, a determined recovery, and a lot of love and support, I made it. And so did our dream.
Nashville Night 2 – Oh Boy, This is Genius
Our first show. Nashville. We’d avoided spoilers for two months—no TikTok, no Instagram. Emily even deleted social media from her phone. We wanted to walk in completely blind. We had wild theories. We had no idea what was waiting for us.
We had amazing seats—the kind that instantly validated the long wait, the surgery, and the heartache (literal and figurative) that came before.
Phoebe Bridgers, one of my favorite artists, opened with Motion Sickness, and a few songs in, she asked, “Where are my boys at?”—and out came Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker. boygenius, live, unannounced. We were losing our minds.
They performed Cool About It from their debut album and stayed for the rest of the show, along with then-rumored-boyfriend Matty Healy. During the Red era, Phoebe and Taylor performed Nothing New (From the Vault) together, and I can still feel the goosebumps.
It was, in my opinion, the most unique night of the entire tour.
Cincinnati Nights 1 & 2 – Cruel Summer
Cincinnati Night 1 brought a new surprise—we were featured in a local TV news story, and Emily found out at the show that we were sitting front row. Yes, front. row.
The show was magical. Taylor was awesome. And then it happened:
Taylor Swift pointed directly at me.
Night 2 brought a different kind of magic. Cincinnati native and longtime Swift collaborator Aaron Dessner of The National joined Taylor onstage. The crowd went wild. It was another unforgettable night.
And Then… One More Era
Taylor would later add a handful of shows to the Eras tour AND release a new album which would add a whole new era to the Eras Tour. We scored fairly inexpensive but nosebleed seats to N1 and N2 in Indianapolis, the last stop of the US Eras Tour.
I Had The Time Of My Life Fighting Dragons With You
The Eras Tour captured the imagination of the world. Swifties watched grainy live streams of every show on TikTok and haters spent all their time disregarding Taylor, the tour, and her fans. But for 3 hours every weekend for two years, we had joy.
I am so fortunate to have been able to make incredible memories with my daughter. Taylor Swift is a singular artist and the Eras tour is entertainment for the ages.
Take me back…
A Conservative Actually Spoke To Me: My Interaction with a Real Live Bernie Moreno Employee
If you know me at all, you know I am very politically engaged. I’m an aggressive, independent living as far to the left as possible. I feel it is my responsibility as a citizen of the republic to be informed, engaged, and involved. As our country has splintered along with the rise of M@GA, misinformation, media manipulation, and the acceptance of lies as truth, it’s become something of a full-time job. I’m active on social media, I call and email my reps daily, and I actively volunteered with the Harris/Walz campaign. I even wrote 100s of postcards to undecided voters (I’m disabled and at the time could not write very well at all, but thought it was incredibly important to do something) ahead of the last presidential election.
I have a particular disdain for lies and am a vocal advocate for truth. I believe in diversity, equality, and inclusion. I’m for fairness, equality, and above all, EMPATHY. I am the epitome of everything the right hates. Trust me, they tell me so ALL THE TIME.
I do have some conservative people in my sphere. I am not sure why they believe the things they do or think the way they think, but I understand the influence of media, the impact of cult mentality, and the disturbing trend of mixing white Christian nationalism with American politics. Despite what many people in my sphere believe, I’m also pretty wicked smart. It’s true. And I stay informed with facts and data, not entertainment cloaked as news.
At times, in my confusion and rage, I will ask for conservatives to engage with me. To try to explain their thoughts. This is a genuine request. I’m DYING to know why some people I know, love and consider otherwise intelligent can be so wrong, so confused, and so committed to being on the wrong side of history. No one ever takes me up on this. Which is fine, I don’t claim to be a great live real-time debater, but with access to factual data, I could carry on these conversations. But sometimes I just want to hear why in the name of Zeus’ butthole people, especially Christians, believe the bizarre things they do.
