Olivia Wilde’s experience reflects the misogyny framing age gaps
The actor Olivia Wilde spoke out about the response to her relationship with singer Harry Styles, which involved years of public shaming and criticism. Olivia Wilde has enjoyed a highly successful career as both an actor and filmmaker. But, as is often the case for high-profile women, it is a...
Current in Media
Levi’s subverts World Cup rules for social media campaign
Levi’s isn’t allowed to show its logo during World Cup games at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium this year. After being forced to cover up with a white sheet, the company has embraced the meme and utilised it across its social media channels. What does Levi’s, a globally recognised...
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...
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...
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 Academy Award. A few years ago, it would’ve been hard to take that statement seriously. But in the age of AI,...
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...
