by Sophie Revell As a proclaimed Weird Girl in secondary school myself, I look upon the Weird Girl trope with pride and affection. Unlike other portrayals of women in media, Weird Girls are much more nuanced and accepted in film and literature ÔÇô but it hasnÔÇÖt always been this way. To understand the Weird Girl further, I looked to ÔÇÿThe TakeÔÇÖ on YouTube who divided … Continue reading The Weird Girl in Literature and Film
Disclaimer: This is explicitly an opinion piece. by Gabii Rayner Queerbaiting can be understood in two different ways; as the presentation of queer-coded characters/relationships without production teams overtly addressing or acting upon it, or as the promise for queer representation that ends up as a throwaway moment or something that ultimately doesnÔÇÖt affect the plot. Regardless, queerbaiting is clearly (and has been defined as) nothing … Continue reading Time To Quit Queerbaiting
The Florida Project (2017) By Coby Barker Sean BakerÔÇÖs The Florida Project tells the story of struggling single mother Halley, her precarious six-year old Moonee and their life, situated just outside the utopia of Disney World, Florida. The camera shots guide us through a lens of childlike innocence highlighting dreamy pinks, the purples of their motel, the vibrant orange gift shop and the deep greenery … Continue reading Colouring Cinema: Films With The Best Colour Palettes
Mismatched┬á by Chahat Gandhi Mismatched is a coming-of-age romantic comedy drama based on the young adult novel When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon. Now in your typical college romance, itÔÇÖs the girl whoÔÇÖs hooked onto the idea of falling in love on campus and marrying her university sweetheart but Mismatched to be honest is the exact opposite. Starring Prajakta Koli as Dimple Ahuja and … Continue reading The Asian Silver Screen: Campus Dramas
by Abi Edwards ItÔÇÖs no secret that musical theatre has played a paramount role within the arts industry, being a popular form of entertainment for many generations. My earliest memory of experiencing a musical was watching the Disney film Mary Poppins as a toddler, and I played it so much that I eventually wore the video out. Most of us are familiar with musicals, and … Continue reading Behind The Lens: Musicals
By Jasmine Jones Witty, Emotional, Elegant. Call My Agent! is the cult comedy drama you must add to your watchlist. CÔÇÖest Magnifique. ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà Call My Agent! has been a sensational hit in France and is now taking UK Netflix by storm. Described by the cast themselves as a love story to Paris, Call My Agent! follows the tumultuous lives of Parisian talent agents working at … Continue reading Review: Call My Agent!
Dani and Jamie – The Haunting of Bly Manor by Hope Docherty I forced my girlfriend to watch the Netflix series, The Haunting of Bly Manor, much to her dismay, thinking it was just a horror series after being scared to watch it alone. The gothic LGBTQ+ relationship came as a surprise but of course then had us hooked. It was as if the relationship … Continue reading Love is Love: Our Favourite LGBTQ+ Romances in Film and TV
By Eva Rodericks ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà┬¢ You may have recently seen Behind Her Eyes on the Netflix trending page, and itÔÇÖs popular for a reason. *spoilers ahead* The story centres around Louise Barnes (Simona Brown), a single mother who works part time as a secretary in a small psychiatry clinic in London. Things get complicated for Louise very quickly, as she enters an unusual love triangle, with … Continue reading Review: Behind Her Eyes (Netflix)
RuPaulÔÇÖs Drag Race UK Season 2 by Georgia Glenn When the 1st season of RuPaulÔÇÖs Drag Race UK sadly faded from our screens in 2019, I thought ÔÇ£how on earth will they top it?!ÔÇØ. I mean, we had ÔÇ£Much betta!ÔÇØ, the Frock Destroyers and DivinaÔÇÖs red wig and a silver dress dramaÔǪ Then, as a glimmer of hope, season 2 arrived to grace us with … Continue reading “We’re All Born Naked And The Rest Is Drag”
by Shivika Singh Popular culture has very often represented men and women as complete opposites to each other, who have strong conventional gender traits attached to them. While the practice of gender binarism in the media is almost systemic, the light in which it represents men and women is different, too. On one side, the typical male protagonist is heroic and masculine, unafraid to undertake … Continue reading The Girly Girl in Literature and Film
