Category Archives: Media Literacy and Pop Culture

[Movie Review] Deadpool and Wolverine – A Corporate Merger with a Heart

Posted on August 1, 2024 by Anthony_Perrotta

The introduction of multiverses in recent superhero storylines can often feel uninspired and like lazy storytelling. The MCU’s focus on the multiverse came after Tony Stark’s staggering sacrifice to save the world from Thanos, leaving perhaps nothing else as emotionally … Continue reading →

[Movie Review] Twisters: A Breath of Fresh Air in Hollywood’s Stormy Landscape

Posted on July 26, 2024 by Anthony_Perrotta

In an era where Hollywood continues to search for multiverses and the next four-quadrant global franchise, the release of Twisters feels like a breath of fresh air amidst the ongoing storm between streaming and theatrical experiences. Seeing the movie last … Continue reading →

Posted in Media Literacy and Pop Culture, Movies and Television | Tagged Glen Powell and Twisters, Steven Spielberg and Twisters, Theme in the move Twisters, Twister, Twisters, Twisters and Resilience | Leave a comment

[Movie Review] With Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One, Tom Cruise Saves the Summer Movie Season Once Again

Posted on July 12, 2023 by Anthony_Perrotta

There’s a definitive moment in the original Mission Impossible (1996) where Tom Cruise transforms from a drama-oriented actor who demands the truth in courtrooms to a full-fledged action star that is capable of saving the world from corrupt secret agents … Continue reading →

Posted in Media Literacy and Pop Culture, Movies and Television | Tagged Christopher McQuarrie, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One Movie Review, Tom Cruise, Tom Cruise Saves Hollywood | Leave a comment

[Media Literacy] Lightyear: A Family Watch Guide

Posted on August 4, 2022 by Anthony_Perrotta

Setting the stage for family movie nights can help in nurturing young people to be active consumers of media text. In the spirit of reading deeply, providing young viewers with an opportunity to reflect and share prior knowledge can nurture … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Media Literacy and Pop Culture, Movies and Television | Tagged Lightyear Activities, Lightyear and Leadership, Lightyear movie, Parents Guide to Lightyear, Toy Story and Leadership, Watching Lightyear as a Family | Leave a comment

[Trailer Review] Halloween Ends

Posted on August 2, 2022 by Anthony_Perrotta

With the return of Jamie Lee Curtis to the Halloween franchise in 2018, the new series of Jason Blum produced and David Gordon Green directed films have garnered huge box-office results along with divisive critical response. Premiering as part of … Continue reading →

Posted in Media Literacy and Pop Culture, Movies and Television | Tagged Haddonfield, Halloween Ends, Halloween Library of Congress, Halloween Movie Themes | Leave a comment

[Movie Review] Tom Cruise Soars in Top Gun:Maverick

Posted on July 3, 2022 by Anthony_Perrotta

Simply put, Tom Cruise is Top Gun: Maverick and perhaps the last true Hollywood movie star. In a pop culture landscape filled with reality television personalities, TikTot challenges and superhero multiverses, the selling-power of a marquee name on a movie … Continue reading →

Posted in Media Literacy and Pop Culture, Movies and Television | Tagged Pete Maverick Mitchell, Tom Cruise, Tom Cruise Birthday, Tom Cruise Movie Star, Top Gun, Top Gun Maverick | Leave a comment

[Coming Soon] Brick By Brick – An ONABSE Conference Presentation

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Anthony_Perrotta

As an educator, being humbled is part of the experience of learning from others and sharing time with those who make you better. I’m so fortunate that this happens quite often. For example, over the course of the past five … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century Learning, Education, Educational Leadership, Media Literacy and Pop Culture, Student Voice | Tagged Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Dr. Marlyn Morris, Michael Fullan, ONABSE, Story and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, storytelling, Storytelling and Digital Citizenship | Leave a comment

[Movie Review] Spielberg’s West Side Story is a Masterpiece

Posted on March 27, 2022 by Anthony_Perrotta

I’ve spent many years studying and appreciating film. From my time in college and university diving deep into production and theory, I can without hesitation share that my fandom for Steven Spielberg was polarizing. Perhaps, this is because I was … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Theory, Media Literacy and Pop Culture, Movies and Television | Tagged Mark O'Connell, Spielberg and Us, Steven Spielberg, Steven Spielberg and Film Theory, Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, West Side Story, West Side Story Gym Scene | Leave a comment

[Movie Review] Leatherface Returns

Posted on March 11, 2022 by Anthony_Perrotta

Other than comic-book inspired movies, horror continues to resonant in theatres during the pandemic. In the past nine months, horror has dominated the box office with The Quiet Place 2, Candy Man, The Conjuring : The Devil Made Me Do … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Theory, Media Literacy and Pop Culture, Movies and Television, Netflix | Tagged Leatherface | Leave a comment

[Movie Review] King Richard

Posted on January 29, 2022 by Anthony_Perrotta

It seems that late 2021 was Will Smith’s time to remind both readers and movie watchers that destiny doesn’t come by accident. Rather, who we are, want to become and where we want to be is far from accidental. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Media Literacy and Pop Culture, Movies and Television | Tagged KING RCHARD MOVIE REVIEW, KING RICHARD, SERENA WILLAMS, VENUS WILLIAMS, WILL SMITH, WILL SMITH PLAYING RICHARD WILLAMS | Leave a comment