Month: April 2021
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Millennial Woes Done Right
A messy millennial in an on-and-off relationship with liminal job prospects has been a saturated archetype since Lena Dunham stretched it to its limit for 5 years in her series Girls. It has been haphazardly recreated in many character study-esque television series and tries to worm its way in as b-plots in coming-of-age films. Occasionally…
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Violation & The Misused Shock-Horror of Sexual Assault
TW: Sexual Assault, Body Horror, Animal Violence // Spoilers below There is no more delicate a topic to portray than sexual assault and, because of its heaviness, it seldom gets the attention and discussion it deserves. However, when it is represented in some capacity, it is usually in an explicit and exploitative way that is…
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Dog Day Afternoon’s Flawed But Progressive Message
Sidney Lumit’s Dog Day Afternoon (1975), based on a true story, opens with several wholesome shots of urban America à la A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945), but fifty years later. After seeing a boy play baseball, a dog rifle through trash, and a boat pull up to a loading dock, you might think you’re…
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Zack Snyder’s ‘Justice League’ Is the Movie We Deserve
Like millions around the world, I’ve been waiting four years for the renowned #SnyderCut. I’ll never forget sitting in the theater on opening night, witnessing a CGI mouth on Henry Cavill’s face about five seconds into Justice League. That’s a thing of nightmares if I must say. Anyways, right then and there, I knew I…
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“Abominable” is not Abominable at all
“Abominable” is an exciting story for children and a great step forward for positive Asian representation.
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The Heroes of “Hustlers”
“Hustlers” returns power to groups that are traditionally deprived of it: women, the working class, and sex workers.
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Why we shouldn’t let “Contagion” scare us
Fiction doesn’t have to be the model for how our real-life pandemic plays out. Here’s how we can avoid the dangers shown in “Contagion.”
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“Godzilla vs. Kong” is pure, stupid fun
“Godzilla vs. Kong” is all style and very little substance. It’s also the most fun I’ve had in months.
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“Le Bonheur” and the Feminism of Varda
Le Bonheur (Happiness) is the third feature film from the late and great Agnès Varda. Released in 1965, the film follows François, a man who seemingly has it all—he’s happily married to his wife, Thérèse, and has two children who he loves deeply. François’ life takes a turn, however, when he meets Émilie, a post…
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“Driveways” Review
“Driveways” is a nuanced portrait of an Asian American family, touching on themes of loss, growth, and belonging.