Category Archives: Popular (and unpopular) culture

Star Trek: Into Darkness. It’s a White Man’s Universe, Spock.

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Ampersand

I’m seeing a lot about the sexism in Star Trek, Into Darkness. Mostly about the gratuitous scene of Carol Marcus stripping. And I agree, that was annoying and sexist and just plain cheesy and really badly written, to boot. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Feminism, sexism, etc, Popular (and unpopular) culture | 16 Comments  

Over a hundred thousand sign petition against Disney’s Merida Makeover

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Ampersand

To celebrate Merida of the Pixar film Brave “officially” joining the Disney Princess line, Disney released some new illustrations of her. In the new illustrations, Merida is even thinner than her already-thin movie version (as Alyssa put it, “what appears … Continue reading →

Posted in Feminism, sexism, etc, Gender and the Body, Popular (and unpopular) culture | 22 Comments  

I’m still not buying it. The Imperials wouldn’t just lie to us.

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Ampersand

Regarding the title, “Luke’s Change,” remember that there’s a well-known truther documentary named “Loose Change.” Also, the title of this post isn’t mine, it’s a YouTube comment, read via Andrew Sullivan.

Posted in Popular (and unpopular) culture | 4 Comments  

Switched At Birth’s “Uprising” Episode – The Best Political TV Show Of The Year

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Ampersand

The “ABC Family” network, owned by Disney after beginning life as one of Pat Robertson’s properties, 1 has broadcast four of my favorite TV shows of recent years. Teen drama Make It Or Break It, about the friendship and rivalries … Continue reading →

Posted in Disabled Rights & Issues, Popular (and unpopular) culture | 6 Comments  

Single Dads In Film: Yay, or Yawn?

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Ampersand

So Melissa at Shakesville was not impressed by the trailer for The End of Love, a new film about “a grieving father struggling to raise his two-year-old son alone.” It’s not that this, too, isn’t a story worth telling. (I … Continue reading →

Posted in Feminism, sexism, etc, Popular (and unpopular) culture | 40 Comments  

Some Things I’ve Read Or Seen Lately

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Ampersand

Django Unchained If the idea of an action movie featuring a former slave bloodily blowing away dozens of white slavers appeals to you, then this movie won’t disappoint. I loved it. It was extremely well-done popcorn, well-filmed and well-acted, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Comics I Like, Popular (and unpopular) culture | 9 Comments  

RIP, Ray Bradbury

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Grace Annam

RonF has commented twice, now, that Ray Bradbury’s passing has passed without comment here. I have to admit I’m a little puzzled, myself. Here we celebrate, among other things, creative endeavor, including writing and speculative fiction. If this non-commentary state … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, In the news, Popular (and unpopular) culture, Recommended Reading, Uncategorized, Writing | 14 Comments  

Odes to Joy. Or Anything Else.

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Ampersand

. Roughly speaking, a genre is the type of story told — the people and the setting — while a medium is the form it’s told in. David Benedict asks, “what makes Singin’ in the Rain the masterpiece of so … Continue reading →

Posted in crossposted on TADA, Popular (and unpopular) culture | 4 Comments  

The Mystical Pregnancy Trope

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Ampersand

A video from Feminist Frequency. I think her argument loses focus towards the end, and generally needs more nuance, but is still worth watching: (Transcript here.) I think the way to think of this, is something like The Bechdel Test. … Continue reading →

Posted in crossposted on TADA, Feminism, sexism, etc, Gender and the Body, Popular (and unpopular) culture | 8 Comments  

With Thanks to Liz Wallace.

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Guest Writer

[This post is by Kip Manley, and cross-posted from his blog Long Story; Short Pier with his kind permission.] The crew is unisex and all parts are interchangeable for men or women. —Dan O’Bannon, Alien (née Starbeast) FOOM! FOOM! FOOM! … Continue reading →

Posted in crossposted on TADA, Feminism, sexism, etc, Popular (and unpopular) culture | 17 Comments