My Favorite Posts From 2023
These posts from last year best exemplify what I’m trying to achieve here on Opus.
It’s a bit of a misnomer to call this a “favorites” list, since that implies that I think some of my posts are better than others. While that’s true in the sense that no writer is ever entirely “on” in all of their writing, what I really mean when I say these are my “favorites” is this: these posts best exemplified what I’m trying to achieve with Opus. Namely, thoughtful interactions with pop culture, and especially pop culture on the margins that might be otherwise overlooked and under-appreciated.
My Favorite Songs From 2022: Asunojokei, LN, Ronnie Martin, Steve Roach, Sally Shapiro & More
This year brought blackgaze, somber dream-pop, sacred synth-pop, ambient masterworks, italo disco, and so much more.
Into the Manifold: Exploring the Philosophical Sci-Fi of David Zindell’s Neverness Novels
With striking imagery, heady metaphysics, and meandering plots, David Zindell presented a fascinating (and frustrating) vision of the distant future.
“Really Early, Really Late” by The Declining Winter
The band’s latest single perfectly evokes the mood, if not the actual chill, of mid-winter days.
36 of the Best Movies Currently Streaming on Hoopla
And all you need to watch them is a library card.32 of the Best Comics Currently Available on Hoopla
And all you need to read them is a valid library card.
How does the world work in the John Wick movies?
Do politics, religion, and the insurance industry still matter in a world ruled by the High Table and its killers?
Picard and Riker’s Relationship Was the Best Part of Star Trek: Picard
One reason Picard worked as well as it did was that it reveled in the camaraderie between these two old friends.
“The Next Phase” Allowed The Next Generation to Explore Death and the Afterlife
With all of the requisite technobabble, of course.
30 Years After Its Release, Eating the Sea Remains a Darkwave Classic
Three decades after its release, Soulwhirlingsomewhere’s debut album remains as haunting and affecting as ever.
Concert Review: The Cure and The Twilight Sad (June 6, 2023, Denver, CO)
It took me more than three decades to finally see my favorite band of all time, but it was well worth the wait.
You Should Start Buying Physical Copies of Your Favorite Movies and TV Series
It should be obvious now that streaming services aren’t interested in being exhaustive, perpetual libraries.
Why are we all so excited about Threads?
The latest Twitter competitor feels more like a Twitter beta than a mature product.
Is the anti-sex trafficking film Sound of Freedom based on lies?
A conservative podcast looked into the film, which is being marketed to Christian audiences, and found its story wanting.
36 of the Best Titles Currently Streaming on Kanopy
And all you need to watch them is a library card.
The Dark Ambient Sci-Fi Storytelling of Alistair Rennie’s Ruptured World
The Scottish author interweaves ominous soundscapes with broadcasts and audio journals to create a disquieting cosmic horror narrative.
The Official Movie Magazine for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Is a Blast of Trekkie Nostalgia
Long before the internet, we relied on magazines like this for information about our favorite genre movies.
1993 Was a Really Fantastic Year for Music
1993 had a bumper crop of excellent releases; these are ten of my favorites.
15 of My Favorite M*A*S*H Moments
Highlighting just a little bit of what makes this show so special and memorable, even 40 years after its finale.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on your favorite Opus posts from 2023, as well as any other great writing that you came across during the year.
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