The Bromantic Gaze
Is the cultural moment of the bromance really indicative of increased mainstream acceptance of homosexual norms and behavior, or is it just the status quo in new, more homoerotic clothes?
Long Ass Post on Overthinking It
The Musical Talmud: Chinese Democracy
Axl Rose takes us on a tour de force of international relations and modern Chinese history.
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Vatican 1, Beatles 0: Why the Church still wins after forgiving John Lennon
Why does the Catholic Church repeatedly get itself into trouble by issuing official condemnations on pop culture? Isn’t it just digging itself deeper and deeper into a hole of cultural irrelevance?
Is Watchmen Unfilmable?
In preparation for the March release of its film adaptation, I reread Watchmen this week. It had been more than four years. Back then, I liked it, but it wasn’t the time for me to read it. I hadn’t been … Continued
The Blockbuster Bell Curve: Are we running out of good movies, too?
As a follow up to the wildly popular “Hubbert Peak Theory of Rock” article on the decline of rock music (and U.S. oil production), I decided to take the logical next step in pop culture quantitative analysis: Greatest Movies Lists. … Continued
Fictional Fictions
Never again will the real have the chance to produce itself — such is the vital function of the model in a system of death, or rather of anticipated resurrection, that no longer even gives the event of death a … Continued
Why I’m Not Going to Read Your Fanfic
Embarrassing admission of the day: I read fanfiction. It’s hard to tell over the Internet, but that word “read” is in the present tense. I read fanfiction. Today. But only sometimes! Once or twice a year – at most, I … Continued
Why Strong Female Characters Are Bad for Women
Megan Fox in Transformers is NOT a strong female character.
The Philosophy of Batman: Literary Theory Edition
Or: Holy plaisire du texte, Barthes-Man! The plot of The Dark Knight, like that of Batman Begins, is honestly kind of shapeless and waffle-y. And yet, as Memento proves, Nolan is capable of writing narratives that are drum-taught and mongoose-agile. … Continued
The Philosophy of Batman: Schopenhauer Edition
“Haha, now I REALLY want to know what The Dark Knight has to do with Schopenhauer.” –mlawski Alright. You asked for it. Mlawski’s own fine post on utilitarianism and The Dark Knight, “The Philosophy of Batman” inspired me — can … Continued