TOS Weekly - Two New Movies Reflect a Troubled Culture
Plus the Trinity of You, the meaning of the American victory over Japan, the man who electrified music, and the individualism of Metallica's Black Album.
Welcome to TOS Weekly!
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey is taking theaters by storm, rapidly approaching a worldwide box-office gross of $1 billion. Although the film is undeniably impressive on a technical level, its success is concerning on a fundamental level: Most viewers seem unaware of the ideas it expresses—or fails to.
At the same time, many concerned about Europe’s migration crisis are rushing to praise Citizen Vigilante, a film with a moral message that will horrify any sane mind. In his new reviews of both movies, Tim White examines their stories, showing why they fail to convey the kind of life-enhancing themes we need in our culture today.
I hope you enjoy this week’s articles,
Thomas F. Walker
Managing Editor
New This Week
Citizen Vigilante Is Exactly What It Looks Like—and That’s Not a Good Thing
Citizen Vigilante isn’t merely a bad movie—it's the kind that tries and fails to take a moral stand against a severe, real-world problem—and then proceeds to dump jet fuel on the fire from a bucket labeled “water.”
Nolan’s Odyssey (2026) Fails on All Levels: As an Adaptation, as a Film, and as a Story
The essential task of a storyteller is to convey meaning—that is, to engage deeply with ideas and values that always have been and always will be central to human life. This is what Nolan’s film utterly fails to do and indeed does not even attempt.
This Week’s Anniversaries
“Gifts from Heaven”: The Meaning of the American Victory over Japan, 1945
What stood between the attacks of 1941 and the rebirth of Japan as a civilized nation were five years of merciless warfare, the incineration by napalm and nuclear attack of nearly 400,000 Japanese civilians, an intransigent demand for unconditional surrender, and six years of postwar military occupation by the United States. The result was the most benevolent turnaround of an entire nation in history.
The Man Who Electrified Music
Leo Fender was born on August 10, 1909. Though he never sought the spotlight nor learned to play guitar, his creations, including the Telecaster, Precision Bass, and Stratocaster, opened the door for countless players—and for a revolution in music.
‘The Earth Becomes My Throne’: Individualism in Metallica’s Black Album
The rare status of Metallica's Black Album—released on August 10, 1991—as a heavy metal album that penetrated the mainstream is not the only noteworthy thing about it. It is, in many respects, an ode to individualist ideals. Its success in encapsulating these ideas in musical form and bringing them to a global audience is truly unique.
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