Fantasy Film

Teaching Tolkien: Biographical, Textual, and Historical Approaches

Though I have not yet had the chance to teach an entire course on Tolkien, his…
Who Owns Tolkien?

In case you missed it, Peter Jackson recently announced that, unless the Tolkien Estate grants permission…
Tolkien and the Political Pleasures of Sadness

One of the things that always stands out to me upon reading Tolkien’s work, whether that…
Why Blog About Tolkien?

When I first decided to devote the entire month of December (and, obviously, the latter part…
Review: “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition”

Given that the release date for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is now less than…
Disney’s Forgotten Treasures: “The Black Cauldron”

I am, it is no secret, a long-time passionate fan of Disney feature animation. While I…
What Can “Game of Thrones” Tell Us About History?

By now, it’s well-known that George R.R. Martin’s popular series A Song of Ice and Fire, as well…
“Maleficent”: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

I debated for quite some time over whether I wanted to post a review of Maleficent. Having…
“Game of Thrones” and Contemporary American Culture

In a recent Slate article, Jack Hamilton claims that HBO’s Game of Thrones largely eschews (and…
Reiew: “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and Radical Queerness

It probably comes as no surprise that the new film X-Men: Days of Future Past is…