Posts tagged batch 7
Gossip Girl (2021): A Critique of the Critique

HBO has recently rebooted the beloved 2007 hit show Gossip Girl and many of the critiques given by fans have been less than stellar. On the surface, these may seem insignificant but once given a closer look, it unsurprisingly gives way for a much deeper issue: why do people have such trouble viewing BIPOC as classy?

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Veronica Huertabatch 7
Glee Is Not as Woke as You Thought

Lots of people now look back at the hit TV show Glee and recall it as being one of the most progressive shows of their childhood or teenage years. Indeed, if you consider the cast or premise of the show it has representation of people of color and people with disabilities and the plot has central LGBT themes, with many characters identifying as LGBT. However, if you take a closer look under the surface, Glee had many flaws with its representation, from LGBT characters to race issues to disabilities.

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Lindsay Wongbatch 7
A Deep Dive Into Soap Operas

Often featuring scandalous romances, scheming characters, and messy drama all around, soap operas are a unique type of television series that usually focus on domestic conflicts and are known for their continuous style of narrative. Growing up watching some of these shows, while it got me some raised eyebrows, it also gave me an understanding of why millions continue to tune in everyday. This article dives into the world of soap operas and takes a closer look into what makes them so addicting.

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Raidah Islambatch 7
When Directors Made a City Feel Alive

The most significant accomplishment a filmmaker could strive for is making their film feel alive. That doesn’t mean that they should strive for realism, and I genuinely believe that there is a distinction between the two. Here is a list of talented directors who were able to turn locations into fully breathing, tactile tools that elevated the stories they wanted to tell and ultimately became as memorable as the characters that inhabit them.


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Renato Sanezbatch 7
Why We Should Let Go of the Idea of a “Classic”

For so long, being a “cinema lover” is something you have to own, and there’s no easy guide to that. There’s no exact number of movies you’d have to watch, or which director’s work you’d have to know, however, to reference some classics is a pretty resourceful trick that will make the listener swallow their words and let your argument pass, unquestioned. But does a classic picture actually have anything that can’t be found in a production made in the 2000s?


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Psychological Horror and Modern-Day Realism: The Impact of Jordan Peele and Ari Aster 

While there are many debates continuing to take place concerning the state of horror films, filmmakers such as Jordan Peele and Ari Aster have centered commentaries about life and societal connection, especially through the lens of how reality is an everyday horror. The purpose of this article is to connect those aspects with how effective their delivery is when joined with the central themes of their work and overall tones of their films. As the horror genre is stereotyped to be cheesy, predictable, and (sometimes) lackluster, with these two filmmakers, there is a clear draw to make films centered on the human experience, specifically when referring to the everyday traumas folks endure.

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Nautia Smallsbatch 7
Watchmen and the Revolutionization of Speculative Fiction

Watchmen (2019), based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, reconstructed the ways audiences think of superheroes as well as superhero fiction itself. The series centers on manifestations of white supremacy as well as the idealization of vigilantism, which is part of what makes it distinct from other action and science-fiction media. In this essay, I will explore the way Watchmen defied the archetypes and traditions of the speculative fiction genre and the implications this may have for the future of the genre.

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Movie References in Arctic Monkeys’ Songs

Through his songs, it is clear that Alex Turner, frontman of the band Arctic Monkeys, has created a very particular world, reflected in both the lyrical and melodic aspects of his music. His taste in movies, as seen in the numerous references incorporated in his songs, is no less unique, ranging from French New Wave to American science fiction and British kitchen sink drama films. Through this list, we will discover the fascinating world which Turner has immersed himself in, offering him infinite inspiration for his songs.

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Samsha Massonbatch 7
The Magic of Moulin Rouge! 

Twenty years ago Baz Luhrmann gifted audiences Moulin Rouge! and I’ve been in love with it from the moment I first watched it. Inspired by the cabaret culture and theatrics of the real life nightclub, Moulin Rouge! tells the story of star crossed lovers Christian and Satine amid this bohemian world. Though it borrows from the likes of Elton John and Nirvana and draws inspiration from a variety of sources, the film’s postmodernist style of storytelling makes it one of the most original films of the last two decades. In this article, I discuss (and yes, gush over) the iconic movie musical that kicked off 21st century cinema with fireworks, the Can-Can, and a love story for the ages.

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Raidah Islambatch 7
Small Death for a Small Hour: The Hollow Bind

Tom Thacker’s quarantine-made The Hollow Bind leans into territories of the avant-garde, reminiscent of Jean Cocteau’s The Blood of a Poet and others of the art film category. Despite its ostensible references, there is tenacity and originality to its conception. Submerged in the vacant hostility of an artist’s studio, viewers are tempted to reconcile the definitions of artist, art, and audience—revealing their slippage.

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Jessica Moorebatch 7
Top HBO Max Picks

Already finished with Euphoria and stuck wondering what you should watch next? Well, you came to the right place. Here are five of Madeleine’s favorite HBO Max series that you need to get on ASAP!

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