The Internet has been abuzz lately with what is perhaps the best-worst Harry Potter fanfic since My Immortal. Hogwarts School of Prayer and Miracles is, according to its author, a God-approved, kid-friendly rewrite of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series that keeps the good of the original books but inserts wholesome, Christian messages. I have… Continue reading Crying Into My Oatmeal: Christianity Talks to Harry Potter (Again)
Category: Essays, Criticism, and Analyses
Korrasami and Unity Between Women
Book 3 of The Legend of Korra ended last week with a level of darkness I didn’t think Bryke would have the guts to include given that Nickelodeon seems to constrain what’s shown. Though I loved the finale, overall, LoK is not its predecessor and probably never will be as the first two seasons are… Continue reading Korrasami and Unity Between Women
Orange is the New Black Season 2: Old Ladies, White Privilege, and the Black vs. Latinx Problem
The only reason why I didn’t marathon Orange is the New Black season 2 in a single weekend is the fact that I’m a working adult with other responsibilities and sleep is precious to me. That being said, I blew through it just like everyone else and like last season, the show continues to prove… Continue reading Orange is the New Black Season 2: Old Ladies, White Privilege, and the Black vs. Latinx Problem
Princess Jellyfish: Challenging Conventional Beauty and Letting Yourself Feel Uncomfortable
Princess Jellyfish is a cute little series that I honestly think is severely underrated, largely because no one seems to pay it much attention. Of course, with all of the big epics and more avant-garde series around, this one does tend to fall through the cracks, but it’s such a treat and easy to marathon… Continue reading Princess Jellyfish: Challenging Conventional Beauty and Letting Yourself Feel Uncomfortable
Long Live the Unibrow: Smashing the Patriarchy with Helga G. Pataki
Most 90s kids remember Hey Arnold! and its wide cast of characters that covered just about every challenge a kid could face growing up. Among the most memorable is Helga G. Pataki. Between her obsessive love for Arnold (what the hell is his last name? We’ll never know) and the irony of her appearance… Continue reading Long Live the Unibrow: Smashing the Patriarchy with Helga G. Pataki
Reflections in the Ice Part Three: Redefining True Love
Frozen is a film that not only shows women taking control of their own happiness, but it also shows them acting on love instead of receiving it. Throughout the film, Anna experiences several types of love, but the most significant form is that which Anna chooses at the very end. Her sacrifice for Elsa redefines… Continue reading Reflections in the Ice Part Three: Redefining True Love
Reflections in the Ice Part Two: Anna’s Agency in Frozen
One of the best things about Frozen is that it’s primarily a story about two sisters repairing their relationship, not one about finding love with a man. While romance is part of the story, it is not either of the main characters’ primary problem. Even Anna’s doe-eyed infatuation with Hans takes a back seat when… Continue reading Reflections in the Ice Part Two: Anna’s Agency in Frozen
Reflections in the Ice Part One: Elsa’s Queerness in Frozen
I’ve finally had the absolute pleasure of watching Frozen, this year’s Oscar winning animated feature that the Internet has been freaking out about since its theatrical release. I expected the movie to be good, but what I didn’t expect was for it to impress me on a level that would inspire an entire blog post… Continue reading Reflections in the Ice Part One: Elsa’s Queerness in Frozen
Lessons from Gravity: How to Fail the Bechdel Test (in a good way)
This Oscars 2014 post series didn’t go quite as planned, but even though I only managed to write about one Best Picture nom before Ellen DeGeneres ordered pizza for everyone, I’m still making my way through each of the films because they really are always worth seeing. As I noted in my post about… Continue reading Lessons from Gravity: How to Fail the Bechdel Test (in a good way)
Lessons from The Hunger Games: The Limits of First-Person Present Tense
By now, everyone has talked The Hunger Games to death. Though it largely deserves the hype, it seems that the conversation stops at praising what it does well. Certainly, The Hunger Games is a compelling book series that isn’t shy about its critique of contemporary society, but it falters enough to provide some… Continue reading Lessons from The Hunger Games: The Limits of First-Person Present Tense