Month: May 2021
-
Why ‘G.B.F.’ (2013) is Pretty Good, Actually
This review contains mild spoilers. G.B.F. is a 2013 feature film written by George Northy and directed by Darren Stein (Jawbreaker). G.B.F., which stands for “gay best friend”, tells the story of Tanner Daniels (Michael J. Willett), a closeted high school student who is “more than content to fly under the radar and leave the trailblazing…
-
Quarantined with ‘The Platform’ a Horror/Thriller that Somewhat Parallels the Pandemic
It’s dark, uncomfortable, and there are things that don’t make sense.
-
“The Slumber Party Massacre” Satirizes Slasher Tropes While They Are Still Being Established
The Slumber Party Massacre wonderfully combines the suspense of its horror with its commentary on gender, creating a memorable slasher classic that began a horror trilogy entirely written and directed by women.
-
Why “The Birdcage” is Still Worth Celebrating 25 Years Later
Perhaps the most amazing and groundbreaking quality about The Birdcage is how removed it is from both illness and insensitivity. Whereas films preceding it were often somber stories about the tribulations of being gay in a conservatively straight world, Nichols and screenwriter Elaine May expose the fallacies of conservatism as traditional values are thrown into…
-
A New Masculinity: “The Mandalorian” Redefines Male Representation in Star Wars
The Mandolorian has a more nuanced and commentative take on masculinity that refrains from praising the toxic traits associated with the social category, while also showing a more positive and transformative representation of masculine characters.
-
Why the #OscarsSoWhite Boycott Should Not Be Forgotten Just Yet
Even after a history changing event, the 93rd Oscars proved it always had the space for more inclusivity in its award ceremony. But it this enough to change the boycott?
-
“She’s Gotta Have It” was Ahead of the Curve in Portrayal of Female Sexuality
In Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It (1986), we follow the love life of powerful female protagonist Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) and explore the relationship dynamics she has with her partners. She sees three men simultaneously: Greer Childs, (John Canada Terrell) Mars Blackmon (Spike Lee), and Jamie Overstreet (Tommy Redmond Hicks). Though an 80’s…
-
Pixar’s Objectification Obsession in “Inner Workings” and Beyond
Like all modern societal phenomenons, it started with a meme. This one highlighted that when there’s a mom in a Pixar film, she is almost without fail given striking curves that highlight the bottom half of her body following a minuscule waist. From Elastigirl to the skeletal Mama Imelda, the animation giant’s artists seem to…
-
Stowaway: Netflix’s Latest Space Hit
In Stowaway, director Joe Penna narrates the story of a starship crew (Anna Kendrick as Zoe Levenson; Toni Collette as Marina Barnett; and Daniel Dae Kim as David Kim) struggling with serious technical problems on a two-year mission to Mars. During the trip, they discover aboard the presence of Michael (Shamier Anderson), a stowaway who…
-
“Bliss” is Magnetic Despite its Flaws
Bliss describes itself as “a mind-bending love story”, and it delivers. Greg (Owen Wilson) begins his journey as a very average, workaday introvert whose serendipitous misfortune leads him to Isabel (Salma Hayek). As her nomadic, rebellious spirit draws him into her “off the grid” lifestyle, she possesses and shares with him an unusual set of…