This is the second part of my two-part deep dive into Andor season 2. The first part, which I posted last year, covered the cinema and politics of the latest and final season over two sections or “arcs” (named after the show’s unique three-episode narrative blocs). Here, in the third arc, I take a look … Continue reading Andor season 2 and the problem of prequelitis
Star Wars will never be better: A look at the cinematic and political power of Tony Gilroy’s masterpiece So here I am with my third piece about Andor, and a fourth on the way. Having already written two long essays about season 1 (the first piece a broader review of the show and its excellent … Continue reading Andor season 2 is revolutionary TV
I have to preface this by admitting that among Jenny Nicholson fans, demographically speaking I’m an outlier. I’m in my 50s, significantly older than the younger millennials and older zoomers who make up most of the audience of her Youtube channel. I was older than Nicholson is now (33) when Youtube was launched in 2005. … Continue reading A painfully sincere tribute to the genius of Jenny Nicholson
I wrote this essay about the politics of Todd Phillips’s Joker almost five years ago, and posted it to my Facebook page. That was a turning point in my decision to start this site. It wasn’t the first time I’d posted lengthy and detailed thoughts about a film and its politics, but I worked especially … Continue reading Joker and the problem of identity
It was inevitable that I would end up writing about Charli XCX’s Brat — without question not only the album of the year but the pop-culture event of the year. But the crazy thing is how the nature of this essay changed so dramatically several times in the course of just a few days, from … Continue reading The spectacular rise and depressing demise of Charli XCX’s Brat Summer
UPDATE: my essay about season 2 is up and you can read it here! For a while at the end of last year, I found myself with no desire to watch movies or series at all. I mentioned this earlier in my essay about Elia Suleiman: with the genocide in Gaza unfolding in real time, … Continue reading Rewatching Andor as a meditation on Palestine
Those of you who follow this blog may have noticed it’s been a bit quiet around here for the last few months. There’s a specific reason for this: almost all of my extra attention and energy has been consumed by following and protesting the war and genocide in Gaza. I haven’t really been able to … Continue reading Elia Suleiman’s Palestine trilogy: The tragic absurdity of occupation
This is a reader-supported blog. If you like what you read, consider buying me a coffee! I don’t know how to break this to you, but one of the most interesting and cinematically adventurous films of the year is a franchise IP blockbuster that was made explicitly to sell dolls. I didn’t intend to write about … Continue reading Notes on the politics of Barbie
I learned of Sinéad O’Connor’s death at four in the morning here in Sydney, in the midst of a bout of insomnia, a common occurrence for me. It struck me like a blow, knocking the wind out of me. I scrolled in shock through the headlines and posts for a bit, then sat on the … Continue reading “Remember what I told you”: Sinéad O’Connor’s incomparable life of rebellion
ANOTHER UPDATE: My essay about season 2 is now up and you can read it here! UPDATE: A year and a half after I published this piece, I followed it up with another essay about rewatching Andor as a meditation on Palestine. If you enjoy this one you may like that one too! Note: It’s … Continue reading Andor is a refreshing change for Star Wars, and a thrilling and inspiring depiction of revolution
Under the Paving Stones 