“Their lenses are more like microscopes, really. And I’m the insect in the dish. See, they’re pulling my wings and my legs off one by one- making notes on how I react.”
Kristen Stweart, Spencer
Spencer
Starring: Kristen Stewart
MyRating:★★★★
Spencer is a historical, psychological drama taking place amidst the failing marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles. It focuses on a Christmas weekend with the Royal Family at the Queen’s estate, where Diana and Charles’ relationship is demonstrably cold and failing. While rumors of Charles’ affair with Camilla circulate, Diana’s mental state suffers greatly as she feels suffocated by the constraints of royalty. Princess Diana understands the rules of such social gatherings, but this particular year, she intends for things to be different.
While watching Spencer, I found the film to be very conceptually interesting. The idea of solely focusing on one of Diana’s most psychologically challenging moments provides a creative opportunity to dissect her experience with the Royal Family. Similarly, the film effectively portrayed the claustrophobia that Princess Diana presumably felt around the Royal Family. It depicted her as free-spirited and personable with her children but constrained and tense near others like her husband, Charles. Kristen Stewart also played the role of Princess Diana seamlessly.
With films about Princess Diana, there is bound to be criticism. Many distasted the film because Diana’s children, Harry and William, are still alive and might come across the work. Similar to historical figures like Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana’s story has been exploited and told to death. This prompted others to criticize the film for not letting her Rest In Peace. I however have other criticisms: I feel as if the film portrayed Diana as whiny and entitled, which I know was not accurate of her personality and was most likely not the film’s intention.
Spencer provides an extremely interesting and nuanced perspective on Princess Diana’s departure from the Royal Family. It was spectacularly told and beautifully directed by Pablo Larraín and cinematographer Claire Mathon. I recommend watching this film at least once, especially if you are interested in “drama” about the Royal Family or a fan of Princess Diana.
Starring: Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and Justin Long
My Rating:★★★★ 1/2
Unlike films akin to Midsommar and Get Out, Barbarian is more of a “traditional” horror movie than a psychological horror/thriller. Barbarian tells the story of a young woman who travels to her rental home in Detroit, MI. She discovers that a stranger is already occupying the house, and despite her better judgment, she stays with him. As she spends the night, she soon discovers there is more to fear in the house than just the stranger.
Before seeing the film, I had heard mostly positive reviews. This was surprising to me because horror films are pretty hit-or-miss. I went into the theater blindly, only reading the description, and it shocked me, to say the least. The pacing was excellent, I felt as if new ideas were constantly being thrown at me. The film’s backstory was also thoroughly developed, which is not common in other “traditional” horror movies.
I think that because of the release of films like Midsommar, Hereditary, and Get Out, which all fall into the genre of psychological horror, Barbarian has acquired invalid criticism. Many expect horror movies to have this extra layer that creates this psychological question, but Barbarian neither has it nor needs it to be considered good from my perspective.
Barbarian also warrants praise outside of the technical realm. Every single actor was fantastic. Unlike many other horror movies, the dialogue did not feel awkward or cringe. The plot was so creative and well-developed, and hard to dislike watching it play out. The storyline was incredibly engaging, and I genuinely felt horrified while watching. Despite difficulty reviewing Barbarian without spoiling it, the film earns so much merit, and I highly recommend seeing it in theaters.
“There is no such thing as bad people. We’re all just people who sometimes do bad things.” – Colleen Hoover, It Ends With Us
Content warning: This story contains graphic descriptions of rape and sexual assault.
The novel It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover has garnered bouts of publicity since its publication. It went viral on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, and is now one of the most popular books on Goodreads. As of now, public reception of It Ends with Us is overwhelmingly positive; However, after I read the novel, it left an unshakable sour taste in my mouth.
Colleen Hoover is an American author of romance and young adult fiction books, her most notable being It Ends with Us. Her novels generally revolve around themes of abuse and domestic violence, which is consist with this particular work. It Ends With Us is the story of the relationship between Lily and Ryle, a young newlywed couple living in Boston. Lily works as a florist and entrepreneur, and Ryle is a talented neurosurgeon. Early in their relationship, Ryle begins to physically abuse Lily. After the initial display of abuse, Ryle is portrayed as a man who desperately wants to be good, but is suffering from internal conflicts (mainly residual effects of prior trauma). The first two incidents occur in a “heat of the moment” manner in which Ryle looses his temper; However, the third incident reveals Ryle to be sadistic, calculated, and cruel through his attack.
