A Minecraft Movie’s meme-shaped success
Gen Z fans have propelled the eponymous film to ridiculous heights thanks to memes and theatre mayhem. Who would’ve thought a movie based on the most popular game of all time would be a smash hit? Honestly, not me. Unless you’ve just woken up from a coma spanning back to 2009,...
Current in Culture
The White Lotus is breaking the Hollywood pay code
Mike White’s hit show pays every cast member the same amount, regardless of role or experience. You could argue that all jobs, all workplaces, are built on hierarchies. But perhaps no more so than Hollywood. There are few other contexts in which all employees work on the same projects regardless...
UK calls for streaming services to share revenue into TV fund
MPs in the UK have called for platforms like Netflix to share some of their revenue to support high-end British TV. They warn that a lack of support could erode distinctly British content. A group of UK MPs have called for streaming services to contribute a share of their...
Understanding the body politic
As many people are becoming increasingly disillusioned by a tumultuous political arena and a lack of social mobility, many are turning towards the gym as a way to “cope” with capitalism and achieve objective “positive” results. In 1982, Jane Fonda’s at-home workout videos were released, becoming one of the most...
Opinion – The bashing of Meghan Markle has gone too far
The media loves a catfight, but its obsession with inserting them into Meghan Markle’s innocent home-making exposes deep-rooted biases. Ever since she entered the remit of the royals, Meghan Markle has been subject to relentless scrutiny. Never one to break a habit, the media has ensured that her latest venture,...
News avoidance has become huge internationally
The percentage of people who selectively avoid news has reportedly reached 39% globally. This is an increase of 10% in less than a decade. Blissful ignorance or doomscroll-induced anxiety? Pick your poison. It’s no secret that the state of the world is causing mass panic. Cost of living is on a...
Should we be concerned about the Studio Ghibli AI trend?
Social media platforms are ablaze this week with users creating fake Studio Ghibli inspired artwork using generative AI. How much harm does this do to actual artists and animation studios? Another week, another story of generative AI disrupting the creative industry. This time, it looks like the legendary Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli is being dragged into the debate, as thousands of social media users generate and post ‘original’ images...
‘Toxic bro culture’ is driving women away from social media
A new survey has revealed that young women are staying off social media due to a surge in misogynistic content and divisive language on such platforms. Public awareness about online safety has ramped up in recent weeks, with Netflix’s hit television series Adolescence sparking a widespread conversation about digital dangers faced by children. These conversations have even influenced debates in UK parliament. With so much of modern life spent online, governments,...
Why has ‘Adolescence’ had such an impact?
The new Netflix limited series, following the family of a young boy who is arrested for murder, is already the most watched show in the UK and has infiltrated discussions in Parliament. Its success speaks to the insidious impacts of social media on a generation increasingly misunderstood by the world around them. ‘I want it to be shown in schools, I want it to be shown in Parliament. It’s crucial...
America ranks lowest ever for global happiness in new report
According to the World Happiness Report 2025, the US is now outside of the top twenty happiest countries in the world. Finland remains at the top once again. Are you happy with where you live? Content with the way your life is going? Slightly suspicious of your government? These types of questions were asked to participants in the World Happiness Report 2025, a yearly study on global wellbeing. Over 140...
