When this show was first released, like everyone else, I binge-watched all 13 episodes immediately. As a huge fan of the book, I was surprised, but satisfied, with how they portrayed each event that Hannah described – though it was darker than the books, I found it to be extremely powerful and impactful.

Recently, I have come across multiple articles trashing the show for “glorifying suicide.” They suggest that such vivid portrayals are not only triggering, but only promotes the idea of death as a permanent solution to one’s problems.

If anything, I believe, these vivid portrayals of such sensitive subjects in the media are necessary. It is something that needs to be talked about – and not just suicide – things like homophobia, racism and sexual assaults, and their causes and effects are all things that need to be discussed in schools, communities and homes.

There is an oversensitivity in society nowadays, where everything needs to be politically correct. By advocating for the removal of these sensitive subjects from the media, we are simply pushing these issues further away from discussion. These are things that occur every day, and if we cannot even address the topics, and the raw and real aspects of such issues, how can we prevent these things from happening?

‘13 Reasons Why’ does not glorify suicide. Rather, it raises awareness of the issues surrounding bullying and depression. It includes the appropriate trigger warnings for graphic, but necessary, scenes. The scenes are confronting for a reason – they send a message across, and are extremely powerful representations of real life experiences.

It does not depict suicide as beautiful – Hannah’s death literally shows just how messy it all is. The show illustrates the devastation of the aftermath for her parents and her friends. Throughout the tapes, Hannah addresses how she could have been helped, and what caused her so much pain. These depictions send a message to anyone who has ever bullied or attacked someone else, and show the severe consequences that certain actions and words can cause.

Like all other powerful portrayals in the media, ’13 Reasons Why’ brings up sensitive subjects that need to be discussed openly in society. It does not glorify or promote suicide; it merely shows the reality surrounding such events. This realism, though confronting, is necessary to bring attention to these subjects, in order to start discussions on prevention.

Where to Get Help

Lifeline 13 11 14

Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78

The post 13 Reasons Why – A Glorification of Suicide? appeared first on IH Globe.

Sense8 is a Netflix TV show that came out in 2015 (season 1), mid-way through what was a really rough year for me because I was away from my family and life on exchange in France, and it was a complete refuge from all the stuff I had going on at the time. It follows the stories of eight characters in various places around the world that are all mentally connected. (There’s the sci-fi). In order to not spoil what is a really complex plot, instead of talking about it I’m just going to list off some of the reasons that you could have to love this show

• You get not one, but EIGHT main characters to love
• They can’t really be summed up in single sentences, but i’ll try:
• A bus driver in Nairobi trying to save money to treat his mother who has AIDS
• The daughter of a powerful Korean businessman who is a rising underground kickboxing champion
• A trans woman “hacktivist” living with her girlfriend after being estranged from her parents
• A devout hindu pharmacist engaged in a political match to a man who’s father sees religion as what’s holding back the country
• An Icelandic DJ living and performing in London to escape her past
• A lockpick/safe cracker in Berlin who’s a champ but also an around shady dude
• A closeted gay actor in Mexico with his boyfriend and his actress friend/beard
• A cop in chicago living under the weight of an unsolved murder in his past and his ex-cop father’s alcoholism
• They are a really diverse bunch of people from a bunch of really cool locations (Nairobi, Seoul, San Fransisco, Mumbai, London, Berlin, Reykjavik, Mexico City, Chicago…)
• Each of the scenes are actually filmed on location
• You get to look into how different the lives of these people are and what kind of issues they face (besides the sci-fi related ones) like the AIDS crisis in africa, political corruption, sexism, PTSD, discrimination against LGBTQ+ people etc…
• The cinematography is really, really pretty
• Like so many sweeping shots of the most amazing places
• A lot of really kickass fight scenes
• Some interesting ideas about the future of the human race
•  All of the characters speak their own language, and so each of the actors has the respective accent and style of speech that people from their countries typically have (which I thought was super cool)
• Cool soundtrack

There’s currently two seasons of this show available on Netflix (the second I binged in about a week whilst cutting out all those table numbers for ball). I would wholeheartedly recommend this show to literally anyone, but I do warn you that there are a number of somewhat adult scenes (if sex scenes aren’t your thing maybe skip this one out). There is also some drug usage in it so if that’s not your thang…

Sense8 really gets so much right in terms of complexity, diversity, and drawing in the audience, and if you’re looking to procrastinate this is definitely a good way to do it.

The post TV Show Rec. aka A Love Letter To Sense8 – Bella Pozzi appeared first on IH Globe.

WARNING: There are sex scenes in this but nothing explicit.  

