We’re 14 movies into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In and of itself, that is a massive triumph. Most franchises really start to suck hard by the third installment, if you’re lucky. But I’m hard-pressed to think of another film series that has the energy and longevity of Marvel Studios. Luckily, they had a blueprint to […]

In order to explain to you why I disliked Jack Reacher: Never Go Back so much, I must first explain why I loved 2012’s Jack Reacher. The original film is based on Lee Child’s series of hardboiled novels about the adventures of an ex-military policeman.* It was adapted for the screen and directed by the great Christopher McQuarrie, […]

In the end, it’s all about the buy in. Maybe you can accept a grown man running around in an American flag costume smashing people in the face with an indestructible shield. Perhaps you absolutely can’t accept that, yet you’re okay with a Catholic married couple who are also ghost hunters. You might have a positive or […]

Some of them made the crossing to reunite with family. Some wanted a decent job. Some believed in the promise of America, while others wanted to get the hell away from the cartels. But applying for immigration, whether it was because of time or money, simply wasn’t a realistic option. Phone calls and desperate pleas […]

God spoke to Nat Turner on May 12, 1828. Turner was a highly intelligent man, deeply religious, and a lifelong slave in Southampton County, Virginia. While toiling in the cotton fields that day, Turner remembered that he, “heard a loud noise in the heavens, and the Spirit instantly appeared to me and said the Serpent […]

My wife hates Westerns, which is a pity. Sure, there are a couple of unassailable classics she likes, like Tombstone or Unforgiven. But those are the exception. She made it through just 10 minutes of Open Range, scoffed at the idea of watching Silverado, and physically left the room when High Noon came on. Thing is, she’s not the only one. I know a […]

Patriotism is a tricky thing.  Really, it’s a form of love, a love of country. But what’s the right way to express that love? Well, that’s where it gets tricky. Do you show your love of country through military or government service? Sure, lots of people do that, and they do it with gallantry and bravery. William Calley […]

There are two types of people in the world. Those who thought 1999’s The Blair Witch Project was a masterpiece of slow burn horror and those who thought it was about a group of idiots wandering pointlessly in the woods. I’m the former. My wife is the latter. It’s undeniable that The Blair Witch Project is one of the most […]

They called it a miracle, though it really wasn’t one. As we understand it, a miracle is an impossible occurrence, something that shouldn’t happen but does anyway, due to supernatural means. The events of January 15, 2009, played out the way they did not because of the will of the Almighty. Really, it was all […]

Not everyone should follow their dreams. I know, I’m an absolute creep for saying so. We live in a society that pushes self-actualization, and if you just believe in yourself and follow your bliss, everything will work out. But here’s the thing. If, in your personal Venn diagram, talent overlaps with passion, then by all […]