Netflix’s latest true crime series dehumanizes victims and glorifies perpetrators — as usual

Netflix released the controversial true-crime limited series “Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting An Internet Killer” on Dec. 19, 2019. Directed by Mark Lewis, the documentary follows Canadian murderer Luka Magnotta who gained notoriety online after posting videos of himself killing cats. 

The series stars two internet sleuths who began investigating the case after Magnotta first posted a video of himself killing two kittens. Dianna Thompson, under the pseudonym Baudi Moovan online, was integral in discovering Magnotta’s identity.

According to Thompson, there is only one rule of thumb when navigating the dark web: “Don’t f**k with cats.” Due to the graphic nature of the videos Magnatta posted, he quickly gained a following of people trying to take him down. Because the video could not be located to a certain area, police investigations could not interfere. So members of a Facebook group enraged by the videos took it upon themselves to identify the killer. 

While the case is certainly fascinating, and it’s understandable why Lewis would create it, there are strong moral reasons why this series shouldn’t exist. A previous article in The California Aggie made an argument that true crime series can be damaging in the ways that they gloss over the lives of the victims and tend to glorify and perpetuate the narrative that killers create for themselves. This series further proves this argument. 

Magnotta was described as having narcissistic histrionic personality disorder. His whole life revolved around trying to get as much attention as possible. He created fake fan accounts and spread rumors in order to direct as much spotlight toward himself as he could. He broke the internet’s only rule in order to anger as many people as possible and build a following. He was arrested while reading news about himself in a cafe in Berlin.

Now there’s a three-part series all about Magnotta. “Don’t F**k With Cats” has been criticized for the tone it strikes and it’s lack of sensitivity toward the graphic content. 

“This dynamic alone sets up a major conundrum for the filmmakers. How do you accurately tell this story and depict Magnotta’s narcissism without playing into his fetish and glamorizing it?” Kayleigh Donaldson for Screenrant writes. “Sadly, the documentary stumbles hard with this problem. Its slick aesthetic plays heavily into Magnotta’s own style and the image he wanted to convey of himself.”

The series is also guilty of glossing over the life of Magnatta’s human victim — Jun Lin. Only one friend of Jun Lin was interviewed and there is no mention of him until late in the second episode. The documentary dismisses Jun Lin’s humanity, making him out to be merely a victim in Magnotta’s game. No one in the documentary seems to care about getting to know Jun Lin further, so the audience does not get to. He becomes a prop in the narrative and wasn’t given a life in the way Magnata was and thus was dehumanized. 

“The murder has robbed us not only of Lin Jun, but our ability to think and talk about him without feeling pain and shame,” his father said in a victim impact statement. It is painful to think of how those close to Jun Lin would feel to have his murderer be glamorized in the way the documentary does. 

It was discovered that Magnotta staged the murder off of a scene from “Basic Instinct.”

“He was playing a movie, and he was the star of this movie,” said a Montreal police officer. “And he wanted to be the star of the world.”

There is a half-hearted attempt to acknowledge the contradiction of making a documentary like this in the last episode of the series. Thompson faces the camera and asks the viewer directly if they, too, are “complicit” for watching the documentary until the end. It is a lazy and distasteful gimmick that only proves the lack of care they had over this fact because they made it anyway. 

Written by: Alyssa Ilsley — arts@theaggie.org

The music videos that reflect this decade’s events

Music videos allow artists to add a visual element to their music. This past decade’s music videos point out issues concerning race and discrimination, the need for inclusion and more. These powerful themes have brought many artists together.

“Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” (2010)

The decade started with this uplifting Shakira song which also served as the official 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem. The video includes scenes of past soccer matches, lyrics that address the fears players might have and words of encouragement. Multicultural children are also seen dancing around together, offering an inspiring image of diversity. 

“Gangnam Style” (2012)

This wacky dance video deserves some recognition, especially since it has more than 3 billion views. Psy, a South Korean songwriter and performer, created the unique dance routine that took the world by storm. The video features different groups performing the dance in different public spaces. It blew up the year it came out and defined 2012.

“Roar” (2013) 

Katy Perry has written many pop songs, but this song remains relevant throughout the decade. This video is just one of many videos with over 2 billion views, because of its power as an anthem for overcoming adversity. After the video came out, Perry performed the song during the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show while on top of an animatronic tiger. 

“See You Again” (2015)

Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth created this popular song for the seventh installation of the “Fast and Furious” franchise, but also in tribute to Paul Walker, who died in a car crash in 2013 before “Furious 7” finished filming. Fans of the film series were given the chance to see Paul Walker one last time alongside his co-stars, in a symbolic scene where Walker drives off in another direction. 

“Lemonade” (2016)

Beyoncé released a visual album artfully directed and centered around race, gender and political issues, as well as the infidelity of her husband, Jay-Z. Some of the videos are set in the 20th Century, due to her using the 1991 indie film “Daughters of the Dust” as her inspiration. This film highlights the importance of passing down traditions through generations of family members. These videos resonated with viewers and continued to remain relevant in this new decade. 

