Tag: Culture On My Mind

Culture on My Mind – Ask Gary and Best Franchises

Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
Ask Gary and Best Franchises
December 10, 2021

It’s been a hot minute (or two) since we visited the crew at the Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track, so here’s what’s been happening. 

On November 18th, the Garys had a face-off. It was Classic Track co-conspirator Gary Mitchel’s birthday, and in track tradition he was forced to answer questions and address topics sent in by the audience. It’s like an Ask Me Anything, but more entertaining. The face-off came about with Gary’s co-host, Other Gary (Lindros), as they competed for the title of ULTIMATE GARY.

You can find Gary Mitchel on the Twitter and Gary Lindros on the Facebook.

On December 2nd, a panel was assembled with Deanna Toxopeus, Lola Strickland, Shaun Rosado, Bobby Nash, and Sherman Burris to discuss the top movie franchises for holiday binge watching. Some might think you should skip Thor: The Dark World, but I’m not one of them.

These Classic Track Quarantine Panels will be held once every two weeks (or every fortnight, if you will). If you want to play along at home, grab your internet-capable device of choice and navigate the webs to the YouTube channel and/or the group on Facebook. If you join in live, you can also leave comments and participate in the discussion using StreamYard connected through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.

The future holds the return of Sci-Fighters, a little holiday horror, and two 20-year anniversary celebrations. You can find this and more every other Thursday as the American Sci-Fi Classics Track explores the vast reaches of classic American science fiction.

The episode art each week is generously provided by the talented Sue Kisenwether. You can find her (among other places) on Women at Warp – A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – The 2018 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar

Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
The 2018 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar
November 30, 2021

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2018Day four of this look at our holiday tradition of LEGO advent calendars marks the last of this miniseries.

We’ve been doing these since 2015 and I have been chronicling the daily builds on Instagram. The 2019 and 2020 sets have been previously featured on this site, and to count down to this year’s builds, I’m taking a look back at the 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 sets.

These boxes contain twenty-four unique small builds, many of which are abstract, along with exclusive mini-figures and whimsical winter-themed spins on Star Wars staples. Among my favorites over the years are the winter Chewbacca, the rebel pilot snowman, and the AT-AT and R2-D2 pair with reindeer antlers. The 2018 box bounced all over the Star Wars franchise, including the original trilogy, The Force Awakens, and The Freemaker Adventures (which I haven’t seen yet, but plan to soon since it’s on Disney+).

The 2021 day-to-day images are posted on my Instagram account. Feel free to follow me there for whimsical observations, tons of pictures of my dogs, and this annual tradition. That adventure (and December itself) begins tomorrow.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – The 2017 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar

Michael Falkner1 Comment

Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
The 2017 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar
November 29, 2021

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2017

Welcome to day three of the look back at one of the holiday season traditions in my household. We typically like the annual LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar, though we have been branching out a bit over the last couple of years.

We’ve been doing these since 2015 and I have been chronicling the daily builds on Instagram. The 2019 and 2020 sets have been previously featured on this site, and to count down to this year’s builds, I’m taking a look back at the 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 sets.

These boxes contain twenty-four unique small builds, many of which are abstract, along with exclusive mini-figures and whimsical winter-themed spins on Star Wars staples. Among my favorites over the years are the winter Chewbacca, the rebel pilot snowman, and the AT-AT and R2-D2 pair with reindeer antlers. The 2017 box shifted the focus toward the Rebels television series, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and a little bit of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

The 2021 day-to-day images are posted on my Instagram account. Feel free to follow me there for whimsical observations, tons of pictures of my dogs, and this annual tradition. That adventure (and December itself) begins in two days.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – The 2016 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar

Michael Falkner2 Comments

Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
The 2016 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar
November 28, 2021

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2016

It’s day two of the look back at our holiday season tradition with advent calendars. We typically like the annual LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar, though we have been branching out a bit over the last couple of years.

We’ve been doing these since 2015 and I have been chronicling the daily builds on Instagram. The 2019 and 2020 sets have been previously featured on this site, and to count down to this year’s builds, I’m taking a look back at the 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 sets.

