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(09/24/23 11:14pm)
Workplace dramas are no newcomers to our television screens. From medical series like Grey’s Anatomy, to police comedies like Brooklyn 99, it would seem that general audiences like to spend their time after a 9–to–5 watching other people in their own 9–to–5s. It’s no real surprise that a legal drama like Suits, starring Gabriel Macht and Patrick J. Adams, would rack up numbers—but if the show premiered in 2011, why is it suddenly blowing up in 2023?
(09/13/23 12:00pm)
In the realm of cinema history, it has become rare to be surprised by the superhero genre, especially by origin stories. Unfortunately, “Blue Beetle” adheres to a generic formula as it introduces Jaime Reyes, his family, and the alien scarab that grants him superhuman abilities. From initial reluctance to acceptance of the “call to adventure,” to personal tragedies, Jamie goes through all the commonplaces in his first live–action contact with the public. Still, the film based on DC Comics manages to stand out and disappoint at the same time, thanks to the “Latinidade” brought by director Ángel Manuel Soto.
(09/13/23 4:00am)
By now, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie requires no preamble. The film has not only grossed over $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office but has become a cultural phenomenon of proportions not seen by a major studio film in years. “Hi, Barbie!” and “I am Kenough” have already entered the mainstream lexicon, and the film’s soundtrack has been successful, with Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night,” Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s “Barbie World,” and Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” all charting on the Billboard Hot 100. Along with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, Barbie has been hailed as a saving grace for the film industry: an original story backed by a big–budget studio that features two movie stars and has delivered both critically and commercially.
(09/08/23 4:00am)
When put in the always–uncomfortable situation of sharing fun fact ice breakers, my go–to answer has always been, “My home town is obsessed with zombies.” It’s more than a little strange and, while not a lie, there’s more to the story. Night of the Living Dead, the horror movie credited with first bringing zombies to the big screen and putting an unexpected critique of racial tensions onscreen in the 60s, was filmed in my hometown’s cemetery. Moreover, that cemetery is right behind the backyard of my childhood home. As a kid, I could slip between the grave stones and envision hoards of corpses stalking me. I have a love–hate relationship with zombie media, because it's so integral to how I grew up and because, to this day, I still occasionally wake up in sweat and terror over a nightmare of living through the apocalypse. “They’re coming to get you, Barbara!” Oh, the amount of times I’ve heard that line.
(09/06/23 12:16am)
The Cannes Film Festival is addicting. Not just because of the luxurious assemblage of the grandest and most star–studded films of the year, all demanding one's attention, but because it's combined with the frantic atmosphere of a carnival. Covering the festivity for a Chinese media outlet, I attended the 76th Cannes Film Festival this May. Every morning—even after a mere four hours of sleep—in a small apartment I shared with four other reporters, I was instantly energized by yet another day exclusively dedicated to a cinematic world: where every conversation, every chance encounter, belonged to a magical experience.
(09/06/23 12:00pm)
“I’m certainly not cutting open brains today, I’ll tell you that,” Jonnell Burke (C’18) laughs over our Zoom call in early August, almost one hundred days into the WGA strike. But her cog–neuro degree is, oddly enough, where she first got interested in entertainment. She tells me that one of her professors encouraged her to take classes that were “all the different building blocks of how your brain works,” like philosophy, logic, and anything else that helped Burke become “a more holistic person.”
(03/13/23 4:00am)
Kim Petras and Sam Smith stunned this year’s Grammys with a killer performance of their release “Unholy,” surrounded by fire and luxurious Valentino wear. Petras sparkled in a red dress—not even the cage could diminish her stellar voice and fanfare from the crown. Smith performed in a bizarre red top hat with devilish horns. In the days following the award show, conservatives criticized the performance “sent from hell.” It’s clear that Petras and Smith walked away from the 65th Grammy Awards leaving an astounded crowd on every side.
(04/12/22 4:28pm)
After years of yielding to the stereotypical roles of Ravi from Jessie and Baljeet from Phineas and Ferb, the unstoppable Hollywood force who is Shonda Rhimes has provided South Asians—specifically South Asian women—with a breath of fresh air. Her casting choices for Netflix's Bridgerton Season 2 in selecting two dark skin Tamilian actresses for the show’s leads, paired with the subtlety of cultural hints throughout the show, is exactly what this community has been longing for. Simone Ashley’s Kate Sharma and Charithra Chandran’s Edwina Sharma are the Parvati and Padma Patil redemption that was so desperately needed after decades.
