It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant stream of articles, posts, and tweets. It’s hard to know what you’ve missed. To help with that, I compile a list of each month’s posts and reviews (i.e., the Reader’s Digest version of Opus).
Dec 1: December 2020’s Best Streaming Titles: Black Dynamite, Lord of the Rings, The Expanse, Soul, Wonder Woman 1984
Blaxploitation homage, epic fantasy, TV’s best sci-fi, Pixar’s latest, the return of Wonder Woman, and more.
Dec 1: Kenneth Copeland’s Heavy Metal Judgement on COVID-19
Who knew nonsensical theology made for such awesome breakdowns?
Dec 2: “Mirror Image” by Nick Schofield
Serene-yet-surreal electronic music inspired by “the light and space” of Canada’s national art museum.
Dec 5: New Subscriber Playlist: “Vapor Trails”
Subscribers can listen to a journey through the shadowy nostalgia of vaporwave.
Dec 5: SCP: Overlord: An Atmospheric Action/Horror Short
In this SCP Foundation-inspired fan film, an elite force investigates a cult compound. What could go wrong?
Dec 8: Harold Budd, 1936-2020
The noted ambient composer and pianist collaborated with the likes of Brian Eno, John Foxx, and Robin Guthrie.
Dec 12: “The Wormwood Star Falls” by Songs of Green Pheasant
Duncan Sumpner returns with another album of softly psyched-out folk music.
Dec 12: Patty Jenkins Announces Rogue Squadron
The Wonder Woman director is heading to Star Wars to make “the greatest fighter pilot movie of all time.”
Dec 13: Becoming Heretics and Idolaters for Donald Trump
David French’s latest column discusses the dark path that many Christian Trump supporters are heading down.
Dec 15: Review Round-Up: Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 1984
Critics find the new Wonder Woman movie to be excessive and over-the-top (in both good and bad ways).
Dec 20: Chandu the Magician: The Original Master of the Mystic Arts (Review)
Modern viewers may wince a bit at the more problematic aspects of this classic fantasy adventure from pre-Code Hollywood.
Dec 22: 25 Movies I Hope to See in 2021 (And Maybe Even in Theaters)
2021’s movies range from a clash between cinema’s greatest titans to Arthurian legend, from ambitious sci-fi to Nicolas Cage at his Nicolas Cage-iest.
Dec 23: “Palomino” by Heligoland
The Paris-based dreampop outfit has released a music video for their new single.
Dec 26: Watch the Final Trailer for the Final Evangelion Film (Which is Finally Done)
Evangelion: 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon a Time finally arrives in Japanese theaters on January 23.
Dec 27: Yes, Ted Lasso Really Is as Delightful as You’ve Heard
This endearing Apple TV+ series about an American coaching an English soccer team is one of 2020’s true pop culture highlights.
Dec 28: A Commander, an Android, and a Klingon Walk Into a Casino
One of my favorite Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes finds the fun in a goofy and bizarre plot.