These boxes contain twenty-four unique small builds, many of which are abstract, along with exclusive mini-figures and whimsical winter-themed spins on Star Wars staples. Among my favorites over the years are the winter Chewbacca, the rebel pilot snowman, and the AT-AT and R2-D2 pair with reindeer antlers. The 2016 box focused on the original Star Wars trilogy with a heavy lean toward The Empire Strikes Back and a nod toward the prequel trilogy.

The 2021 day-to-day images are posted on my Instagram account. Feel free to follow me there for whimsical observations, tons of pictures of my dogs, and this annual tradition. That adventure (and December itself) begins in three days.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – The 2015 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar

Michael Falkner3 Comments

Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
The 2015 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar
November 27, 2021

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2015

One of the holiday season traditions in my household is advent calendars. We typically like the annual LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar, though we have been branching out a bit over the last couple of years.

We’ve been doing these since 2015 and I have been chronicling the daily builds on Instagram. The 2019 and 2020 sets have been previously featured on this site, and to count down to this year’s builds, I’m taking a look back at the 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 sets.

These boxes contain twenty-four unique small builds, many of which are abstract, along with exclusive mini-figures and whimsical winter-themed spins on Star Wars staples. Among my favorites over the years are the winter Chewbacca, the rebel pilot snowman, and the AT-AT and R2-D2 pair with reindeer antlers. The 2015 box focused on the original Star Wars trilogy with a hoiday twist.

The 2021 day-to-day images are posted on my Instagram account. Feel free to follow me there for whimsical observations, tons of pictures of my dogs, and this annual tradition. That adventure (and December itself) begins in four days.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Rogue Squadron Grounded

Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
Rogue Squadron Grounded
November 22, 2021

I’ve seen various reports about the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron movie to be directed by Wonder Woman alum Patty Jenkins. The more reputable sites are saying that movie is merely delayed while others are reporting that the film is shelved indefinitely due to “creative differences” and friction with Lucasfilm.

Either way, this makes the third (at least) film project in the galaxy far, far away that is delayed, following trilogies by Rian Johnson (Star Wars: The Last Jedi) and the David Benioff/D.B. Weiss duo (Game of Thrones).

The film by Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok) is still on the books.

Honestly, considering the immense popularity of starfighter titles in Star Wars history and the success of television for the franchise, this might be for the best.

In 1993, LucasArts released a space flight simulator game called Star Wars: X-Wing. It placed the player in the cockpit dogfighting against the Empire. It was followed by TIE Fighter, X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter, and X-Wing Alliance, along with several expansion packs. These titles advanced the stories of the galactic jet jocks and their missions.

Between 1996 and 2012, authors Michael A. Stackpole and Aaron Allston crafted a ten-book series about the adventures of Rogue and Wraith Squadrons. This series still stands as a major milestone and fan favorite in the former Expanded Universe, divorcing readers from the Skywalkers and the Force and exploring the world of aviators. Michael Stackpole also had explored this territory a year earlier with the 35-issue comic book series Star Wars: X-Wing – Rogue Squadron. That series also included the 2005 prequel X-Wing – Rogue Squadron, which tells the story of Luke Skywalker’s departure from the fighter team.

The Prequel Era also got involved with 2001’s Star Wars: Starfighter and 2002’s Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter.

Rogue_Squadron_Movie_Logo

The tales of Star Wars fighter squadrons are immensely popular. It’s evident thanks to nineteen years of books, comics, and video games that the stories are easily serialized. I think that Lucasfilm would be better served by putting Rogue Squadron on television, treating an eight to ten-episode stretch as a novel length presentation in a continuing series of missions against the Empire, Imperial Remnant, or First Order. The stories of these pilot heroes are better served by long-form serialization instead of one-shot film treatments.

The room exists in the Star Wars legend and has potential for many years on Disney+ as the pilot roster can naturally shift. It’s also a great chance to explore the galaxy without lightsabers, Jedi, and the Force.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Your DNA is Everywhere

Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
Your DNA is Everywhere
November 12, 2021

This week, I have Veritasium on my mind again. I’m fascinated by DNA testing and forensic applications. This video, years in the making, was catnip to me.

