TUSKANTIMES
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 5
FRONT COVER:
This cover is an oil painting heavily inspired by a desire for joy, especially in areas where such feelings have been unable to thrive due to persistent and fatal conflict I wanted to use this opportunity to create art not only as a visually appealing image but also as a reminder; a reminder to advocate for people to embrace themselves and their culture, strive for peace and freedom, and be able to live and thrive without imposed destruction and fear
Dear Readers,
Welcome to the newest edition of the Tuskan Times – Volume 12 Issue 5! As the school year comes to a close, the team is excited to share with the school community a variety of work This issue, we’ve included multiple creative pieces from students of, not only the high school, but also the Junior and middle schools.
As always, the Tuskan Times is committed to providing a space for all students to explore topics of interest, enhance their writing skills, and present their talents to the school community in whichever way they choose.
In this issue, the work ranges from a movie review of Monkey Man by Stamatios Baltos, to a recap of the 2024 Gala by Tatjana Hellwell, to a short story entitled Growing Up by Eva Guerrini in Grade 7 Once again, the writers and students of the Tuskan Times team have shown dedication in the pursuits of their work
Lastly, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Leela Menon, a student who has been our Head of Layout since the beginning of 2023. Leela is leaving ISF at the end of this year to continue her final years of school in Canada She has been an amazing asset to the Tuskan Times Her wonderful creativity and commitment to her work with the paper are commendable. We wish Leela the best of luck!
We hope you enjoy this issue of the Tuskan Times and can’t wait to continue our work when we return to school in the autumn of this year Have a wonderful summer!
Sincerely,
Olivia Dick & Elena Sofia Uzielli
Editors-in-Chief
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
OLIVIA DICK
ELENA SOFIA UZIELLI
ASSISTANT
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
COCO FERRARI-ROSS
HEADOFLAYOUT
LEELA MENON
SUPERVISOR
TESS HITCHCOCK
EDITORS
ELENA SOFIA UZIELLI
OLIVIA DICK
LEELA MENON
TATJANA HELLWELL
ART
EZRA PAVONCELLI
LAYOUT
LEELA MENON
OLIVIA DICK
TATJANA HELLAWELL
ELENA SOFIA UZIELLI
COCO FERRARI-ROSS
M E E T T H E T E A M
CR E A T I V
THE500-YEAR-OLDTREE
By Luca Marcellini ‘30
I am a tree who has stood still for 500 years
It was crisp, quiet, and cold
But as the days passed the sun grew stronger
Light shining through the clouds
Heat like a summer day
I am a tree who has stood tall for 500 years
I stretched my branches towards the sky I could feel the earth waking through me
The gentle breeze flowing through my leaves as if it was a stream
The animals come back energized and ready
The children come back to play now taller than before
I am a tree that has stood tall and proud for 500 years
Everything was waking up
And I along with it
I feel excited for the year ahead I feel growth, renewal, hope
GROWINGUP
By Eva Guerrini ‘29
Why does everyone have to change? Why couldn’t my life be like my childhood forever? When I was four my mother read me books before bed I didn’t understand why she wore makeup, I thought she was pretty without it I swore I would never wear any At the age of four, I couldn’t wait for my sixth birthday When people asked me my age, I could hold up two hands. I thought that would be pretty cool.
When I was six I went on bike rides with my dad. I didn’t understand why he told me that when I grew up I couldn’t marry him. I swore I would never like any other boys. When I was six I couldn’t wait until my eighth birthday At that age I played hide and seek I always had to be the seeker I thought it was better than being an adult, who never played or did entertaining things at all I swore that when I was a parent, I would still swing
When I was eight, I couldn't wait for my tenth birthday.
When I was ten, my friend and I would go play pretend I didn't understand why the older kids would always be on their phones The real world is never as much fun as imagination I swore I would never be addicted to a screen When I was ten I couldn't wait until my thirteenth birthday When people would ask me my age, I wouldn’t be able to hold up both of my hands to tell them – I would be a teenager.
