Another Lesson from The Natural: Evil Never Stops Looking for Our Weaknesses

Posted on August 25, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

There’s a scene in The Natural that perfectly captures a lot of my philosophy on life. You see, I believe we are all blessed with certain natural talents and weaknesses. Blessed with weaknesses? Yes. Our weaknesses give us a chance to grow and overcome problems. If we didn’t have weaknesses, nothing would tempt us and no evil power in the world would be able to harm us. That would dramatically lessen our victory over them in the end.

Take Roy Hobbs, the hero of The Natural. He is blessed with a natural talent for baseball, though he has a nearly fatal flaw for women. He’s tempted by lusts of the flesh, which threatens to destroy his promising baseball career throughout the film. That’s his Achilles heel.

I know I talked about this topic a while back in “The Natural and Overcoming Addiction,” but I realized I had more to say on this topic. Because it’s not enough to fight addiction. We need to realize that the adversary we’re facing isn’t letting up once we win in one area. It’s a lifelong battle. Continue reading →

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Dr. Leo Marvin Was Right About Everything in What About Bob?

Posted on August 18, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

I’ve watched What About Bob? many times, and it’s always a joy to revisit. However, I find that I only tend to watch it from Bob Wiley’s perspective. It’s probably because he’s the one who seems to change the most over the course of the story.

What about Dr. Leo Marvin? Doesn’t his perspective count for something? I mean, he’s the one who kicks off the story by writing a brilliant book on psychology, accepting Bob as a patient, going on vacation, and failing to get rid of Bob.

I propose that Dr. Marvin (or Leo as he likes to be called in his office) is right about everything in What About Bob? Let’s see why. Continue reading →

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Why the Climax of Raiders of the Lost Ark Is So Satisfying

Posted on August 11, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

At the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, why is the scene where Belloq opens the Ark of the Covenant so incredibly satisfying? It’s got to be one of the most amazing endings ever put to film. I think I know why.

It illustrates a true principle. Continue reading →

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The Biggest Themes of Batman Begins

Posted on August 4, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

“Don’t be afraid.” That’s a big theme of Batman Begins, a movie all about being terrified and facing one’s greatest fears. “Don’t be afraid” are the dying words of Thomas Wayne to his son Bruce.

Bruce Wayne’s 3 Biggest Fears

Bruce Wayne carries a fear of bats, the shady underworld of crime, and the memory of his parents. He fears bats because they’re loud and dangerous. The crime world is shrouded in mystery to a sheltered young man. As Carmine Falcone famously says, “You always fear what you don’t understand. The third fear Bruce has is the worst of all. He feels guilty for his parents’ murder. And it’s connected to his two other fears. He was afraid of the bats in a play, forcing his parents to take him out of the theater where they met a vagrant who wanted their money and valuables.

How does Bruce overcome his fears? He embraces the darkness that bats represent. He takes upon himself the name Batman so that criminals will face the same dread he felt when he was first confronted by those creatures in a dark cave. To overcome his fear of crime, Bruce lives among thieves and criminals. Once he understands the desperation and hunger that drives them, he’s equipped with the mental facility to fight them more effectively. Continue reading →

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The Funniest Thing About Airplane! Isn’t Even in the Movie

Posted on July 28, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Airplane! is one of the funniest movies ever made. Its jokes and gags are the stuff of legend, from a jive-speaking June Cleaver to the panicking passenger who gets slapped silly by everyone on the plane. But, to me, the funniest thing about Airplane! isn’t even in the movie itself.

The funniest thing is that it spawned a sequel appropriately titled Airplane II: The Sequel. Let me explain why. Continue reading →

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Unwilling to Speak, Unless We Expect to Say Something That Will Amaze the Whole Room

Posted on July 21, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

My wife and I recently rewatched the 1995 miniseries of Pride and Prejudice, which we both find to be the best, most-faithful version of Jane Austen’s celebrated novel. It was a delightful experience because we invited one of our sons to join us, and he happily agreed. That was a big deal. I often try to share things I love with him, and he doesn’t always accept my invitations.

In this case, he watched all six episodes with us. Then I told him that I had devoted an entire Cinematic Chiasmus article to it, which he was eager to read. His appreciation for the miniseries deepened after he read that article.

Now my wife and I are rereading the book, and it brings me such joy to visit it once more. It’s like an old friend imparting words of wisdom. One passage in particular struck me this time. Continue reading →

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The Moral of Beauty and the Beast (1991): Vincit Qui Se Vincit

Posted on July 14, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

I love Beauty and the Beast (1991). It’s my favorite movie. And it’s a rare movie that actually puts its moral front and center at the very start.

Vincit Qui Se Vincit

Vincit Qui Se Vincit is front and center from the opening shot of the movie.There’s a tiny detail I never noticed until recently. The stained-glass window we see at the start of the prologue contains four Latin words: Vincit Qui Se Vincit. And those four words contain the whole point of the movie.

He Conquers Who Conquers Himself. That’s a profound message for a children’s movie. In Beauty and the Beast, the obvious villain is Gaston. He’s a rival for Belle’s affections. He manipulates a whole town into doing his bidding. He literally backstabs the Beast. But Gaston is more of a symbol than the true villain of the piece.

The real villain is within the Beast himself. Continue reading →

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My Preferred Piece of Music When I’m Tasked with Accomplishing the Seemingly Impossible

Posted on July 7, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Music defines certain periods of my life. I can look back at a time of my life and remember the music I mostly listened to during it.

  • “Love Theme from St. Elmo’s Fire” was my jam as a teenager approaching a big new world of adulthood.
  • “Cristofori’s Dream” by David Lanz is what I listened to over and over as a young adult. It inspired me to dream big during humble beginnings.
  • The entire album of Beethoven’s Last Night by Trans-Siberian Orchestra helped me find serenity during my early working years after college.
  • “The Construction” from Explorers by Jerry Goldsmith defined the time when I found my groove and was hard at work on big projects.

My Current Music

And now here I am today with the prospect of being a writer in a tumultuous time of AI and other innovations. I’m tasked with mastering all sorts of new skills and living up to exceedingly high expectations. Sometimes it feels impossible.

If there was a piece of music that has helped me through this time it is this one. Continue reading →

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Annie Glenn Had The Right Stuff

Posted on June 30, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

What does it take to be a great man or woman? That’s the question that The Right Stuff asks again and again. Nobody talks about having The Right Stuff in The Right Stuff. It seems like a source of pride or some unspoken language between the astronauts and most of their wives.

But not Annie Glenn, the wife of John Glenn. She’s silent about it for a special reason. And I’m going to talk all about it. Continue reading →

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Why We Write

Posted on June 23, 2026 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Writing is an interesting thing. It can outlast civilizations, give a time capsule of what life was like at a certain period, and provide a shared experience inside one person’s mind.

But why do we write? That’s a question I’ve been asking myself a lot lately. My career is writing, though I’m not rich because of this website. I’d like to explain why I write for this website later on. There are three main reasons I can think of why people write today, even though each one seems to have its downsides. Continue reading →

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