Published inThe Ugly Monster·Pinned‘Good Bye, Lenin!’ and Yearning for a Better Future‘Good Bye, Lenin!’ opens with a scene that juxtaposes the nostalgic images of Alex growing up and the changing nature of East Germany. Many believe that the 2003 German tragicomedy ‘Good Bye, Lenin!’ is an explicitly Ostalgic film. But as we will soon find out it is closer to Hauntology…Art8 min readArt8 min read
Published inThe Ugly Monster·2 days ago‘Brick’ is Rian Johnson’s Treatise on MasculinityJoseph Gordon-Levitt kneels a lot in ‘Brick’. He also holds his hands together in a half clasp next to his nose a lot. He also contemplates a lot, and he also thinks a lot. There are a…Film8 min readFilm8 min read
Published inThe Ugly Monster·Dec 2Oppenheimer’s LegacyWhere does responsibility begin and legacy end? — I hate that this has become a trend in the works I have discussed recently — see my ‘Loki’ essay — but for the sake of clarity I will use Oppenheimer for the person and ‘Oppenheimer’ for the film. Nolan’s Own Manhattan Project Nolan had the daunting task of adapting one of the most…Art10 min readArt10 min read
Published inThe Ugly Monster·Nov 18‘Loki’ and Changing One’s NatureCan we stop the trend of naming TV shows and movies after the main character? I am looking at you: Andor, Ahsoka, The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Iron Man, Captain America — basically anything produced by Disney or any superhero film. It makes it frustrating for anyone wanting to talk about…Marvel7 min readMarvel7 min read
Published inThe Ugly Monster·Nov 13‘Andor’ and Fighting FascismAndor is the prequel show to Rogue One. It follows the titular character of Cassian Andor at the start of his fight against the Empire. This is the pitch which one would find in a review of the show, or the summary you would find on a search engine. …Art12 min readArt12 min read
Published inThe Ugly Monster·Nov 4‘Fleabag’ and Healing from Trauma‘Fleabag’ (2016) is part of the canon of modern television shows deconstructing mental health. This is usually the purview of animated shows like ‘Bojack Horseman’, ‘Tuca and Bertie’, and ‘Rick and Morty’. …Art10 min readArt10 min read
Published inThe Ugly Monster·Oct 17The Trolley Problem in Movies (and on Reddit)I have the solution to the trolley problem. I know that sounds pretentious but hear me out. What even is the Trolley Problem? The Trolley Problem is a classic thought experiment. It’s not too complex to set up but it is complex to answer. In its most basic form, the trolley problem is a binary dilemma…Art16 min readArt16 min read
Published inThe Ugly Monster·Oct 5‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ and Being ThereYou want to know why ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ (EEAAO) resonated so much with so many people? You want to know why the film won so many awards and was beloved by so many critics? You want to know why EEAAO is a masterpiece? It engages sincerely with its…Movies9 min readMovies9 min read
Published inThe Ugly Monster·Oct 3‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ is John Hughes’ Masterpiece‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ is John Hughes’ masterpiece, but that is often debated. Many will point to ‘Home Alone’ as his masterpiece. They reference (rightfully) the film’s excellent narrative, as well as John Williams’ incredible score that transports us into its magical Christmas realm. And I do not want to…Movies8 min readMovies8 min read
Published inThe Ugly Monster·Sep 27‘Poker Face’ and Non-Traditional DetectivesPoker Face is a continuation of Rian Johnson’s love for all that concerns mystery storytelling. His feature debut was a homage to hardboiled detective mystery films: Brick. …Art6 min readArt6 min read
