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Music

The Story of The Ballad of Cleopatra

As far as modes of storytelling go, music videos do not immediately come to mind. I know very few people who do not enjoy music, or find it an essential part of one’s life. Whether it is as a companion to a commute, or background to work or studying, or even as the conduit for relaxation, music has become the subtle soundtrack to our everyday lives. However, music videos are less considered. Music videos are an interesting form of art, specifically in the explicit storytelling theme they take on. Visual companions for songs, they have taken the track of short…

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Movies

Feminism in Mad Max

Hey guys! This week, I decided to post a shortened version of an essay on Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) I wrote for a film class. The course was focused on action films, and I chose to write about the surprisingly feminist tones that Mad Max: Fury Road employed, particularly embodied in the character Imperator Furiosa. These are some of the factors that made it such an incredible film in my opinion! Give it a read and let me know what you think!  Spoiler warning: there are some spoilers for the movie so if you haven’t seen it, read at your discretion! The film…

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Books

The Importance of Autobiographies

As a fiction lover, I rarely deviate from my preferences to consider non-fiction or creative non-fiction options, like autobiographies or biographies, even though they have had prominent places in literature. Some like, The Diary of Young Girl by Anne Frank and Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings have even been credited as the best autobiographies of all time. Similarly, the autobiographies of famous personalities, including political figures such as Malcom X, Nelson Mandela, Ghandi and more recently Barack Obama are seen as important insights into the political issues of our time. Other autobiographies, such as that of…

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Reflections

“Black Mirror”: U.K. vs U.S.

If any of you have watched the show Black Mirror, created by Charlie Brooker, you know it’s not a show to watch when you want something light-hearted. That’s not to say it’s not incredible: in fact, I find it to be one of the most pertinent and poignant television series of our time. The concept and structure is not entirely revolutionary; in fact, it is often described as a modern day twist on The Twilight Zone, utilizing both its anthology structure and suspenseful nature. Black Mirror maintains its consistency by having one key concept at its core: it looks at…

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Books

Is the Joker Really a Villain?

I’ve recently found myself in the mood for non-traditional forms of literature, specifically graphic novels and this got me onto thinking about one of my favourite characters in comic book history: The Joker. Real name unknown, the Joker is probably the ultimate supervillain from the Batman universe, a mastermind criminal with a slightly bizarre aesthetic, but hey, I’m not going to judge. One of Batman’s earliest foe, the Joker has developed alongside the hero, taking on layers upon layers to create the entity that he is today: a mysterious, intense, terrifying and genius killer. Knowing all this, I am still…

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Reflections

Why You Should Watch “Bojack Horseman”

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am obsessed with Netflix’s adult animated TV series Bojack Horseman. Today’s post centers on why this show has become a surprising all-time-favourite of mine, and why I think everyone should give it a chance. Oftentimes, people assume that animated shows won’t be “adult” enough, as there is a subconscious association of cartoons with kids or “child-like” material. Of course, classic shows like The Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park, and Futurama are a few examples of just how adult cartoons can be. Recent examples are Archer, Bob’s Burgers, and Big Mouth, and that’s…

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