Room (2015) revolves around the story of a young woman and her 5 year old son being held captive in a small, dimly lit garden shed without any contact with the outside world. The young woman is known to the audience as Ma, as her son Jack calls her as such throughout the film. Ma was abducted seven years ago by a man called Old Nick, who frequently forces himself onto her, while Jack’s was born and raised in the shed. Ma plans for Jack to escape from the shed in order to get help and free them from Old Nick. Obviously, you gotta watch the film for yourself to know what happens, but lemme tell you what I really like about this film.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way in which the film focused on building a deep, genuine connection between Ma and Jack, as opposed to easily turning this into a thriller that lacks substance. The first two-thirds of the film centres on the relationship between Ma and Jack, as it shows Ma constantly fulfilling the physical, emotional and educational needs of Jack and ensuring that he learns well despite being confined within a small room. Ma is seen to be incredibly resourceful despite the limited resources available, as she uses egg shells and cardboard toilet paper rolls to make arts and crafts with Jack. The mother-son relationship between Ma and Jack is one that pulled at my own heartstrings, as it reminded me of the dedication and love of my own parents who would do anything to ensure that I am healthy and happy, no matter the circumstances.

The film was incredible in the way in which it posits the viewer in the narrative. Just as Ma and Jack are confined within Room, the audience has no view of the outside world either.   This forces the audience to truly immerse themselves in the experience of being in Room, where it is Jack’s only reality. As opposed to feeling claustrophobia or mania from the confinement, Ma and Jack give an air of domesticity and calm, as it is clear that they are free in their very own world. This is quite thought-provoking, as I had expected that the film would be about the imprisoned frantically attempting to escape their prison, which this film technically is towards the last third of the film. However, the film still shows the potential of the human spirit to transcend the four walls of Room.  

The escape of Ma and Jack is one that is truly nerve-wrecking, as the suspense as to whether Jack escapes successfully is one that can make your heart stop while you hope and pray that he makes it out alive.  Although the film is not marketed as a thriller, the escape was one that made many things run through my mind. What if Ma or Jack gets caught by Old Nick and is killed? What if Jack never makes it out alive? Perhaps these things will run through your mind too, while you scream internally.  

Overall, Room (2015) is one that has a refreshing take on imprisonment and freedom, while depicting the close mother-son bond that gives the film emotional substance. I highly recommend if you’re looking for something interesting to watch!

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When you think about your favorite Asian director, who comes to mind? Some of you might say Wong Kar Wai, Yasujiro Ozu, Akira Kurosawa, Park Chan-Wook, Bong Joon Ho, Hayao Miyazaki, and the list goes on. But if you ask me who my favorite Asian director is, it’s Edward Yang.  With a career spanning just over 20 years, Yang has graced us with thought-provoking films full of richness in life. And if I had to choose my favorite film of his, it would have to be Yi Yi.

Yi Yi centers around a family with a narrative that shifts between the father NJ, his teenage daughter Ting-Ting, and his young son Yang-Yang. If I were to tell you the theme of the film, give it some premise, anything that’ll make you say “Hey that plot sounds interesting!” like I do with most of my reviews, you won’t find it here. Because Yi Yi doesn’t centralize on one theme, it doesn’t cater to one type of audience, it doesn’t force you to feel, anything. It shows the essence of humanity as it’s seen from a camera lens. It shows the tenderness of lost love, the innocence of childhood, the struggles in coming of age. And it allows you, the audience, to interpret it whichever way you please.

I could endlessly talk about how beautifully the film is shot, with conversations being shown through the reflection of a window and other creative shots that capture the richness of a person’s everyday struggles. However what really separates Yi Yi with any other film is how discrete everything feels. Let me explain, when you start watching a film, most of the shots feel like they’ve been taken by a camera in a studio with many lighting effects and so on. But with Yi Yi, as a scene unfolds, you gradually get a sense that you’re in the film with them, as if everything that’s so artificial about modern day films suddenly disappears. It’s almost like you’re not supposed to hear these conversations, that you’re eavesdropping on a shockingly close and personal level. And the best thing about it is that you don’t realize any of this until you’ve finished the film.

When the film starts it picks up after a wedding. Yang captures the birth of a new era, new responsibilities and a huge shift in an individual’s life. Yet he contrasts things with the small moments we take for granted for, like in the film when after the wedding ends we a get a brief but valuable moment. NJ brings Yang Yang to a nearby McDonalds because he doesn’t like the food served at the wedding. Scenes like this perfectly encapsulate our everyday struggles, and reflects the beauty of it like no other film does.

