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Movies

Black Horror: Racial Commentary in ‘Get Out’

American history is dominated by stories of endless violence towards black people. It is by no means an understatement to say that the lives of countless black individuals are faced by horrors that should be unimaginable in this day and age. Their lives mimic the constant state of tension and anticipation of something bad. And it is for this exact reason that the horror genre has been such a great tool for social commentary, specifically of exposing the reality of racism in North America. Jordon Peele’s 2017 horror film Get Out has been praised as one of the most popular…

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Videogames

What the Gender-Bias in Videogames Reveals

It is a common stereotype that women who like to play videogames are considered a ‘lad’s girl’, a girl different from other girls, and a rare discovery. However, statistics show that female gamers are not uncommon. In 2015 a report released by Pew Research Center [1]reported that although findings had shown an equal number of American men and women played videogames, only 3.3% of those games starred female protagonists. In 2019, Statista articulated that 46% of all gamers in the US were female. Nevertheless, every time I tell someone that I enjoy playing videogames, I am met with shock and surprise.…

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TV Shows

Normal People: Accurate Mental Health Representation on the Small Screen

Trigger Warning: The following post includes mention of mental illness and suicide. In 2018, Sally Rooney, author of Conversation With Friends, came out with her highly anticipated second novel. And less than 2 years later it has been adapted into a Hulu/BBC mini-series. This rapid turnover is virtual unheard of in the book industry, where it can be years, even decades before a film or show adaption is considered (e.g. Good Omens, American Gods, Shadowhunters). One reason for this is that most book lovers, myself included very rarely enjoy book adaptations, be they TV shows or movies (though there definitely…

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TV Shows

The Stranger: When Plot is Sacrificed for Views

There’s a feeling particularly delightful of watching the first episode of a show and getting that feeling in your chest where you just know this is going to be a show you cannot stop watching. Unfortunately for me, that feeling more often than not ends up twisting into a bitter disappointment by the end, feeling as if you were robbed of the deserved ending. That was how I felt about the Netflix original series, The Stranger, adapted from Harlan Coben’s 2005 book of the same name.  Going into the series I felt incredibly excited, namely because I have an unsubtle…

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Academic

How To: Essay Types

The intent of the essay is an important factor of every essay. If one is unsure of what kind of essay they are attempting to write, it is likely that the reader will be just as uncertain, which is exactly what you do not want. There are various types of essays and knowing what they are and what the generally aim of each are is the first to building a good foundation for a successful essay. It provides direction and gives an initial idea on how the ideas in your essay should be organised. At times, the type of essay…

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Books

Circe: Quarantine Book Club

There’s no doubt that this period of quarantine and social distancing has disrupted plenty of routines around the world. Moreso, it has disrupted many people’s sense of hope and positivity. It is unquestionably a difficult time, which is why it is more important than ever to reach out to those you love and who can support you and you them. For just this reason, my university friends and I set up a Quarantine Book Club! Getting together (virtually) every other week or so to talk about a new book we have all read has been a great way to check…

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