In summary, Ryle discovers a sentimental gift given to Lily by her high school boyfriend. Because of this, Ryle spirals into a fit of jealous rage, causing him to create a calculated plan of abuse against Lily. Ryle waits for Lily to get home from work in the dark where he initiates a sexual encounter with her. While in the midst of the encounter, Ryle holds up the gift and demands Lily to tell him who gave it to her. To spare the details, Lily asks him to stop and Ryle continues to physically assault her until she is knocked unconscious. During her unconsciousness, Ryle “snaps out of it,” then expresses remorse to Lily. However, Ryle didn’t “snap into it.” His attack was planned and calculated, and carried out almost methodically.
While in the ER being treated for injuries, Lily learns she is pregnant with Ryle’s child. Lily quarrels with the question of what to do, given that she still loves Ryle and clings onto hope of their relationship despite the physical abuse. However, Lily ends up divorcing Ryle and breaks the cycle of abuse. But the book does not end there. At the end of the novel, in presumably a redemption arc for Ryle, Lily and Ryle can be seen amicably coparenting their children. Lily ultimately decides that parents must “work through their differences” in order to do what’s best for the child.
It Ends With Us feeds into toxic masculinity and romanticizes “red-flags” as well as a male lead with “inner troubles.” Despite its quest to do exactly the opposite, It Ends With Us delivers an extremely anti-feminist message, especially with the conclusion of Ryle’s redemption arc. For some reason, people see this story as one of female empowerment, but to me that message is emphatically contradicted.
“It’s always been fascinating to me how things can be simultaneously true and false, how people can be good and bad all in one, how someone can love you in a way that is beautifully selfless while serving themselves ruthlessly.”
– Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
In The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, the aging and elusive Evelyn Hugo chooses to reveal her truth of scandalous Hollywood to an unknown reporter, Monique Grant. While interviewing in Evelyn’s apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the star spills her entire life story. Evelyn details her ruthless ambition in search of stardom, each of her seven husbands, and her epic love. Just as Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes apparent that Monique’s life intersected Evelyn’s in an irreversible and tragic way.
This novel is a story of complexity and unraveling the truth. It is utterly beautiful and overflows with author Taylor Jenkins Reid’s creativity. Reading this work felt like real insight to the time period of old Hollywood and truly transported you into Evelyn’s shoes. Evelyn is revealed to be unbelievably complex, and all of the struggles that she goes through in her tumultuous life, such as the loss of her innocence so early on, her life in poverty surrounded by predators, the disconnect with her culture after being forced to portray herself as white to please the masses, how she was faced with abuse in her first marriage, are so well represented in the mere 352 pages of text.
It maintained my interest completely and really surprised me regarding Monique’s connection with Evelyn. I highly recommend reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo to anyone looking for a dramatic, complex, representative, and extremely well-written novel.
Phoebe Bridgers is a Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter of dreamy and lyrical melancholy indie pop tunes. Bridgers emerged in 2015 and later released her first studio album, Stranger in the Alps, in 2017. Shortly after, she began collaborating with veterans such as Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker and forming the group Boygenius. In 2020, Bridgers released her latest studio album, Punisher, which garnered significant praise and a Grammy nomination.
In May of 2022, my friend Rhea and I saw Phoebe Bridgers in concert at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Dallas, Texas. Since we bought pit tickets, we arrived four hours before start time and camped outside the venue in the hot sun. Despite the sun’s unrest, it was worth it. We ended up in around the third row behind the stage’s barricade.
The concert began around 9 pm, with the band Sloppy Jane as the opener. After Sloppy Jane’s setlist, featuring songs that showcased their punk-rock and chamber-pop sound, Bridgers began her set around 10 pm. She performed according to the setlist pictured below, opening with “Motion Sickness,” the most well-known song from her album Stranger in the Alps.
Setlist
Motion Sickness
DVD Menu
Garden Song
Kyoto
Punisher
Halloween
Smoke Signals
Funeral
Chinese Satellite
Moon Song
Scott Street
Savior Complex
ICU
Sidelines
Graceland Too
I Know The End
Encore: Waiting Room
Bridgers performed her album Punisher in its entirety, along with some notable songs from Stranger in the Alps and her new single, “Sidelines.” Bridgers asked the crowd which song they wanted to hear for the encore, and the general consensus seemed to be “Waiting Room,” one of her oldest songs. Bridgers wrote, “Waiting Room” in her teenage years, which explains its dramatics and had only performed it live once prior to this show.
