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Rant and Rave: Reliving past mistakes with ‘Maria Clara at Ibarra’

The famed novels of Dr. Jose Rizal—Noli Me Tangere (Noli) and El Filibusterismo) (Fili)—have been cultural and political touchstones in forging the Filipino identity. Rizal and his works, including their cores of patriotism and resistance against oppression, have been integrated into the country’s education system. But these works’ luster is under threat as the endless…

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Rant and Rave: Nothing goes bump in the night in ‘Junji Ito Maniac—Japanese Tales of the Macabre’

It is impossible to discuss Kyoufu manga, or Japanese horror comics, without mentioning the name Junji Ito. Known for his grotesque art style and supernatural themes, Ito is celebrated as one of the most skilled horror artists from Japan.  Ito made a name for himself through his printed comics and book anthologies where his horrifying…

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Rant and Rave: All say mabuheeeey to ‘Drag Race Philippines’

Racers, start your engines and may the best Filipino win!  Since its premiere in 2009, RuPaul’s Drag Race (RPDR) has provided drag its well-deserved reverence as an art form. The extension of the franchise in other territories, like Thailand and the United Kingdom, had further intensified the clamor and demand for a Philippine version. Queer…

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Rant and Rave: Unifying a disconnected mind in ‘Moon Knight’

After a nearly four-month drought without any films or TV shows, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) makes its small-screen comeback with Moon Knight. This time, the gods and goddesses of Egyptian mythology take the helm as the MCU continues to open doors for more superheroes, promising audiences a riveting adventure with the Egyptian pantheon. But…

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Rant and Rave: ‘Bad Buddy Series’ destroys the competition

Unspeakable dangers are regularly experienced by many in the LGBTQ+ community. From “casual” homophobia to outrageous hate crimes, the world shuns those who don’t conform to heteronormative ideals. Hence, it must be an overwhelming delight for LGBTQ+ audiences to experience the world of Thai boys’ love (BL) media, where two men are allowed to simply…

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Rant and Rave: Watching the butcher burn in ‘The Witcher’ Season 2

When the first season of The Witcher dropped in 2019, fans of the hit book series and the beloved games waited with bated breath to see if the Netflix show would be everything they wanted it to be and more. For the most part, the first season was a massive success—spurning the inevitable comparison to…

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Rant and Rave: It’s time for the era of ‘Arcane’

Arcane proves that it’s not a boorish game-to-series adaptation thanks to its stunning visuals and compelling character arcs.

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Rant and Rave: ‘Lucifer’ caps off the devilish detective’s tale

Ever since the smash-hit Lucifer came out in 2016, audiences found themselves glued to their seats as the story of Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis) and Detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German) unraveled. Twisting the rules of the mystery genre, Lucifer doesn’t just focus on not solving murder mysteries, but also features a shocking, forbidden romance between…

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Rant and Rave: iCarly Revival Season 1 takes over the internet

Anyone who grew up during the early days of social media knew what Nickelodeon’s iCarly was. The web show within the show gave birth to meme-worthy humor, including Spencer Shay (Jerry Trainor) dressed as a baby, George the Bra telling ghost stories, and One Direction questioning what a “butter sock” was. With iconic moments and…

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Rant and Rave: Not all that glitters is gold in ‘Gossip Girl’ reboot Part 1

The original Gossip Girl captured the cultural zeitgeist of the early 2000s—the excess, the dubious morals, the chunky bracelets. When Blair Waldorf and her glitzy jet set first graced our screens, they created the blueprint for the perfectly messy teen drama that viewers just can’t stay away from.  It’s no wonder then that people had…