(04/06/22 4:00am)
Dating online has a bad reputation already—the horror stories are endless and only seem to get worse with time. Television and media have illustrated distinctly the potential dangers of meeting a stranger online and getting a meal or a cup of coffee together. Hulu’s newly buzzed–about movie Fresh shows exactly that, in the initial scenes where Daisy Edgar–Jones’ Noa sits down for yet another failed date with yet another misogynistic douchebag. Maybe this feels familiar to you, maybe not, but this scene encapsulates the awkwardness and frankly, contemporary patheticness that revolves around first dates that are definitely not going anywhere.
(03/21/22 11:37pm)
Ruddy cheeks and a halo of blonde flyaway hairs—the portrait of Elizabeth Holmes might almost be cherubic were it not for her hauntingly still, icy pupils. A hand raises, thumb quivering, and a deep voice falls out of the woman, swearing to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” This was the scene in a San Francisco courtroom on the morning of July 11, 2017.
(03/17/22 4:31pm)
Everyone spends their whole life dreaming about their perfect wedding day, right?
(03/01/22 5:37pm)
From shows like Gossip Girl and Euphoria to Sex and the City and Friends, both high schoolers and late twenty–somethings get their fair share of media representation. By focusing on teenagers and adults trying to figure life out, Hollywood consistently overshadows the ups and downs of being a young adult or college student. Many young adults either have to base their lives on characters who are supposed to be younger than them or aspire to one day be the characters they see on TV that are way older than them.
(03/01/22 5:55pm)
"Once upon a time there was a railroad line / Don't ask where, brother, don't ask why / It was the road to Hell / It was hard times"—these seemingly unspirited lyrics are sung in an extremely cheerful, uplifting tone as those singing them clap and dance on the stage. It's a fascinating contradiction.
(03/24/22 5:00pm)
When you think of Reese Witherspoon, chances are you think of her performance as the lovable Elle Woods, the Harvard Law student from the 2001 classic Legally Blonde. In many respects, Witherspoon is nothing like Woods; she never went to Harvard University (she dropped out of Stanford instead), attended law school, or chased a boyfriend across the country to get back together. But Witherspoon shares Woods’ ambition and drive to succeed and make change. For Witherspoon, this change has been found in the entertainment industry with her production company, Hello Sunshine, which sold for about $900 million in August 2021.
(11/30/21 12:46am)
I walk towards Houston Hall on a windy, brisk fall day in November. College senior Eli Ricanati calmly waits for me on a bench, in a confident manner. His confidence is warranted, given the success of his first short film released in October: The Frontiers Are My Prison.
(12/10/21 5:00am)
Todd Haynes’ The Velvet Underground translates the band into energy, embodying the people, art, and sounds of New York City during the rise of experimental rock. The 2021 documentary mimics the hypnotic nature of Andy Warhol’s influence and The Velvet Underground at its height. Similar to Warhol’s work, Haynes’ documentary holds the potential to “extend time,” drawing out the narratives of each band member and their respective contributions to the group. Rather than creating a chronological—or purely historical—account of The Velvet Underground, Haynes recreates the same temporal dissonance that is emulated in their music. By doing so, Haynes expands the definition of the band, whose influence has extended beyond the music industry and into a cultural phenomenon.
(11/17/21 9:00pm)
It’s that time of the year again—November means Thanksgiving, daylight savings, and the return of Mariah Carey’s Christmas album. For the unlucky high school seniors, it marks the beginning of the dreaded college application season. It might feel like a lifetime since you had to submit a college essay, but I think it’s time we revisit the age–old question of "Why Penn?" In fact, why go to college at all?
(11/17/21 11:00pm)
There are many ways for an actor to advertise a show. Saying “I was a little bit relieved when I saw my character jumping out the window” is not one of them. Sam Witwer, who portrayed Mr. Chipping in Riverdale, is not the first cast member to convey more than a slight disdain for the teen drama.
(11/16/21 1:00am)
Princess Diana, née Spencer, is one of the most beloved and adored figures of the last century. Commonly referred to as the “People’s Princess,” Diana lived a tragic yet iconic life where every decision of hers was scrutinized.
(11/15/21 11:00pm)
Once upon a time, forbidden relationships between brooding vampires and angsty humans was the standard for romance among adolescents—teenage girls in particular. The Twilight Saga, which ran from 2008 to 2012, is notorious for its ridiculous premises, cringeworthy lines, and unrealistic depictions of romantic relationships. Bella Swan and Edward Cullen’s brave defiance of social norms in the name of love is heavily undermined by their intensely codependent relationship and frequent acts of gaslighting—like in the first movie, when Edward makes Bella question her sanity when she notices his vampiric tendencies and behavior.