As I’m writing this review right now, I’m pondering over why my chair gets so hot so fast, why my tea’s just a bit more bitter than usual, why I can’t rub off that stain from my table. And the thing is, I’ll probably remember these insignificant first world problems over the things I’ve taken for granted today. Like how beautiful the sunset was when I took my evening jog or the lovely conversation I had with a stranger during my morning lecture. Instead, I choose to stress myself out and focus on how exams are in three weeks. And if you’re on the same page, then try to focus a little but more on the little things you take for granted in your day. So stop thinking about the meaning of “Yi Yi”, it’s the title of the film, get over it.

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Content warning: If you have ever been offended by anything, ever, this movie might not be for you.

If, like myself, you have been hit hard by the Faculty of Business and Economics over the past few weeks, it might be time to re-motivate yourself with the reason you’re studying commerce in the first place – to make the world a better place.

Just kidding – it’s all about the money.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jordan Belfort in THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, from Paramount Pictures and Red Granite Pictures.

In a word, this movie is about excess. From the over 3 hour run time, drugs, sex, swearing and the ostentatious lifestyle of Jordan Belfort (perfectly portrayed by Leonard DiCaprio in the best performance of his career) this movie dials everything up to 11. You’d expect it to get exhausting but Martin Scorsese’s focused direction and Thelma Schoonmaker’s tight editing keeps you enthralled, making it easy to consider watching 5 hours of these terrible, awful people doing terrible, awful things.

Although the film’s unrelenting, breathless and rapid pace does a lot to help keep this descent into depravity entertaining, it really is something about human nature that keeps your eyes glued to the screen. This film holds up a mirror to the audience and asks if they like what they see – greed, consumerism and materialism at its absolute extreme. And the answer, largely, is yes.

It’s easy to watch these hilarious yet ultimately mediocre men in over-priced suits doing the stupidest shit with your money and see only the possibility of yourself living their lifestyles, see the opportunity to succeed. This is because we are always much more likely to view ourselves as “temporarily embarrassed millionaires” rather than the “exploited proletariat” (Steinbeck).

However, the reality is, you’re probably more likely to be hit by lightning whilst holding a winning lottery ticket in your hand than to have a wife that looks like Margot Robbie and make the kind of money Jordan Belfort does. If you ever do though, at least you can be comforted by the fact that you’re unlikely to face any real consequences for money related crimes, so that’s a plus.

‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ isn’t really an amoral film, however, despite the copious amounts of cocaine and strippers. It’s more of a warning about the dangers of addiction – whether that be to drugs, money or power, hubris will quickly bring you back down to earth.

But honestly, who really cares about the message in a movie like this. It’s hilarious, fast-paced, full of attractive people and makes quaaludes look awesome. If you haven’t seen it would recommend checking out – maybe just not with your grandparents.

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Get Out is a thriller-satire that centres on the concept of racial prejudice that is portrayed in an adrenaline-rushing yet clever manner. It deals with the very real issues faced by African Americans in the USA, such as interracial relationships, interactions with white people and racialized police brutality. Get Out begins with African American protagonist, Chris, and his white girlfriend, Rose, taking a weekend trip to meet Rose’s parents in a quiet, isolated suburb.

Through the interactions between Chris and the other white characters, the façade of liberalism by white people is seen to be patronizing and awkward through the state of total oblivion they are in when Chris becomes increasingly uncomfortable with each interaction. This false liberalism turns into something much more sinister over the course of the trip (which I will not divulge, because this is where it becomes increasingly terrifying and shocking). I thoroughly enjoy the way that the movie masterfully combines satire and thriller, although this is a rare combination in film. Thrillers typically play on the tangible fears of viewers, leading them to deploy elements such as jump scares to keep them at the edge of their seats. This film instead plays into the deeply entrenched fears of racial discrimination by people of colour, especially African American men and women. Despite the fact that the film’s science behind its sinister scheme is highly unrealistic, it is a chilling representation of the white colonization and possession of the minds and bodies of black men and women that is prevalent throughout history.

The way that the film employs psychology as a form of psychological manipulation is an interesting element of the film. Chris was manipulated through hypnosis and it was disturbing that the hypnosis was done without his consent by Rose’s mother who was a therapist. Hypnosis might not be a legitimate practice, but this lack of consent to it was a subtle portrayal of white supremacy and entitlement as it was as if she could manipulate him however she wanted to because she was white.

However, after watching Get Out, certain elements of the backstory and plot left me wondering ‘why is this so? How does this work?’. Perhaps you might feel this way after watching it, as they did not provide an adequate explanation of specific elements of the plot, but you may find that those missing loopholes do not undermine the plot at all.