If one of your third cousins runs a DNA test, your DNA is essentially on file. No consent required.

The implications are both fascinating and frightening.

Happy Friday. See you again soon.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Disney+ Day 2021

Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Disney+ Day 2021
November 15, 2020

You get a bonus edition of Culture on My Mind because I’m thinking Disney.

Disney+ Day marks the anniversary of the Mouse House’s streaming service, and the second anniversary was on November 12th. The event served as a teaser for new content and features as well as a premiere day for new titles.

New Arrivals

To celebrate the second anniversary of Disney+, several new titles were added to the service, including:

  • Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
  • Jungle Cruise
  • Home Sweet Home Alone
  • Marvel Assembled: The Making of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
  • Marvel Studios’ 2021 Disney Plus Special
  • Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett
  • The Making of Happier than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles
  • Entrelazados
  • Enchanted (2007)
  • Spin
  • The World According to Jeff Goldblum: Season Two
  • Fancy Nancy: Season Three
  • Olaf Presents (a series of animated shorts)
  • Ciao Alberto (a Luca short)
  • The Simpsons in Plusaversary

The list also included an assorted collection of Walt Disney Animation Studios shorts.

IMAX Enhanced Films

Select Marvel films have been upgraded on the service to include their IMAX presentations. A typical theater presentation is in either the 1.85:1 or 2.35:1 aspect ratio, which means that for every inch tall, a movie is either 1.85 inches or 2.35 inches wide. IMAX uses a 1.90:1 ratio, which offers up to 26 percent more screen space.

The films included in this lauch are:

  • Iron Man (2008)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
  • Captain America: Civil War (2016)
  • Doctor Strange (2016)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
  • Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
  • Black Panther (2018)
  • Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
  • Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)
  • Captain Marvel (2019)
  • Avengers: Endgame (2019)
  • Black Widow (2021)
  • Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

The IMAX presentations on Disney+ do not include the IMAX Enhanced DTS sound, but there is a possibility of adding it down the road.

Star Wars Teases

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) – A teaser is available on Disney+.

Obi-Wan Kenobi Logo

Marvel Teases

  • X-Men ’97, a revival of the beloved 1997 Fox animated series (2023)

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  • Moon Knight, based on the Marvel Comics series. For more information and a peek at the First Look footage, check out the New Rockstars video.
  • She Hulk, based on the 1980s Marvel Comics series created by Stan Lee and John Buscema. For more information and a peek at the First Look footage, check out the New Rockstars video.
  • Ms. Marvel, based on the Marvel Comics series. For more information and a peek at the First Look footage, check out the New Rockstars video.

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  • Spider-Man: Freshman Year (an animated series)
  • I Am Groot (an animated series)
  • Ironheart, an original series based on the Marvel Comics character.

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  • Agatha: House of Harkness, a spinoff from WandaVision

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  • Marvel Zombies, an animated series based on the Marvel Comics series
  • Secret Invasion, an original series based on the Marvel Comics series and presuambly playing off all of the Skrulls that we keep seeing in the MCU. Once again with the breakdown, I present New Rockstars.

New Rockstars also recorded a discussion on all of the titles from the presentation today.

Pixar Teases

  • Cars on the Road (an original series based on the films, coming 2022)
  • Win or Lose (an animated series about baseball in Fall 2023)
  • Behind the scenes feature-length documentaries are also coming in 2022 for Turning Red and Lightyear.

