Articles written by Mary Ratliff

What is Helium

About me - Mary Ratliff

Years ago, E.T. captured me and held me hostage. I've been addicted to movies ever since.

I have a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Film and Photography and a minor in Art History. In other words, I love to try to explain things that probably don't need explaining.

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Entertainment > Movie Characters & Performances Scariest movie monsters: The images that stay with you: 2 of 32
When I'm laying awake at night, hearing creepy noises and looking out unable to see into the dark, there are several monsters that come to my mind, and start appearing in the shadows.The one who has been there longest has been Freddy Krueger. I can't remember if my uncle was supposed to be babysitting me, or if I snuck in and... More..
Entertainment > Celebrity Commentary Will Britney Spears' new album revive her singing career?: 9 of 47
If you do a quick internet search for Britney Spears, you will clearly see all the reasons why her singing career will never be revived, and will never again become what it was.No one talks about her voice anymore. They don't really talk about the beats, the writing, the messages of the songs. There are no objective opinions ... More..
Relationships & Family > Dating Dilemmas Long-distance love: Can it work?: 39 of 126
People seem to look for any excuse not to be in a relationship.I don't want to ruin our friendship. He has a cat and I like dogs better. My new favorite is "We're geographically incompatible."These are exactly what they sound like: excuses. If you like someone, you should be willing to work to be with them. You should be will... More..
Computers & Technology > Internet Trends Is online video/Internet TV here to stay?: 25 of 78
This history of film is a history of change, fast-paced and inevitable. We started with a quick zoetrope of a horse running. We moved on to nickelodeons, and in less than 100 years we've advanced so far that we have feature length films at our fingertips.At each leap ahead, someone has said "it will never last." Motion pictur... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie previews: Dragons of Autumn Twilight: 1 of 1
Dragons of Autumn Twilight is a movie that was a long time coming. Fans of the books have been waiting decades to see the characters brought to life on the big screen. Now, they have to settle for a direct to DVD animation.Sadly, they are simply settling for a sub-par adaptation. The animation is bad, the fight sequences espe... More..
Entertainment > Movie Genres What makes a favorite movie?: 5 of 9
A favorite movie is one that is with you for days. One where you leave the theater with questions, but not too many.One that months later, you can still quote your favorite scene.A favorite movie can be watched 100 times and still feel new.Movies where you can say one line in a crowd, and have a handful of people chant the ne... More..
Entertainment > Music Business Should the music industry allow writers to quote song lyrics without permission?: 11 of 18
There is a difference between permission and attribution. Should a writer of any type be able to quote without attribution? No, absolutely not. There is no question there.But there is a deep partnership between writers and music. When working on a novel, an author might easily be struck by a song that resonates with them, tha... More..
Computers & Technology > Website Reviews Website reviews: televisionwithoutpity.com: 5 of 8
One of the most dangerous things you can do during your workday, or when you have a project due, is to point your browser at Television Without Pity.You won't resurface for a few hours, but when you do rise for air you will have tears streaming down your face from the laughter and your humor will suddenly have become even mor... More..
Relationships & Family > Married Life You, your spouse and World of Warcraft: A semi-healthy relationship: 12 of 17
There is a type of person out there that understands the relationship between a gamer and their World of Warcraft addiction. It is a strange companionship, and a demanding one. If you're serious about the game, you could spend hours on it just trying to get the one item you're looking for. You want to level, to finish quests,... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: Learning a new instrument as an adult: 14 of 19
I wanted to play saxophone more than anything else I had wanted during fifth grade. There was only one thing that stood in my way: our middle school band required you to pass a test to get in.It was supposedly a simple test. You listened to two notes and wrote down which was higher. There were some other exercises too, but th... More..