Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot have delivered an empowered version of Wonder Woman. Take a look at how far she’s come since her comic book beginnings. The reviews are pouring in for Warner Bros’ Wonder Woman film: the latest iteration of Diana, princess of the Amazons. Film lovers have been pacing for months in wait of the first blockbuster level superhero film with a female star. Speaking of blockbusting… Audiences see Diana literally bust through blocks, bricks, bullets, bad guys and just about everything else in her path. The film itself has proven worthy of the hype, grossing over $100 million during its first weekend alone (this fan saw it at 9:15 p.m. on a Tuesday night and was amazed to see the theater still mostly full). It is hard not to gawk at Gal Gadot, who cuts a striking Wonder Woman, but the true marvel of the film is        …read more

Forget the modern world and step back into history at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, one of the very best Ren faires in the world. For 30 years now, the fictional town of Bristol has enticed many a patron with its charm and beauty. Selling the finest corsets, the town’s best ale, and even flowers for your sweet, over 200 Bristol Renaissance Faire merchants accommodate your every need. Kids can also enjoy exciting games and rides and be entertained with one of the finest jousting tournaments in all the land. A great deal of planning goes into creating a period festival, especially one of this spectacular magnitude. Located on 30 acres of land in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Bristol Renaissance Faire has been the celebrated best fest in the nation for five consecutive years. I had the opportunity to talk with Julie McMillin, social media director for the Bristol Renaissance Faire and get some insight into just what it takes to        …read more

There’s no wrong way to watch season 3 of ‘Twin Peaks’ but here’s the best way… If surreal times require surreal comic art, then David Lynch is the auteur we need right now. And the third season of Twin Peaks, returning 25 years after its initial run, is nowhere better synchronized with our sociopolitical meltdown as in this mashup tweet from co-creator Mark Frost: At almost halfway through the new season of Twin Peaks, it seems a good time to pause and take stock of this sometimes bewildering, occasionally frustrating, yet deeply affecting fever-dream of televised art. But don’t expect an “explainer,” because as many critics have noted, there is no way to fit much of what happens on-screen into any formal, logical framework. The eyeless woman in the glitchy red room does not signify anything — she is simply what she is. Just as our personal dreams provide us with        …read more

Fidget spinners, one of the latest toy fads to sweep the globe, bring back memories of toys that quickly captured loads of hearts — and cash. If you don’t have one yourself, chances are you’ve come across the typically three-pronged device in recent months. Fidget spinners are small contraptions that whirl between your fingers on ball bearings. Depending on the quality of the fidget spinner, they can revolve for up to several minutes. The rotation of the spinner, and the feeling that it provides between the fingers, has proved to be aesthetically pleasing to many. So pleasing, in fact, that an estimated 200 million spinners have shipped to retailers since February, winding up to a $500 million industry. The fidget spinner’s origin is unclear. Early reports credited Catherine Hettinger as the inventor, citing a patent from 1993 that lapsed in 2005. But upon further investigation, it seems Hettinger’s design bears        …read more

‘Sense8’ has been cancelled by Netflix, but fans aren’t letting it go quietly. When Netflix pronounced Sense8 cancelled after two seasons, viewers were stunned. Some questioned if the move was made to legitimize Netflix in its role as a — if not the — major provider of television in the transition from network television to online streaming services. Out with the old and in with the new, now on the internet. What Netflix may not have expected but definitely should have: massive outrage. Sense8, created by Lana and Lilly Wachowski (The Matrix) and J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5), is the unique story of eight people scattered around the globe with a unique mental link allowing them to speak to each other, borrow each other’s skills, and experience each other’s lives. The characters embody empathy to their cores, something fans believe television — and the world — needs more of. [caption id="attachment_14047"        …read more

Sneaker addicts, here’s how to clean shoes and keep them looking new. Sneaker culture originated in the ’80s when Michael Jordan signed a lucrative endorsement deal with Nike and a hip-hop group named Run DMC dropped a song called “My Adidas.” These two moments undoubtedly linked fashion and hip-hop culture in a galvanizing way that changed music and the power of social engineering forever. Fast-forward to today, and sneaker culture has evolved into its own entity, transcending even hip-hop. It’s more than standing in long lines for the latest releases, flipping shoes for money or trying to stay up with the latest trends. Shoes are now shown in art galleries and museums while numerous books have been written on the cultural impact and political power of kicks. Wearing a clean pair of shoes is a crucial part of sneaker culture and something every sneakerhead takes great pride in. Whether you’re        …read more

Escape into exotic images captured by Instagram photographers from every continent. Everyone can agree that social media platforms like Instagram have changed everything, expanding what we can see and experience. Culture can meet culture in a variety of ways online through the visual inspiration of an Instagram photographer. Following Instagrammers from around the world can take us out of the familiar, introducing us to beliefs, ideas and lives that are so different (but often so similar, too) hundreds and thousands of miles away. A photo can speak volumes about the shared experiences of humanity, and it’s more important now than ever to be actively engaging global artists who can share our common humanity through their photos, while educating us about the unique differences that exist within other parts of the world. So here are seven popular people to follow on Instagram — one extraordinary photographer for each of the seven continents. Their        …read more