Review: Apocalypto

Mel Gibson’s next display violent gore takes us to the jungles of Mexico for an exciting chase movie about why the savage Mayan people deserved to be conquered and wiped out. Apocalypto follows Jaguar Paw (aka Country Mouse), a member of one Mayan tribe, whose small ideal village is conquered by a more aggressive tribe (aka … Read more

Review: Fire, Earth, and Water

In American films about a person rising above poverty, hardships are often shown as exceptions to life in America. In many Indian films, it is not startling to be poor or to be in the thrall of 2,000-year-old customs. It’s just life and these matters are taken for granted. The story goes from there. In … Read more

Still shot from Wicker Man.

Review: The Wicker Man (2006)

I don’t know what director Neil LaBute was going for with a remake of the 1973 British cult classic The Wicker Man, but it went very, very wrong. In LaBute’s remake, traffic cop Edward Malus (Nicolas Cage) is lured to Summersisle, an island off the coast of Washington state. His former fiancee, Willow Woodward, has … Read more

Review: The Art of Ritual

In The Art of Ritual, Renee Beck and Sydney Barbara Metrick explain the power, relevance, and need for ritual. American society has many rituals. We celebrate birthdays and marriages, have presidential inaugurations, and happily suffer through college rush traditions. These all have special meaning to the honouree, but oftentimes rituals become habitual and lose their … Read more

Review: Wicca Demystified

Wicca is one of the most rapidly growing religions in America yet misconceptions, misunderstandings, and untruths about it persist. While many excellent books for beginners have hit the shelves, most have been instruction manuals on the practice of Wicca. Bryan Lankford’s Wicca Demystified: A Guide for Practitioners, Family and Friends is a much needed book for … Read more

Review: Wiccan Roots

Wicca is said to be the only self-contained religion that England has ever given the world. While its mythical history has been established, it’s factual history is shrouded in mystery. Philip Heselton’s Wiccan Roots: Gerald Gardiner* and the Modern Witchcraft Revival represents a major landmark in the recovery of those origins. There are many nagging questions: … Read more