Reviews, Rants, and Opinions on Culture and Entertainment
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The Rizzler and the Acceleration of Modern Fame
A defining feature of today’s cultural landscape is the erosion of the monoculture. From YouTube essays on the fall of the Roman Empire to British baking shows and livestreams of Minecraft gameplay, there is a seemingly infinite amount of content to consume on the internet. With such a wealth of content, social media platforms and…
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Why Are Video Game Movies Almost Always Terrible?
Hollywood has notoriously had difficulty adapting video games to the big screen. Starting with the original Super Mario Bros. film released in 1993, there have been 47 live-action video game movies that have received theatrical releases. Collectively, these 47 films have a Rotten Tomatoes score of 28.6% and an average Metacritic score of 36/100. As always, aggregated…
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Will the NFL Leave Cable Behind After 2033?
The 2025 NFL season officially kicked off last night with a matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. It was a good game and a classic display of the NFL. Within the first minute, there were multiple delays for injuries, penalties, and unsportsmanlike conduct. There was also an hour-long delay due to lightning. Like…
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Can California’s New Tax Credit Bring Movies Back from Georgia?
Since 2008, the state of Georgia has become a hub for film productions thanks to its generous film tax credit. Film tax credits allow a production company to write off a certain percentage of state income taxes within the state offering the credit. Georgia’s program allows productions to receive a 20% transferable tax credit, with an…
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Will Smith Accused of Using AI Fans in Album Promo Video
Will Smith made headlines this week for allegedly using AI to simulate fans in a video he posted to promote his new album. In the minute-long video posted to YouTube, images can be seen of fans holding up signs praising Smith, nearly in tears from the power of his music. YouTubers were quick to point out that these…