Old Joy Shares the Gift of Music with Monks Aflame
There is something special about sharing music with music lovers, friends, family, and fellow fans. In a way, sharing music in a world where we feel so distant from one […]
Review: Promising Young Woman Channels Fury and Frustration into a Bold and Sharp Revenge Thriller
This time last year, I was writing about the film that ultimately landed at the top of my Best Films of 2019 list: Greta Gerwig’s Little Women. In Gerwig’s capable […]
Review: Calico‘s Marshmallow World Delights but Deflates Due to Clunky Controls
I have a lot of good memories growing up of time spent with My Little Ponies and Barbies and Strawberry Shortcake dolls. It wasn’t necessarily about the dolls, all soft […]
Review: El Hijo–A Wild West Tale Is a Charming, Well Crafted Adventure
I’m a sucker for bright, cartoony games. I know people who absolutely won’t play a game unless they’re grim dark with photorealistic graphics. That’s a shame, because there are some […]
Review: Sound of Metal Charts the Painful, Inspiring Journey of a Musician Losing His Hearing
In what might be one of the coolest opening sequences of the year, the beginning of Sound of Metal sees Riz Ahmed’s Ruben drum as if his life depends on […]
Review: Per Aspera Offers a Rich Escape to the Stars Through Its Hardships
There are certain things I aspire to like–cultural experiences I feel robbed of based on my tastes. Sushi. Baseball. Any sort of video game requiring me to actually think and […]
Review: The Storied Life and Prolific Work of ’70s Rocker (and So Much More) in Zappa
As someone who was in elementary school when rock legend Frank Zappa died in 1993, I never had much of an awareness of the musician, a multi-talented composer, songwriter, band […]
Review: Video Game Documentary Insert Coin Is a Fun Look at an Interesting Time in the Industry
The era of video games discussed in the new documentary Insert Coin was one I basically missed, but I don’t just watch documentaries about subjects I’m familiar with. In fact, […]
Review: Chaos Reigns:Spirit of the North Suffers From Sloggy Controls and a So-So Story
It’s not hard to sell me on a game where you get to play as an animal, or even get to interact with one a lot. Hell, I spent entire […]
Review: The Loop: The ‘L’ Tracks That Shaped and Saved Chicago, by Patrick T. Reardon
The Loop: The ‘L’ Tracks that Shaped and Saved Chicago by Patrick T. Reardon Southern Illinois University Press Reviewed by Mary Wisniewski There are lovelier and more prestigious symbols of […]
Review: Astro’s Playroom Shows Off DualSense Controller While Being Full of Joy
Pack-in games for new consoles are nothing new to PlayStation, but they haven’t exactly been big hits. Recently, The Playroom on PlayStation 4 and Welcome Park on PlayStation Vita were […]
Review: Neo Noir Chicken Police Is a Delight
It’s New Year’s Eve, and you’re a washed-up detective. You’re 121 days until retirement—but it feels like an eternity slowly ticking away. When you step into your office, you’re met […]