I just turned twelve. I understand why my mom wears makeup. I started wearing it too. First at parties, then on the weekend. I started wearing makeup at school, and now I don't feel pretty without it. I understand why I couldn't marry my father and I also got a phone of my own Playing hide and seek was out and social media was in I miss when the mirror was only for brushing my teeth, and I miss when playgrounds were better than parties I don't look forward to turning thirteen any more
FEARSTOOVERCOME
By Margherita Daddi ‘30
I freeze at the thought of darkness. It’s like a cave that never ends. It might be a whole new world to discover, or a void of loneliness.
Wolves howling at the moon, Losing a friend too soon
Cats hissing in the dark,
Strangers lurking in the parks
Slimy little frogs, Spiny hedgehogs. Falling down a treacherous ridge, sliding down a slope on a sledge.
I cry, I scream.
I fly, I dream.
But for now I think of my fears to overcome
But maybe I should start from the beginning
Where do fears come from?
GRADE4HAIKUS
Flowers bloom in light
loving the sunlight so bright
I love sunflowers
- Sophia Murgatroyd
Colorful flowers flowers in the dream you make are all beautiful
- Coco Yu
The Gala Iris is a beautiful flower that catches your eye
- Miranda Zhan
BEAUTIFULWORLD
By Jamey Snipes ‘26
Within my project I wanted to focus on the unrealistic beauty standards created by social media As a person with social media myself I have witnessed certain videos and the results of them. The video is about a girl who goes on different platforms and sees the different ways in which social media may make you feel as though you need to be different She follows tutorials and changes the way in which she looks using filters and makeup in order to fit in with the beauty standards online In the end when she posts the story, she finally gets the comments she dreams of however in her eyes she realizes she still feels ugly As well as making others feel ugly even if it's not the truth, we see how even with all of this change it's just a cover up and she's not considered beautiful, it's the makeup which is considered beautiful that leads her to feel as though she is just a broken reflection. The overall message was to show the dangers in which trying to fit these expectations can lead to It's not just dangerous sometimes but it can hurt your self-esteem and destroy who you think you want you be When making this I struggled as all I had was myself and a phone Which meant I had to find creative ways to set up my camera in the angles I wanted while also recording myself. This process took a while and I was tired as this is one of my first videos in which I have ever made. At the last minute I came up with the title and it was based on the song in which I inserted at the end. ‘What a Wonderful World’ I used as it was a rhetorical question which showed irony as it is a truly wonderful world if we encourage others to change who they are just to fit in?
Scan this QR code to watch the video
ACTIVISMCARTOON
By Isa Ye ‘26
In my creative piece of activism, I wanted to address the issue of how gender discrimination impacts women’s pay and work opportunities. I was already aware of gender discrimination in the workplace as I had watched videos on social media and noticed this theme in novels I had read. Still, to gain a further and more accurate understanding of my issue, I conducted online research, reading polls and papers that explored this issue more fully I also discussed this issue with some women in the community This issue is important to me and all other women because in the future, I, and I guess everyone wishes equal opportunities for success in the workplace. Therefore, I produced this cartoon to appeal to women and allow them to understand that they are not alone in their experiences. I also wanted to highlight to a wider audience, the biases against women built into our employment system and to encourage people to seek change.
BEFOREITWENTBLACK
By Hannah Dearden Isabella Mazzetti d’Albertis, Bryan Cai, Abigail Zhu, Moss Glazener, George O’Hare ‘31
She slid off a chair in the room, it was so dark her freckles were unnoticeable Her feet twirled over some juggling balls, missing them by an inch Her emerald green eyes were sparkling in the light of a thousand stars shining brightly outside the window Her movements were like a panther Her hair was flowing down her shoulders from the small and tight black buns at the top of her head, down to a shade of bright blond at the tips tickling her back. Her little giraffe pendant hanging on a thin gold chain was furiously bouncing up and down, as she slid to the other side of the room. She was absentmindedly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, past her many earrings. She was slowly getting closer to the blue water cramped in a glass container She didn't stop until she came face to face with the tank It looked empty at first, but inside swam a small gray creature with teal sucklings, an octopus No Only Leah knew it was a baby Kraken
Emmet wobbled over to his cluttered workbench, his long legs mimicking stilts. As he rummaged around the unorganized gardening bench his hexagonal glasses slipped down his nose, catching the artificial sunlight of the biodome. Blowing a strand of choppy, slightly singed, dark hair out of his face he lifted a pair of silver pliers above his head like a trophy. Suddenly his warm brown eyes flicked to a small pack of seeds that had slipped loose in his search As he picked it up he noticed a small note in loopy handwriting on the back:
It's A Man Eating Plant!
