By: Gabrielle McLaren, and Grace Rose
Stuff We Like:
Stories of nuanced marginalized peoples
If these last few weeks have taught us anything, it’s that stories featuring all different kinds of people are not only needed, but greatly desired by audiences. From Black Panther surpassing $1 billion worldwide to the recent release of Love, Simon — a queer teen rom-com — it is safe to say that we are in a renaissance of unique stories from unique perspectives. More of these stories are coming too, thanks to recently announced projects from Lena Waithe, Michael B. Jordan, and the impending release of Crazy Rich Asians, among other projects. Media representation is talked about to the point that it might almost seem like an annoying conversation. Yet until we start to see stories like these as normal, common and celebrated by all, this conversation will need to continue. – GR
Stuff We Don’t Like:
Not having enough nuanced stories
For every Love, Simon, there’s always a movie where the queer character is tokenized, made fun of, or relegated to the sidekick — if they’re even there at all. As much as we are seeing a lot of progression in these areas, there’s still so much room for improvement. For example, when’s the last time you saw a film with an Indigenous lead character that wasn’t wrapped in stereotypes and flawed interpretations of Indigenous cultures, stories, and peoples? Or a historical drama about early 17th-century Latin America? Everyone deserves to have their voice and presence heard within the halls of media because of how influential it is to shaping our understanding of the world. So here’s to working towards more inclusive and welcoming media spaces that allow us to have a wide range of options to choose from. – GR
Stuff we like:
The Princess Bride
Not to sound conspiratorial, but Netflix is trying to ruin my life. I can tell. They started by taking down one of my favourite movies, The Princess Bride, on the day that I handed in a paper, wrote a term paper, and had a disastrous meeting for a group project. I got caught in the rain on my way home, changed into pyjamas, got a cup of tea ready — and was shook. That being said, I can’t fully explain my eternal love for this movie. I think it’s mostly familiarity: this movie can be watched with any given assortment of family members, and it is ridiculously (and I mean ridiculously) quotable. Maybe this endearment stems from the fact that it’s just enough of a spoof on the classic fairy tale genre that it’s familiar and comforting, but also includes rodents of unusual size and corny catch phrases. Whatever, it’s gone now. I guess I’ll just have to reread the novel a thousand times, or pirate it. – GM
Stuff we don’t like:
The Rachel Dolezal documentary, whatever it’s called
Deep sigh. Deep, deep, deep sigh. I knew that this would be a problem from the moment that Netflix released the trailer for their newest original documentary. I was a lot younger when the first bout of outrage about Dolezal’s actions came around. Though it certainly didn’t teach me everything I needed to know. The conversations that sprung from Dolezal’s actions and invasion of Black spaces were a useful springboard for me to start learning about the politics of race, and the importance of being a responsible, informed, and — above all — respectful ally. That being said, I don’t see how giving Dolezal more screen time will achieve anything of the sort. Rather, I’m concerned that this will continue to take the focus away from the community into which she has attempted to transplant herself, and will draw attention onto her experience. I can’t even imagine how frustrating this is for those who Dolezal has already tried to speak for, and taken attention from. – GM
