Since its 2007 release, Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series has honoured three generations of PlayStation consoles with its preeminent fable. The quartet of video games follows treasure-hunter Nathan Drake, accompanied by mentor Victor Sully and reporter Elena Fisher, as he quests for ancient treasures and mysteries across the world. Uncharted is[Read More…]
Film and TV
Fact or fiction? Creative liberties in biopics
Biographical movies are not a recent phenomenon. From Lawrence of Arabia to Malcolm X, biopics in modern cinema have consistently met commercial success, as audiences seem to have an interest in seeing the lives of famous figures dramatized. But there is always the risk of biopics misrepresenting the lives of[Read More…]
‘Too Hot to Handle’ season three enforces unhealthy sexual values
The Netflix series Too Hot to Handle’s season three presents an even hotter, more dramatic mess than its previous seasons of scandal. The dating show brings 10 horny young adult participants on an erotic vacation, only to enforce sexual abstinence after the 12-hour mark. The show documents the contestants as[Read More…]
Rest in Peace, gold-hearted Betty White
Television comedian and actress Betty White passed away on Dec. 31, just three weeks before her 100th birthday. Often nicknamed the “grandmother of America,” White had the rare quality of being beloved by all, regardless of generation or political stance. The actress leaves behind a spectacular legacy as a pioneer[Read More…]
Pop Dialectic: The duality of dark teen dramas
Content Warning: Mentions of drug addiction and sexual violence. Even for university students, TV shows that centre teenage characters in and around high school have widespread appeal. Skins, which premiered in 2007, and Euphoria, which premiered in 2019, stand apart from other shows for their brutal depictions of partying, drug[Read More…]
‘The Lost Daughter’ dares to grant nuance to mothers in film
Warning: spoilers ahead Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut The Lost Daughter, released on Netflix on Dec. 31, contains all the familiar ingredients of a substantial horror film: Dark omens, riveting tension, and a score that has the audience constantly bracing for impact. Despite the film’s mundane activity and warm setting, its[Read More…]
What we liked this winter break
The return to class, whether online or in person, following the holiday season is a frustrating yet familiar struggle for McGill students. As per tradition, the Arts and Entertainment team used their time off to take in lots of exciting TV, movies, and books. Here’s the best of what we[Read More…]
‘Anxious People’ is underwhelming as a TV series
Content warning: Mentions of suicide, drug addiction, and violence Being a bank robber isn’t easy. From attempting to rob a cashless bank, to accidentally taking eight lovable yet bizarre people hostage at an open house, Anxious People’s anti-hero has found himself in a no-win situation. However, as police storm the[Read More…]
‘Don’t Look Up’ is a bad joke with no punchline
With a laughably talented cast and a whopping $75-million budget, Netflix’s original film Don’t Look Up generates lofty expectations that it ultimately fails to meet. The film follows astronomers Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) and Dr. Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio)’s attempt to warn the U.S. government and general public about a comet[Read More…]
‘The French Dispatch’ is a shallow, inconsequential vanity project
A new Wes Anderson film is an event in and of itself. How could it not be? In the last decade, the American filmmaker has become an international sensation, having produced iconic films like the delightful Moonlight Kingdom (2012), and the Oscar-winning The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). Love him or[Read More…]