Overall, Get Out is a highly refreshing take on modern day racial prejudice in a white supremacist society. The release of the film could not have been any timelier, given the recent occurrences of racial discrimination in the USA. I highly recommend this film, so spare some time to watch it!

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This is that kind of movie. It talks about a person (McAvoy) who has this rare disease that can change personality and strength to a completely different person while still in the same body, thus the name, split because this person can become a series of persons throughout the movie. He then kidnapped three girls and took them to his hideout where the girls experience shocking discoveries about a complex human like they’ve never seen before.

James McAvoy is a friggin beast. Yep, both figuratively and literally (which you will see why if you watch it) because it takes a lot of effort, practice and determination to do what he did in this surprisingly good movie. As a start, he finally could make himself bald after years acting as Professor Xavier with X-men all this years, I swear I thought I would see him finally bald in the latest installation of that sequel. Also, his acting ability to change as a kid and a lady in quick succession was admirable as experienced actors will see it as something that needed hours of training and balls to do it.

I should also come to discuss about another star of the show, Anya Taylor-Joy. (sorry if I made you think there was only James in this movie since I’ve only been talking about him) In the movie, she was the one that’s been kidnapped by James but in reality, she was the probably the kidnapper who took my heart away. Jk lol but seriously tho she was really powerful in the movie and her acting abilities are probably parallel if not even better than some big-time Hollywood super actresses.

Also, the science fiction in the movie was interesting as it explores a biological phenomenon, which although impossible in reality but it was actually a sweet touch to shape the plot of the movie.

In conclusion, the movie was a very risky, yet successful experiment that needed a really talented cast. The movie will make you glued to your seat and will amuse and shock you all at once. Overall, a must watch movie!!

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“I am Groot.” – Groot

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 (GOTG2 for short) is the sequel to James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). Gunn, the rest of the guardians, and some other familiar faces return for this  sequel. Just to refresh your mind, the guardians include Starlord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Drax (Dave Bautista), and of course Groot (Vin Diesel). This time the plot mainly centralizes around Starlord’s mysterious parentage background as well as the complex relationships within the gang.

The first scene with the guardians involves baby groot dancing to ‘Mr Blue Sky’ by the ‘Electric Light Score’ while the rest of the guardians engage in a fight with space monster approximately as large as Scheps. It immediately sets the tone for the film and is a throwback to the opening shot of GOTG. On a related note, the soundtrack for this film is great with handpicked songs by Gunn from the 60s-70s. As soon as I heard George Harrison’s ‘My Sweet Lord’ I knew I’d be searching up the full soundtrack once I got back home.

The film is visually stunning with vibrant colors all around which excellently suites the film’s fun lighthearted tone. This can be credited to the new “RED Weapon 8K camera”, which Gunn himself claims that the “visual and practical effects gives us the ability to create a new aesthetic of film”.  Because of this, the film differentiates itself to most films from the MCU (marvel cinematic universe) that contain dull post-production colour grading. This is the first time Marvel Studios have used this camera, and rumor has it that this will be the standard camera for future movies within the MCU. Action sequences are of average quality with some standard vehicle chase scenes and some particularly unique sequences that greatly use visual comedy.

Speaking of comedy, the film’s dialog at times can be gut-wrenchingly hilarious, however sometimes the effect of the punchline detracts because of how unnatural the jokes are developed between conversations. At times it can feel a bit forced, making it look like the whole purpose of the conversation is to create humour for the audience rather than an actual real conversation between characters. Fortunately this is minimized due to how most of the characters within the film already possess odd characteristics that fully justifies the jokes used in a conversation. This is undoubtedly personified by the chemistry between characters that allows the dialog to seamlessly flow for us to digest.

I guess this leads to my main gripe with the film. While GOTG2 does shine in its comedic aspect, the film falls behind in its pacing. This can be seen in many scenes where the film transitions from a lighthearted tone to a serious one without actually building up any substance for us to care about the forced drama. It feels misplaced and awkward. As an eventual effect to that, developing relationships between characters feels heavily unjustified, and you’re left dazed and confused as to how the goals and intentions of a character changes so drastically within a couple of scenes. There are also questionable side-plots within the main plot that feel unnecessary. It’s almost as if the point of it is purely for the sake of filling in gaps between the main plot or setting up characters later used in other movies within the MCU. It also feels as if it was added as an extra challenge for the guardians as the main ‘villain’ proved to be underwhelming once again. This has been a reoccurring issue with most films within the MCU. Where the villain can be unthreatening, lacking in depth and meaning, or a combination of both. Either way it makes the plot feel pointless and cliched/cheesy.  