Recently Bernie Moreno, a known liar, Trump sycophant, and on-the-record racist/bigot, recently proposed potentially giving Donald Trump a goddamn Nobel Peace Prize for his unconstitutional, failed attack on Iran. This is, of course, absolutely ridiculous —a stupid distraction that does nothing more than portray Moreno as a sycophant.
I called his office at 5:03 and got voicemail. I left a message requesting Moreno reverse this idiotic proposal.
Today, a worker called me back.
Toni, a 71-year-old Christian working in Moreno’s office, called me back. She was disappointed in the tone of my voicemail, which I’m certain was exasperated and unhinged.
Anyway. Fair. This is just an employee answering phones. We do need to approach each other with a bit more due respect. Now, I do not think her boss or his boss deserves any respect whatsoever due to their evil views, but this senior citizen? Sure.
She told me she was a “believer,” which I eventually discovered meant “Christian,” and she had a tough time with finances and job loss, which had negatively impacted her life until she found this job answering phones for Moreno. Now, I didn’t get many details of her situation, but I’d be willing to bet dollars to donuts her situation was directly caused by conservative policies, which I’d bet she wasn’t ready or willing to explore or admit. But it sounds like she lost a non-union job, had no access to social supports, and quickly devolved into financial distress, ALL of which are absolutely hallmarks of regressive conservative policies. But I digress.
We went on to the reason for my original call, Moreno’s bizarre, unhinged call for Trump to receive a Nobel Peace Prize. I pointed out MOUNTAINS of evidence that Trump’s strike was unconstitutional and failed. I pointed out that bombing the shit out of a country based on a whim isn’t peaceful. She pointed out she doesn’t work for Trump, and I countered, reminding her she works for someone who unabashedly supports Trump.
We discussed religion and faith, and I pointed out that Trump is very likely the anti-Christ according to the Bible. And reminded her of the horrors of bigotry and racism, which her boss supported, while the Bible offers completely diametrically opposed thoughts on immigration. It was clear her views on Christianity were not based primarily on the actual text of the Bible, not the teachings of Christ, but more so from white Christian Nationalist ideals.
The bottom line was that this was the first time a conservative Christian took up a somewhat good-faith conversation with me. She was wildly incorrect, severely misinformed, and dangerously wrong, but she listened, and we didn’t yell at each other. I challenged her to read non-Fox/Newsmaxx news sources and specific things in the Bible to disprove her views and open her mind. I have little faith she will do so but here we are. A conservative Christian talked to me, and we both survived.
Dancing Through the Expanded John Wick Universe: A Ballerina Review
Ballerina is, as advertised, a John Wick universe adventure. And as such it delivered upon its promise.
Ana de Armas is the titular protagonist here bringing a fun new energy to the role previously populated by Keanu Reeves for four flicks. As Eve, she’s thrust into the Wickiverse as a child of someone “in the biz”. Spoiler alert, dad dies and Eve begins her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma. The familiar tropes are all here as are many familiar faces. It serves to develop and expand this universe by not really doing anything new, different, or special. Which is totally fine for this franchise.
After I’d binged the 4 Wickipedia entries last year I was amused to discover that as much as the movies depend so critically on tradition, ceremony and lore, they also spend 4 movies just making up new lore and rules to cover whatever story string they want to pull. The rules begin to seem less like a hardcoded path than a loosely arranged set of superstitions much like voodoo.
After some fun fight sequences, well choreographed shoot outs, and even a brief meeting with the aforementioned Mr. Wick Eve finds a lead to the cult who killed her pops and the adventure begins.
Walking Dead guy shows up. He knows about the cult. And he’s protecting a small child from the cult mirroring Eve’s childhood experience.
From here we’re off to Europe for more gunfights, bloodshed and “as needed” lore building. The story isn’t really the point with these movies. Not that it’s bad but its we get it. Ancient, international, ritualistic assassin organizations getting revenge, being avenged, some family drama and exceptionally organized fights and gun play. There’s nothing here necessarily bigger or grander than the proper WickCU movies but its just as fun. The film moves at a brisk pace between action sequences.
