Zach Godwin

Growing up, there are certain stories from the Bible that everyone learns, regardless of the amount of time you spent in a Church. We all know about Noah riding in his boat with all the cute animals (and apparently fighting Anthony Hopkins, if Darren Aronofsky’s movie adaptation is to be believed), or Daniel in the lion’s den (I learned that one from a VeggieTales VHS the neighbors gave us). However, the versions of the stories we get as kids are usually edited for content. Most of the cardboard picture books don’t mention that the reason Noah had to build an...

Growing up, every kid has a movie they watch to death. For me, it was Milo and Otis (my mom actually told me that since it was made in Japan, there was some kind of trade embargo so I wasn’t allowed to rent it anymore). But as for my sister, she couldn’t get enough of the 1939 Judy Garland classic, The Wizard of Oz. And since my sister was watching the movie on a seemingly daily basis, that means that I was too. So it’s safe to say I know The Wizard of Oz quite well. Sure, there were...

One doesn’t often think of Broadway musicals as having humble beginnings, and to call Once a rags-to-riches story would certainly be a stretch. However, while so many Broadway shows are based on blockbuster movies, Once stands out as being based on an independent Irish film made for $150,000 – a sum that some movies would spend for 10 seconds of special effects. Despite the meager funding, the film certainly made a mark, earning over $20 million worldwide and winning an Oscar for Best Original Song along the way. From these beginnings on film, Once was adapted into a stage...

I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for the silly traditions of Christmas. While I’m adamant about not getting caught up in the extreme consumerism of the holiday, I am a total sucker for lights, stockings, trees, Santa, and especially the stable of Christmas TV specials that haven’t changed since long before I was born. Sure, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer may be the same hokey claymation it was when I was 4, but without fail I will stop whatever I’m doing to watch it. There are, of course, a handful of these Christmas classics, but for me,...