Every narrative choice crazier than the last
Now *this* is a project that could cause mass psychosis
Wrote about how #TheBride makes the mistake that a lot of feminist studio movies make—prioritizing female "agency" over female interiority www.avclub.com/the-bride-fe...
If you need something mindless to watch this weekend, I was charmed by the way Netflix's new sci-fi action flick War Machine almost felt like it could have been made in the 1950s (minus some R-rated violence)
I keep forgetting to share them on here, but I've been recapping this season of #ThePitt for The A.V. Club. It's been interesting to think about what each episode is doing thematically in such a hyper-serialized show. This week felt all about family to me
I’m finally starting Love Story—why are they talking about “hooking up” and “leaving voicemails” in 1992??
(This is my review of Peter Sarsgaard in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! and Seth Rogen in Lauren Miller’s Like Father.)
I love when women directors put their actor husbands in their projects and all the sudden I get their appeal in a way I never fully have before. The true female gaze!
Alysa has now hit 7 million Instagram followers. Truly what a time for figure skating
One of my frustrations with the Heated Rivalry discourse is the way "women love M/M romance" is being treated as somehow separate from fact that women also like straight romances AND stories of sensitive straight male friendships too. It's all connected girlculture.substack.com/p/why-are-me...
Welp, I'm officially weighing in on the discourse! Here's 2,500+ words of me overthinking why everyone else is overthinking the Heated Rivalry phenomenon.
A tribute to Lord of the Rings and Mamma Mia 2
Dearest gentle reader, please join me for a carriage ride through the back half of Bridgerton's fourth season.
Had to pause before the reunion to watch some old Johnny Weir programs and, wow, I forgot how much there really is just a direct line between his skating style and Yuzuru Hanyu.
Shout-out to the figure skating fanatic who put that Bolero needledrop into tonight’s Traitors finale! Absolutely genius.
Dearest gentle reader, please join me for a carriage ride through the back half of Bridgerton's fourth season.
Alysa Liu has now hit 5.7 million Instagram followers—that’s more than Michael Phelps, Ilona Maher, Suni Lee, Shaun White, or Lindsey Vonn. Still chasing Simone Biles (12m) and Usain Bolt (13m).
I’m gonna be honest, it read so “theme park pirate” to me that I’m not sure I even realized he was going for Irish…
But, in that case, the primary target of the question should actually be men and how they’re engaging with the genre/story! Whereas I feel like the conversation keeps getting stuck on psychoanalyzing women, even though that part feels so self-explanatory to me
They just feel like two different conversations to me. “Why do women like this?” is such a goofy, reductive question. Whereas “What makes a queer romance authentic? Is the story losing something by trying to appeal to women? How do men engage with the romance genre?” are much more interesting Qs.
And I think that’s totally valid too! I don’t think gay romances *should* be primarily aimed at women. But, as it exists now, the romance genre as a whole has always been primarily aimed at women, so “women like a romance show” doesn’t feel anymore shocking to me than “men like an action one”
“Women like watching handsome men be sensitive in the romance genre” is one of the most basic tenets of human art! The go-to joke of every ‘90s sitcom!! The building block of multiple literary and cinematic genres! I really feel like we’re all overthinking this one…
“Why are men confused by women enjoying a gay romance show?” is actually the more interesting question to be asking! Nothing about this is a new phenomenon, you just haven’t been paying attention to the female experience?
You might as well be asking “Why do women like Lord of the Rings even though most of the characters are men?” Like, dude, we are taught to relate to and empathize with male characters from the moment we’re born!! It’s men who aren’t taught to do that with female characters!!
Tbh, the question “Why do women enjoy gay romances?” is built on the assumption that when women consume fictional stories, they only ever relate to the female characters. But, actually, only relating to characters of your gender is a male privilege that women don’t get!!
Game of Thrones is a dumb show people think is smarter than it is. House of the Dragon is a smart show people think is dumber than it is. And A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms works because everyone understands exactly what it is.
And Alysa Liu has now hit 4 million Instagram followers (!!!). That's more than either of the Heated Rivalry boys, and I'm pretty sure more than any other figure skater has ever had.
My deranged Insta reels feed has informed me he did 🙏
The difference between Terry Gannon’s genuine chemistry with Johnny and Tara vs. the crew they had him with for the Opening Ceremonies is crazy.
