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Cotino and the Cult of Disney Adults: How Fandom Became a Real Estate Strategy
The term “Disney Adult” is a polarizing term used to describe adults (often middle-aged) who are obsessed with the Walt Disney Company. They religiously watch the movies, decorate their homes with Disney merchandise, and frequently visit Disney resorts. To some, the Disney Adult represents a form of arrested development. To others, Disney fandom is no
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Product Placement in Games: Immersive Enhancement or Capitalist Intrusion?
Brad Pitt’s F1 Movie: A Billboard on Wheels Watching the new F1 movie with Brad Pitt, I was trying to keep a mental count of the number of brands whose products were prominently placed in the movie. Sure enough, I lost count 15 minutes in. From sleek Apple products to the numerous brand patches on the main
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5 Movie Villains Who Made Valid Points
5. Thanos – Avengers: Infinity War (2018) The initial run of Marvel movies leading up to 2018 had a villain problem. These early movies were great at establishing our heroes and developing an interconnected world. However, I felt these initial movies lacked compelling villains. With the exception of Loki (who ultimately had a redemption arc),
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MPA Ratings Explained: How Self-Censorship Still Shapes Hollywood
Previously, I wrote about how television networks frequently self-censor lewd and explicit content from their broadcasts. In the world of film, censorship operates in a similarly self-imposed fashion. The Motion Picture Association (“MPA,” formerly the MPAA) reviews films for content and provides a rating for nearly every film that is released. However, the MPA is
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How TV Censorship Works in the Streaming Age: From the FCC to the Definition of Obscenity
The other day, I was flipping through channels when I caught a minute of a CNN broadcast in which President Trump’s comments on the Israel and Iran conflict were being aired. In the clip, Trump states the two nations “don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.” Setting politics aside, I was caught off guard that
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Gaming’s Identity Crisis: Why New Consoles Keep Replaying Old Hits
As the rumors swirl around the upcoming release of a GTA IV remaster, people online have reignited the debate surrounding the place of remasters in gaming. This generation of consoles has seen its fair share of remasters. From the surprise release of The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion to the re-rerelease of titles like The Last of Us and Grand Theft Auto V, remasters
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From Harambe to DUIs: How the Internet Turned Drunk Driving Into a Joke
From Harambe to storming Area 51, popular culture is often intensely consumed by a meme until it inevitably fizzles out. The newest meme on the scene? Drunk driving. For whatever reason, drunk driving has become the latest topic to joke about. These memes often frame drinking and driving as fun, or even as the “ideal”
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Why Can’t Hollywood Quit Cigarettes in the Age of Vaping
As vaping becomes increasingly popular, it’s no surprise that it has begun to seep into television and film. Movies like Everything Everywhere All at Once and shows like Mare of Easttown feature characters who vape. In the movie Blink Twice, Channing Tatum’s frequent vape use is a critical plot device central to the story. Yet cigarettes still reign supreme as
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Why I Miss Cable TV in the Age of Streaming
Sitting on my couch, flipping through the seemingly endless ocean of content, I find myself longing for the days of cable. It’s an odd thing to miss. I remember hating cable when I had it—sitting through commercials, scheduling my day around the airtime of certain shows. The cable companies and networks felt like my oppressors, forcing me
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Crypto, Conspiracies, and Johnnie Walker: The Gospel of Luke Belmar
In the past few months my Instagram feed has become inundated with “hustle bros.” A distinct segment of the manosphere, these self-help influencers offer “advice” on how to become a successful entrepreneur and “escape the matrix.” The “advice” usually comes in the form of paid online course, like the Tate brothers’ “Hustler’s University.” There is