In the last decade, Ryan Murphy has been a singular force to be reckoned with in the world of television. Murphy has written, directed, and produced some of the most celebrated contemporary TV shows and films, including his humble beginnings with Nip/Tuck, to the attention-grabbing anthology American Crime Story, the[Read More…]
Pop Rhetoric
The Evangelical Crux of the Bachelor franchise
“Bachelor Nation,” as the viewership of the sprawling ABC franchise affectionately refers to themselves as, watched in awe and elation during last season of The Bachelorette, when Hannah Brown dramatically sent home Luke Parker—the season’s villain—during week seven. The two had bonded over their shared Christian faith, and Parker had[Read More…]
Let meme explain: Christian Girl Autumn
In August 2019, Twitter user @bimbofication, real name Natasha, tweeted a now-iconic photo that garnered nearly 50,000 likes and a combined 20,000 retweets and quote tweets. The photo features two young white women wearing coordinated blue skinny jeans, brown ankle boots, and leather handbags. It is the kind of photo[Read More…]
A look into Robert Pattinson’s twisted sonic world
In 2005, Stephenie Meyer released Twilight, making waves in young adult literature. It was the novel’s 2008 film adaptation, though, that truly cemented The Twilight Saga in the teen cultural landscape. A major player to emerge from the series was Robert Pattinson, the British actor who portrayed vampiric protagonist Edward Cullen[Read More…]
Food YouTube must acquire the taste for a digestible future
If there is one thing in this world that transcends borders and crosses political stripes, it’s food. Closely tied to culture and identity, food acts as an equalizer that strengthens communities and our understanding of others. It is no wonder why so many television programs and networks are entirely dedicated[Read More…]
Dancing with the starring suspect
“Dancing the Paso Doble with her partner, Pasha, it’s Carole Baskin!” boomed the faceless announcer of Dancing With The Stars. Cheers and literal roars erupt as the camera pans to a man in a cage, then, to a woman opening it. As the opening chords of Survivor’s “Eye Of The[Read More…]
‘Unpregnant’ is unhelpful queer representation
HBO Max’s new film Unpregnant is not your typical teen comedy: The film explores abortion rights, the subtle casualness of rape culture, and the dominance of Christianity in America. While the plot is structured around a teenage girl’s struggle to have an abortion, Unpregnant is also a story of rekindling a lost[Read More…]
Pop Dialectic: ‘Cats’ divides theatre aficionados
Every generation has its signature so-bad-it’s-good movie: Before there was The Room, there was Showgirls, then Plan 9 From Outer Space. This week, The McGill Tribune decided to investigate Cats, the newest addition to this canon. A real cat-astrophe Gabe Nisker One cat takes a couple of attempts to launch Bustopher Jones, performed[Read More…]
Vampire Weekend’s misplaced nostalgia trip
Though latte art has long been a staple for the caffeine-addicted and financially-irresponsible youth, it’s becoming a little passé—perhaps pancake art will be the next trend in breakfast-themed artistry. Or at least that’s what Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig thinks. In the music video for “Harmony Hall,” the band’s latest[Read More…]
Aladdin remake returns to disappointing tropes
In the wake of widespread excitement for a live-action version of Lion King, Disney has been teasing the release of Guy Ritchie’s remake of Aladdin throughout the fall. Set to be released in May 2019, the film will bring to life the world of Agrabah, a faraway land of childhood dreams. As a child, the animated version of Aladdin (1992) was my first glimpse at cartoon characters that looked something like me and my family. At the time, I was overwhelmed to see a movie that depicted an Arab story, not yet aware of the movie’s many historical and cultural inaccuracies.
