Paradox Project

Category: Culture

Culture

‘Dead Poets Society,’ Common Core and Nothing New under the Sun

Thanks to the blizzard that brought record snow to the D.C.-Virginia area this winter, I had a week off from full-time teaching. The snow days gave me time to finally getting around to seeing two important films that center on teachers: “Dead Poet’s Society” (1989) and “Mr. Holland’s Opus” (1995).

The former features the late, great Robin Williams as John Keating, English teacher at the prestigious, all-boys boarding school Welton Academy. From the first day of class, it’s clear Mr. Keating’s teaching methods are unorthodox at a prep school set on four immovable pillars: tradition, honor, discipline and excellence. 

Culture

The Oscars Are So Predictable … Normally

I’m an unapologetic fan of the Oscars. First and foremost, I enjoy the movies. But there is a certain political dance to the award season that I also find very entertaining (as if watching politics wasn’t aggravating enough for me).

This year I actually managed to watch every Best Picture nominee before the awards ceremony (this Sunday) and it’s a fine crop of films. From my favorite to least favorite:

Culture

Spotlight Teaches Us To Be Wary Of Ourselves

On the surface, “Spotlight” is about the Boston Globe investigative team that broke the story of the dozens of priests had committed sexual abuse against disadvantaged youth and how the Catholic Church had covered up cases of child abuse to shield these abusive priests.

The reason I wasn’t interested in this movie is because I know about this story. I mean … who doesn’t? The knowledge of the Catholic Church’s shame here is practically a part of our culture. There are dozens of movies, books, and documentaries on this disgrace chapter of the Church. What more could Spotlight possibly bring to the table? 

Culture

‘The Big Short’ Plays on Your Worst Fears … But Like in a Fun Way

Ignore the subprime loan shop talk and Margot Robbie in a bubble bath for a second (if you can) and think of “The Big Short” as a pulsing, kaleidoscopic exercise in 21st-century filmmaking—because that’s what it is, a uniquely modern marriage of dusted-off Hollywood staples and shiny zeitgeist.

A little bit Vox, an awful lot BuzzFeed, “The Big Short” is the film equivalent of your daily flipping between Chrome tabs: a Wall Street Journal piece on interest rates, the latest People magazine cover interview, an in-depth New York Times something that you skim, and a quiz asking “What Kind of Hamburger Are You?” 

Culture

Coloring Like An Adult

There are strangely a lot of anti-joy advocates. Especially with social media like Twitter, there is no lack of opinion on what we should enjoy or what tastes make us good or bad people.