A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma...
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Newborns and the Kingdom of God: Reflections in the Dead of Night
In the Palm of my Hand, He Stares up at Me, Trying to Make Sense of this Help Received in the Dark
Scrubbing the Guilt Away: Ramy and the Scales of Righteousness
Ramy Youssef on the Whiplash of Religion and Sex
A Tennis-Ball-Shaped Anvil (and Other Things That Weigh on Us)
“Advantage, Service, Fault, Break, Love, … Every Match Is a Life in Miniature.”
Endings, New Beginnings, and El Camino
It Watches Like a Modern-Day Western: Vintage Guns, Duels, and Bounty Hunters
All I Want is a Wink from the Cross: Arcade Fire’s Everything Now
In Arcade Fire’s 2017 album, Everything Now, the pop rock crew provides a sweeping commentary on loneliness, relationships, and (the search for) rest in a digital age. While Arcade Fire stays true to its anthemic tracks, soaring vocals, and visceral sound, the heavy doses of loneliness leave me incrementally sadder with every listen. The album […]
Reserved Seating in Addiction Circles For The Likes of You And Me: Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot
In 2018, Gus Van Sant (director of Good Will Hunting) added to his excellent directorial résumé with Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot. An under-the-radar biopic of late sketch artist John Callahan, the film examines his road to recovery as an alcoholic after a car accident leaves him a quadriplegic. From the beginning […]
Dead to Me: A Dark Comedy of Forgiveness
In the Netflix original series, Dead to Me, Judy (Linda Cardellini) helps Jen (Christina Applegate) cope with the sudden loss of her husband, Ted. The two form an unlikely friendship tracking down Jen’s husband’s killer in the pristine landscape of Malibu. Thanks to Liz Feldman, the creator of the show, clicking “Next Episode” never felt […]