Things wrap up mostly as you expect yes JW pops back in and yes it Eve ends the movie on the run.
🩰🩰🩰.🔫
The Dumbing Down of America is A Conservative Policy by Design: A Local Impact Reflects National Issues Regarding Education
Today, Cincinnati Public Schools, announed cuts to teachers and social worker positions. If you're curious as to why this is happening, conservative, religious zealots at the statehouse in Ohio have determined that finding a way to siphon off funds for public education to private, often religious, institutions is a smart use of state funds. It's classist, racist, probably unconstitutional, and incredibly dangerous. Many of the families benefitting from these vouchers can, in fact, afford private education, meaning these vouchers are simply making them richer.
Full Disclosure: My wife teaches in a public school. My children attended private school. We benefited from vouchers for two years.
This is an act designed to destabilize and destroy public education, a key tenet of the Trump administration. The redistribution of funds from public to private students leaves families who depend on public education vulnerable. It means less money for qualified, dedicated teachers. It means less funds for safe, state-of-the-art facilities and classrooms. It means shifting education accountability from a public benefit to less stringent and less regulated accountability and reporting. It means a deteriorating foundation of education, critical thinking skills, and preparation for the future for ALL public students in Ohio. Of course, the most vulnerable students in poor rural and urban districts will be most affected.
The conservative attitude toward education is absolutely crystal clear. They want and need an ignorant electorate. Less education means less questioning of the regime and less resistance. If you believe that a god to certain people and an unhinged octogenarian have the best interests of students in mind, you may need to research and reconsider this position.
The greater fear in having a less educated, more controllable working class is that the critical skills necessary to succeed in a changing economic landscape will deteriorate quickly. Add to this the disdain for social supports, and you have a HUGE problem. A brain drain that will further cripple our nation.
Some of this is, of course, driven by so-called culture wars. "Indoctornation," "DEI," and "SEL" are all boogeymen for the right that do absolutely nothing except attempting to make things more fair and equal for everyone by encouraging empathy, kindness, and equity. Of course, that may mean your child hears about a gay person. Or read about the racist foundation upon which our country is built. Or, your god forbid, they are taught to be kind. It's all smoke and mirrors to hide this transfer of wealth and distract from the brain drain epidemic in our country.
If your child lost a teacher today or your family lost access to a social worker, I am sorry. Let's focus on identifying the real issues behind this and vote accordingly.
Empty Classroom. Image Generated by AI
Cackling Over Cackleberry
I’m not sure why it took me so long to try Cackleberry in Cincinnati’s East Walnut Hills neighborhood. Now that I have, I wish I could go back in time and enjoy them for the first time again.
Cackleberry’s concept is simple. Top tier breakfast sandwiches, crafted with impeccable local ingredients on soft brioche buns, served on weekends only, out of a tiny trailer in a parking lot located in an upcoming Cincinnati neighborhood.
We arrived at the trailer on a blistering hot summer Sunday morning around 10:00 am. The smells wafting from the trailer were incredible. The few picnic tables next to the trailer were already full with local patrons enjoying their wares.
The staff of three, one to take orders, one to cook, and one to wrap were efficient and friendly. While the menu is tiny I struggled with my decision everything sounded so fucking good! I settled for the Benny, described as such:
Benny
hickory smoked bacon, local pasture raised over medium egg, sharp cheddar cheese, caramelized onion and chipotle ketchup in a warm brioche bun
The sandwich was outstanding. Made fresh and hot with obviously high quality ingredients the sandwich was without a doubt one of if not the best breakfast sandwiches I’d ever had. The ingredients work so well together. Thick cut bacon piled high on a perfectly cooked eggs, sharp cheddar cheese, and chipotle ketchup mingle together deliciously. The soft roll a perfect vessel for the tasty ingredients. Everything washed down with a delicious local iced coffee.
While we dined in the shadow of a refurbished apartment building the line swelled with locals, kids and dogs in tow ready to have their minds blown by this perfect breakfast.
