Set at a fictional Ivy League college called Winchester, Dear White People, takes the film of the same name and turns it into a series exploring the lives of a handful of its Black and Biracial students.
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All posts by abbiosbiston
MOVIE REVIEW: The Goldfinch (2019)
On an outing to the Met, thirteen year old Theo Decker’s (Oakes Fegley/Ansel Engelort) mother is killed during an explosion. Confused and disoriented, Theo is convinced by Welty (Robert Joy), a fatally injured elderly man to take and hide a priceless painting called The Goldfinch.
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MOVIE REVIEW: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
I love Eurovision. I know it is absolute silly trash but that is why I love it. It’s simultaneously ridiculous and awesome and camp and over the top and I live for it. I guess it’s the same reason I live for Drag. This year because of Coronavirus there was no Eurovision Song Contest and hence I was sad. Roll on Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, there to fill the gap for everyone who missed out on seeing Moldovans in crazy hats singing about cheese while glitter canons went off this May.
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BOOK REVIEW: Black British History: Black Influences on British Culture (1948 – 2018) by Robin Walker, Vanika Marshall, Paula Perry, Anthony Vaughan
As most of you will know, I didn’t grow up in the UK and attended school in my home country, South Africa. The history I was taught was very focused on World Wars and American history for one half of the curriculum. The other half was much about what is known as “The Struggle”, which is the history of the architecture of Apartheid and how it was dismantled. I will admit that at the time I wasn’t aware enough to be able to assess how accurate and unbiased it was. I also can’t remember a lot of the detail because I graduate high school 22 years ago.
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TV REVIEW: Normal People – Limited Series
Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal) are in the same class but they live in different worlds. Marianne’s home life is one of privilege and in school she is seen as an odd ball, know it all snob. Connell’s mother cleans Marianne’s house and Connell is part of the popular in-crowd. What they do have in common is an undeniable attraction to each other. They begin a relationship that Connell wants to keep secret, which kicks off a cycle of them appearing in and out of each others’ lives as they attempt to leave their hometown of Sligo and grow up.
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MOVIE REVIEW: LA 92 (2017)
In 1992, a Black Los Angeles resident named Rodney King was brutally beaten by white police officers during an arrest. The attack by the officers was recorded and the video was viewed far and wide. The officers were tried but found innocent, highlighting the insidious systemic racism within the Los Angeles police force even in the face of incontrovertible evidence. This ignited a fury amongst Black Angelenos that lead to 6 days of violent rioting and looting.
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TV REVIEW: Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich – Limited Series
By now we have all heard of Jeffrey Epstein, a man who sprung to notoriety when the victims of his predatory behaviour began to speak out and implicate several extremely well known men. His highest profile associate being Prince Andrew, a member of the British royal family. Following his arrest he appeared to commit suicide, taking a wealth of disturbing information to the grave. Recently his partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, was arrested by the FBI for her part in Epstein’s sex trafficking ring, the question stands now as to how long before she is silenced.
This documentary looks into Epstein and his victims.
TV REVIEW: Unwanted: The Secret Windrush Files
As some of you might know, 22 June is Windrush Day, named after the famous Empire Windrush ship that docked in Britain carrying several hundred Caribbean workers. These workers were invited from British Commonwealth countries which were former British colonies to come to the “motherland” and help rebuild the country following World War II. In this documentary, historian, David Olusoga examines how the Windrush arrivals were received and the devastating immigration policies that impacted them and their children.
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TV REVIEW: Killing Eve – Season 3
Killing Eve is back for a fourth season in the BBC’s latest study of how much a brilliant concept can be dragged out before even the biggest fans turn on it.
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MOVIE REVIEW: 13th (2016)
In my ongoing education about systemic racism, I recently watched 13th a documentary directed by award winning director, Ava DuVernay. In this film DuVernay explores the 13th Amendment to the US constitution and its impact on the Black community in the USA.
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TV REVIEW: Gangs of London – Season 1
Finn Wallace (Colm Meany), the head of the consortium of gangs that runs London, has been murdered and the question on everyone’s lips is who killed him and why?
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TV REVIEW: What We Do in the Shadows – Season 2
I was a huge fan of the first series of What We Do in the Shadows, which is a spin off of the film of the same name so I was super excited to see what the next season would bring. New Jersey vampire housemates Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetrio) and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) are back for their mockumentry series along with their long suffering familiar, Guillermo (Harvey Guillén).
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MOVIE REVIEW: Kinky Boots (2007)
Charlie Price (Joel Edgerton) dreams of leaving the small Northern town he grew up in with his fiancee, Nicola (Jemima Rooper). His plans to escape the family shoe factory and move to London are dashed though when his father dies unexpectedly. Now Charlie will have to find a way to pull the artisan shoe factory out of financial ruin in the face of much cheaper competition.
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BOOK REVIEW: I Am Not Your Baby Mother by Candice Brathwaite
I have been waiting with great anticipation for Candice Brathwaite’s memoir, I Am Not Your Baby Mother, since she started talking about writing it on her Instagram some time ago. I have long been a fan of her forthright look at motherhood and her desire to uplift diverse mothering experiences beyond the straight, white, cis, middle class default. The fact that it was released almost exactly in time with the recent surge in interest the Black Lives Matter movement has made reading it that much more timely.
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Some resources for white people who want to be actively anti-racist
While much of the world reels in shock at what is happening in the USA right now after the shameful murder of an innocent black man called George Floyd, I am sad to say that I am not shocked at all. Systemic racism is an insidious and every present monster not only in the USA but very much in the UK and all over the Western World.
If you are white and want to be actively part of a change that must happen but have no idea where to start, here are some things you can do.
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TV REVIEW: Workin’ Moms – Season 4
The fourth season of Workin’ Moms sees Kate (Catherine Reitman) back together with Nathan (Philip Sternberg) and trying to rebuild her relationship while simultaneously building her business. Anne (Dani Kind) is attempting to write a parenting book, while her daughter, Alice (Sadie Munroe) is still on off the rails. Meanwhile Frankie (Juno Rinaldi) is worried her girlfriend, Bianca (Tennille Read) is being duped by her son’s biological father. And Jenny (Jessalyn Wanlim) takes on her boss with the hope of bridging the gender pay gap.
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TV REVIEW: Last Kingdom – Season 4
Following Alfred’s death, Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon) and his band of men are free to follow Uhtred’s long held dream of liberating Bebbanberg from his tyrannical uncle. Unfortunately even the best laid plans are open to ruin and Uhtred finds himself forced to retreat.
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TV REVIEW: Pure – Season 1
Every now and then I accidentally stumble upon a Netflix series that I have never heard of and the premise is so intriguing I can’t resist trying out an episode… and then end up bingeing the entire season. Pure was one of these.
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MOVIE REVIEW: Three Identical Strangers (2018)
In 1980 three young New Yorkers discovered that they had all been separately adopted as infants and were in fact a triplet. At first Robert, Eddie and David’s discovery of each other is a blast. They go on all the talk shows, they revel in their similarities and use their newfound fame to indulge in a life of wine, women and song.
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TV REVIEW: The Nest – Limited Series
Wealthy Glasgow couple, Emily (Sophie Rundle) and Dan Docherty (Martin Compston) have always dreamed of having a child of their own but with no success. When Emily has a chance encounter with, troubled teenager, Kaya (Mirren Mack) an opportunity for surrogacy opens up. Unfortunately no one has been completely open about their past and soon there’s murder, dodgy business dealings, family trauma and unexpected romance in the mix.
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