It was a gift from Leah many years ago. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen Leah all day. She was probably in her room… Blinking back into the present, he slipped the package into one of his gardening apron’s many pockets, and walked over to the raspbloom patch. Apart from his leather satchel, the only accessory he wore was an emerald star on a gold chain around his neck. Wiping sweat off his brow, Emmet turned to enter the larger biodome
Lucky walked silently on the noisy floor, then he walked to his work desk He sat and started his work, he was very focussed at that. He had black eyes that look like they could reflect whatever light, and his body was quite strong but didn't have too many muscles. His hair is the deepest black you could ever see, blacker than a black hole. At the same time it reflected light, if you use your eyes to see its brightness, it is as bright as a star. He thought about which new rock he should study, but then, because of too much studying and working, he fell into dreamland and he slept
There once a girl named Deborah, a kind one No one really knows her now Some people have memories of her, and they said that she was a loser. But others said she's the greatest woman they have ever seen.
Deborah was always standing straight, reluctantly. She’s always happy and humorous. But sometimes she suddenly looks serious and says nothing.
She started to clean the kitchen looking serious, her short hair looked gray, but it was actually dark brown, just like her big eyes. At that moment, she stopped. The feeling, it was like a sound shouting at her. She grabbed her stuff and ran back to her room. She was alright, she felt alright. Her phone was ringing. Her grubby face became gray, her nose looked smaller and thinner. Then she picked her phone up but she didn’t click the button, just like the day she was employed. But his time is different. A dark aura flowed all around the room, she took a deep breath, clicked on it and
Zoom walked past the metallic copper hallway on his way to the engine room His bright white lab coat, with stripes of neon blue, drenched under his knees, just like a dancer's skirt. His mechanical sneakers that lifted him in the air, with high tech air tubes on each side. They were black with neon red and shiny blue stripes.
He strided, like a ghost, down the metallic stairs. To check on the engines, when he heard the stairs creek! Someone was following him but who? He dove, like a dolphin, to hide behind a gas canister It was only just big enough to hide him He waited and waited The only sound in the room was the grumbling of the engine He started to feel tired and his eyelids felt as if they were attached to a weight, I can't fall asleep he thought, but it was too late!
Agent Jake looked at the camera. This wasn't right. One of the passengers was unknown to the camera; he was wearing a white lab coat with neon blue stripes. They were in the engine room when they were meant to be in the cafeteria having lunch He knew that he should try to tell the captain but he knew that it wouldn't work He had the appearance of a man who looked like he didn't take second chances He did have a half robotic face and a cybernetic arm He looked at his army suit and realized that he lost too much already He needed to talk to them urgently He wanted nothing to go wrong, again If they didn't listen he'd try some more. Then he would take things into his own hands.
As Leah stepped back inside the room after grabbing a snack from the kitchen. It seemed to steal all the light from the corridor. Purple light bounced off the walls as the door took away the last sight of the spaceship, to reveal a new world A sigh of relief slipped through her lips “finally I’m back in my kingdom ” She thought, then started running through the spacious room sprinting over a few juggling balls arriving at her destination
There was an old fashioned wooden desk engraved with constellations, but only the water ones. She gracefully picked up a strange looking object which looked like a terrarium, with a smallish circle of glass at the top connected with a thick tube to a larger circle. Inside was a magical jungle or forest with brightly colored mushrooms, crystal clear lakes and rivers, and pink trees but all of this in miniature It looked deserted Suddenly in the bottom of the lower circle, a particular creature made a movement, a dragonfly or was it a dragon? Well it had a turquoise scaly body and four multi-colored wings In the tube was an adorable white fuzzy beast with big sky blue eyes. At that point it popped. It disappeared with only its eyes still visible, and a small pug with bunny ears that had an aura of tiny lightning sparks flying around it. Leah slipped over to the center of the room where a giant circular tank was. She opened its lid looking down and it looked completely empty except for the corals and tiny fish. She jumped in. She felt a tiny creature going on her neck She softly took it and enclosed it in a small glass sapphire
The jaws of the metal door slammed shut behind him with a hiss, and even though Emmet had seen the lab many times before, his mouth fell open. Not used to working in such a huge environment, the lush fields, colorful trees and floating spheres of light that were spaced around the room like miniature suns, seemed like another world. Although, he thought, it technically was.
