PinnedSJMTaylor Swift “Eras” and the Future of ‘Miss Americana’I came into the Taylor Swift “Eras” film skeptical about how a 33 year old person could possibly claim so arrogant a title for their…8 min read·Nov 28, 2023----
PinnedSJMWhat ‘The White Lotus’ S2 Can Teach Us About The Fraudulence Of PerceptionFor all its expensive production, murder suspense, and ripping social satire, what struck me most about Mike White’s “The White Lotus”…7 min read·Jul 21, 2023----
PinnedSJM“Top Gun: Maverick” — A Navy pilot’s take on the Great American AdvertWhen Top Gun hit theaters in 1986, it spoke to audiences by giving them a rose-tinted reflection of the supercharged American values of…8 min read·Jul 19, 2022--1--1
PinnedSJMMy Year In Bahrain — A Portrait of the “Westworld” of the Middle East21 min read·Jul 19, 2022----
PinnedSJMI Believe In The “Keyboard Warrior” — Notes On The New Digital DiscourseThe thing that bothered me most about the 2016 election wasn’t the candidates, or how, when and why they won or lost — it was how we talked4 min read·Aug 1, 2022----
SJM“The Last Jedi” and the New Aesthetic of Star WarsUpon leaving the theater from The Last Jedi, I was immediately struck by two questions — 1.) Did Star Wars change or did I change? And 2.)…9 min read·Jul 20, 2022----
SJMSolo: A Star Wars Story — The Undeserved Sacrificial Lamb of The Fandom WarsStar Wars fans ought to rejoice. Despite bombing at the box office (largely for reasons unrelated to its quality), Solo should be…10 min read·Jul 19, 2022----
SJM“The Rise Of Skywalker” — And The Rise Of Aesthetic Over IdeologyMy relationship with Star Wars has, like many fans, been in a strange state of flux over the last few years. I was absolutely enthralled by16 min read·Jul 19, 2022----