by Maja Metera ÔÇ£WE ARE LIKE THE GILMORE GIRLS BUT WITH BIGGER BOOBSÔÇØ ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà This new Netflix show follows vicissitudes of a 30-years-old mother ÔÇô Georgia, and her teenage daughter Virginia (Ginny). Georgia is a fair-blond, vigorous, funny woman with a strong Alabama accent who has run away from her family house at the age of 14 and got pregnant soon afterwards. Ginny couldnÔÇÖt be … Continue reading Review: Ginny and Georgia (Netflix)
by Alex Daud Briggs The cold wind howls through the night, passing its way through the few sad dregs of the living that remain prowling through the streets at this solemn hour. I take one final shot of whisky to bring myself to my feet and bring a start to this late evening. Film noir is a genre of crime film visually signified by its … Continue reading Behind The Lens: Film Noir
By Pui Kuan Cheah February 9, 2020. The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Hollywood legend Jane Fonda is stood onstage, opening the envelope to reveal the winner of the final Oscar of the night. She takes a long look at the envelope, and after a brief suspenseful pause, she announces: “Parasite.” The roar of the crowd immediately follows – this is the win many were hoping … Continue reading One Year On: The Post-Parasite Asian Hollywood Landscape
Aligarh┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á by Chahat Awasthi The Indian silver screen landscape is rich with movies centred around the LGBTQ+ topic ÔÇô some are rich, some show the heart in the right place but a mind with gaps in nuanced understanding, and some are downright disappointing. A not-to-be-missed movie here is Aligarh – a movie based on a genuine hero ÔÇô a professor in a renowned university of India, who was hounded for … Continue reading The Asian Silver Screen: LGBTQ+ Dramas
The Light Between Oceans by Lafan Hasan When it comes to films, I think the thing that strikes me most or that allows me to really like a film is the quality of the plot. I watched The Light Between Oceans for the first time in 2016 and I remember having a lot of respect for the way it was technically made. By that, I … Continue reading D├®j├á-View
Many international students come to Cardiff every year – and many may want to immerse themselves in the culture here. What is the one local TV show that youÔÇÖd recommend them to watch, and why? Fleabag by Georgina Hookway Fleabag is a comedy show set in London that covers topics of love, grief, anger, and family issues in a witty and poignant way. Starring Phoebe … Continue reading Quench’s Essential British TV Watchlist
By Nicole Rees-Williams Ôÿà As a child I was a huge superhero film fan, however in the 2000ÔÇÖs superhero films were still a very much male-dominated sphere and tended to cater to a male audience. Any female character involved in these films was hyper-sexualised and used purely as a benefit to the male gaze or to act as a love interest for the male protagonist. … Continue reading Review: Wonder Woman 1984
Cover illustration by Shafia Motaleb / @artsyfifi Words by Luke Hinton When you think about defining moments in Hollywood, each era seems to have one key characteristic. The 1980s were undoubtedly the era of James Cameron, with the acclaimed director releasing hits like The Terminator, Aliens and The Abyss. Similarly, the 2010s will forever be remembered as the golden age of the superhero, with Avengers: … Continue reading The Golden Age of Cinema
By Katherine Wheeler ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà If youÔÇÖre looking for a sign to start watching ItÔÇÖs a Sin, this is it. YouÔÇÖve probably already seen the trailers, this show is everywhere- and everything. It covers every genre from comedy to tragedy, from romance to bleak, creeping horror. The truth is, Russell T DaviesÔÇÖ new show is one of the most important pieces of television IÔÇÖve ever seen. … Continue reading Review: It’s A Sin
Cover illustration by Anna Kerslake Words by Chloe Chapman James Bond is notably one of the most iconic landmarks of British film culture. It even featured amongst the performances as part of the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony with Daniel Craig helping the Queen to ÔÇÿskydiveÔÇÖ into the arena (a good nod to that yearÔÇÖs film Skyfall, IÔÇÖll admit). The simple yet classic phrase ÔÇ£Bond, James … Continue reading The Beginning of Bond, James Bond