Sprinklers stretched across the biodome like arms, winding through skyscraper trees and over water puddles so clear they were barely visible Outside the gigantic window, which covered the back wall, stars bloomed like a thousand flowers of fire A path divided the two sides of the room like a winding stone river On the left side more artificial equipment stood, terrariums housing eerily glowing mushrooms, huge machines, seed samples, and more cluttered objects that would be unrecognizable to anyone but Emmet. The right was a sprawling world where nature ruled. Winter, summer, spring, and fall merged together to create a mystical landscape.
Emmet walked slowly to a shining glass table; the only clean surface in the room, and carefully picked up a thin test tube filled with pinkish smoke He poured the smoke into a red plant pot, and quickly added a pinch of yellow powder. Suddenly a mushroom cloud of thick red smoke surrounded the table! When it cleared the plant pot was no longer empty. A small sprout with a pink stem was swaying in the pot, its blue leaves bouncing playfully.
“Finally!” Emmet exclaimed “My sprout!”
He carefully placed the sprout into a star shaped glass container, and cautiously fed it a drop of water
She uses her fastest speed to arrive at the end of the ship. A space trash crashed into the spaceship and the room was full of water. After this she was exhausted.
Finally she’s in her tiny room.
It is a modern room There's a wooden shelf hanging on the wall with some thick books and a black bag on it In the bag is some chef clothing, a shirt , shorts, a comfortable warm wool baggy jumper, some warm pants and pajamas. There's a queen sized bed that occupies the entire room, but there's some extra space in front of the bed. A white carpet and some cushion on the ground. On the ground there's a lot of Apple laptop, phone and headset, sure she even got an Apple watch. Everything is always in the right place and also clean, no wonder the owner's obsession, the door of her room is always blocked if she lives. So where's the owner now?
The Kitchen manager is passing backwards and forwards around the kitchen She is deep in thought but her expression is surprisingly normal.
Who is this Deborah? I know she's a chef on the spaceship, she's not important or great , her short , brown, watermelon looking hair obviously not special , her brown eyes look like they come from the wizard's potion, only her face makes her look more lifeful But sometimes, she'll tell you some interesting , humorous stories, if she’s in a good mood If you are unhappy or sad, her words will make you laugh until you fall asleep, make sure she’s in a good mood calm and pleasant,because she’s a bit grumpy, that means don’t let any live animal get in to her room (instead her white and light grey Ragdoll named Bubble). She has got a weird hobby: medicine making, strange but interesting. That will be the first mystery woman.
He woke up and propelled himself up like he had mini rockets attached to his back! Where am I? He thought Then he remembered what happened last night. He walked past the hallway and opened his room door, the high tech lock on the door scanned his DNA and let him in.
The only things that were in the room were his ghostly shadow and his glowing holograms. They looked like a levitating screen, as if it was magic!
Agent Jake walked into his guard room It was dimly lit and looked the same as always, although he didn't feel like it. He walked over to his floating chair and thumped down on it. When he sat on it he looked at the monitors but he started to get bored. So secretly he turned on a video game and played for hours. Then he decided to go to bed and get some sleep. He jumped on his bed and threw another dart at the dart board. He missed it, again. So he tried to get some sleep. After about an hour, Jake woke up and did some training with his punch bag Although he never enjoyed it Then suddenly he felt like he was being watched He looked at his jail cell and it remained empty Although he knew that trouble could jump out at any moment He pushed that thought away and gently touched the image of his family In the corner of his eye he saw the hard hat from the military, claw marks all over it. He looked at his space, it was spotless like it had been washed a million times. He hated tripping over things. The room had AC but it didn't seem to work. The size of the room was quite big but the jail took up most of the room making it the size of a family car. Then he glanced at the weapon board and jumped out of his boots. He saw that one of his guns was missing.
