Categories
Menagerie

A menagerie of pride: Reclaiming queer narratives

For so long, queerness has been seen as the Other—shameful, aberrant behavior to be talked about in hushed whispers. For this reason, many queer figures’ sexualities have been erased from history—that is, if history remembers them at all.  Today, we get to remember them. As more and more queer creators step into the spotlight with…

Categories
Menagerie

Looking into the promise of urban planning

Filipinos are no strangers to the sight of congested streets filled with sprawling lines of bumper-to-bumper traffic. The unforgiving sight of long, busy queues at transport terminals, with trains and buses filled to the brim with disgruntled commuters no longer faze the most seasoned commuters—in fact, it would be stranger for cities to be devoid…

Categories
Menagerie

Through the shadow of the valley: Navigating faith in a pandemic

Today’s outside world is almost unrecognizable. The cacophony of noises that once signified a city’s hustle and bustle has been replaced with unnerving silence, leaving little to no trace of what everyday life used to be. The same can be observed in houses of worship, where walls that used to echo the lively voices of…

Categories
Menagerie

Rant and Rave—’Trese’: Patungo sa Karit-an

Taking mythological icons of generations past is a fascination among many. In 2005, writer Budjette Tan and illustrator Kajo Baldisimo took this fantasy and applied it to the colorful world of Filipino folklore. Angst-filled comic book panels heavily featuring mythological icons and strong female lead Alexandra Trese quickly filled shelves in book stores nationwide.  As…

Categories
Menagerie

Rant and Rave: Live, werk, ‘Pose’

Ryan Murphy’s Pose shone a spotlight on New York’s shimmering underground ballroom scene, as it reclaimed the once-forgotten queer culture. With transgender women of color front and center, Pose reminded us that when love is lost from the houses we call home, some people get to choose their family in the oddest of places—in the…

Categories
Menagerie Menagerie Feature

The category is: Untucking the art of Philippine drag

Glue the lashes, pucker the lips, and bring home the tips. The moment their heels step out of their cramped dressing rooms and into the stage, drag queens give such sickening performances that leave audiences all over the metro gasping for air.  To simply call them entertainers is to do injustice to drag’s long history…

Categories
Menagerie

Rant and Rave: A long way to go with ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’

Disney has built an empire on fond childhood memories. Through a colorful array of supernatural beings, princesses, and anthropomorphic toys and vehicles, the studio has imparted endearing life lessons to kids across generations. Now, Disney is expanding their fictional universe to a reimagined ancient Southeast Asia with Raya and The Last Dragon.   The film arrived…

Categories
Menagerie

Rant and Rave—’Bo Burnham: Inside’ gets existential

Bo Burnham makes his highly-anticipated comeback with Bo Burnham: Inside five years after his last comedy special, Make Happy. A veritable triple-threat, Burnham made his name as a Comedy Central stand-up comedian in the early 2000s before venturing into writing and directing during his hiatus. After his critically acclaimed Eighth Grade in 2018 and a…

Categories
Menagerie

Rant and Rave: ‘Sour’ captures the voice of a generation

Olivia Rodrigo’s meteoric rise to fame shocked the music industry earlier this year. When her viral power ballad hit Drivers License shot atop the charts, most people saw Rodrigo’s strong fanbase from her Disney shows such as Bizaardvark and High School Musical: The Musical The Series to be a strong driving force to her success.…

Categories
Menagerie

Rant and Rave: Shadow and Bone invites you into the dark

Fans everywhere rejoiced when Netflix greenlit the adaptation of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse. Excitement was through the roof—after all, the book series was one of the breakout titles of the 2010s and was known for its intricate worldbuilding and compelling characters. However, after a slew of studio cash grab adaptations of other Young Adult (YA) series…