It bothers me a little that the popular sentiment surrounding The Dark Knight is that it "transcends mere comic books" or "is more than just a superhero film". The reasons for this, no doubt, are derived from the ambitious approach Nolan took to the film. Approaching the Batman character from a deeply political, rigidly philosophical and grandly complex perspective; littered with images of duality, musings on the notion of heroism and rich commentary on post 9/11 America. Unexpectedly, it's observation…

I'm more in love with the underlying concepts of Peter Pan then the Disney film, it turns out. The idea of desperately grasping at the last remnants of childhood, only to find the transition to adulthood is all but inevitable. The escapist allure of a place like Neverland, and the melancholy that accompanies it knowing your time there is limited. Even the gender dynamics at work in the original story and some iterations since; the psychological questions posed and the…

I've been seeing lots of "controversy" over the supposed value of La La Land vs something like Moonlight, usually insinuating that La La Land's comparative levity somehow renders it lesser. My quick two cents would that be that yes, Moonlight is a magnificent portrait of masculinity in 2017's world, with broad, valuable insights on how race, sexual preference (*orientation*) and class all influence and inform one's identity. Basically a vehicle and showcase for compassion and empathy in a world seemingly…

In light of recent events, I'm reminded of Fermi's paradox. A cynical and unsettling notion which suggests the reason we've never been contacted by extraterrestrial intelligent life is that the no civilization has survived long enough to innovate to that level. Or, in simpler terms, that the fundamental nature of intelligent life is to ultimately destroy itself. As tech and sciences progress further and further, what matters is how we allocate that technology; what leaders we elect to control it…