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365 Days has had a lot of hype and controversy since its release on Netflix. Some love it for its erotic scenes, some hate it for its glamorization of abuse. But how problematic is the film and is it worth it for its steamier moments? Continue reading Review: 365 Days
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I actually hated Pretty Woman (1990) the first time I watched it. I was just coming into feminist consciousness when my mother put it on after years of raving that it was her favourite rom-com. I felt betrayed that she deemed it in any way romantic. Richard Gere with his male saviour complex comes along to sweep Julia Roberts off her feet? Yuck. These conservative sexual politics are what a lot of people dislike about the film thirty years on, or it’s the case that people like the film in spite of them. However, as I grew up and my initial repulsion evolved into critical and somewhat guilty enjoyment, I realised Pretty Woman’s biggest issue is not that it is outdated, but that it isn’t. In its approach to sex work, the film is as old hack as the current discussions surrounding sex workers’ rights. Continue reading The Capitalist with a Heart of Gold? And Hollywood’s Issue with Sex work
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The last book I read was P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern. Telling the story of Holly, a young widow from Ireland, P.S. I Love You is Irish author Ahern’s debut novel. The story is centred around love and grief; it is both sad and happy, heartwarming and heartbreaking. Continue reading Reading Corner: P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern
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Money Heist (La casa de papel) is one of the best shows on Netflix. It is gritty, addictive, and thought-provoking – a must watch. The Spanish language thriller follows a group of criminals, known as the resistance, who attempt to rob Spain’s Royal Mint through a complex plan strategized by their leader, the Professor. To keep their identities hidden, the members of the group each give themselves the names of cities such as Tokyo, Rio, and Nairobi. This marks them as the underdogs of society, endearing us to them from the outset. Continue reading Review: Money Heist
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Elite is a Spanish teen crime drama that promises to be a clichéd high school murder mystery but is actually a gritty and culturally relevant drama. Teenage high school shows on Netflix have been getting worse and worse for a long time. This reached a peak in the musical episodes of Riverdale, and the predictable plots that run through every Netflix original. Comparatively, Elite feels like a breath of fresh air. Continue reading Review: Elite
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In writing this I tried to narrow down Terry Pratchett’s novels to a particular book, or even a particular strand of books. Whilst the current political climate drew me towards the Watch novels (in particular Night Watch), each time I thought I had distilled the series down to my favourite book, I remembered another brilliant part of a different book. That, I think, is the joy of the Discworld books – they are broad enough to suit all occasions. Continue reading Reading Corner: Discworld Books by Terry Pratchett
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**SPOILERS AHEAD** Co-written by current showrunner Suzanne Heathcote and season four showrunner Laura Neal, ‘Are You Leading or Am I?’ is a satisfying ending to a rollercoaster of a season. It ends with less of a bang than the previous two seasons, but by no means with fewer twists. It sees Villanelle throw in the towel on her career as an assassin, and Eve turns … Continue reading Living for Killing Eve: Ep. 8 – Are You Leading or Am I?
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**SPOILERS AHEAD**
‘Beautiful Monster’ ramps up Killing Eve’s pace. While series three has taken a more languid quality, prioritising character development over fast-paced action, the penultimate episode returns to an intensity reminiscent of the earlier series, building towards the series finale. This makes for the most exciting episode of the series so far, pushing closer to solving the series’ mysteries and providing some shock moments along the way. Continue reading Living for Killing Eve: Ep. 7 – Beautiful Monster
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Charli XCX announced that she was working on her fourth album via a zoom call with fans on April 6th, giving herself the close deadline of May 15th. At a few points in the month it felt as though meeting this deadline would be a close call, but once again, Charli has lived up to the hype and released an 11-track record reflecting on life in quarantine in California. Before I press play, I think we need to acknowledge that this was written, produced, and released in the space of 39 days. OF COURSE, it would be Charli to set herself this challenge while living through a pandemic. With her third full album release being only 8 months ago, I think this album proves that she deserves all the credit she gets for being one of the most innovative, hardworking people in music at the moment. Continue reading Review: how i’m feeling now by Charli XCX
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**SPOILERS AHEAD** Netflix’s new coming-of-age show Never Have I Ever ticks all the boxes for a series of its genre. It’s funny, sweet and charming, with fifteen-year-old protagonist Devi coming across as lovable and, at times, frustrating. We empathise with her and her problems, mostly grieving for her father, struggling with bullies at school, pressure from her family, and making big mistakes, all with typical teenage … Continue reading Review: Never Have I Ever