For me, I felt this concert in my soul. Dramatic, yes, but I think it’s an accurate description. It was a phenomenal experience. Remembering the entire pit singing and swaying along to Bridgers’ voice is intensely moving. Now, whenever I listen to her songs, I always refer back to the experience of hearing them live. If Phoebe Bridgers ever holds a concert near you, I highly recommend going and enjoying it for yourself.
"You call me up again just to break me like a promise,
so casually cruel in the name of being honest."
Starring: Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien
Written and Directed by Taylor Swift
All Too Well: The Short Film is Taylor Swift’s personal story of love and heartbreak written and directed by herself. Swift’s song All Too Well, which inspired the short film, overlays the screenplay and acts as a narration. Essentially, All Too Well delves deeper into Swift’s relationship with Jake Gyllenhal. The short film features Sadie Sink as “Her” and Dylan O’Brien as “Him.” The film begins with “Him” and “Her” lying on a bed, intertwined, feeling wistfully happy. The narration then commences as Sink forgets her scarf in O’Brien’s house. The short film progresses to a dinner party with all of “His” friends. Their fairytale romance is disrupted when O’Brien’s character condescendingly drops Sink’s hand and pats it, leading to a fiery argument. Sink is then pictured alone and sobbing after splitting from “Him.” The final seconds depict an older Sink as a widely successful author while O’Brien watches through a window with Sink’s old scarf tied around his neck.
A significant pattern is the recurrence of “Her” red scarf. The color red is also symbolically represented as an emotion throughout the short film.
The red scarf acts as a symbol of innocence lost in a relationship as well as the parts of ourselves that we give to others. Sink has red hair and is pictured in warmer colors, whereas O’Brien is always seen in cooler blues and grays. This characterizes “Her” as more vibrant and lively, whereas O’Brien is depicted as cold and distant.
The scarf metaphor is especially effective because it is so accessible and also encompasses the main idea of the short film. Symbolizing the color red is also clever because it displays the fluctuations in their relationship.
The main group of people consuming and interacting with this piece of media is women. All Too Well: The Short Film is commonly referred to as reflecting the “female gaze,” which gives agency to women as subjects who can still be looked at but have the ability to look back. By incorporating this perspective into the short film, more women feel inclined to consume this media.
The 18-year-old singer and songwriter Olivia Rodrigo announced her debut album to release on May 21, 2021, following the massive success of her singles Drivers License and Deja Vu. Alongside the title and release date, Rodrigo also released the tracklist. It reads as follows:
Just from glimpsing the titles, you can get a clear sense of the story that Rodrigo is trying to tell listeners. They detail the stages of heartbreak and grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Every song has a place in at least one of the categories.
“brutal”
The first track of the album “brutal” is filled to the brim with teenage angst. Rodrigo characterizes herself as “exploited” and “insecure,” yet she is expected to relish life. While illustrating all of her pain, Rodrigo takes a cynical approach, only commenting on it by singing, “God! It’s brutal out here.” Regarding the timeline, it can be inferred that “brutal” occurs either before or during her breakup.
“traitor”
“traitor” deals mostly with denial as Rodrigo scoffs at how quickly her ex has moved on from her after their breakup. Regardless of when he started falling for this new girl, Rodrigo feels “betrayed” by being so cavalierly tossed aside. She admits that she knows he’ll “never feel sorry,” demonstrating how emotionally detached her former partner is from their relationship already. She repeatedly asks, “ain’t it funny?” but her pain throughout this wispy yet powerful ballad does not go unnoticed.
“drivers license”
Rodrigo’s most notable song, “drivers license,” structurally resembles an emotional breakdown. It starts softly, but as the song progresses, both the backing track and Rodrigo’s voice grow louder and more dominant. At its peak, Rodrigo can be heard belting her words as if she is in agony. Denial is expressed heavily in “drivers license” as she cannot believe that her ex-boyfriend is truly gone. She writes that “[he] said forever, but now [she] drives alone past [his] street,” in an attempt to grapple with what she has lost.
