Opinion – The Odyssey casting meltdown misses the whole point
Actor Lupita Nyong’o has faced backlash over her role as Helen of Troy in the upcoming film. But fury surrounding her casting says more about our narrow understanding of identity than our interest in historical accuracy. When Christopher Nolan, purveyor of the epic thriller and sprawling cinematic project, announced he...
Current in Culture
Murdoch’s son buys Vox Media assets worth $300m USD
James Murdoch, the son of famed media mogul Rupert Murdoch, has announced a deal to purchase New York Magazine from Vox Media. He will also acquire Vox’s news site and podcast network. Son of Rupert Murdoch, James Murdoch, has announced a new deal with Vox Media worth $300 million...
Unpacking the moral dilemma of A24’s ‘The Drama’
Kristoffer Borgli’s 'The Drama' is less about cinematic clout and more an intelligent rumination on the systematic factors that situate us in the wrong place at the wrong time. On top of this, it offers an exercise in morality to determine, ultimately, how your morals lie with who you...
Is Gen Z’s obsession with ‘mogging’ becoming toxic?
Gen Z streamers have brought ‘mogging’ into the everyday vernacular of young people. Is the trend dumb and fleeting, or does it have the potential to cause lasting harm? If your algorithm isn’t full of streamers in their early 20s telling people they’re ‘low-key chopped’, consider yourself lucky. I’ve clearly lingered...
The rage bait economy is officially a public safety issue
Controversial streamer ‘Chud the Builder’ has been charged with attempted murder after a heated altercation with a stranger ended in a shooting outside a Tennessee courthouse. If Dalton Eatherly, better known online as ‘Chud the Builder,’ has somehow escaped your feed, consider yourself lucky. His brand of rage bait is...
AI will not be winning any Oscars
As artificial intelligence continues to threaten intellectual property, the announcement is a sigh of relief for those working in the creative industries. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has clarified that only acting and writing for films done by humans will be considered eligible to win an...
Where are all the women on the Times ‘Best-of’ list?
A list of the 25 best non-fiction books of the century has sparked debate after it featured just eight female writers. A gender disparity in the Sunday Times list of the 25 best non-fiction books of the century has stirred up a gender debate, after it listed only eight books written by women. At six men to two women, the gender split points to broader patterns in UK non-fiction, an...
Michael Jackson biopic shows how far fans will go to protect an idol
A critical bomb but a commercial success, the new Michael Jackson biopic proves fans will do anything to preserve a dream of their idols. There is an absence at the heart of Michael, the new biopic charting the rise of Michael Jackson. And it doesn’t take a forensic specialist to point out. It is a void so conspicuous that it shapes the entire film. The biopic is a slow, rose-tinted...
Jeremy Kyle and the politics of poverty
Television in the 2000’s and early 2010’s had ‘iconic’ shows like The Jermey Kyle Show and Fat Families, but were these truly a reflection of social transformation by Third Way politics? Older Gen Z or ‘Zillennials’ may remember watching daytime television on their old boxy TV’s, enjoying classics like The Story of Tracy Beaker and The Catherine Tate Show. Some may also remember more dramatic shows like The Jermey Kyle...
Why is Andrew Tate #1 on Substack?
Manosphere figurehead and notorious misogynist Andrew Tate has the #1 bestseller spot on Substack this week. Is the platform at risk of becoming as toxic as every other social media platform? Andrew Tate has found his way onto Substack. The long-form essay sharing platform (where we publish The Common Thred and The Gen Zer every week) is mostly used by progressive, creative types and has built a reputation for...
