Despite its star-studded cast, Amsterdam is a dull movie with even duller themes.
Category: Arts & Culture
How a Book on Islam Strengthened my Catholic Faith
I do not pretend to be as devout a Catholic as I should be. Too often, I am not even a particularly good one. Nonetheless, I am and was raised a Catholic, so I tend to view nearly every theological topic through a Catholic lens. David Pinault’s The Crucifix on Mecca’s Front Porch gave me […]
‘No Time to Die’: A Flawed But Appropriate Ending to Daniel Craig’s Bond
Over Christmas break, I finally had the (admittedly belated) chance to watch No Time to Die, the final installation in Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond. In the leadup to the film’s release, many commentators suggested, and often hoped, that, in No Time to Die, Bond’s character would be irrevocably “wokeified”. Many believe Ian Fleming’s […]
Book Review: Until the End of Time by Brian Greene
Until the End of Time is the latest book by acclaimed popular-science author and renowned physicist Brian Greene. In lucid and accessible prose, Greene takes readers on a scientific journey from the origins of the universe through the development of intelligent life to humankind’s efforts to find meaning in an endless cosmos. While Green’s explanations […]
A Thanksgiving Return to First Principles
There is much talk these days about divisiveness and political polarization, even within families. I have heard many fellow conservatives describe how a Thanksgiving dinner at their house is never complete without a political rift arising from their supposedly misguided view on some issue or other. I imagine my liberal friends have similar stories. At […]
CBS’s Strange Angel Details the Dangers of Straying from God
Ernest grips his knife as he pursues his prey. He’s brought his new neighbor and friend, Jack, out to the desert to kill him. As Ernest approaches Jack, the latter confidently yells, “I am he, the truth!” Immediately, wings of flame burst from his back. Ernest believes he has summoned an angel, and he prostrates […]
‘Boys State’ Review
Toward the middle of the new documentary Boys State, Robert MacDougall, a young Texas teen who is running for Governor of the Boys State in Texas, makes a confession. “As to the political views in my speech voiced in my speech, those are not my own.” He explains that despite being pro-choice, MacDougall decided to […]
The Cinderella That Could: Stephanie Cmar’s Miracle Run on Top Chef
The COVID-19 Pandemic has been some of the most challenging months of my life. Many people have lost their jobs, and many have also lost their lives. It has challenged us as a nation, and it has challenged me as a person. In March, I began looking for anything that would distract me and give […]
‘The Plot Against America’ Review: A Terrific Adaptation
The Plot Against America, one of HBO’s newest miniseries, is a terrific adaptation of Philp Roth’s ingenious alternate-history. The show, adapted by David Simon and Ed Burns, brings a new dread and urgency to Philip Roth’s brilliant 2006 novel. Simon and Burns, the creative minds behind the HBO series The Wire (more commonly known as […]