Artwork by Michael DiMilo Film Review of Judas and the Black Messiah By Geoff Carter Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah is not only a gripping biopic about the betrayal and assassination of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton, and William O’Neal, the FBI informant who betrayed him, but it is also a thoughtful work that examines …
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Month:March 2021
Suicide Squad
Artwork by Michael DiMilo By Geoffrey Carter On June 25th, 1876, the Seventh Calvary, under the command of Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer, attacked a large Sioux encampment near the Little Big Horn River and was defeated. The attack was reckless, foolhardy, in defiance of a direct order, and resulted in a massacre of nearly …
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The Couch Potato’s Guide to Getting Even
Artwork by Michael DiMilo Film Review of Promising Young Woman By Geoff Carter It’s the woman’s fault, right? If they dress provocatively, flirt, drink too much, or go out by themselves, then they get what they ask for, right? Unfortunately, this neanderthal mentality still persists in frat houses, bars, locker rooms—and boardrooms—everywhere, and indeed, has …
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Submitted for Your Approval
Artwork by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter It felt as if we had stepped into the twilight zone last week. Unexpected and surreal—although not exactly frightening—events were happening, unusual even for these times. It’s been an unreal year, probably the most incredible of our lifetimes. Over 500,000 Americans died. Millions more became deathly ill. Our …
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Resistance is Futile
Photo by Kindel Media from Pexels By Mark Mamerow When Milwaukee Brewers’ GM David Streans signed catcher Yasmani Grandal for the 2019 season, he wasn’t just adding another high batting average power hitter and playoff caliber defender to the team. He was also picking up an elite “pitch framer”. Pitch framing is the alchemy applied by experienced catchers …
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The Couch Potato’s Guide to Women in Film
By Geoff Carter In commemoration of Women’s History Month, the Couch Potato would like to express his vast appreciation for the epic struggles and hardships encountered by the women of the world as they have strived to earn their rightful place in society. To do so, after careful consideration, the Potato has named his top …
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Profiles in (a Lack of) Courage
Photo by R. Michael Jenkins, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Mark Mamerow The chaotic transfer of Presidential power is complete, and the new administration has settled into its legislative agenda. The ratio of tweets and outrages in the news from DC has diminished. Politics has settled into its familiar pattern of total polarization. So, with …
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The Money Badger
By Geoffrey Carter Wisconsin has a long and storied tradition of perseverance and courage that is reflected in our state animal, the badger. For decades, he’s been the symbol of Wisconsin toughness, integrity, and grit. In a state that has boasted leaders of courage and integrity like Bob LaFollette, Bill Proxmire, Gaylord Nelson, and Vel …
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The Couch Potato’s Guide to the War at Home
Film Review of The Trial of the Chicago 7 By Geoff Carter Those of us old enough to recall the sixties, but who were too young, oblivious—or high—to realize the significance of the events happening around us at the time, still claim the transformative era of culture and politics as our own, even though we …
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The Enemy Within
By Geoff Carter Four of the participating terrorists in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing were sentenced to life in prison. After bombing The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 2005, Timothy McVeigh was sentenced to death. In 2010, for his role as mastermind in the 9/11 attacks, Osama Bin Liden was …
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The Couch Potato’s Guide to the Road Less Traveled
Film Review of Nomadland By Geoff Carter Nomadland is a movie that, like the people that inhabit it, travels unmarked roads into strange new territory. The movie is based Jessica Bruder’s book detailing her experiences traveling the country with a group of itinerant workers, mostly older Americans forced to go on the road in order to …
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