Places like Cackleberry need to be praised, revered, and supported. While MacDonalds and Jimmy Dean make perfectly serviceable brekkie sammiches, Cackleberry is making magic.
The Hallmarks of Spielberg
🎬 Visual Signatures
1. The “Spielberg Face”
A prolonged close-up of a character reacting — usually with awe, fear, or wonder — before the audience sees what they’re looking at.
Examples: “Jurassic Park,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”
2. Dynamic Camera Movement
Spielberg favors long takes, dolly shots, and carefully choreographed blocking to tell the story visually, often employing a “oner” (a single, continuous shot).
Example: The opening of “Saving Private Ryan” or many shots in “Minority Report”
3. Backlighting & Silhouettes
Characters are often lit from behind, creating a glowing or silhouetted effect, evoking wonder or mystery.
Example: E.T. flying across the moon
4. Low Angles & Eye-Level Perspective
He often shoots from a child’s point of view or low angles to emphasize a sense of discovery or vulnerability.
⸻
🎭 Emotional & Thematic Tendencies
5. Childhood and Innocence
Many Spielberg films center on children or feature childlike wonder, even in adult characters.
Examples: “E.T.,” “Empire of the Sun,” “A.I.”
6. Absent or Flawed Fathers/The Everyman
Broken families and strained father-son relationships are recurring emotional themes.
Examples: “Catch Me If You Can,” “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” “War of the Worlds”
7. Ordinary People in Extraordinary Situations
Spielberg often places regular individuals in massive, sometimes historical, events.
Examples: “Jaws,” “The Post,” “Schindler’s List”
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🧠 Storytelling Style
8. Strong Storyboarding and Visual Clarity
He plans meticulously and shoots for the edit, with each shot logically leading to the next — resulting in highly readable, fluid scenes.
9. Optimism with a Dark Edge
Spielberg balances hope and humanity with real danger or trauma — never shying away from emotional or physical stakes.
Examples: “Saving Private Ryan,” “Bridge of Spies,” “The Fabelmans”
10. Iconic Use of Music
His collaboration with John Williams is legendary. He often uses score not just as background, but as an emotional force that enhances character moments.
Examples: The theme from “E.T.”, “Schindler’s List”, “Jaws”
Fifty Years of Fear: A Treatise on the Glory of Jaws
Jaws is my all-time favorite movie.
Many would assume a Star War is, and certainly Empire Strikes Back is number two, but Jaws is and has been my favorite movie for as long as I can remember, despite my fear of sharks, generated, of course, by…Jaws.
I probably saw Jaws for the first time sometime near its release. My dad was a film buff, and we’d see movies together all the time. It’s my favorite thing about childhood. It wasn’t until high school that I started to become obsessed with movies, and Jaws emerged as my supreme favorite.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the book by Peter Benchley, Jaws is a horror story at its core, but it’s also a story about family, friendship, courage, and trauma. It’s also a still-relevant reflection of national politics through the lens of hyper-local politics. And finally, it’s a fun adventure.
Jaws came early in Spielberg’s career; he was 28 when he made it, and it delivered on the promise of his first made-for-TV film, Duel, while establishing his signature directing hallmarks. Steven Spielberg’s directing style is one of the most recognizable and influential in cinema. His work spans genres, but there are consistent visual, thematic, and narrative elements that define his signature approach. Here are some of the key hallmarks: The Hallmarks of Spielberg.
Jaws was unique in that Bruce, the mechanical beast built to play the shark, was famously unreliable. Since it didn’t always work as they wanted, they had to pivot to use, music, tone, shadows, and other filmmaking techniques to amp up the horror. This, of course, worked to the movie’s favor, making a far more terrifying experience.
Of course, there are times when we HAVE to see the shark, and fortunately, when it worked, it worked well enough to be terrifying, graphic, and an outstanding practical effect. The difference between the first kill that opens the movie and the climactic battle is a worthy payoff. After hours of pulling tension, we come to a breaking point when Jaws graphically kills Quint.
