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The Case for Romantic Comedies—Moonstruck (1987)

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One thing about me that always seems to surprise people is that I’m a fan of rom-coms. That’s probably because of my age and gender identity—I don’t think 22 year-old men are the target audience of most rom-coms. But there does seem to be a general indifference from my generation towards the genre, even among those who study film. Here and in future posts, I want to highlight some films that demonstrate just how special this genre can be, and why these films are worth your time.  Today I’d like to discuss Moonstruck (1987), which has some familiar faces in the likes of Cher and Nicolas Cage.  Directed by Norman Jewison, the film centers around the Castorinis, a family of middle-class Italian-Americans living in Brooklyn. Every minute of the film is drenched in a colorful Italian-American quality, from the crowded family home to “That’s Amore” playing over the opening credits. It’s a bombastic expression of culture that is oft absent from modern films, which tend to sanitize c...
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Sea Storm by Andrew Mayne—A "Thriller" in Disguise

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In another foray to my library’s “New Books” section, I picked up the thriller Sea Storm by Andrew Mayne. What I did not realize was the fact that this book is the third in the Underwater Investigative Unit series, so I simply read it as a standalone book. My perspective on the series may be limited, but I did not feel that lacking context significantly hampered my experience.   Sea Storm begins as our protagonist Sloan McPherson and her work partner Hughes approach a cruise vessel which is emanating smoke. It does not take them long to recognize this as an intentional bombing—but the FBI’s claims of ecoterrorism don’t fully add up. Clues including a hidden compartment, a knocked-out crewman, and an unconventional bombing approach likely to cause environmental harm all point to ulterior motives… As McPherson and Hughes search for answers, they’ll be faced with gun-toting goons, elaborate traps, and shadowy bureaucratic interference.   Mayne does a wonderful job of hook...
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One Dark Window Review—A Decrepit Kingdom

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During a recent visit to my local library, I decided to investigate the “New Books” section. Drawn by gorgeous watercolor cover art (who says you can’t judge a book by its cover?), I walked away with the first fantasy novel by Rachel Gillig— One Dark Window. In  One Dark Window , we follow Elspeth Spindle, a woman burdened with a magical secret which has a mind of its own. The mysterious Nightmare is a constant voice in her head which grants her great power but threatens to overpower her. In the kingdom of Blunder, magic is centered around the twelve Providence Cards, each of which has a unique power—and just as great of a drawback. The Scythe card can control others at the cost of physical pain, and the Maiden card grants physical beauty at the cost of an icy demeanor. However, Elspeth’s magic exists separately from the Providence Cards, which has led authorities to deem her and similar people as “infected.” Her ability to find hidden Providence Cards is what ties her into a plot ...
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