Winter break is all about recovering from finals, spending time with your family, and updating your Goodreads and Letterboxd accounts. Here are the best from the A&E team’s period of rest and relaxation. Book: Jia Tolentino, Trick Mirror To those unacquainted with Jia Tolentino’s writing, it might seem like an[Read More…]
Tag: Netflix
‘Queer Eye’ is in desperate need of a makeover
On March 15, Netflix released a third season of its feel-good makeover series Queer Eye. Based in Kansas City, the eight new episodes retread familiar ground: Five well-dressed gay men storm into the lives of some beleaguered individual and, through the power of a haircut, group hugs, and pep talks[Read More…]
Netflix’s ‘Sex Education’ demonstrates surprising wisdom
Following in the footsteps of shows like Big Mouth and Chewing Gum, Sex Education explores sex and the lack of knowledge that so many young people have on the subject. The series’ protagonist, Otis (Asa Butterfield), is a sexually-repressed teenager whose sex therapist single mother Jean (Gillian Anderson) doesn’t shy from embarrassing[Read More…]
The power of tidying up
Exploring the practical impacts of Marie Kondo’s new hit show
Where does ‘Roma’ belong?
With new streaming platforms appearing left and right, the battle for viewers’ attention has become increasingly diffuse. And with more and more content to sift through on a daily basis right from the comfort of one’s couch, the movie theatre’s centrality in the cultural zeitgeist has taken a major hit. It has become a major source of debate: As movies assimilate further into the household, studios will cater their projects to that kind of viewing experience.
Five science documentaries to binge this Reading Week
Reading week has finally arrived. For many eager students, this well-deserved break only moves their academic pursuits from the lecture halls and libraries to the comfort of their own homes. While the semesterly grind may leave students feeling bogged-down and stressed-out, kicking back and relaxing with a good documentary, in[Read More…]
The science of “Black Mirror”
Charlie Brooker’s harrowing British sci-fi series Black Mirror returned to Netflix with six new episodes exploring multiple technologies of questionable ethics. From the digital uploading of human minds to predictive neuroscience technology, the show’s fourth season illuminated some frightening, futuristic concepts. But with real-life advancements in brain imaging, artificial intelligence, and[Read More…]
‘Stranger Things 2’ is as imaginative and heart-wrenching as its predecessor
Stranger Things (2016), one of the most critically- and commercially-successful Netflix Original shows, has returned for its second season. Considering the incredibly high bar set by the first season, it is nothing short of remarkable that Stranger Things 2 is able to match it. Stranger Things 2 takes place in 1984, one year[Read More…]
Made in Canada doesn’t mean Canadians will watch
On Sept. 28, the federal government announced a partnership with Netflix. The online streaming service agreed to invest $500 million over the next 10 years to create “Canadian content” as part of Justin Trudeau’s cultural strategy, which will in turn pledge $125 million towards promoting Canadian content. Netflix will be[Read More…]
Bleak, Bizarre, and Riveting—Bojack Horseman returns to Netflix for Season 4
The saddest satire of celebrity culture currently available on streaming platforms, Bojack Horseman returned to Netflix with its newest season last month. Known for its unique take on celebrity culture and unromanticized portrayal of mental illness, the animated show follows alcoholic horse-man Bojack Horseman (Will Arnett), the aged star of a[Read More…]
