Subversion in Mindless, Silly Fun: Why Neutral Art is Impossible

I’ve heard the phrase “mindless, silly fun” bandied about a lot lately, most often in reference to Transformers 2, but not at all limited to it. I think that people who use this term are a little misinformed as to what “mindless, silly fun” actually is and how subversive and deceptively influential such movies and… Continue reading Subversion in Mindless, Silly Fun: Why Neutral Art is Impossible

Essentialism in Science Fiction and Fantasy

As a life-long fan of science-fiction and fantasy (SF/F), I see it as my duty to get my friends and family involved with books, movies, and TV shows they might ordinarily overlook.  The difficulty is that when I try to explain what makes something special and intriguing, I end up sounding like a bumbling fool.… Continue reading Essentialism in Science Fiction and Fantasy