Tag: Pop Culture

What’s the deal with Squishmallows?

In 2017, Squishmallows, a new line of soft toys by Kellytoy, hit the shelves. Only four years later, you’d be hard pressed to find a young person without one somewhere in their bedroom. The stuffed toys are best described as both adorable and unbelievably soft. They come in a multitude of sizes, shapes,...

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Is nostalgia cramping Hollywood’s creativity?

Over the past decade, it’s started to appear as if Hollywood is incapable of creating anything new. From the recent Star Wars sequel trilogy to what feels like the hundredth Batman reboot in the last two decades, popular characters and franchises are being continuously reinvented, reimagined, and...

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‘Chemical Hearts’ is an honest teenage romance

Last weekend, I was snuggled up on the couch scrolling through Amazon Prime, browsing for a good flick to take my mind off all the studying I was neglecting. I stumbled across the trailer for Chemical Hearts, a teen drama starring Lili Reinhart (Riverdale) and Austin Abrams (Euphoria). It seemed like...

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Five good things that have happened this year

I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to feel like 2020 is an absolute dumpster fire. COVID-19 has turned the world upside down, and everyone who once vowed that “2020 is going to be my year” is eating their words. However, I think people have an unfortunate tendency to focus on the bad and ignore...

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Selena Gomez’s comeback album was worth the wait

With the release of her first full-length album since 2015, Rare, Selena Gomez has delivered an empowering message about loving yourself and removing toxic relationships from your life.  The album’s title track, “Rare,” immediately offers an exciting start to the album’s trajectory. Gomez says goodbye...

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Packing our 2019 pop culture time capsule

It’s hard enough to remember what we had for breakfast last week, let alone all of the crazy pop culture moments of the past year.  To preserve and commemorate the best parts of the last 12 months, we decided to collect five mementos for our 2019 pop culture time capsule. We hope that when we eventually...

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Apologizing to the women of pop culture

Women in pop culture have always been subject to overwhelming (and, frankly, stupid) criticism for absolutely everything they do.  What follows is a list of women and genderqueer people that society tried to convince me were monsters by incorrectly labelling them ‘sluts,’ ‘traitors,’ and ‘idiots.’  Some...

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Breaking down the blood-pumping allure of Twilight

This month marks the anniversary of the film Twilight’s release more than 10 years ago, which sent the world into a frenzy. As the first of the saga’s eventual five blockbusters, Twilight marked the beginning of the book-to-movie franchise’s pop culture domination. In the fall of 2008, its girl-meets-vampire...

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Peaks and pits of 2018-19 pop culture

The 2018-19 year in pop culture has been nothing short of eventful. From band reunions to star-studded scandals, each week has brought something new to gab about.  It’s time we break down the year’s most important moments in pop culture, both good and bad.  Peaks Jonas Brothers are back Ally: Like...

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Journal staff’s eighth grade jams

Eighth grade is the peak of adolescence, marked by overwhelming amounts of uncontrolled hormones and coloured braces. While most of our lives now are wildly different compared to how they were in middle school, one element will always remain the same: the quality of your favourite early 2010s banger. Here...

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Predicting the 2019 Oscars major award winners

While this year’s Oscars are still a month away, the award ceremony’s already found itself clouded in controversy. The show will be hostless for the first time since 1989, leaving the focus solely on the awards for the film industry’s biggest night. Here are some predictions on who will leave...

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The global influence of K-pop

In the age of YouTube and Spotify, K-pop (Korean pop music) has become a global phenomenon that plays a remarkable role in the country’s growing economy. K-pop artists experiment with a wide range of musical genres, including electronic, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B. Besides having catchy tunes,...

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Four TV shows you should watch this winter

If you’re like me, you probably took one look at the winter snow and thought,  “Wow, I’m not going outside again until spring.” Luckily, there are plenty of new TV shows coming out over the next few months to keep us company as we lay in our beds wrapped in three layers of blankets. Here are some...

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Packing our 2018 pop culture time capsule

As 2018 comes to an end, it can be challenging to remember all that’s happened over the past 12 months of pop culture insanity. In an effort to preserve and commemorate the best parts of this year, we decided to collect six mementos for our 2018 pop culture time capsule. Hopefully, when we eventually...

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Pop culture increasingly vital in current political climate

People who disparage pop culture to make a point don’t just exclude themselves from the conversation—they disrespect the power of diverse audiences.   A guilty pleasure is something a person enjoys despite that thing not being held in high regard. More often than not, the term also applies overwhelmingly...

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Peaks and pits of 2017-2018 pop culture

The 2017-2018 year hasn’t disappointed us with a mecca of pop culture cringe-worthy moments and uplifting memories.  It’s time to break down the best and worst of this year. Peaks Grammys diversifies nominees Shivani: While there’s a diverse range of races in the music industry, this usually isn’t...

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Social advocacy extends from playlist to poster

What do XXXTentacion and Chuck Close have in common? Not only have they both been accused of sexual violence, but both have devoted fans who continue to consume their work. Actions matter. Buying into art created by harmful people legitimizes the behaviour of the artist. Advocating for those impacted...

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The anatomy of a modern pop song

The next time you find yourself out dancing at a club, have a close listen to the blaring music.  What you’ll find is a lineup of hit tracks straight off the assembly line. In today’s monotonous musical landscape of shimmering EDM tracks, beat drops and catchy hooks, the adage “good artists...

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