Sparks have been flying in the film industry lately—but not in the romantic sense. Since May 2, thousands of screenwriters across the United States, represented by the Writers Guild of America (WGA), have declared a strike against major studios and streaming platforms. The issue on the table? What they describe[Read More…]
Tag: pop rhetoric
Justin Bieber: Canada’s wrongfully maligned hero
When we think of famous Canadians named Justin, one particular name comes to mind—and no, it’s not Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Instead, it’s pop sensation and heartthrob Justin Drew Bieber. Though the young man’s initial rise to stardom was met with admiration and praise back in 2009, the musician has[Read More…]
‘This is Actually Happening’ and the commodification of trauma
One particularly warm night this September, I found myself wide awake, sweating. Frustrated at my inability to sleep, I put on a podcast to take my mind off the heat. The show was an old favourite: This Is Actually Happening (TIAH). In high school, I listened to the show and[Read More…]
Pop Rhetoric: How TikTok democratized Broadway during a global pandemic
The first musical of its kind, Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical served up a delicious community-baked Broadway treat this January. Based on the Disney-Pixar 2007 film Ratatouille, the project began last year on Aug. 10 when TikTok user Emily Jacobsen posted a TikTok of her squeaking out a high-pitched ode to[Read More…]
Pop rhetoric: Reconciling the remake and reboot
Leave it to Hollywood to monetize the concept of history repeating itself. Film remakes and reboots are here to stay, whether you like it or not. They are profitable, and studios will continue to make them until they no longer make money. To dismiss remakes as formulaic money-grabs that have[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…]
Pop Rhetoric: OKNOTOK is not what rock and roll needs right now
For all their talk about being so vehemently anti-capitalist, and–by proxy–true to their art, Radiohead loves a good gimmick. It was around this time last year, for example, just days before the release of their first album in seven years, that the British rock band effectively erased themselves from the[Read More…]
Pop Rhetoric: Youtube star JonTron’s unfortunate foray into alt-right politics
Millions of fans around the world love Jon Jafari—the creator of the JonTronShow and former Game Grumps host. For six years, his videos have brought tears of laughter to anyone fortunate enough to have discovered his channel—yet, with his recent foray into the alt-right and white supremacist political spheres, his[Read More…]
Pop Dialectic: Film Reboots
End the Reboot Hollywood and content creators of all kinds have always been influenced by those that have come before them. Some of the greatest films of all time are based on previous works: The Godfather, To Kill a Mockingbird, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest to name a[Read More…]
Hollywood awards itself
When the Golden Globes kickstarted the awards show season on Jan. 8, the normally easy-going ceremony was set with an unusually tense energy. Award shows are a time for the entertainment industry to pat itself on the back for its accomplishments in film and television. This year, celebrities went even[Read More…]
