In commemoration of the recent conclusion of the critically-acclaimed Battlestar Galactica television series, here is an interview I recorded with Robert Thompson near the end of 2006 covering all sorts of issues discussed on the show. We’ll be examining the political and religious themes depicted in the series, but don’t worry

Returning as my guest is Loyola professor of political science Alan Gitelson, as we cover all sorts of recent happenings within the world of politics. We’ll discuss everything from the passing of longtime GOP leader Jack Kemp to the defection of Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter to the Democratic Party —

The classroom has been a cinema battleground for students and teachers alike — from tales of social outcasts (Welcome to the Dollhouse, Napoleon Dynamite) to crusading educators (Stand and Deliver, Dangerous Minds), and examinations of school archetypes (The Breakfast Club, Clueless, Mean Girls). How have the depictions of the classroom in film

One of the many “taglines” of America is that it is the “Land of Opportunity” where anyone can succeed… and above all, get rich. How has this impacted the depiction of wealth (and the desire for wealth) here in the United States in contrast to other parts of globe? How has television

How much of a role did religion play in the 2008 elections? What might the founding fathers think of the fact that today’s presidential candidates are frequently peppered with questions concerning the Bible and Jesus? And why is America the lone economic superpower still beset with battles between secular and

Whereas classic film noir (French for “black film”) typically defines movies — mostly crime dramas — depicting moral ambiguity that were released in the 1940s and 50s, the neo-noir genre has been borne out of America’s disillusionment with societal institutions and the search for our “identity” as opposed to any particular culprit.

How does the inauguration of incoming President Barack Obama compare with those of other chief executives in recent history? Will the American public give Obama a much longer “honeymoon” of support than the ones granted to George W. Bush and Bill Clinton? And will history be kind to the GW

“Duck and Cover” has been replaced by “Shock and Awe” in the public lexicon where military matters are concerned, but the prospect of nuclear war has loomed for decades, even as the tensions of the Cold War have faded*. How have the worlds of literature, cinema, and television portrayed the

It’s no surprise that the recent Oliver Stone film, W, has bombed at the box office — much like its ’90s pseudo-predecessor, Primary Colors. Regardless of how good the movie is (and W is mighty intriguing), the fact remains that the public has had a front-row seat to witness the debacle of the White

“What do we do now?” — Victorious Senate candidate Bill McKay, in the film The Candidate Returning as my guest is Loyola political science professor Alan Gitelson for a special one-hour post-election show, where we discuss everything from the McCain/Obama battle to the makeup of the next Congress. [Originally broadcast on WLUW’s Under Surveillance in

Due to the history and prominence of Hollywood, the world of cinema has long been considered to be an intrinsically American art form, and youth culture is one of the nation’s most profitable exports. How have various countries around the world reacted to the influx of American youth-oriented movies, from

These certainly aren’t the superheroes our parents grew up watching. The critical and box-office smash The Dark Knight is Exhibit A of how superhero films are now free to aim squarely at adult audiences — further proof that their graphic-novel counterparts have cemented their place as a respected literary genre. Not to be outdone,

War… what is it good for? Well, that’s debatable, but war films have certainly been a boon for both Hollywood and the U.S. government throughout the last century. How have movies been used both to criticize war and to serve as propaganda vehicles for the military? And in what ways do various war films

Ever since H.G. Wells’ classic novel The Time Machine was published back in 1895, the concept of time travel has proven to be manna from heaven for pencil-chewing scriptwriters. Besides appealing for our longing for the ability to correct mistakes of the past, time travel is the ultimate “fish out of water”

Whether they be tales about the perils of technology (Airport), environmental catastrophe (The Day After Tomorrow), or sci-fi armageddon (Cloverfield) disaster films have long been a Hollywood staple. How have disaster movies evolved throughout the years, and what do they say about our shifting societal fears? Stephen Keane is a

After over a year of campaigning, slews of primaries and caucuses, and countless millions of dollars spent, both major parties have settled on their respective nominees… so now what? Loyola political science professor Alan Gitelson returns to join me in a look at the current state of the 2008 presidential

Whether they be publishing tyrants like Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane or investigative crusaders such as Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman’s Woodward & Bernstein in All the President’s Men, journalists have served as protagonists in a number of cinematic landmarks throughout the years. What makes the world of journalism such a compelling arena for

Why do certain genres of music appeal to us? How much of our appreciation of various styles of music is based on our cultural identity? Do we subconsciously lean towards artists that either resemble us or exhibit the kind of lifestyle to which we aspire? And how has music culture

HBO’s The Wire isn’t just an entertaining crime drama — it’s a medium via which co-creators David Simon and Ed Burns have chronicled the failures of public institutions. While the show primarily revolves around the cat-and-mouse game between Baltimore’s police and the city’s drug rings, the program also delved into the myriad

Returning as my guest will be Tim Shary, director of the Film and Video Studies Department at the University of Oklahoma. We’ll be discussing recent notable youth-themed films such as Juno, Across the Universe, and The Great Debaters. In relation to these particular movies, we’ll also examine everything from how teenage pregnancy has