Hour 21: A Film and Interactive Media Blog

  Blog update, September 25, 2026 Hi everyone, a bit of a blog update, Hour 21 is going to take a break for a while. Yes, after more than 2 ½ years the weekly blog post schedule will be changing (after the break). It’s been a real pleasure to share my love movies and the visual arts with you all. I hope you got something out of my posts or at least found them interesting in some way. For myself, writing this blog weekly has been a real grace, and I hope I was able to share some of that with you. Don’t worry, I’m still writing. And again, I’ll be back. When will that be? Only time will tell. Thanks for reading. God bless, Jed If you wish to explore over 180 film reviews and multimedia essays, my blog archive can be found at this link: Hour 21  

Fly Away Home (1996) "Amy, it's Dad.” "Dad? Wh-why are you here?” “I came down from Canada… I've come to take you home." "Where's Mom?.. Tell me…? Mom died, didn't she?” -Fly Away Home (1996) It may come as a surprise, given the tragedy of its opening moments. But Fly Away Home, is a tremendous accomplishment in its conveyance meaning in the realm of fatherhood, and the purpose of the second chance. This film is a microcosm of wildlife intertwined with the complexities of human nature. In a phrase, Fly Away Home demonstrates the innate imprinting of parental love, through the lens of orphaned migrating geese. Fly Away Home exuberantly accomplishes this migratory mission with heartfelt impact and joyous resonance, even in the midst a loss and regret. However, the tragedy of loss does not negatively define Amy and Thomas Alden's relationship. Instead, it enriches it to a wonderfully poignant degree. This father daughter team finds connect...

  In remembrance of 9/11, here are two film recommendations in honor of the many heroes of that tragic day. World Trade Center (2006) United 93 (2006) These films are both available to purchase or rent on any digital streaming service such as, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home. There also available to buy on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD disc. If you wish to explore over 180 film reviews and multimedia essays, my blog archive can be found at this link: Hour 21 Thanks for Reading

Project Hail Mary (2026) “I don't have the bravery gene that you all have, trust me.” "It's not a gene, you just need to find someone to be brave for.” "You know who you are. You're going to do great.” -Project Hail Mary (2026) Possibility, possibility is what exists at the heart of Project Hail Mary. It is a film defined by chance, and revealed through discovery. The film's joys are brought on by the knowledge that we all have the capacity to to grow, change and come to the realization that our worth is not defined by what we think we can do, but by the chances we are given to overcome our fears of inadequacy and self-doubt. For Ryland Grace that journey towards self-worth contains within it more than the average person however. It is nothing less than the determining factor of Earth's survival. Still, his acceleration towards confidence is not only measured by galactic import, but also, by the intimacy of human inadequacy. Ryland Grace, and his ...

Halo: Campaign Evolved (2026) "Sleep well?” "No thanks to your driving, but yes." "So you did miss me." -Halo: Campaign Evolved (2026) It's surprising what names hold just below the surface, and what a person's life reveals in the recollection. We may think we have a person figured out until they offer us a completely new perspective. A new vantage point that allows us to witness them grow, change and show us an aspect of their personality that we never considered before. Yes, what is in the name? Better yet, in the case of Halo: Combat Evolved, what is beneath a helmet. In all honesty, that is where the truth resides. Beneath the helmet, and concealed by its name. Even still, over the years and through many iterations, Halo: Combat Evolved has conveyed a poignant reality about every sentient weapon of war. In its enigmatic and stalwart presence, the Halo franchise continually ponders the question of humanity, and the cost of its protection. This i...

Over The Garden Wall (2014) "Though I am lost, my wounded heart resides back home, in pieces.” "Maybe I can help you? I mean, you guys are lost right?” "These woods are no place for children. Don't you know the Beast is a foot here.” -Over The Garden Wall (2014) What Over The Garden Wall hides behind its façade of stone, is a realm of mystery and intrigue, interwoven with the medieval diction of the poetry of fire and love. This beautiful animated miniseries seeks for the heights of hope, even in the darkness of despair. It is storytelling at its most sincere, and yet unwound. Still, Over the Garden Wall is able to discover a contemporary heart In the midst of a classic sensibility. A beating heart that drives it onward and upward towards the light in the darkness. Put simply, Wirt and his brother Greg traverse the travails of a dark forest, seeking a path home. Over The Garden Wall evokes the innate charm of both animation and story, which find a delightful ming...

