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TV Shows

‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ Season Review

When the trailer for Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019) was released, I must admit that I had no idea what it was. I had no clue it was meant to be a prequel series to the 1982 film The Dark Crystal, created by Jim Henson. In fact, I had never even seen or heard of the original film at all. I do know, however, that Jim Henson and his company are renowned for being some of the most important, if not the most important, innovators of puppetry in the film and television world. Jim Henson is…

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Books

Time for a Mental Declutter – ‘Meditation Time’ Review

The end of summer, for many, marks a return to rules, regulations and an orderliness that we had neglected a bit during the summer months. Whether a student, working professional, self-employed or a parent, the lax days of summer, when the sunshine put everyone in a bit of a better mood, the days are shortening signalling the coming of the next season. As a child, and if I am honest as an adult as well, the new school year was my favourite time of the year. I loved everything about it from the new books, new stationary and a chance…

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Reviews

The Age of Disney Remakes

“The Lion King” (2019) Film Review I’m sure I speak for all of us millennial-era humans, or anyone else who grew up watching the Golden Age of Disney movies, when I say that The Lion King (1994) is a classic. You can ask anyone what their favourite Disney movie is, and The Lion King will almost always be an instant reply as being on their list. The soundtrack, all-star cast, Shakespeare-inspired concept, one of the most heartbreaking deaths of film history, and an epic redemption arc makes it one of the most lauded animation movies of all time. Simply put,…

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Books

Canongate Myth Series: The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood is one author whose name every Canadian child will hear about growing up; I am no exception. She is frequently touted in schools, dinner parties and every bookshop you walk into will be sure to have her books in prominent view. Probably best known for her dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood’s writing has always taken on topics of complexity and import, and The Penelopiad is no different. From the previous Canongate Myth Series novellas, I have read, I had begun to recognise a pattern. They were not, as is their most usual identifiers, simple retellings of Greek…

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Reviews

Stranger Things: Season 3 Review

Warning: Major Spoilers for Stranger Things Season 3 Below Stranger Things has easily become one of the most revered Netflix shows of all time, in all its synth-80s-nostalgic-horror glory. Every actor – particularly the kids on the show – is incredible, and Stranger Things embodies the current era of prestige television to a T. Over two seasons and beyond we’ve seen Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Noah Schnapp, and Caleb McLaughlin grow from teeny kids to teenagers, and it truly makes viewers feel like we are going on the journey alongside these characters in the small town of…

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Reviews

Aladdin (2019): Film Review

Before I watched the Disney live-action remake of Aladdin, I’ll admit I was a little nervous. As a South-Asian woman, I have been yearning for more South-Asian representation in media. Growing up, Disney movies Aladdin (1992) and Mulan (1998) (which Disney just released its live-action trailer for) were particularly notable in their depictions of different countries and cultures. Even though many of these characters were voiced by non-PoC actors, that never mattered to me because I was still visually seeing a diverse set of characters. I remember watching the original Aladdin and feeling such a deep sense of relatability while doing…

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