Sean Gadus
Hi, I am a graduate from the Cleveland State English Department. I am a 5th year English/Reading teacher. I love watching movies, reading fiction, and listening to music.
Correspondent III
Plebian Penman
Common Writer
Aristocratic Author
Noble Scribe
Hand Raiser
Sharp-Eyed Citizen
Town Watch
Detective Deskman
Penman Patrol
Successful Pilot
8-bit Hero
EVO Champion
How Stranger Things' Most Important Licensed Songs Compliment Its Story
In June 2022, Stranger Things and Kate Bush broke the music charts. After Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill (A...
Sean Gadus Sep 29, 2022
The Book of Boba Fett Is A Failure That Hold Warnings and Lessons For Future Star Wars Projects
When The Book of Boba Fett was abruptly announced at the end of The Mandalorian Season 2, there was a...
Sean Gadus Jun 22, 2022
Star Wars Publishing Is Taking An Exciting Plunge Into The Unknown
In 2013, Disney and Lucasfilm restarted the Star Wars universe, leaving only the six films and The Clone Wars television...
Sean Gadus Mar 18, 2022
Star Wars: Andor Could Shine A Light On The Darker Aspects of Rebellion
One of the best characters to emerge from the Disney era of Star Wars content is rebel intelligence officer Cassian...
Examining Elizabeth's Harrowing Journey In Bioshock Infinite: Burial At Sea
Nearly eight years after its release, Bioshock Infinite remains an ambitious and controversial video game. The game had a notably...
Sean Gadus Dec 26, 2020
Batman: The Telltale Series Was An Intriguing and Ambitious Take On Gotham City
With Matt Reeves's new Batman film on the horizon (starring Robert Pattinson), it is a perfect time to revisit previous...
The Heartbreaking Symbolism of The Clone Helmet In Star Wars: The Clone Wars's Final Episodes
Since its inception, Star Wars has been a universe steeped in symbolism and allegory. Much like the mythology and science...
Sean Gadus Aug 25, 2020
The Bliss of Playing Gris
In December 2018, developer Nomada Studio and publisher Devolver Digital released Gris, a 2D platformer that Kotaku's Mike Fahey called...
Sean Gadus May 23, 2020
Has The Overarching Narrative of Stranger Things Gotten Too Big To Fully Explore Its Characters?
When the first season of Stranger Things was released in 2016, one of the strongest appeals of the show was its tight focus on its small group of characters and one major setting. Each subsequent season of Stranger Things has expanded the number of characters and settings in significant ways. With this in mind, has the overall narrative of Stranger Things gotten too big to fully develop and explore its characters in the same way that Season One did? The upcoming season four looks to have at least three different character groups in different settings including the town of Hawkins, a city in California, and a prison camp in Russia. An article could explore or trace which settings and characters are added to each season, and if they were properly utilized in the story/narrative.
I'd love to read this as an article! To anyone wanting to write about this, it may be worth including a look at how the writers/directors involved have fluctuated over the seasons, and how their influence ties into the show's narrative development – seriouscourt 9 months ago
Microsoft/Bethesda Deal
How Will Microsoft's Purchase of Bethesda/ZeniMax Affect The Upcoming Launch of the New Xbox Consoles
On September 21st 2020, Microsoft purchase Bethesda Softworks and its parent company ZeniMax Media in a massive $7.5 billion dollar deal that has the potential to reshape the video game landscape. Due to the massive deal, Microsoft now owns acclaimed game studios like Arkane Studios (Dishonored), ID Software (Doom), Machine Games (Wolfenstein) and Bethesda Studios (Elder Scrolls and Fallout), all of which create multiplatform games that regularly release to critical and commercial acclaim. Microsoft and Xbox have been criticized for its lack of first party games (in comparison to its competitors Nintendo and Sony) but the purchase of Bethesda and its parent company could rewrite this narrative and push more consumers toward the Xbox platform. Will the massive purchase help Microsoft sell its new Xbox consoles this fall?
One factor that would need to be accounted for would be that most or all of the games are non-exclusive to the Xbox, which would affect how many new Xbox users come forth. – J.D. Jankowski 2 years ago
It seems like Elder Scrolls and other massive games will be on PS5, but they will also be included Day 1 on Gamepass, which is Xbox's Netlfix-like feature. So Xbox owners who have the subscription will get them for the cost of subscription rather than the likely $70 price tag. – Sean Gadus 2 years ago
Should Season 2 of The Mandalorian Include Characters From Other Star Wars Properties?
