Alex Mell-Taylor
Bio
I write long-form pieces on timely themes inside entertainment, pop culture, video games, gender, sexuality, race and politics. My writing currently reaches a growing audience of over 10,000 people every month across various publications.
Stories (87/0)
'Dragon Age Absolution' and Rejecting the Master's Tools
Dragon Age: Absolution is an animated series based on the fantasy video game franchise of the same name by the company Bioware (now owned by Electronic Arts). It's set in the continent of Thedas, a magical land of elves, demons, and dragons. Absolution, in particular, centers on a ragtag group of thieves as they attempt an Ocean’s Eleven-style robbery of the Tevinter Imperium Chantry to steal a McGuffin called the Circulum Infinitus — something that will allegedly raise the dead.
By Alex Mell-Taylor10 months ago in Geeks
Words That Make Every Injustice Instantly Easier to Talk About
Language is hard. It can be both a necessary tool for liberation and also a barrier — something that we go around in circles again and again without making actual progress on a chosen issue. Some people are so focused on how to speak correctly that they never act: trapped in a prison of their own shame and guilt.
By Alex Mell-Taylor10 months ago in The Swamp
Is Going to a Restaurant Murder?: Unpacking the Harm of Social Events in the Covid Era
I am someone who has, for the most part, not stopped masking. I still predominantly use masks when going to the grocery store and public transit. I am a huge proponent of vaccinations (not just for Covid-19, but for influenza, monkeypox, and more). I have not returned to a pre-Covid normal either. My social life consists of small get-togethers, the occasional house party (with testing), and a monthly board game night I organize for a left-leaning organization. To me, these precautions should be treated as a necessary part of everyday life, but I recognize I am in the minority here.
By Alex Mell-Taylor10 months ago in Longevity
Debunking the Trope That “Sunlight Is the Best Disinfectant”
There is this tiring trope that happens in media. The villain has been deceiving the populace of a town, country, or galaxy for the entire runtime. It seems like they will never face justice, but then our hero steps onto a stage with evidence or leaks a hot mic recording to the public, and the villain's secret gets revealed. The crowd instantly turns on them, and the day is saved.
By Alex Mell-Taylor11 months ago in Geeks
The Anti-Trans Fans of 'Hogwarts Legacy' & The Consumers Who Ignore Them
Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world RPG by Avalanche Software set in the Harry Potter universe. This game takes place in the 1800s, approximately a hundred years before the original books. It is set against the backdrop of a goblin rebellion as well as the emergence of a new, forgotten form of magic.
By Alex Mell-Taylor11 months ago in Geeks
- Top Story - January 2023
Explaining How the George Floyd Uprising Was Quickly ForgottenTop Story - January 2023
I remember when I first heard about George Floyd's death. My partner had asked if I had heard about this new police shooting of a Black man, and I mistakenly thought he was referring to Tony McDade, a Black Trans man who was murdered two days later. I was confused by people suddenly caring about Floyd when I had already seen the videos that year of so many Black men and women killed by the police.
By Alex Mell-Taylor11 months ago in The Swamp
The Environmentalist Message at the Heart of Disney's 'Strange World'
Disney's Strange World is about a fantastical land entirely different from our own, filled with fantastic locals and strange creatures. A central throughline in the film, like most Disney properties, is about familial expectations. The explorer Jaeger Clade wants his son Searcher to follow in his footsteps and find a way over the impassable mountain chain surrounding their country of Avalonia. This expectation causes a rift in Jaeger and Searcher's relationship that continues into the present.
By Alex Mell-Taylor11 months ago in Geeks
‘Glass Onion’ Shows Us The Power Of Breaking Shit
The sequel to Knives Out is about detective Benoit Blanc tagging along to a rich billionaire’s murder mystery party on a private Grecian island. This game quickly turns quite deadly as murder breaks out. Benoit and a surprise companion must snoop around this Elon Musk/Mark Zuckerberg-inspired estate to find the real culprit.
By Alex Mell-Taylor11 months ago in Geeks
Our Obsession with Westeros (and Royalty in General) Is Unhealthy
I am a huge fantasy fan. I have watched all three Lord of the Rings movies back to back with accompanying meals (yes, even elevensies). I am religiously gobbling up fantasy content such as the Rings of Power, Sandman, and, yes, even the new Game of Thrones spinoff, The House of The Dragon (see my take on the latter here).
By Alex Mell-Taylor11 months ago in Geeks
Spoilers Can Be A Moral Good, Actually
I have always been skeptical of spoiler warnings because it seems to be more about preserving an individual's "social capital" (i.e., securing benefits from social relationships and networks) than about art. The fact that many people don't care about spoiling old media or non-plot-related parts like its score or special effects makes this whole concept suspicious. If going into a piece of media "raw" is the best way to view it, why should its age matter? Why even have trailers or promotional material?
By Alex Mell-Taylor12 months ago in Geeks
