It’s the season of fear, folks. The word horror is derived directly from the ancient Latin to “tremble or shudder.” What makes us seek this shudder in slasher movies, ghost stories, and zombie flicks? This excellent article from “Harvard Business Review” argues that humans love horror movies because they offer two-fold stimulation, simultaneously triggering anxiety … Read more
This “Man in the Mirror” is poised to surprise Michael Jackson fans worldwide. Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson is the reincarnation of his uncle in the first image released from Antoine Fuqua’s “Michael.” “With Jaafar, every look, every note, every dance move is Michael,” said Oscar-winning producer Graham King told Deadline. “He embodies Michael in a way that … Read more
Take a bite, my babies — it’s National Sandwich Day. Every year on Nov. 3, we salute the humble handheld that’s fed union workers and monarchs, latchkey kids and late-night drunkards. Legend holds that it was the degenerate gambling habit of Scorpio John Montagu — aka the 4th Earl of Sandwich — that gave rise … Read more
Taurus playwright William Shakespeare once argued, “A quart of ale is a dish for a king.” Today we feast. Steins high, kegs tapped, bottles open and refreshment at the ready, we raise a toast every year on September 7th to “National Beer Lover’s Day.” For as long as we humans have faced reality we have … Read more
Belt it out, set it free and put your lighters in the air my babies, let’s talk power ballads. Whether lamenting love gone wrong or celebrating life in all its failures and majesties, roses and thorns, purple rain and vivid pain, power ballads are the FM heart beat of the human experience. The 80’s era … Read more
Comic book artist and patron saint of Cleveland Harvey Pekar maintained, “Comics are words and pictures. You can do anything with words and pictures.” The potential of that sacred combination and the history of DC Comics began nearly a century ago. In 1934 an enterprising Capricorn (aren’t they all) and pulp writer by the name … Read more
Grumble, grumble gamers, there’s a new iteration of “The Legend of Zelda” on the horizon. And if you’re the impatient/piratical sort, you may have already played the game because it was leaked ten days shy of its official release date. Since launching in the year of our lord 1986, “Legend of Zelda,” (LoZ for you … Read more
It’s Morphin time my dudes. Premiering on Netflix on April 19, “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always” follows the beloved band of masked, spandex-ed heroes as they return to fight back against the forces of evil and satisfy our hunger for 90’s nostalgia. Low on budget and high on hype, the story of the … Read more
There are perhaps no words more enchanting, whimsical and promising than “Once upon a time.” As Gemini author and academic Jack Zipes maintains, “Fairy tales since the beginning of recorded time, and perhaps earlier, have been a means to conquer the terrors of mankind through metaphor.” National Tell a Fairytale Day on February 26 celebrates … Read more
This revered snack staple, and our obsession with it, is anything but corny. Discovered in the Americas centuries ago, according to the The Popcorn Board, popcorn has become a household favorite worldwide. So every time you reach for that delectable crunch, know that you’re in a long line of humanity that has munched on the … Read more
Disney is the house of the mouse and the place where all dreams come true. As one of the most powerful, influential and successful businesses in the entire world with media spanning animated and live action films and television, toys, merchandise, theme parks, music, live events, books and graphic novels and beyond, Disney has transformed … Read more
We hate to burst your bubble but Pop stars are here to stay. Short for “popular,” these musicians representing genres that run the gamut from country and rap to R&B and of course Pop, have become some of the greatest icons of the modern day. It’s no surprise that when it comes to some of … Read more
Sometimes being blue isn’t a bad thing. It’s been thirteen years since James Cameron made blue-skinned, direhorse riding, tree loving, loin-clothed magic with his fantasy epic “Avatar.” “Avatar” unfolds on the lush moon planet of Pandora. Though the world is uninhabitable for humans, it does not stop them in their attempts to colonize it, steal … Read more
They’re creepy and they’re kooky. If you watch Netflix’s “Wednesday” with subtitles, the theme music is described as “jaunty macabre,” an apt descriptor for the show itself. Inspired by the cartoons of triple earth sign Charles Addams, “Wednesday,” follows our Hot Topic heroine as she navigates the fresh hell of high school with razor sharp … Read more
Spotted…. season two of HBO Max’s “Gossip Girl,” premiering on December 1. A reboot of the original TV show, based on Cecily Von Ziegesar’s book series, “Gossip Girl” follows the charmed lives and emotional turmoil of Manhattan’s teen elite as seen by an omniscient social media specter. It’s been nearly a decade since the OG … Read more
When it comes to one of the most successful Amazon Prime Video original series ever, “The Rings of Power” is a powerhouse that has been at the top of the ratings charts for the entirety of its first season, which premiered on September 1st! Adapted from J. R. R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” novels … Read more