Disney Teases

  • Zootopia+, a short form series based on Zootopia (coming in 2022)
  • Tiana, a new long-form musical series continuing 2009’s The Princess and the Frog (2022)
  • The Ice Age Advenures of Buck Wild (a spinoff of Ice Age, coming January 28, 2022)
  • Baymax! (an original series based on Big Hero Six, coming Summer 2022)
  • Cheaper By the Dozen (a movie presumably based off the 1950 and 2003 films, premiering in March 2022)
  • Disenchanted, the sequel to 2007’s Enchanted (Fall 2022)

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  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid (which is getting yet another revision) (December 3, 2021)
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
  • The Beatles: Get Back (November 25, 2021)
  • Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers (Spring 2022)

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  • Better Nate Than Ever (Spring 2022)
  • Hocus Pocus 2 (Fall 2022)

  • Pinocchio (the next live action reimagining, coming Fall 2022 with Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis)
  • Limitless with Chris Hemsworth (from National Geographic, coming 2022)
  • Welcome to Earth (a National Geographic series with Will Smith, coming December 8, 2021)
  • America the Beautiful (from National Geographic, coming 2022)
  • Sneakerella (an original movie, coming February 18, 2021)
  • The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (February 2022)
  • High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: Season Three (2022)
  • The Spiderwick Chronicles (a new live-action series)
  • Willow, a series following the 1988 film (2022)

We’ll probably get more information at the Disney Investor’s Call, but it’s good to see what’s in the hopper for many of our favorite franchises and properties. Also remember what came from last year’s investor call. All of those things are still on the horizon, including more Marvel and Star Wars content.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Amok! Amok! Amok!

Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
Amok! Amok! Amok!
November 12, 2021

It’s been 28 years and the Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track is celebrating! 

In 1993, Walt Disney Pictures delivered a tale of a curious youngster who moves to Salem, Massachusetts. You know, home of the famous witch trials. He struggles to fit in with his peers and then awakens a trio of diabolical witches that were executed in the 17th century.

The film showcases the over-the-top performances of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson sisters and was a fun and touching tale. It has a lasting legacy and, as of this year, has a sequel in development.

On November 4th, the panel of ToniAnn Marini, Denise Lhamon, Alison Richards, and Elizabeth Jones braved the spooky house to pet Binx, light the Black Flame Candle, and generally run amok on an odd anniversary of a beautifully bizarre experience. After all, Halloween may have already passed, but the Classics Track honors spooky season all year round.

 

These Classic Track Quarantine Panels will be held once every two weeks. If you want to play along at home, grab your internet-capable device of choice and navigate the webs to the YouTube channel and/or the group on Facebook. If you join in live, you can also leave comments and participate in the discussion using StreamYard connected through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.

The future holds an inquisitive birthday tradition, a potluck dinner, and a feast of franchises. You can find this and more every other Thursday as the American Sci-Fi Classics Track explores the vast reaches of classic American science fiction.

The episode art each week is generously provided by the talented Sue Kisenwether. You can find her (among other places) on Women at Warp – A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – The Spoopy Pages

Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind

Culture on My Mind
The Spoopy Pages
November 5, 2021

Halloween may be over, but the fine folks at the Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track have one more treat to offer. 

On October 21st, the erudite panel of Michael Williams, Toni Ann Marini, and Keith DeCandido joined Joe Crowe to read from their favorite scary movie novelizations. Michael Williams brought a selection from Cabin in the Woods, Toni Ann Marini chose the classic gem Plan 9 from Outer Space, and Keith selected from his own library with Resident Evil: Apocalypse.

Oh, and Joe Crowe? He picked Fangface: A Time Machine Trip on a Pirate Ship, a real novelization of a real episode of Fangface. That was a Scooby-Doo-esque Saturday morning cartoon show produced by Ruby-Spears Productions for ABC. I’m a bit surprised that they made novelizations from a Saturday morning cartoon, but there are also novelizations of James Bond Junior.

 

As I mentioned last go round, these Classic Track Quarantine Panels will be held once every two weeks. If you want to play along at home, grab your internet-capable device of choice and navigate the webs to the YouTube channel and/or the group on Facebook. If you join in live, you can also leave comments and participate in the discussion using StreamYard connected through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.

The future holds a 28th anniversary special about a movie run amok, an inquisitive birthday tradition, a potluck dinner, and a feast of franchises. You can find this and more every other Thursday as the American Sci-Fi Classics Track explores the vast reaches of classic American science fiction.

The episode art each week is generously provided by the talented Sue Kisenwether. You can find her (among other places) on Women at Warp – A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast.

cc-break

Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.