The genius of Jaws and Spielberg is not just in the spectacle of it all, but also in the quiet, lingering moments. A quiet moment between Brody and his son at the dinner table. A tearful goodbye between Ellen and Brody at the dock. Gone is the sordid affair between Hooper and Ellen from the book, and I think the movie is stronger for it.
The movie is the perfect way to celebrate July 4th. The shark attacks come at the worst time for the small vacation town of Amity. Amity, which means friendship, relies on summer dollars. And vicious shark attacks are not good for business. Mayor Vaughn, frighteningly relevant in his politicking, wants to downplay the attacks and keep the beaches open. Brody, the town’s new sheriff with a fear of water (drowning), wants to protect the population. This puts the two at odds as the attacks escalate and the fear intensifies. Brody brings in Hooper, a rich oceanic expert and shark fanatic, to help solve the case.
Ultimately, the town puts a bounty on the shark, and a crowd of experienced and inexperienced fishermen causes chaos in the water as they hunt Jaws. Quint, the local beer-drinking, gruff, stereotypical fisherman, is ready to find and kill the shark…for the right price.
Ultimately, we’re off on an adventure with our three heroes as they embark on the Orca to find and kill Amity’s public enemy number one. There are numerous exciting action scenes and quotable moments from this excursion, including male bonding and character development, that bring these three very different men together in a common cause.
I’ve watched this movie hundreds of times. I can quote it easily and know everything that is going to happen before it happens, but I’m still 50 years later on the edge of my seat the entire time. I KNOW when Jaws is going to pop out of the water, but I jump every time. I KNOW Brody is going to kill Jaws, but I’m always rooting for him every single time.
Jaws influenced film so much. And filmmakers I love. Seen Mallrats? It’s a love letter to Jaws. Jurassic Park, The Meg, Anaconda? The masterwork influenced all.
Jaws is cinematic perfection. The first blockbuster, which set the standard for the next 50 summers. It changed the way we think of sharks and how we approach vacation. It changed the way movies were made. And yes, it spawned some really exceptionally bad sequels. But Jaws stands tall, it looks great still, and has relevant themes 50 years later.
Zero Sugar Mountain Dew Summer Freeze: An Bomb of a Pop
Today, we’re cracking open a can of Zero Sugar MTN DEW Summer Freeze, the latest limited-edition flavor drop from the fine folks at Mountain Dew . Marketed as a cherry, lemon, and raspberry, it’s meant to evoke the unmistakable taste of a red-white-and-blue Bomb Pop — and spoiler alert: it delivers.
First Impression? This thing is BLUE.
Not just regular soda blue — Hanna-Barbera cartoon villain lair blue. Poured over ice, it looks so fun. RFK Jr. certainly wouldn’t approve. The aroma is equally bold: pure, nostalgic fakey blue raspberry, straight from the candy aisle. Think popsicles, slushies, and corner store run-ins with questionable neon snacks. It’s artificial, it’s loud, and I’m not mad about it.
Real Time Response
Right out of the gate, it hits you with a burst of that fakey blue raspberry flavor, followed by a tart cherry zing, and a slight touch of refreshing lemon on the finish. The flavors aren’t overly complicated, but they’re layered enough to be interesting. It’s sweet, fizzy, and unapologetically summery.
Now, if you know me, you know I talk about Zero Sugar sodas the way some people talk about wine. I can’t tell you much about tannins or terroir, but I can tell you the nuanced difference between “cherry-flavored” and “cherry-adjacent” artificial sweeteners and soda flavors. And this one? It’s working. Watch my real-time reaction on TikTok.
Final Verdict:
This is a fun, nostalgic, summer-in-a-can kind of drink. It tastes exactly as promised, which is surprisingly rare in the world of limited-edition sodas. On the Accurate Flavor Profile™ Scale, I’m giving it a solid 8.5 out of 10. If I had an actual Bomb Pop, I’d probably dunk it right in and let it drown in the blue glory.
