Published in Rants and Raves·5 days agoHow “Top Gun: Maverick” Exceeded All ExpectationsGiven that Top Gun was a box office smash and cultural phenomenon when it was released in 1986, it is no surprise that nostalgia-loving Hollywood decided to make a sequel. What is a surprise is that the long-gestating sequel is actually an utterly fantastic film, far better than the original. …Movies12 min read
Published in Rants and Raves·Jun 24The Devastating and Dangerous Decision of the U.S. Supreme CourtThis morning, the United States Supreme Court made their decision to overturn Roe v. Wade final this morning, months after a leaked memo alerted the world that this day was fast approaching. The right to an abortion is no longer protected in the United States and the Court has explicitly…Abortion10 min read
Published in Rants and Raves·Jun 21“My Best Friend’s Wedding”: A Subversive Romantic Comedy Classic Turns 25In 1997, Julia Roberts solidified her status as a box office powerhouse with this unconventional romantic comedy that defied expectations and featured three award-worthy performances. It is hard to overstate how much My Best Friend’s Wedding defied expectations. First, the film completely reversed Julia Roberts’ trajectory in Hollywood. The romantic…Movies9 min read
Published in Rants and Raves·Jun 20The “Jurassic” Saga: A RetrospectiveWith the final chapter of the second trilogy taking the global box office by storm , I revisited the previous five Jurassic Park and Jurassic World films. …Film15 min read
Published in Rants and Raves·Jun 16A Celebration of Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee Mariah CareyToday, music legend Mariah Carey will be inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York City after three decades of tirelessly proving herself to be one of the best and most commercially successful songwriters in history. Here, I look at her career as a songwriter and rank my…Music18 min read
Published in Rants and Raves·May 23Why the “Saved by the Bell” Revival Deserves to be SavedEarlier this month, Peacock unceremoniously canceled the revival of iconic teen sitcom Saved by the Bell following its brilliant 10-episode second season. Here’s why the series is worth saving. The Background Saved by the Bell is a series with a remarkably complex history. It originated as an Indiana-set series entitled…Television13 min read
Published in Rants and Raves·May 22Florence + the Machine’s “Dance Fever”: Track-by-Track ReviewOn May 13, Florence + the Machine released their fifth studio album Dance Fever to great critical acclaim. After nearly a dozen listens, I have put together a track-by-track review of the album, which is a mind-blowing and heartbreaking tapestry of musical genres and lyrical themes. Florence + The Machine…Music15 min read
Published in Rants and Raves·May 12“Abbott Elementary” Is a Classic in the MakingDuring its recently-wrapped first season, ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary garnered enormous critical acclaim and developed a passionately devoted fanbase. Here, I reflect on what makes the show work so well and why it feels like a classic in the making. The art of the network television sitcom has evolved dramatically…Television8 min read
Published in Rants and Raves·Apr 18“Killing Eve”: A RetrospectiveOn April 10, the 4-season, 32-episode run of Killing Eve came to an end. The Emmy-winning BBC America series was based on a series of electronic novellas and starred Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer as an MI-5 agent and assassin, respectively, who developed a mutual obsession with one another. …Television16 min read
Published in Rants and Raves·Apr 12Dua Lipa Impresses at the Forum with Polished “Future Nostalgia” ShowThe Rise of Dua Lipa While on a road trip last week with a friend, she noticed that the playlist I had put together featured a lot of Dua Lipa. “Explain Dua Lipa to me,” she said. “Because I don’t get it.” At first, I didn’t know what to say…Music11 min read