Are we entering a dark age of Christmas pop culture?  Some might argue that we already have. Christmas has always been a magnet for writers, artists and musicians seeking to put their stamp on the western world’s most beloved time of year.  Some have done it for the love of the holidays, or simply because they are inspired (and of course, more than a few have done it to … [Read more...]

A few years ago I wrote an article entitled “The War on Holidays”, which I refreshed and republished just a few weeks ago.  It effectively posited the proposition that holidays, at least as celebrated in America, are just not what they used to be.  The article meandered through the list of major holidays, both secular and religious, and how they have changed over the last … [Read more...]

October is here (not that you would know it from the weather), and once again we are plunging headlong into the ever-lengthening holiday season. While I freely admit that I do love this time of year, I can’t help but think that  holidays are fundamentally different today than they were in the days of my increasingly distant youth. There was a time when most holidays, both … [Read more...]

So for the last few months I have been taking advantage of the extra time to furiously work on The Complete Jewish Pilgrim.  I have also been watching a lot of Biblical movies for inspiration.  In doing so I have realized that while there are many movies based on the Bible, most of them focus on the same handful of figures (I’m looking at you Moses).  The Bible is full of some … [Read more...]

Since the dawn of the Hollywood era, movies have been an integral part of the Christmas season.  Even the most jaded would be hard-pressed not to be able to name at least one holiday classic that they hold near and dear.  From the first production of “A Christmas Carol” in the early silent era to the annual onslaught of holiday dramas on the Lifetime and Hallmark channels, … [Read more...]

The now annual exercise decrying the “War on Christmas” has begun once again.  I have already seen the first salvos fired on Facebook.  Many of The Complete Pilgrim’s readers can already guess my position.  I believe that there is indeed a war on Christmas, but it’s not coming from those who joyfully declare “Happy Holidays”.  The real war is being waged by those forces who … [Read more...]

America’s 243rd birthday is fast approaching, with all of the barbecues, parades and fireworks that that entails.  But for those planning on taking in a movie or two on this Independence Day, what to watch?  Well, thankfully, Hollywood has produced nearly a century of films to stir the patriotic fervor of every American’s heart.  But which ones to watch?  As a movie lover, I … [Read more...]

From the earliest days of Hollywood, movies about war have proved to be one of the most prolific and popular cinematic genres; and with America’s military history, there is no shortage of stories to tell. From the American Revolution to the modern day wars in the Middle East, Hollywood has covered everything in perhaps over a thousand films.  But there are a few that stand out … [Read more...]

In the year 2000 (has it really been seventeen years?), Hollywood gave us the first film in the X-Men franchise. Since then, multiple film studios have given us ten films in the X-Men franchise; fifteen films in the Avengers franchise (including the Guardians of the Galaxy) with nine more on the way; five Spider Man films; and a handful of other odds and ends.  Movies based on … [Read more...]