  Amazing Grace (2006) “I need an answer, Wilbur. Do you intend to use your beautiful voice to praise the Lord or change the world?” "Mr. Wilberforce, we understand that you are having problems choosing to do the work of God or the work of a political activist.” "We humbly suggest that you can do both.” -Amazing Grace (2006) It is providential how God's grace enters our lives at the precise moment it is needed. Unexpectedly changing our perspectives in the midst of routines that have trapped us in cycles of complacency and forgetfulness. Now, imagine for a moment that God-given grace arriving centuries after the diminishment of an entire race, down to nothing more than slaves to be bought and sold. In reality though, the mind's eye is not required for this experiment. For, it was never an imagined state, mournfully it was a tragic reality of everyday life. So, all that is required of us, is a look back into the annals of history. Where, someone's seemingly obv...

  Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) “Tell me who you are.” “This isn't you.” “Are you Peter Parker or are you Spider-Man?” -Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) Until Spider-Man: Brand New Day, I never really gave it much thought, the true cost of heroism. Sure, we all know the parameters, it's almost become routine at this point. “With great power, comes great responsibility”. I guess that is the benefit, if you can call them that, of our unasked for struggles. They force us to grow, to change and to realize that we cannot do this all on our own, heroism is never just a singular endeavor, it requires support, we cannot do it on our own. This may seem callous, but it's true, just because we have the ability to save someone's life, doesn't mean the weight of every life has to be on our shoulders. Another truth arises from that point. When we measure our differences without support, they are isolating, aren't they? More often than not, we do not choose our dif...

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender (2026) "Aang, as an Airbender, it's important to know when to show restraint. Even if you have the power to win. You are the Avatar, a lot of people are going to rely on you.” "Who are you?” "We're The Denied.” -Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender (2026) Embarking on a sequel to one of the most respected animated series in recent history is not a small task. Though, Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender manages this seemingly insurmountable climb of expectations and anticipation with grace and strength. Aang's return ushers in a joy that is both reminiscent of the past, and a mirror to a fractured future. The Avatar might be the master of all four elements, air, water, earth and fire. However the interconnected unity within Aang is but a hope in a world torn asunder by disunity and human frailty. Still, hope is not without merit, especially considering what Aang and his four closest friends, Katara, Zuko, Sokka and Toph, have accompl...

The Odyssey (2026) "It was the song of all the promises I failed to keep." "Give up control, and live." "What if we violated all that is ever sacred between peoples? What if we turned a fight into a hunt?" -The Odyssey (2026) Sing, and remember the epic of the heart, words spoken and unspoken, truths told and lies revealed. This is story, this is The Odyssey. Truth for a truth, the 2026 retelling of The Odyssey is the very idea of story, encapsulated in one of its most refined forms. This Homeric epic bears upon its shoulders the nature of mythmaking, and the capacity of truth and lie. Odysseus’s journey home is many things, though most of all it is a desire for reconnection amidst a fight for wholeness and truth. This visual oration of The Odyssey seeks that truth through the interconnected structure of different oral storytellers and perspectives that all eventually converge to reveal a marvelous whole. This film is the Homeric structure come t...

Little House on the Prairie (2026), Season One "Hope is everything, it's the only thing. Don't give up on him. Don't give up on us.” “I don't come by friends easily…. I don't let myself come by friends easily.” "I thought we were friends.” -Little House on the Prairie (2026), Season One In a world where danger waits around every corner and pessimism invades every thought, Little House on the Prairie (2026) is a beacon of light in this earthly forest of anxiety and fear. It is a brilliant light that transforms danger into strength, pessimism into curiosity, anxiety into enthusiasm and fear into the hope of an adventure yet to come. Isn't it wonderful when the anticipation of hope enriches the fountain of life. Even so, hope is often mistaken for naivete. This cannot be further from the truth, hope is not a false notion of the world, and a neglect of its multitude of dangers. The captivating nature of hope only seeks to nourish human flourishing, it ...

  Supergirl (2026) “Maybe this is home.” “Without the antidote there is nothing she can do.” “We will be with you.” "You think you saved her soul?" -Supergirl (2026) Embattled by trauma and entwined with regret, Kara Zor-El is not your average Kryptonian survivor. Unlike her more renowned cousin, Kara must come to terms with the aspects of herself that are defined by a planet that no longer exists. Her life then, is a series of questions, brought on by a tragedy and a wish to rewrite history. What is the power of flight if it reminds you of your failure to stay? What is life if regret dominates every day, and what is a hero if sacrifice continually calls your name? "He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” -1st Peter 2:24 (NRSV-CE) The emotional capacity of a story lies in its ability to invite you into the human struggle of an everyday lived experience. Tha...