The Mandalorian Season 1 has been a huge critical success for Disney . One of the key factors for the series's success was the lack of prior Star Wars knowledge that was necessary for viewers of the series. The series was largely accessible to new audiences who may have never watched Star Wars film before, though it still contained many references and connections for long time Star Wars fans. For season 2 (which debuts October 30th), there have been many rumor circulating that the series will include characters from other Star Wars books and animated series. Rumored among the cast include characters from The Clone Wars and Rebels like Mandalorian warrior Bo-Katan and former Jed Ahsoka Tano. While these characters are popular among Star Wars fans, their appearances may required more complicated explanations/exposition for those who have only watched The Mandalorian. Should The Mandalorian remain largely separated from other Star Wars stories, or it should it integrate characters from the wide Star Wars universe, at the risk of losing some of what made the first season so refreshing and distinct?
This is a pretty interesting topic. Unfortunately, I can't see this discussion ever being anything more than an opinion piece. There will always be an argument for including characters from the extended universe of Star Wars or simply creating a new character for Mandalorian. If you write on this topic it would probably be best to write about the pro and cons to either choice. And use criticisms fans have had for either decisions to support your arguement. – Blackcat130 2 years ago
The Marvel Cinematic Universe
Who Will Be The Face of The MCU After The Departure of Steve Rogers and Tony Stark
While the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an ongoing, expanding film series, the original characters from Phase I remained key characters throughout the past ten years of film. In Avengers: Endgame, some of the major original characters completed their narrative arcs including Iron Man and Captain America. With the departure of Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark and Chris Evan's Steve Rogers, the MCU will need other characters to play a larger role in the overall narrative. Which new or existing characters will serve as the narrative focus for future phases of Marvel films? This article could discuss potential candidates for new corner stones of the MCU, as well as which characters have the most pressing character arcs that need to be resolved.
This is a really interesting topic to discuss considering the fact that Phase II is still nascent. With MCU being the biggest money churning franchise in history, an exploration of the possible future direction the universe may take and how it copes with audience fatigue while managing to still keep things fresh and interesting would make for an intriguing read. – Dr. Vishnu Unnithan 3 years ago
I am an enormous fan of this topic, as it is something I wonder and have many thoughts on. There are so many different ways to go, but I think there are some characters that were given just enough potential to represent the MCU. – Abie Dee 3 years ago
Far From Home sought to tease that Spiderman might fill that void - in that he was Iron Man's protege - but I think it will depend largely on how some of the new entries into the universe perform. Let's not forget that Steve Rogers grew into his lead. His first stand-alone movie was not that well received and in comparison to Iron Man he was pretty boring. Iron Man's strength came from RDJ's personality and acting. I think the next face will need to be along the same lines - a compelling character with a really strong actor behind it. – MidnightSunrise 2 years ago
How Has Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Impacted The Video Game Industry?
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become a huge public health topic that has affected many facets of human life this year. One of the entertainment industries most affected by the virus has been the video game industry, which is a global, interconnected industry. A variety of conferences (like E3 and GDC) have been cancelled or postponed, cancellations of major E-Sports events and even game delays (Virtuos Studios recently delayed the Switch Port of Outer Worlds) due to complications related to the virus. Other thoughts would be to explore how Coronavirus disease will impact the production release of Next Gen consoles that are currently on the horizon.
Great topic. If I were writing an essay on it, I don't think I'd be able to resist somehow bringing at least references to at least one video game about epidemics or infestations. – JamesBKelley 3 years ago
Oh, so timely. Love it. I think it would also be interesting to see if there have been any other big events in recent history that have impacted the video game industry -- natural disasters, other crises, etc. I can't think of any off the top of my head, but it would be interesting to see if there's any point of comparison. Definitely want to read this! – Eden 3 years ago
This would be a good topic to write about. – OkaNaimo0819 3 years ago
In addition to the cancellations, I'm interested in hearing how playing games has changed in the face of COVID-19. Who's playing more, or less? Who's discovering new games? What do gaming audiences want now? Why? – Stephanie M. 2 years ago
Does the "Snyder Cut" Set A Good or Bad Precedent for Move Studios Going Forward
The 2017 film Justice League had a troubled production history, with the film undergoing major changes before and during production. This resulted in the theatrical release being very different from how the film had been envisioned by its original director Zack Snyder. For more than two years many fans (and some of the film's stars) have campaigned for Snyder (using #ReleaseTheSnyderCut) to create a version of the film that more closely aligned with his original vision which include unused villains like Darkseid. In May 2020, HBO and Warner Bros. announced that "The "Snyder Cut" would be an exclusive to the new HBO Max streaming service and the project will launch sometime in 2021. This version will reportedly cost $20–30 million to complete with special effects, editing, and other revisions. Is the Snyder cut a positive thing, allowing a creator to finally realize his true vision in some way and an admittance that the studio made a mistake with the original. In contrast, could the Snyder Cut demonstrate that movie studios are listening too much to a vocal group of fans about a film that even with significant revisions may not fully satisfy its audience? Lastly, would Warner Bros. have allowed the Snyder Cut to be created in a time period where they didn't have a massive streaming service (HBO Max) to promote/sell to consumers.
