Category Archives: Media Literacy and Pop Culture

T2 at 35: James Cameron’s Warning Still Echoes. Are We Listening?

Posted on July 14, 2026 by Anthony_Perrotta

Thirty-five years ago this summer, Arnold Schwarzenegger had the greatest summer of his Hollywood career with Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Returning to the story of Skynet, Sarah Connor, her messiah-like son John Connor, and the seemingly unstoppable T-1000, T2 was … Continue reading →

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Why Toy Story 5 Is About More Than Toys

Posted on July 4, 2026 by Anthony_Perrotta

If you’re my age, somewhere in your mid-40s, you may remember growing up at a fascinating crossroads between the old and the new. I still remember my four-year-old self playing with He-Man, ThunderCats, and G.I. Joe, creating imaginative alliances within … Continue reading →

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[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 →

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[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 →

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[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 →

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[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 →

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[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 →

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[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 →

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[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 →

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[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 →

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