It was a clear view down to Earth aboard the spaceship “very unusual not a cloud in sight” Leah muttered to herself gazing at her home It was so distant She gently stepped off her comfy bed and slipped the sheets of her shoulders, “one step at a time” she thought so that she wouldn't slip on the clean metal floor “So different from the one at home” she longingly thought, looking out the window. She tiptoed to her desk tracing the wooden engravings then quickly grabbing her phone, tap tap her long fingernails were tapping the screen. She checked her messages of the day, and she spotted one right away. It was Emmet who texted:
Hello :)
Also there was one other message. Her heart pounded. A single email was sent, it was from her dad. He sent it at 7:30 and it said:
Hello, I hope you are having a great day in space. I'm already missing you, love Dad.
Leah wanted to reply but she couldn’t, it was too late She would wake him and he would not know how late it was “ Hey how late is it anyway?” She checked 12:00 “the exact time the drone came ” her trail of thought ended. She remembered her and Carlos sitting on the windowsill star gazing but a red star? No that couldn't be. No, it was a drone. It was getting closer, closer to the blood red metal shining in the full moon's light. Rapidly getting closer from one moment to the other. It stopped in front of her nose. She stood up as calm as a panther. She had said “ I have been expecting you.” And that's when it all started…
L O C A L
2024ISFGALAINANUTSHELL
By Tatjana Hellawell ‘25
The annual ISF Gala held on 17th May was an unforgettable night that truly represented the ISF spirit and community, held at the impressive and historic Certosa
The Gala began with an aperitivo in the location’s entrance hall, accompanied by an Italian Swing Sextet who set the mood for an evening enjoyed by all. Next up was the welcoming speech from the auctioneer, Mr Justin Micatrotto and Ms Baddeley, whose remarks highlighted the importance of our community and the collective effort that went into organising such an event. The guests were then directed to take their seats as the gourmet threecourse meal service began
"Remarkshighlightedthe importanceofour communityandthe collectiveeffort."
Throughout the dinner, the standout features of the night were the two auctions – the silent auction and the live auction. The silent auction was organised online showcasing various items and experiences donated by the ISF community. During the live auction, with the incredible efforts of Jusin, ISF was able to raise donations for various incredible experiences. Justin, along with the participating CAS students were able to add an extra level of excitement to the numerous items, dancing between the tables to engage the audience
The funds raised from both the auctions and generous donations all went towards supporting the ANT Foundation which focuses on specialty home care for cancer patients and free cancer prevention screenings The money raised also went to the ISF developments fund, which aims to enrich the educational possibilities by improving the facilities and projects at both the ISF campuses
The venue was decorated with beautiful paper flowers and bouquets, organised by Dianthe Chirino and our art coordinator, Tess Hitchcock The two of them also worked tirelessly, with the aid of the Gala Committee and CAS students, to ensure the beautiful displays were all prepared and ready for the event.
As every year, Tanya Bruckner did a marvelous job to organise the event and put all the logistics together so that guests could have an enjoyable experience.
Justin mentions how working on the Gala Committee was one of the most meaningful parts of his first year here at ISF, and how he will never forget the experience. He also mentioned how next year promises to be even better!
The success of the Gala would also not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of the Gala Committee, wherein their dedication and hard work ensured that this year's event was both new and exciting for everyone involved
“Theirdedicationand hardworkensured thatthisyear'sevent wasbothnewand excitingforeveryone involved.”
On behalf of the Gala Committee and ISF, we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to making the annual ISF Gala such a memorable event.
NATUREHAVINGITSWAY:A CONVERSATIONWITHDAVIDORR
By Olivia Dick ‘25
David Orr is a Canadian-born, Italian-living computer engineer. He is also an ultramarathon runner who spent three months running the entire peninsula of Italy – a length of 3,500 kilometers –starting at Mount Etna, and finishing in Mont Blanc I recently had the opportunity to speak with David about a multitude of different topics – ranging from psychogeography to the uniqueness of ultramarathon running, all connecting back to the overarching idea of the importance of spending time outside, in the natural world we find ourselves in
Ultramarathon running is an extended form of a marathon that can range in lengths from 55 km to 3500 km Now, this may sound absolutely horrifying to most people, but to ultra runners, it can serve an entirely different purpose
“Inparticular,forDavid, ultrarunninggiveshim theopportunitytoreally connectwithhis surroundings.”