“Blood, Sweat and Tears” (2016)

K-Pop has found major popularity the last decade, and groups like BTS gained immense success from it. The production value for K-Pop groups’ videos seems limitless. The seven-member group first appears in an art museum and later, are seen floating in the air. The videos BTS creates are aesthetically appealing, with their lavish outfits and mesmerizing coordinated dance routines.

“Despacito” (2017)

Latin music is gaining more attention worldwide and becoming a more sought-after genre in the mainstream. Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s collaboration brought the genre even greater success in pop culture. The music video has about 6 billion views as of now, because listeners can’t help but dance to the rhythm of Latin music. 

“This is America” (2018)

Childish Gambino is unapologetic in the way he expresses his political views in this music video. It might be hard to watch the quick gun violence and Gambino’s dancing in an upbeat way right after, reminiscent of minstrelsy, but the startling structure shows Gambino’s perspective on racism and gun violence in the black community. 

“Earth” (2019) 

This animated music video brought together Snoop Dogg, Ariana Grande, Leonardo DiCaprio and many more to bring awareness to global warming. With the issue of global warming, it is easy to feel disheartened, but Lil Dicky’s comedic video with talking animals highlights the problems of global warming in a non-intimidating way. 

Written by: Gabriela Hernandez — arts@theaggie.org

No hooks, no gimmicks. It was, and is, about, well, nothing  

I have no reservations saying that I am late to the party. But often, it’s better to be late, with a little sweat on your brow and a small huff in your breath, than to not show up at all. Throughout my time at UC Davis, I have often felt this way. I show up to a party happy to see friends, even though my bones are brittle and my spirit slowly fading. I enter Wednesday’s exceptional Funk Night after an hour of standing in line, a maligned, beaten down spectre of a man, yet one with a smile.

The same can be said of media and of media that truly touches you, which I classify in my mind as art. When you’re “late” to art, however, you really haven’t missed anything at all. In fact, you’re confirming one of art’s most beautiful qualities, which is that it moves in cycles. 

I am both delighted and thankful that the cycle has moved in such a way for me to be able to appreciate the 1990s television show and phenomenon “Seinfeld.” A self-described show about nothing, “Seinfeld” was the peak of ’90s televised entertainment, laughtrack and all. Yet, there was never any pressure to laugh at the subject matter, whether it was a live studio audience or pre-recorded. No hooks. No gimmicks. It was, and is, about nothing. That is, ostensibly, the magic of the show.

I always hear folks (often older), like my father and his cohorts in their thick Soviet accents, exclaim about whiskeys and the beautiful aging that comes with them. My father picked up whiskey as a hobby as soon as I left for Davis — a strange attempt at assimilating into American culture, as well as empty nesting. The best whiskey, he says, comes seemingly out of nowhere and has a good age, as it’s left in barrels for 10 or 20 years. He says the two decade period is an especially good indicator of telling if the people knew what they were doing or not. The same, strangely enough, could be said of television, and “Seinfeld” is no exception. 

To say that “Seinfeld” has aged well would be a devilishly sly understatement. I have not laughed so hard in a very long time. In one episode, George Costanza, a lovable, bald oaf with a penchant for deep neuroticism, is planning something with Jerry, our titular protagonist. Both of them are waiting in the lobby of a building to “bump into” a lady Jerry met the other night, while at a birthday party, who informed him she worked there. George debates endlessly about what his cover should be. He’s always wanted to be an architect, but this guy, this veil of anonymity, should be an importer? An importer-exporter? A mixture of the two, perhaps?

They eventually settle on a guise for George. His name is Art Core Velay. And you’ll never guess — he’s an architect. When Jerry’s love interest, Vanessa, shows up, she questions them both, with Jerry deflecting quickly back to “Art Vandelay.” Art begins to go off about the love of his craft, while a beguiled Jerry looks to move past the whole thing.The situation is simply absurd in its entire construction. Jerry likes Vanessa and then orchestrates this entire stake out to get a chance at bumping into her. But he spends the entire time constructing a fake identity for George in case Vanessa asks them too many questions. In this moment, “Seinfeld” speaks to the absurdity of real life. 

Is this not the 1990s version of posting a specific story on Instagram to try and get a specific someone to reply to it? The emotional honesty here is refreshing, heartachingly real and most of all, hilarious.  

The cultural malaise that “Seinfeld” depicts is equally as fascinating, with profound relevance and almost alarming accuracy. How long you wait to call someone has been replaced with how long we must wait to send a DM or a text. Driving up to the Hamptons with your friends to see a friend’s newborn, only to discern that they’re the ugliest baby you’ve ever seen may sound hyper specific, but the heart of this is making a great effort to ultimately end up with nothing. The deft yet extensive list of side hustles each character gets into (most notably, George’s position as official car re-parker for Jerry’s block) hits home with any young person who feels as if they must be actively generating profit to make use of their time. Not to mention, sometimes people who work at trendy soup stands can just be really mean. These and so many more examples are on display while watching “Seinfeld,” and you notice that there is so much to glean, both culturally and metaphorically, that it’s almost impossible to overlook the influence the show has had. And yet, many do.

