“Best of Opus” Archives
The Silver Surfer Cartoon Brought Cosmic Weirdness to ’90s Saturday Mornings
Trippy visuals, ambitious stories, and melodramatic dialog captured the spirit of one of Marvel’s greatest and noblest heroes.
Staring Into the Sleepy Eyes of Death, An Unsung Samurai Cinema Classic
Ichikawa Raizō stars as a cynical samurai in this film series that straddles the line between arthouse and exploitation filmmaking.
If video games are “art,” how should they be critiqued?
If video games are ever to be considered “art,” then gamers need to let them take some hard knocks.
My Favorite Songs of 2019: American Football, City Girl, ISON, Pedro the Lion, Robert Rich, Starflyer 59 & more
I listened to a lot of music this year; these 25 songs were the ones that stuck with me throughout the last 12 months.
Some Random Thoughts on DMing for Kids
When you’re DMing for kids, focus on the fun and exploration — and don’t be afraid to get a little gross.
The New Fundamentalism (Same as the Old Fundamentalism)
The fundamentalism I experienced in the religious circles of my youth can now be found in progressive and “woke” circles.
Black Science Is a Mind-blowing Trip Through Alternate Realities & Family Dysfunction (Review)
Filled with stunning artwork and a trippy-yet-emotional storyline, Black Science is a top-shelf sci-fi adventure.
The Extravagance of God
The One who created, with extravagance, the galaxies and their billions of stars relates to lowly humans with a similar extravagance.
A Deep Dive Into Hideaki Anno’s Mind-blowing, Groundbreaking Neon Genesis Evangelion
Since its 1995 debut, Evangelion has become one of the most popular, influential, and controversial anime titles of all time.
15 of My Favorite Songs by Starflyer 59
For 25 years, Jason Martin has delivered one solid tune after another. These are some of his best.
Celebrating 25 Years of Blue Collar Love: Starflyer 59’s Past, Present, and Future
Starflyer 59’s songs often wax nostalgic and wonder where life has gone. Their latest album is the culmination of that line of thinking.
The Safe Mediocrity of Christian Art
Christians have often been guilty of promoting and encouraging art that denies the complexities of human existence.
Supporting Opus in 2019
If you’ve ever found a new favorite album, movie, etc., through my writing, consider becoming an Opus supporter today.
The Greatest Christian Metal Albums of All Time
This took me down a very specific nostalgia trail.
My Favorite Songs of 2018: Fine China, Damien Jurado, Khruangbin, Low, The Mary Onettes, Ride, Silk Demon & more
I listened to a lot of music this year; these 21 tracks were the ones I kept coming back to with each passing month.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and the Exhilaration of Representation (Review)
Easily one of the most exhilarating and entertaining superhero movies I’ve ever seen, and all the moreso for its inclusivity.
Pastor Wang Yi’s Declaration of Faithful Disobedience
The pastor was arrested along with his wife and parishioners by the Chinese government.
Your Language Affects What You Can See
We all have epistemic blind spots of which we are completely unaware.
Internet Memories and Battle of the Bands ‘93
For better or worse, the internet has become a big collective memory organ.
Howard Pyle’s Men of Iron: A Fanciful Coming of Age Story in the Middle Ages (Review)
A rousing, strongly principled adventure story that I would’ve loved to read back in 5th grade (but I still enjoyed it as an adult).