A Art Tv Review

Still Shining is brimming with tenderness. The first two episodes aim, above all, to be endearing, cozy, and sweet. I wasn't a particularly brilliant student. My mind would always wander toward high-intensity imaginary scenarios—or toward video games—whenever I opened my science or math textbooks. I would spend hours doodling or idly fidgeting with my hands and legs, all while keeping my gaze firmly fixed on dull, lackluster pages. Stars: Park Jin-young, Kim Min-ju, Sin Jae-ha I mention this because, when I saw Mo Eun-a (Kim Min-ju) absentmindedly swinging her legs and then using her feet to retrieve her sandal, I immediately felt as though I was seeing a reflection of myself in her. Mentally, I was transported back to those warm, sunny days when I was forced to study instead of being allowed to go out and play with my friends. In other words, I felt a real sense of kinship with Eun-a. But that sense of identification ends there; unlike her, I didn't have a cute, smart person s...

Veteran documentarian Louis Theroux is no stranger to covering toxic subcultures, having previously profiled American neo-Nazis, the Westboro Baptist Church, and Scientology. However, a new Netflix special marks his most urgent work to date. *Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere* examines the network of social media influencers and podcasters who speak directly to men feeling marginalized, often weaving deeply homophobic and sexist messages into their motivational speeches, financial advice, and fitness-focused content. Given that a core tenet of this subculture is a distrust of traditional media, Theroux manages to negotiate extraordinary access to these swaggering men—who often backtrack on their worldviews when directly challenged, or when discussing them in the presence of the women in their lives. Director: Adrian Choa Stars: Louis Theroux, Harrison Sullivan, Kacey May The documentary, released on March 11, is also revealing in the sense that these stances—once relegated to the fr...

After more than four years of watching K-dramas and seeing how K-pop dominated my annual Spotify Wrapped playlists, I finally had the opportunity to visit South Korea last year. When I first set foot in Seoul, I felt as if I were in some kind of simulation, for everywhere I looked, I could see posters of Byeon Woo-seok. On top of that, stepping into convenience stores to buy ramen and banana milk felt thrilling; and whenever I happened to stumble upon an iconic landmark I had seen in a series, I would snap a dozen photos. However, in *Made In Korea*, when Shenba (Priyanka Mohan) arrives in Seoul, the circumstances don't seem exactly ideal. Throughout her stay there, we never quite grasp what it was—specifically—that fascinated her about South Korea, or Korean culture in general, in the first place. Later in the film, there is a song sequence showing her visiting all the trendy spots—Namsan Tower and the Lotte World amusement park—but it all feels far too fleeting. Director: Ra Kart...

Salvageland, Netflix's Filipino police thriller, is one of those movies that makes you wonder why it was ever made. A run-of-the-mill story with a predictable ending, offering nothing new. Salvageland centers on Jules Morales and his father, Sergeant Ernesto Morales. Jules was an enthusiastic police officer who believed in doing good for society, and when he found dismembered body parts on the old lahar road, he thought they should investigate. But his father, the sergeant, ordered him not to get involved. As his father's superior, he couldn't ignore his opinion.  He was devastated to discover that his father had already applied for a promotion and would soon be transferred. But Jules refused to let the case go. Life had taught Sarge that the only way to stay safe was by obeying orders and not delving too deeply into matters that could get him and his son into trouble. So he wanted his son to stay out of it. The case was assigned to the notorious highway patrol, known for b...

There's been a recurring trend in over-the-top mystery thrillers to attempt to unfold the story across two parallel timelines, sometimes with mixed results. Scarpetta is a series that, for a change, pulls it off quite well, though the excellent cast plays a crucial role. Kay Scarpetta is Virginia's first female chief medical examiner, and she must contend with institutional sexism and a misogynistic serial killer who has developed a habit of murdering defenseless women.  Twice, 28 years apart. In the present day, it's as if the past is repeating itself over and over, but only Kay can see the parallels. There's a biomedical conspiracy, Russian espionage, dead women revived by AI, and strange, toxic romances—all woven into this eight-episode series. So, without further ado, let's get straight to the recap. Creator: Elizabeth Sarnoff Stars: Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale Since the series is already divided into two timelines, for the sake of simplicit...

If you ever stumble across an ancient artifact, be warned: you're in trouble! Corin Hardy's The Whistle is about an ancient Aztec death whistle that wreaks havoc and brings death to those who come into contact with it. The film opens with a high school basketball player, Mason "Horse" Raymore, haunted by the ghost of a charred man.  Although his team won the game and Mason was credited with the game-winning basket, he couldn't concentrate on celebrating. There was a sense of impending danger, and it clearly had something to do with an oval-shaped object he kept in his locker. He smashed it with a dumbbell, hoping it would stop the charred man from following him. And while it did momentarily, the moment he went to take a shower, his body suddenly burst into flames. Director: Corin Hardy Writer: Owen Egerton Stars: Dafne Keen, Sophie Nélisse, Sky Yang The ancient death whistle called to Chrys (short for Chrysanthemum) the moment he opened his locker. He felt the urg...