Overall if you enjoyed GOTG for its likable characters, great chemistry, killer soundtrack, and good vibes. There’s a good chance that you’ll enjoy GOTG2 as much. However if you weren’t a big fan of the original, chances are that you’ll dislike this sequel even more than the first one. As it doesn’t hold a candle to the first one in terms of its plot structure and its pacing. Fortunately, Gunn already has plans for a third GOTG film, so let’s hope that this sequel was just a stepping stone to an epic comeback to close this gem of a trilogy.

⅗  STARS

The post Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 – A Film Review appeared first on IH Globe.

The real purpose of a film review is to recommend whether or not you should see a movie. In regard to Jim Henson’s 1986 ‘Labyrinth’, the answer is undoubtedly ‘yes’.

Will it go down in history as one of the great masterpieces of the 20th

century? Probably not. Does it have a cohesive, non-creepy plot line? No. Is it

of particularly high quality? Well that depends on whether you drink your

wine out of a bottle or a box. What it does have, however, is some genuinely

terrifying muppet characters, trippy visuals, an objectively fucked up

plotline, goblin king David Bowie at his peak and the infamous bulge.

If you aren’t familiar with the story, or your mind has shielded you from the

previous trauma, it is based on a teenager named Sarah (Jennifer Connelly)

who is obsessed with fairy tales and legends. While babysitting her younger

brother she wishes he would be taken away by goblins, and unlike when I wish

to be discovered as some billionaire’s long lost child, her wish comes true.

The goblin king Gareth (yes, I kid you not, that is his actual name) then

bargains that she can get her brother back if she navigates her way through

his labyrinth to his castle.

Why, you may ask, is this relatively standard fantasy movie plot so widely

considered emotionally scarring? Maybe it’s the ‘Saw’ style obstacles Sarah

faces within the maze, or the fact that the middle-aged Gareth has a creepy

obsession with marrying a fifteen-year-old, or even simply the pure 80s-ness

of the whole production – including but not limited to Bowies pants.

However the soundtrack, intricate sets, paradoxical visuals, and the fact

that nothing brings people together quite like emotional damage makes it

well worth a watch.

Plus, exam season is coming up and what better way to procrastinate than

tricking your unsuspecting friends into watching a “normal, non-scary film”

like ‘labyrinth’.

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The Melbourne Comedy Festival in particular aims to showcase this weird, wonderful, and unique side of what theatre in Australia aims to be today. It displays comedy from all around the country, in all abstract and pure forms. But more importantly it displays people – their talent, ambitions, passion, and hard work. One show in particular catches IH’s eye, featuring no other than our own beloved ex IH’er, Louisa Wall. Known as the token tall red head and VCA student, Louisa worked damn hard in her three year run at IH, blessing us with iconic costumed appearances (never forget seaweed 2015), swift dance moves, and weekly shop visits – but behind the scenes, Lou has also always been crafting her art, working hard to pursue her career in acting.

The results are impressive, and the evidence is here in Melbourne. ‘A Dingo Ate My Baby’, Lou’s one-man show, has toured both the Adelaide Fringe & Melbourne Comedy Festivals, receiving nothing but incredible applause. How Lou does it, I don’t know – the show is essentially fifty minutes of perfected rapping, looped beats on repeat, copious clever symbolism, and insane amounts of energy – oh and get this, glitter gets thrown around everywhere and there’s a sneaky clarinet solo somewhere around the fifty-minute mark. With every minute, the audiences laugh gets harder and harder to contain, as Lou’s stand up comedy not only takes the piss out of every element of Aussie culture in the most nuanced and classy way possible, whilst teaching a valuable and relatable lesson in judgement, and how society perceives women and their duties in Australia today and how we can change it.

In between all the laughs, unexpected swearing, and jazzy box steps, Lou’s message shines through in a very personal and powerful way. The messages are so subtly woven into every joke and line, and the punchline is delivered with perfect passion and intensity every time. Ultimately, the moral of each story cuts deep and leaves the audience in awe, wanting to rewatch the whole show again, just to fully soak it all in. But most importantly, Lou’s show leaves you damn happy, and will guarantee many smiles and genuine laughs.

There is something so special about how powerful and perfect this one-man show is – it is a huge compliment to Louisa and to her many years of hard work and dedication, but all the best parts of her can’t help but shine through and make your day. So get around Lou while you can, because she is bound to be doing even bigger and better things as the months pass by – such creative lyrical genius is hard to catch, and she’s got it all. So stay tuned!

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