Strangers and Aliens: Science Fiction & Fantasy from a Christian Perspective

  • Episode 17 — “Avengers . . . Finally Assembled!”

    Episode 17 — “Avengers . . . Finally Assembled!”

    Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSIn the final installment of Avengers week, Steve, Dr. Jayce, and Ben assemble to talk about the movie that geeks the world over have been waiting for. Well, was it all it could be? Better than it could be? Or did it crash and burn? Steve’s answer may…

  • AVENGERS WEEK: The Avengers (Ben’s movie review)

    AVENGERS WEEK: The Avengers (Ben’s movie review)

      No movie lives up to the hype. But some come close. The Avengers comes very, very close. It already has many difficulties to overcome: an ensemble cast; a couple years of build up and fan expectation; the enormous shadow of Iron Man and Robert Downey Jr. over the other characters and actors; a mix…

  • AVENGERS WEEK: The Avengers and Its Place in the Superhero Cinema Cycle

    AVENGERS WEEK: The Avengers and Its Place in the Superhero Cinema Cycle

    The Avengers is actually a natural progression, if you look at the history of superheroes on the big screen. Every ten to twelve years, a game changer comes along to set the course for the next cycle of superhero related media. 1941. Animated shorts featuring Superman are seen in theaters. Since they were animated in…

  • AVENGERS WEEK: Thor (movie review)

    AVENGERS WEEK: Thor (movie review)

    THOR (reviewed as a single movie) Thor was a difficult movie to make. It’s about gods and men, some of whom speak like Shakespeare. Sort of. It might be difficult to relate to that. So Marvel thought, “You know who makes Shakespeare relatable? Kenneth Branagh. Let’s just hire him.” So a Shakespearean actor and director.…

  • AVENGERS WEEK: Onward, Christian Super-Soldiers!

    AVENGERS WEEK: Onward, Christian Super-Soldiers!

    I wanted Captain America to be something different than the other 3 (or 4, if you include the Hulk) set-up movies for the Avengers. In Iron Man and Thor (and Hulk, who fits so well into the discussion that, if you don’t think he belongs in the discussion, just disregard…it’s either that or a lot…

  • AVENGERS WEEK: Biggest Avengers Disappointment

    AVENGERS WEEK: Biggest Avengers Disappointment

      The general public hasn’t seen the new film yet (unless you live overseas, which is a whole other issue), but before I ever step into the theatre I already have one major disappointment that distracts from my enjoyment of this film. I’m not even talking about the injustice that Jack Kirby and his family…

  • AVENGERS WEEK: Thor (COOL COMIC COVERS #9)

    AVENGERS WEEK: Thor (COOL COMIC COVERS #9)

    Cool Comic Covers is a weekly (almost) look back at some of the most interesting, intriguing, and engaging artwork in pop culture. This week: Thor! Continuing Avengers Week here at Strangers and Aliens, it’s Thor’s-day. Yes, we had to do it. So even though Captain America was after Thor, we had to do do Thor today.…

  • AVENGERS WEEK: Captain America – The First Avenger (movie review)

    AVENGERS WEEK: Captain America – The First Avenger (movie review)

    CAPTAIN AMERICA (reviewed as a single movie) Captain America was better than I hoped it would be. It is not a perfect movie, but it is a fun movie, and an inspiring movie, and a sincere movie. It is a period piece. The only way they could have done it, really. Captain America, if it…

  • AVENGERS WEEK: Captain America (COOL COMIC COVERS #8)

    AVENGERS WEEK: Captain America (COOL COMIC COVERS #8)

    Cool Comic Covers is a weekly (almost) look back at some of the most interesting, intriguing, and engaging artwork in pop culture. This week: It’s Avengers week! Each day we are taking a look at the characters who will be featured in the upcoming (depending on when you are reading this) Avengers movie. First, Iron Man.…

  • AVENGERS WEEK: The Incredible Hulk (movie review)

    AVENGERS WEEK: The Incredible Hulk (movie review)

    THE INCREDIBLE HULK (reviewed as a single movie) After Ang Lee’s Hulk movie* didn’t meet expectations . . . and after Iron Man surpassed expectations . . . and after it was realized The Avengers was going to be a reality . . . Marvel knew they had to get the character of the Hulk…

