1973’s Soylent Green may be best known for a forty-year-old plot twist, but this masterpiece of dystopian science fiction represents so much more than what first meets the eye. An adaptation of Harry Harrison’s 1966 novel Make Room! Make Room!, Soylent Green is more than simple pulp fiction. It addresses important issues like environmentalism, population…
Domestic and Sexual Violence, Final Girls, and Strong Women in Home Invasion Films
Home invasion films are among the scariest in the horror genre because the idea of having one’s home and safety intruded upon is a real, everyday threat. Some of the most famous horror movies have a home invasion component, but these same films also tend to reinforce negative stereotypes about women. In addition to the…
The Science of Orphan Black: Fanciful, Fearsome, Educational
Sometimes, little-known cult television shows are secret, sparkly gems that blow minds. For me, that show is Orphan Black. Although I wasn’t expecting much from yet another science fiction series, I was pleasantly surprised at how it delved into a thought-provoking story of relatable characters and real emotions from genetically engineered humans in previously unexplored…
We Heart the Environment! Planeteers, the Power is Yours
Like any good ’90s kid, I vividly recall the Captain Planet animated series and Whoopi Goldberg’s role as the voice of omniscient Gaia, the spirit of Mother Earth. Goldberg was a part of my childhood, specifically her role in The Lion King as Shenzi the hyena. Those three hyenas were my favorite characters in my…