Woody Harrelson might be the best contemporary actor at playing an alcoholic. Naomi Watts and Brie Larson star alongside Harrelson in The Glass Castle, the third feature film (and first under a major studio) from writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton. With so much talent and so many resources, a film like this shouldn’t go wrong. It does. Harrelson plays Rex Walls, husband and father of four. … Continue reading The Glass Castle—2.5/5 stars
In a world where feminism and femininity often seem at odds, Wonder Woman presents an alternative: a woman too secure in her own purpose to bother with such labels at all. Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) is raised by the Amazons, a tribe of warrior women dedicated to defending the world against Ares, the god of war. When British soldier Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crash-lands near … Continue reading Wonder Woman
In Summer 2017, Hollywood reached peak block-buster ad-nauseum. “Baby Driver” looked like it was going to be more of the same – another cliched action film riddled with car chases and explosions. Going to the theater, I was prepared to be thoroughly bored. Yet, within minutes of the film starting, “Baby Driver” had my complete attention and wouldn’t let go. “Baby Driver” – Edgar Wright’s … Continue reading Baby Driver
This summer I traveled with the Collegiate Scholars to Greece. The highlight of the trip was that my husband Kerry came with us. Because he travels so much for his work as a management consultant, he is loath to board a plane for pleasure. (Or rather, it is inconceivable to him that taking a plane anywhere might be pleasurable.) Somehow, I was able to convince … Continue reading New Eyes in Greece
I grew up swimming in the Pacific Ocean. The salt would burn my nose, but it kept me buoyant. The waves could be rough, but they delivered me to shore. Of course I thought about sharks and little stinging things, but never had an encounter. Perhaps it was the vastness, or maybe it was because it was all I knew of open water swimming, but … Continue reading Michigan Lakes
It is evening and supper is through. The shorter, noisier humans who live with me have evacuated the kitchen in order to pursue some brand of havoc outside. Their taller, wiser maternal figure is putting little ones to bed, and it is finally time. The dishes are scattered throughout the room and roped about with remainders of clingy pasta. Cutting boards with … Continue reading Cleaning with Funk
Some wry reflection in the current style on how the wonder of the eclipse seemed rather darkened by the contraceptive glasses that my eye doctor insisted must be worn to keep my sight, partially was obscured by clouds blowing in at the totality and contemplated by naked eyes, an unexpected splendor needing no interposition. Benjamin Beier is an Assistant Professor of Education. Continue reading Splendor without Spectacle
There are two types of Trekkies: those who love Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and those who don’t. Similarly, in the physics community, there are two types of solar-eclipse viewers: those who go for totality, and losers. During the Great Eclipse of 2017, I was the only member of my physics department not to boldly go to far-flung destinations to experience totality. And I felt … Continue reading 82.3% Eclipse of the Heart
Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk treats the miracle of the 1940 evacuation with a refreshing solemnity. Nolan chooses progression of time rather than exchange of words as his medium of communication, but even that time is warped as the plotlines transition between land, sea, and air, each frame lasting the space of a week, a day, and an hour, respectively. Minimal, deliberately stilted dialogue leaves us looking … Continue reading Dunkirk
“There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys, how’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?” This joke is from David Foster … Continue reading Songs from the Cage
Hillsdale Forum 