When asked if they remember “Seinfeld,” many students on campus were hard pressed to remember anything other than its catchy bassline of a theme. Many remember Jerry, but now see him as the “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” guy. This is just a tiny bit tragic, considering he used to be the star of the most popular show on television. 

“I remember that show!” said Hank Reich, a third-year environmental engineering major. “My parents threw it on over break while I was on my phone, and I didn’t look at it for the rest of the episode. I loved it.” 

Ignoring the show for 30 minutes is one thing, but actually enjoying it, as Reich remarked, is a clear marker that the show still has appeal, yet maybe doesn’t have the spread it deserves. 

Over Winter Break, I binged the first four seasons of “Seinfeld” on my couch. I had things to do. Friends I’d promised to see. Employers I fooled into hiring me. Grandparents for whom I swore to install Skype. All these things went out the window the moment I saw Jerry go up on stage at the end of an episode and do a little stand up set. I couldn’t stop. Even worse, I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to experience this slice of life, even if it was just four friends in pre-Giuliani New York City simply clowning around and revealing things about life in the process. 

In the very end, that slice of life, that glimpse into a truth, is all we can ask of art. For a show about nothing, “Seinfeld” really did make me feel everything. 

Written by: Ilya Shrayber — arts@theaggie.org

Students share how they make the most of the cold and fog

After an unfathomably short break, we return to Davis for Winter Quarter and hit the ground running during “syllabus” week, all while preparing for gray skies ahead. As we watch our semester-system peers enjoy another week or two of relief, we’re here, studying and biking with gloves on. 

Out goes the sunlight shining through the trees as you bike to class, and in its place comes rainy, remarkably short days that make it impossible to get any work done after 6 p.m. As bleak as these days may seem, there are ways we can bear, and even enjoy, these next few weeks. The California Aggie asked students for tips on how to conquer Winter Quarter. 

When it comes to staying dry, there are some great techniques that seasoned Winter Quarter-ers have. 

“Layer a sh-t ton,” said Makenzie Nye, a second-year international relations major. “I take the bus instead of biking, which is sad because I like biking.” 

“I wear rain pants,” said Kendall Siefert, a second-year biomedical engineering major. “[So] your butt doesn’t get wet when you ride a bike, and you don’t have to worry about the seat being wet.” 

Some people don’t even bother protecting themselves from the rain. 

“I don’t go to class to keep dry,” said Kate Heller, a fourth-year statistics and economics double major. 

So it sounds like the way to have the driest quarter possible is to ditch your bike, wrap yourself in plastic or just stay home. 

The Davis chill is so shocking that even the East Coast kids are complaining. 

“When you come to California, you expect it to be warm, so you don’t really dress to prepare, but it gets cold,” said Seifert, who is from Philadelphia, Pa. 

“You can’t be blasting the heat [all night], so when I wake up it’s so hard to get out of bed because it’s freezing,” said Antonia Sarria, a fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major. 

“Cold. Breezy. Gray. Snow. Shiver. I have been cold, I have been cold,” said Carwyn Gambling, a second-year civil and environmental engineering major. 

And if that doesn’t sum up Winter Quarter, what does? It’s chilly out here. But there are bright sides to the gloomy weather! 

As far as activities, people don’t seem to mind being forced to stay inside — “I lay in my warm bed with my heated blanket and do homework,” Siefert said. 

Nye hangs out at her friends’ apartments. 

“It’s quality time with people you love which is better than big parties,” Nye said. 

For some, staying inside also provides incentives to start exercising. 

“In the cold weather, I go to the gym more,” Heller said. Nye added that she enjoys inside exercise, like dance and yoga classes.

If you’re bored at home, put that New Year’s resolution in motion and head to the ARC.

Studying is also a good option when being outside is suddenly the worst part about going to class. Everyone crowds the usual study spots, and you can’t sit alone at the CoHo.

“You can find random empty classrooms to work at,” Sarria said. 

“I live at the Sycamore study lounge,” Heller continued. 

There is also snow. Not in Davis, of course, but we are relatively close to the slopes here in Northern California. If you get up early enough, you can make a day of it, without having to worry about lodging. But check the weather first — you don’t want to get caught in a storm. 

There’s no denying that Winter Quarter is a tough one, but we can see that there are some pros to this part of the year. If it weren’t for the chilling outdoors, the great indoors wouldn’t be as pleasant, and the possibility for productivity improves when more time is spent inside. If nothing else, Winter Quarter brings us together through our shared animosity toward this time of the school year and gives us the opportunity to appreciate the normalities of life. 

“I jump in puddles,” said Gambling. It’s the little things. 

Written By: Allie Bailey — arts@theaggie.org