  The Signing of The Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull, 1818, oil on canvas Happy 250 th birthday, or should I say, Happy 4th of July weekend everyone! Here’s one from the archives, a post on Ken Burns’s documentary series, The American Revolution.  May we all have the opportunity to live up to the sacrifices, and experience the freedoms granted to us through the accomplishments of so many. God bless America Ken Burns's The American Revolution (2025) documentary series “We the people.” -The United States Constitution “I wish the Constitution which is offered had been made more perfect. But I sincerely believe that it's the best that could be obtained at this time. And as a constitutional door is opened for amendment here after, the adoption of it is in my opinion desirable.” - George Washington “Our government daily acquires strength and stability. The union is complete. Nothing hinders are being a very happy and prosperous People. Provided we have wisdom ri...

  Disclosure Day (2026) “Don't be afraid of what you don't know.” “If you are hearing this, if you are seeing this. You are not alone." -Disclosure Day (2026) “For of course, it is no very new idea that the Eternal Son may, for all we know, have been incarnate in other worlds and so saved other races than ours.” -C.S. Lewis, “Will We Lose God in Outer Space”, April, 1958. The Christian Herald Vol 81 It's fortuitous that Disclosure Day is difficult to encapsulate in a singular phrase or word. Though my inability to articulate the film's motivating narrative, doesn't come from a lack of vocabulary. If asked me for superlatives they would be flowing out of my digital pen with ease. Right now however, I will stay my hand, because the enriching enchantment of Disclosure Day is born out of the process of discovery? Not the reveal of facts. Wonder, that's the word. If I were asked to distill Disclosure Day down to a single word that would be it. Though, if...

Outlaws (1997) "Where are you Marshall?” "Damn it! I told that fool doctor, stealing your kid, weren't going to be good for anyone's health.” “It's a shame he didn't listen.” -Outlaws (1997)      One minute, one minute. It is remarkable what one minute can do. A single moment in time can encapsulate an entire world and open the door to cinematic and interactive experiences you never knew before. In an instant you are brought from ignorance into the joy of knowledge, this is not a discovery of a lack, but a finding of something deep within. What we find is the connection between the story and its audience.      As I write these words, it strikes me yet again: the capacity of a choice to affect our wonder and capture our imagination. As a 9-year-old you really don't have the wherewithal to appreciate the connective power of a single image or story. That is to say, my dad gave me, my brother and four sisters a tremendous gift, by allowing us to experience sto...

  This post is in loving memory of Gilbert “Gil” Kelly. Thank you Papa for showing me, day in and day out, what family truly means. You loved us grandkids equally. Even so, our relationship with you was uniquely our own. I for one, would not be who I am today, were it not for your willingness to drive me back and forth from Raritan Valley Community College for two years, on almost a daily basis. That was an immeasurable gift. You helped me start my college journey. You believed in me, even when I thought my disability would hold me back, you knew I could accomplish great things. Also, I don't know what came first, the chicken or the egg, in terms of my love of visual storytelling, but having a grandfather who played video games in the '90s was pretty awesome. PGA Tour, 1994 on the Sega Genesis for the win, along with all the racing games you could find for the system. Love you, Papa. Say hi to Danny for me, and I'll see you both again, on the other side of eternity. Streets...

  Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord, season 1 (2026) "You have been indoctrinated since you were a child. Now, you must adapt.” "It's all right, it's all right. I won't let him do this to anybody else.” “Fear is natural, we just can't allow it to control us.” -Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord, season 1 (2026) Pain that is not transformed is transmitted. Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord is a driving echo of this sad truth. If we are unable to confront our trauma, we often give it to others unwittingly, even when our deepest hope is that our pain ends with us. Maul - Shadow Lord is a poignant reminder that revenge only amplifies our mental anguish. It does not rid us of it. In his attempts to keep at bay his inner demons, Maul actually fortifies them, giving them space to occupy a prime place in his mind. Outwardly Maul's ultimate goal of vanquishing his former master, Darth Sidious, is admirable. Though, revenge, however justified, only keeps the door open. In...