  • AVENGERS WEEK: Hulk (COOL COMIC COVERS #7)

    AVENGERS WEEK: Hulk (COOL COMIC COVERS #7)

    Cool Comic Covers is a weekly (almost) look back at some of the most interesting, intriguing, and engaging artwork in pop culture. This week: It’s Avengers week here at Strangers and Aliens! Each day we are going to take a look at the characters who will be featured in the upcoming (depending on when you are…

  • AVENGERS WEEK: Iron Man & Iron Man 2 (movie reviews)

    AVENGERS WEEK: Iron Man & Iron Man 2 (movie reviews)

    IRON MAN (reviewed as a single movie) Iron Man was the first movie that Marvel really took as its own. And it was amazing. A “game changer,” as people say. It was fun and loud and cocky and new. It set up a sequel, with the great press conference announcement at the end, and also…

  • AVENGERS WEEK: Iron Man (COOL COMIC COVERS #6)

    AVENGERS WEEK: Iron Man (COOL COMIC COVERS #6)

    Cool Comic Covers is a weekly (almost) look back at some of the most interesting, intriguing, and engaging artwork in pop culture. This week: Iron Man! It’s Avengers week here at Strangers and Aliens! Each day we are going to take a look at the characters who will be featured in the upcoming (depending on when…

  • AVENGERS WEEK

    AVENGERS WEEK

    It’s Avengers week here at Strangers and Aliens! Monday through Sunday, we will be celebrating and geeing out about the Avengers series of movies, starting with Iron Man,  going through the individual movies, and culminating in a weekend of release podcast episode! The Avengers is a unique product in that instead of a movie studio…

  • Episode 16 — “Captain Kirk vs. Captain Picard — Round 2”

    Episode 16 — “Captain Kirk vs. Captain Picard — Round 2”

    Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSIt’s part two! Dr. Jayce, Ben, and Steve continue their conversation about what they love (and hate) about Star Trek. We’d love to hear from you about YOUR favorite captains, YOUR favorite series, YOUR favorite ships, YOUR favorite crew! E-mail us at podcast@strangersandaliens.com. If you’d like, you can even…

  • “Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction” Giant Size Special (COOL COMIC COVERS #5)

    “Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction” Giant Size Special (COOL COMIC COVERS #5)

    Cool Comic Covers is a weekly (almost) look back at some of the most interesting, intriguing, and engaging artwork in pop culture. This week: Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction Giant Size Special. Next week we’ve got a lot of superhero things happening around here, so here’s an amazing sci-fi cover. It’s got bubble helmets. A rocket.…

  • Episode 15 — “Captain Kirk vs. Captain Picard — Round 1”

    Episode 15 — “Captain Kirk vs. Captain Picard — Round 1”

    Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSCaptain Kirk. Captain Picard. Two different eras of television. Two different eras of Star Trek. Two different command styles. Two different acting styles. Two different crews. Two different ships. Two different storylines. Two different hairlines. Two different waistlines. And for fans of science fiction, two different opinions. In…

  • Fear #1 (COOL COMIC COVERS #4)

    Fear #1 (COOL COMIC COVERS #4)

    Cool Comic Covers is a weekly (almost) look back at some of the most interesting, intriguing, and engaging artwork in pop culture. This week: I don’t know why I love swamp monsters. It has something to do with the primal idea of the very earth or soil coming alive beneath you, perhaps. Or the idea of…

  • VIDEO: “Happy Birthday David”, Prometheus Promo

    VIDEO: “Happy Birthday David”, Prometheus Promo

    If the movie Prometheus is just half as good as this “faux-commercial/short sci-fi film”, then I think sci-fi fans have something to look forward to. What strikes me is that this little promotional video, intended to generate interest in Ridley Scott’s prequel/not-a-prequel to his Alien movie, has a bundle of interesting ideas. Watching it, I…

  • VIDEO: Presenting Al and Jerry!

    VIDEO: Presenting Al and Jerry!

    Coming to us from their starship, in the deepest space of deep space, Al and Jerry are the new spokes-creatures for the Strangers and Aliens podcast! They’ve recorded a few messages for us and beamed it to the Strangers and Aliens command center . . . They also did a promo for us about our…

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