Tag: FilmReview

Culture & Reviews

The Drama of Sublimation: Ugly Truths, Radicalised Youth and the Crisis of Connection

Jasmine Piakan

Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama arrives like a Molotov cocktail lobbed into the wedding-industrial complex. Zendaya’s Emma and Robert Pattinson’s Charlie are the sort of couple neoliberal culture sells us as aspirational: cultured, attractive, ostensibly secure in Boston’s creative class. He’s a museum curator; she’s a literary editor. Their meet-cute is awkward-cute, their engagement photoshoots absurdly… Continue reading The Drama of Sublimation: Ugly Truths, Radicalised Youth and the Crisis of Connection

Culture & Reviews

How “Change” Gaslights You Into Giving Up Your Freedom

Jasmine Piakan

Watching “Anniversary" is an experience similar to one of those unsettling dreams where it feels normal at first, but bit by bit, it starts to feel like the walls are closing in. The narrative follows the affluent Taylor family in Washington through a series of personal milestones—wedding anniversaries, holiday gatherings, birthdays—using these celebrations as benchmarks… Continue reading How “Change” Gaslights You Into Giving Up Your Freedom

Culture & Reviews

Sinners: A Blood Soaked Tale Of The Blues

Jasmine Piakan

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is a searing hot showcase of the tradition of cultural vampirism, where Black art is both coveted and condemned. It is a film about yearning; not just for blood, but for freedom, love, music, and survival. Do not mistake this for just another vampire film because Coogler has crafted something far more powerful. The… Continue reading Sinners: A Blood Soaked Tale Of The Blues

Culture & Reviews

Reimagining Fairy Tales: Disney’s Snow White

Jasmine Piakan

The 2025 live-action adaptation of Snow White had the potential to be one of the most magical reimaginings of a Disney classic, but ultimately falls short of expectations. As a fan of the original fairytale and Disney’s legacy of storytelling, I found myself both captivated and frustrated by this adaptation. It is a film that attempts to… Continue reading Reimagining Fairy Tales: Disney’s Snow White

Culture & Reviews

Black Bag: An Espionage Tale with Style AND Substance

Jasmine Piakan

Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag is a cinematic gem that showcases the director’s unparalleled ability to create compelling and stylish thrillers. With its sleek visuals, captivating performances, and a story that keeps you wondering what will happen next, Black Bag is a spy thriller already on my rewatch list. At a short and sweet 94 minutes, the film is a… Continue reading Black Bag: An Espionage Tale with Style AND Substance

Culture & Reviews

Mickey 17: A Sci-Fi Satire That’s Goofy and Brilliant

Jasmine Piakan

If you have followed Bong Joon-ho’s directorial career, from the monster movie The Host to his Oscar triumph Parasite, you know the man has made critiquing capitalism his cinematic mission. His films are rarely subtle. Instead, they function as bold, often blood-soaked indictments of systems that commodify human existence. What makes his work unique, though, is how he… Continue reading Mickey 17: A Sci-Fi Satire That’s Goofy and Brilliant