“1 step forward, 3 steps back”
In “1 step forward, 3 steps back,” Rodrigo ponders how toxic, and from an outside lens, immature, her relationship was. She cleverly uses multiple personalities to describe this boyfriend, asking “which lover will [she] get today?” Rodrigo also heavily discusses her guilt, which is attributed to the emotional manipulation she faced in this relationship. Despite the relationship’s obvious and dangerous flaws, Rodrigo still longs for it, expressing how it’s “all [she’s] ever had.”
“deja vu”
“deja vu” is all about similar situations, specifically Rodrigo’s similarities to her ex’s new girlfriend. It details Rodrigo’s ex repackaging qualities of their relationship, including dates and old jokes, in lines such as “she thinks it’s special, but it’s all reused.” Unlike the other tracks on SOUR, “deja vu” is the only one reminiscent of dream pop/bedroom pop, which is made possible with dreamy production additions.
“good 4 u”
After its release, “good 4 u” took the internet by storm. Its punk-pop sound instantly drew a comparison to “Misery Business” by Paramore. Rodrigo’s bitter lyrics portray her intense anger and hatred towards her ex-boyfriend, the most biting of all being “screw that and screw you, you will never have to hurt the way you know that I do.” The title and lyric “good 4 u” also exude disingenuous sincerity as Rodrigo wishes he would feel even a semblance of what she’s experiencing. It showcases her range and power as a vocalist as well as her talent as a lyricist.
“enough for you”
“enough for you” is an extremely raw and acoustic tale of Rodrigo’s efforts to conform to her ex-boyfriend’s pleasures. Despite the fact that she “knew how [he] took [his] coffee and [his] favorite songs by heart,” Rodrigo was still left in the dark. The reflections upon confusion and disbelief entailed in “enough for you” strongly resemble what people experience when faced with a breakup. Rodrigo’s desperate desire to “be enough” firmly marks the transition into the depression stage of grief.
“happier”
In “happier,” Rodrigo is beginning her upturn. The lyrics describe her desire to move on- but undoubtedly hold lingering emotions beneath the surface. The catharsis in “happier” is extreme as Rodrigo selfishly insists that she hopes “[he’s] happy, but [not] happier” than he was with her. It is indicative of Rodrigo’s inner struggle to free herself from the clutches of this relationship.
“jealousy, jealousy”
“jealousy, jealousy” illustrates petty teenage envy and details Rodrigo’s desire to be someone else. It is seemingly unrelated to her ex-boyfriend, but it arguably represents her jealousy of those “living the life,” which includes having a partner. Its position in the album also demonstrates the non-linear nature of healing as it fits into the bargaining category.
“favorite crime”
Rodrigo has finally come to terms with her breakup in “favorite crime,” realizing that it was toxic and damaging. Metaphorically, Rodrigo’s relationship represented a crime, and her ex-boyfriend was the criminal. She includes that he “used [her] as an alibi,” expressing his frequent wronging of her. Ultimately she hopes that she was his “favorite crime” and rejoices in the relationship’s end.
“hope ur ok”
The final song on the album, “hope ur ok,” falls into the category of acceptance. It follows the story of how Rodrigo “knew a boy once,” alluding to her ex-boyfriend, and now hopes that he’s okay even if they aren’t a part of each other’s lives. She also brings in the topic of her childhood friends, steering the subject away from only her ex. The haunting production of “hope ur ok” closes out SOUR on a foreboding note.
Olivia Rodrigo has gone from a Disney child actress to a merited artist overnight with her debut of SOUR. She draws inspiration from artists such as Avril Lavigne and Paramore, who provide pop-punk influences, along with Taylor Swift and her incredible storytelling. Swift’s inspiration also heavily extends to SOUR because they both nail the precise language for an imprecise, complex emotional situation. They also both work through private stories in a public fashion.
Upon its debut, the lyrics of SOUR were so unbelievably relatable to me that I developed a deep emotional connection to them. They were incredibly reminiscent of my prior relationship and in a way helped me find closure and acceptance in myself. I find it remarkable that Rodrigo was able to write songs so personal yet so widely relatable. SOUR has set high expectations and undoubtedly sparked excitement in me for Olivia’s future works.
“Sorry, it’s just fascinating to me. Do you have a PhD in mansplaining?”
