A look at a classic film’s depiction of autism and that developmental disability’s subsequent treatment three decades later By Nils Skudra I first watched Rain Man, a 1988 cult classic film starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman, when I was much younger and in the early stages of finding out more a…

One of the film’s significant strides is found in its focus on a strong female autistic protagonist since most movie depictions of autism feature male protagonists on the spectrum. By Nils Skudra On recent occasion I had the opportunity watch the newly released film “Please Stand By,” featuring Dak…

Normal People Scare Me is playing on Netflix and available for purchase on the Normal Films website By Nils Skudra On a recent occasion I had the opportunity to watch the 2006 documentary “Normal People Scare Me,” directed by teenage filmmaker Taylor Cross and his mother Keri Bowers (who happens to …

“Roman J. Israel, Esq.” takes a unique approach as a film about autism since its portrayal is made from the vantage point of an African-American lawyer with Asperger’s Syndrome,” Nils Skudra By Nils Skudra On a recent occasion I had the opportunity to watch the film “Roman J. Israel, Esq.,” s…

By Nils Skudra The ABC miniseries “The Good Doctor,” which has become an extremely popular television show of late, features the English actor Freddie Highmore as Shaun Murphy, a young medical genius with “high-functioning autism” and Savant Syndrome. In the TV Series, Shawn is hired at …

“I wish people would understand that Asperger’s/Autism does not inhibit individuals from achieving their intellectual and professional potential. Autism presents significant social challenges but can also provide some key advantages such as the ability to process information more quickly, a greater …

Many a passer-by has sneered, “Hey, buddy, that dog’s walking you! You’re the boss! Take control!” By Nils Skudra Years ago my beloved service animal, a bichon frise named Beauregard (after the same guy who ordered the firing of the first shots on Fort Sumter) succumbed to renal failure. When I grad…

By Nils Skudra I have been interested in the American Civil War from approximately five years old, and at this time I began to draw a great many pictures of historical scenes, primarily detailing that particular conflict and era. I also developed an interest in the American Revolution, World War I, …