Johann Koehler

I once thought that the constraints of writing on Twitter entitled people to a considerable measure of benefit of the doubt. But this? A man has limits… [Cross-posted at The Reality-Based Community]

By the winter of 1942, the Russians had repelled German forces after the spectacular failure of Operation Barbarossa. Despite low morale, the Nazi war machine proceeded apace. One enterprising officer in particular, Reinhard Heydrich (then the Chief of the Reich Main Security Office), had engineered the mass extermination of Jews within the territorial control of […]

You probably never gave it a moment’s thought. But all great films, without exception, contain an important element of ‘no reason.’ You know why? Because life itself is made up of tons of ‘no reason.’ As a car slowly drives toward the camera, it knocks over a dozen chairs placed in its path before it […]

When making a claim that “no evidence from academic or policy research has shown” that something like sex offender treatment works, it’s advisable to have the facts straight on the evidence that you claim supports your point. So, when the material you cite turns out to suggest positive effects contrary to your claim, I suppose it’s […]

Forget drama, intrigue, and complexity; this week’s movie recommendation is filled with feel-good vibes that are sure to have you pleasantly chuckling your way into April. Chef Carl Casper, played by Jon Favreau, is a darn good cook, despite what his uncanny resemblance to Guy Fieri might suggest. Or, rather, he might still be a […]

Everything in Tykwer’s representation of Berlin is heavily stylized. The film’s main premise has barely been set up before we’re assaulted with techno-music, split-screens, color-switches, and cartoon sequences. It’s an intentional sensory overload, and it’s relentless until the film’s 81st and final minute. This fanciful stylization fits neatly with the general improbability of the film’s […]

“Writers are awful to people who ask us where we get our ideas from,” said Neil Gaiman. “We get mean, in a writer-y way, which means we make fun of you for asking.” Creativity will always inspire curiosity, especially among those of us who lack it. We want it to be laid bare, explained, deconstructed. […]

Back in 2007, Robert Rodrigues and Quentin Tarantino released a pair of ’80s exploitation revival feature films under the combined title of Grindhouse. They also held a competition for directors to submit trailers of imaginary films, consistent with the theme of the genre, that could be screened beforehand. One such trailer was eventually turned into its own […]

Romantic comedies have a peculiar relationship with sex. It’s treated as the goal, yet it’s rarely mentioned explicitly. It’s hard to attain, yet for the lucky few who succeed, all other fortunes and contentments await. But if romantic comedies struggle to talk about sex explicitly, then they are outright squeamish to talk about its consequences. […]

This week’s movie recommendation is one of Tom Hardy’s first significant lead performance, which showcased both his commanding physical presence and his captivating acting prowess. Hardy plays the lead in Nicolas Winding Refn’s stylization of the true life of Michael Peterson, a man notorious for terrorizing English prisons for over three decades. During that time, […]