Friday, November 25, 2016

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The year that really needs to go away just keeps rolling along and devouring all my time. About all I’ve managed over the past couple of weeks is a review of Arrival for Aleteia and a few suggestions for those in need of some political horror over at SCENES. Still, there’s plenty of other reading out there if you need something to keep you occupied after the holiday.

First up, Catholic Skywalker offers up his take on Shin Godzilla, Japan’s recent resurrection of the BIg G. I have to admit I enjoyed it a bit more than Mr. Skywalker did, but I can’t fault his criticisms of stuff like the creature design. After all, the entire audience at my screening did burst out laughing the first time Godzilla showed up in his unevolved state. Best to watch the movie when it hits DVD to see what exactly that’s supposed to mean.

Speaking of evolution, First Thing’s Abigail Rine Favale looks back on the previous season of The Walking Dead and discovers that the show has slowly grown into an “unexpected herald of a culture of life.” Of course, Ms. Favale was speaking of Season 6. I wonder what she thinks of recent developments in Season 7.

You know, some shows never see a Season 7, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have something to say as well. For proof, head on over to Speculative Faith where they have an interview with Kevin C. Neece, author of The Gospel According to Star Trek. There he discusses how he discovered a wealth of Christian insight in the beloved show despite Rodenberry’s own rejection of his Southern Baptist roots.

Really though, such mixtures of belief and skepticism are actually pretty common in genre fare. It’s no surprise then to find Patrick Malone writing at Catholic Stand about Faith, Doubt, and Analysis Paralysis in The Exorcist, where he notes “the world is not neatly divided into believers and doubters, but rather that doubt and faith are often intertwined.”

Maybe so, but not so much at The National Catholic Register where Matt Archbold has very little doubt he has seen 7 Insanely Bad TV Shows and Movies Featuring Popes. Not a bad list, though it may be missing a few. Do I smell a post coming up at some point? We’ll see if 2016 allows it.

Until then, you can enjoy T. Martin’s reminiscing on the “incoherent, relentlessly swinging, hit-or-miss” Weird Al classic, U.H.F.

And finally, just in case I don’t get to post anything else before Sunday (because 2016), here’s some random picture of a monkey opening an Advent calendar I found on the Internet. Everybody likes monkeys!

monkeycal

9 comments:

Xena Catolica said...

..and there's this! If you scroll down, there are more of the genre, featuring other spirits.
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/drinks-by-the-dram/the-whisky-advent-calendar/

EegahInc said...

Obviously a company run by Catholics.

Larry Denninger said...

Are you going to be reviewing 'Arrival'? I saw it last weekend, and it was one of the best Sci-Fi films I've seen in a loooooooong time. Interested in what your take might be, should you see it and review it.

EegahInc said...

My opening week review is at http://aleteia.org/2016/11/11/review-arrival-is-a-captivating-and-cerebral-sci-fi-flick/

It's not very detailed because it has to be spoiler free and Aleteia likes me to stay around 700 words, but the general gist is that it was great.

PaperSmyth said...

My thanks to you for wading through "the year that needs to go away" (as my kids would say, Same.) and for the Arrival review (we'll have to wait for the DVD as it has now left The Styx). I am so glad for your ability to see the better nature of everything. I'm still working on imitating that, so thanks also for the example.
Best blessed Advent to you, sir.

EegahInc said...

You're too kind. I'd like to say I made it through every day of this year with a smile on my face, but...

Larry Denninger said...

Ah, I missed that review. Well done, sir - you deftly avoided giving anything away. This was a refresingly pro-life movie that one rarely expects from Hollywood.

And I hope Abbott and Costello get their own sequel. lol

Xena Catolica said...

A happy New Year to you, and all the fandom here.

http://babylonbee.com/news/god-good-powerful-allow-star-wars-prequels/

EegahInc said...

Probably the most convincing argument for atheism ever written :)