POP CULTURE BLERD
Two of the year's biggest mainstream apocalypse narratives feature the shocking deaths of major gay characters. But only one actually let the gays live, love, and face the end amidst the end of the world.
(from left to right) Ben Aldridge as Andrew, Kristen Cui as Wen, and Jonathan Groff as Eric in Knock at the Cabin (Universal Pictures | 2023)
CONTENT WARNING
The following commentary contains mentions and references to real-world instances of anti-LGBTQIA+ violence, as well as references to media that features violence committed against queer characters. If these topics prove triggering, I encourage you to take precaution before reading.
Additionally, this post contains spoilers for HBO's The Last of Us (Season 1, Episode 3, "Long Long Time") and Universal Pictures' Knock at the Cabin. If you haven't seen either, I recommend that you bookmark this page so you can come back to it after you've seen the media discussed in-depth in this piece.
If you appreciate this kind of writing that takes queerness/sexuality and inclusivity as serious factors in the creation of media and the correlation between media influence and pertinent cultural discussions, then you can make more of it happen by supporting me on Ko-Fi.
0 Comments
Imagine if all the filmmakers who are the loudest about their disdain for superhero movies actually raised their voices about the American entertainment industry's intrinsic issues with racial inequality, gender discrimination, and sexual predators...
A still from Marvel Studios' The Avengers featuring, from left to right, Chris Hemsworth as Thor; Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye/Clint Barton; Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk/Dr. Bruce Banner; Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man/Tony Stark; Chris Evans as Captain America/Steve Rogers; and Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff. (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Marvel Studios | 2012)
CONTENT WARNING
The following post contains mentions of aggressive workplace sexual/physical/verbal/emotional misconduct; sexual assault and rape; inappropriate behaviors; and general exhaustion at cishet white male filmmakers wanting to be gatekeepers over filmmaking and cinematic expression.
(Oh, and slight spoilers for various Marvel and DC media sprinkled around herein.) If you watched the trilogy, the actor's criticism of the franchise's characters of color is obvious. He's just calling it out.
|
Meet Your Friendly Neighborhood BlerdHello, one and all.
Welcome to the mothership and prepare to go on a fantastic voyage through the Blerd space-time continnum! I'm Makayla; it's nice to meet you! Pronouns are they/she. Archives
February 2023
Categories
All
|