In light of recent events regarding the Black Lives Matter movement, video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime have created a film and television series collection to honor and promote Black actors and actresses in Black-centered films. This issue’s review features R.J. Daniel Hanna’s film, Miss Virginia, which is an extremely relevant film detailing the horrors of systemic racism in public schools in Washington. Miss Virginia is a 2019 film based on real events. It tells the story of Miss Virginia Walden Ford, a woman living in the inner-city neighborhoods of Washington, who is desperate to provide her teenage son with quality education. The film provides meaningful,…
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Upward and Onward: Pixar Does It Again, Leaves Room for Improvement
There’s no denying how much I love Pixar’s movies and shorts. The success of films like Toy Story, Wall-E, Up, Inside Out, and Coco, proves that Pixar has accomplished a lot in the past 34 years. As admirable as much of their work is, when I heard their newest film Onward was a fantasy set in a suburban lifestyle, I was skeptical about the mixing of worlds. Even though the concept seemed more Disney-esque than the studio’s usual films, after watching more previews, I grew faith in an idea this studio hadn’t covered yet. Here’s the premise: two teenage elves named Ian (voiced by Tom Holland) and Barley (voiced by…
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Billie Eilish Sweeps Grammys with Historic Wins
Billie Eilish is the next American musical legend. Only 18, she has achieved meteoric success in only a few short years. Her genre of music can be described as alternative, “exploring a strain of melancholy, minimal and slightly surrealistic pop,” according to Apple Music. But what really stole the show was Eilish’s record-breaking sweep at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, a few weeks ago. She was nominated for 6 categories and won 5, including the Big Four awards for Best New Artist, Album, Record, and Song of the Year. What’s legendary about her win is her being only the second artist in Grammy history to achieve such an honor, as…
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“Parasite”: A Cinematic Masterpiece that Transcends Language Barriers
Sunday, February 9th was a historic day in cinema, as “Parasite” swept up four Oscars at the 92nd Academy Awards. Directed by revered South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho, “Parasite” was the first-ever film to be considered in categories outside of those traditionally designated for foreign films. The win sparked hope in all those who didn’t think such an achievement would be possible for a non-English speaking movie. “Parasite” is a Korean thriller that follows the impoverished Kim family as they struggle to keep afloat with their temporary jobs. At the inception of the film, a friend of the son, Ki-woo, gifts the family a rock meant to symbolize wealth and…
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Book Review: Small Great Things tries to combat racism
Picoult’s “Small Great Things” doesn’t shy away from the impending issue of racism that’s plagued the United States for centuries. The book takes place in Mercy-West Haven Hospital, where Ruth Jefferson, an African-American nurse, is assigned to care for a patient named Davis Bauer. What makes him anything other than ordinary is the fact that his parents, Brittany and Turk Bauer, are white supremacists. As per their orders, Ruth is taken off the case by her supervisor, Marie, in exchange for a white co-worker named Corrine. Understandably upset, Ruth takes the high road and holds her tongue. However, one day while Ruth is in the nursery room, Corrine asks her…