Why Hasn't D.C.'s "Birds of Prey" Been as Financially Successful as other R-Rated Superhero films like Deadpool and Joker
"Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)", was released on February 7th to generally favorable reviews, but the film has failed to fallen well short of its box office projections within its first week. The female lead and female directed D.C. films has been a long anticipated film and is one of the first comic book films to have an all female team (Harley Quinn, Huntress, Dinah Lance, Renee Montoya, and Cassandra Cain). Despite the film's similarities to a film like Deadpool (both films have an R-rating, with a narrator who is known for irreverent humor and fourth wall breaks), it is unlikely the film will even approach the box office success of that film or a more serious R-rated film like 2019's Joker. Despite similarities and common links to other popular properties, why hasn't "Bird of Prey" been more successful with audiences?
Good question. One angle you could take is that audience and critic tastes clearly differ. Rotten Tomatoes review metrics can show this. Go from there after that. – J.D. Jankowski 3 years ago
Good question. From what do have been hearing is that Bird of Prey isn't the Bird of Prey fans are familar with. It's okay for film makers to take liberties with the source material but if they are to really make it work they still need to make it recognizable. One big red flag is that the protagonist is Harley who doesnt exist in the Bird of Prey comic. When I heard the title of the movie I thought it was going to be about canary after all she is a member and she is named after a bird for goodness sake. second red flag is that the film is after suicide squad that was a failure. The final red flag is that it was promoted as a feminist film and had an all female cast. Now there is nothing wrong with a feminist film, however there has been a big backlash towards feminist films in the past few years. I never did watch the movie but I knew it was doom to fail. The only reason why I know this is by a bit of research. – Amelia Arrows 3 years ago
Web-Videos
How will Disney change the streaming landscape?
Disney launched earlier this week (11/12/19) and reportedly had 10 million subscribers in the first 24 hours of its availability. This number is expected to continue to grow over the next few weeks. How will the streaming landscape be affected by Disney 's release? What effect will Disney have on Netflix and the upcoming HBO Max? Will Disney push these companies out of the streaming business? Will Netflix and HBO Max be forced to adopt new strategies to entice customers? The article would speculate/analyze how Disney is changing the streaming landscape and business.
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Interesting article! I didn't really make a connection between the 3 until reading this article, but the New York City setting feel very important to all three shows!
Historical New York Musicals and the Human Spirit
Andor has been incredible. Tony Gilroy and the other writers have done an amazing job on the show. The acting from the entire cast, particularly Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgard, and Genevieve O'Reilly, is incredible. Andor is by the far the best Star Wars show.
I recently rewatched this film, and it is as excellent as I remember it. Sofia Coppola is a great director, and she made one of the best films of the 2000s.
Lost in Translation: The Sounds of Silence
That is the first place I heard it as well! That game also has a fantastic soundtrack!
How Stranger Things' Most Important Licensed Songs Compliment Its Story
In one of the reference materials (Hawkins High School Yearbook), one of Jonathan's mixtapes is listed as such:
"This is Radio Clash" by The Clash
"Girlfriend Is Better" by Talking Heads
"Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" by David Bowie
"Just Another Day" by Oingo Boingo
"Can I Do What I Want" by Shock Therapy
"The Ghost in You" by The Psychedelic Furs
"Blackout" by Swing Set
"Should I Stay or Should I Go" by The Clash
But it is unclear if this is the one for Will or another one he made.
Master of Puppets by Metallica was another song I considered for this article. I ultimately cut the song, but i wanted to let the audience know that it was on my mind. Given Vecna role as a puppet master in the show and Eddie's role as one of the first people who witnesses Vecna's evil, Eddie's defiant rendition of the song is a great sequence.
I really enjoyed Cavallaro's Charlotte Holmes novels. I thought it was an intriguing idea to explore the legacy of Sherlock Holmes (as if he were real and someone's ancestor).
Preservation, Insight and Growth Through Literary Modernizations
Celeste is a great game! I think that as the topic of mental health is discussed more and more openly in culture/society, there will be more art (games, films, and television shows) related to the topic as well.
Is Mental Illness an Over-Explored topic in Indie Games?