Massive Attack’s sold-out show in Sydney in August was my first time seeing them — long overdue, as I’ve been a fan for over 30 years. As if I were being rewarded for waiting all that time, it was absolutely stunning, unlike anything I’ve seen before. Twenty-thousand of us at the unfortunately named Afterpay Arena … Continue reading Massive Attack’s unparalleled live fusion of music, cinema, and politics
I don’t mind admitting I’m writing this through tears. My first thought when I saw the news of Dolly Parton’s passing last week is that 80 is too young. She was only four years older than my mom when she passed last year, and that was way too young. I’m sure her family is feeling … Continue reading Blessed are the poor: Dolly Parton’s life of solidarity and giving
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
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
