62.9 F
Davis

Davis, California

Monday, March 18, 2024

Culture Corner

The Arts Desk’s weekly picks for movies, books, music, television shows

Movie: “Coraline” dir. by Henry Selick (2009)

This movie was released years ago, but this is a film that I never get tired of revisiting, especially around this time of the year. Based on the identically-named novella by Neil Gaiman, “Coraline” is a stop-motion animation film that follows a young girl’s venture into a parallel universe behind a small door in her new home. While this idealized world seems perfect at first, Coraline slowly discovers its malicious side. Not only is this movie beautifully animated, but its slightly spooky nature makes it an all-time favorite of mine. 

Book: “Her Body and Other Parties” by Carmen Maria Machado

Machado’s “The Husband Stitch” takes on a new spin to the classic short story, “The Green Ribbon,” while keeping the original chilliness of the tale. As a whole, this collection of short stories feature horror, comedy, science fiction and more, all through a queer, feminist lens. Her tales are haunting and employ elements from classic American Gothics to relay a woman’s experience in a fatally sexist world in both a refreshing and disturbing, abstract way. 

Album: “American Idiot” by Green Day

Although this album was released in 2004, its message on the effects of the U.S. government on lower middle-class adolescents serves as a call to action against the oppressive, patriarchal bureaucracy of the U.S.’ society that still persists today. Categorized as a “Punk-Rock Opera,” this album also served its time on Broadway in its prime. From start to finish, it depicts a story of the main character “Jesus of Suburbia” rising against the backdrop of a failing government.

Television Show: “The Haunting of Hill House” dir. by Mike Flanagan (2018)
Based on the supernatural horror novel by Shirley Jackson, this Netflix series adaptation depicts the lives of a family that has been haunted by supernatural presences throughout their lives. It juxtaposes the narratives of each family member between the present and the past, leading up to the death of a family member in both timelines. 
Written by: Mariah Viktoria Candelaria –– arts@theaggie.org


LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here