Cassie Salazar, Purple Hearts
Starring: Sofia Carson,Nicholas Galitzine
My Rating:★ 1/2
Purple Hearts details the enemies-to-lovers story of an aspiring musician who agrees to a fake marriage with a prospective Marine in exchange for money and health insurance. It follows Cassie Salazar, a first-generation American working in a bar and composing music in her free time, and Luke Morrow, a former addict attempting to win back his father’s approval. While they initially seek the benefits of marriage out of financial desperation, their dynamic shifts when Luke is injured in combat as Cassie becomes his unwilling caretaker. This causes conflict since they must present as a happy and functional couple in front of Luke’s father, even though they initially hate each other because of their widely differing political ideologies.
Even though I hate-watched this movie after seeing profusely negative reviews, I still kept an open mind. However, I came to the same conclusion as everyone else: Purple Hearts was hot garbage.
It almost felt satirical regarding the political discourse being so on the nose. Cassie displayed both Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ stickers on her car’s rear window and was revealed to have Type 1 Diabetes. Luke referred to Cassie by nicknaming her “snowflake” and “liberal nut.” When he isn’t calling her these names, Luke can be found degrading Cassie’s mother for illegally immigrating to the United States. One of Luke’s Marine comrades said “Let’s go kill some Arabs!” Not to mention the film was flooded with military propaganda as the U.S. Military was involved with its production.
Purple Hearts deals with especially serious themes, such as poverty and the United States’ broken healthcare system. The couple constantly clashes due to Cassie’s distaste for the military, but Luke always talks her down by painting her as a political hypocrite. The entire film is written completely on the basis of stereotypes, with Cassie portraying what conservatives deem “progressive.” Although every character occupies a generalization, it is very clear which side the viewer is intended to sympathize with.
Despite their intense hatred for each other, while Luke is deployed, Cassie composes songs about their fake relationship, which go viral and propel her to stardom. When Luke is injured in combat and returned home, Cassie looks past all of their vehement differences and commits to their fake marriage. Eventually, she decides that it’s the realest thing she knows.
Purple Hearts had the potential to take serious topics such as United States’ healthcare system as well as the lack of support for veterans and provide criticism, but instead it was shallow and remained a stereotypical political commentary. It furthers the idea that left leaning ideologies are fundamentally incapable of supporting active duty military personnel or veterans. Cassie’s lyrics read “I hate the way I say words that I laughed at before,” describing how she previously mocked the military, country, and God. However, none of these values are inconsistent with feminism or anti-racism like the film wants you to believe. Suggesting that they are is Purple Hearts‘ truest form of propaganda.
“Oh, really? When I get a new book, I read the last page first. That way, if I die before I finish I know how it comes out. That, my friend, is a dark side.”
Harry, When Harry Met Sally
When Harry Met Sally
Starring: Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan
My Rating:★★★★ 1/2
Before I began When Harry Met Sally I had low expectations. Rom-coms never truly moved me like movies of other genres had. I had also always felt as if I could always sense the general direction the film was heading in, usually about the plot. Because of such things, I told myself that maybe these types of movies just aren’t for me. However, after watching When Harry Met Sally, I was certainly proven wrong.
When Harry Met Sally begins with Sally driving to New York alongside Harry, a fellow University of Chicago graduate. Their trip is filled with contention and constant bickering as their personalities clash relentlessly. Their main point of contention was Harry’s belief that men and women could never be friends because sex would always get in the way. After arriving in New York, Harry and Sally exchanged their final goodbyes and parted ways.
Years later, as Sally’s boyfriend is seeing her off at the airport, Harry notices Sally and they exchange conversations on their shared flight. Sally explains that she is dating someone and Harry shares details of his marriage. But despite the years passed, their conversation revolves back around Harry’s previously stated beliefs before parting ways again.
After another few years, Harry approaches Sally in a New York bookstore and they agree to become friends after both sharing their stories of breakups and divorce. From then on out, Harry and Sally have an idealistic friendship. They spare no details of their lives from each other, while always providing the other with support amidst hardship and never failing to crack jokes. That is… until they sleep with each other.
When Harry Meets Sally is the story of an unlikely friendship and emphasizes how friendship is a necessary ingredient for love. Its charm and wit create the feeling of seeing an old friend upon first viewing. It exudes a sort of familiar warmness much like sipping a warm cup of coffee on a cold autumn morning. The story that Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan created as Harry and Sally felt so tangible and real that I simply delighted in their journey. I relish their love and friendship and long for the opportunity to create relationships of the same sort. Although the ending was inevitable, the journey was so sweet and enjoyable that the film still felt whole for me. The colorful and clever When Harry Met Sally exceeded my expectations and I look forward to rewatching it soon.