With ultra running, David said that he feels a need to, “match the energy of his surroundings ” More specifically, his adrenaline that comes with running for hours and days is on par with the energy of his environment. Spending prolonged periods of time under the open air and pushing himself to the maximum physical exertion causes David to feel a connection to the natural world in a way that is difficult to experience under more normal circumstances.
According to David, one of the concerns people had for him during his ultimate ultramarathon was his exposure to the “wild ” This, in turn led to a discussion regarding the enormity of the natural world, and to the idea that Italy has quite a nice mix of wild and more civil, populated areas. In reality, Italy is not as wild as many other parts of the world, such as western USA and parts of Canada And truthfully, the “wild” shouldn’t necessarily be met with fear, but instead met with awe and gratitude. In reality, “wild is nature having its way.”
“Andtruthfully,the“wild” shouldn’tnecessarilybe metwithfear,butinstead metwithaweand gratitude.”
David is also interested in psychogeography, which is the study of how a geographic location can affect an individual’s behaviors and emotions He explained how being outside, around tremendous feats of nature, can alter the way a person thinks and feels. For example, one of the more prominent feelings might be the feeling of minuteness that comes with surrounding oneself with enormous mountains that are millions of years old This ability of the natural world to affect an individual’s mental state is necessary in understanding the importance of connecting with the natural world.
David also told me about the people he met along his journey to Mont Blanc. Generally, his journey was viewed as extreme and most certainly ambitious. Those at the start couldn’t believe he would go so far, and those at the end couldn’t believe he had made it that far Astonishment followed him throughout his journey, but David took the time to speak to the individuals he encountered. The most special part of talking with these people was how their eyes would light up when he asked about something truly meaningful to them, a small detail that was refreshing during his long journey.
“Themostspecialpartof talkingwiththesepeople washowtheireyeswould lightupwhenheasked aboutsomethingtruly meaningfultothem”
Overall, David’s journey and his ultramarathon running, though not without their challenges, are unique experiences that allow him to connect with the natural world and experience it through a lens that displays parts of the world for what it truly is –nature having its way.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out David’s Instagram: https://www instagram com/daveyorr/
SOUTHKOREA’S4BMOVEMENT:EXTREME ORESSENTIAL?
By Ezra Pavoncelli ‘25
The 4B, also known as the 4 No’s, movement is a South Korean radical feminist social that rejects dating men (비연애, biyeonae), having children (비출 산, bichulsan), having sex with men (비섹스, bisekseu), and marrying men (비혼, bihon). While it may seem extreme, many women in support of this movement state that the 4B’s will remain until men can respect women.
Radical movements do not just appear, rather, they are a product of a variety of social, economic and political factors that resonate with people who, in many cases, have been disenfranchised. The situation faced by women in South Korea accurately reflects this seeing as they are subjected to rising rates of sexual assault, disproportionally impacted by poverty, and have unachievable beauty standards imposed on them that lead to increased rates of mental health issues.
“Thesituationfacedby womeninSouthKorea accuratelyreflectsthisseeing astheyaresubjectedtorising ratesofsexualassault, disproportionallyimpactedby poverty,andhave unachievablebeauty standardsimposedonthem thatleadtoincreasedratesof mentalhealthissues.”
4B is not the only social movement that South Koreans have created as a response to the treatment of women in the country. MeToo, a movement dedicated to speaking out about sexual violence against women, gained huge momentum in South Korea This movement even led to the removal of major figures like the mayor of Busan, Byeon Sung-wa, who were credibly accused of sexual assault (Ahn). The number of sexual assaults per capita has more than doubled in South Korea since 2008 (Yoon)
The misogynistic sentiment is not only faced on the interpersonal level as there are instances of government action against institutions that seek to create equality between men and women, namely the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (Ahn) Furthermore, the wage gap between men and women is one of the highest among States that are a part of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). On average, women in South Korea are paid around 20-35% less than men in the same sectors and occupations. (1*) Women are also disproportionately represented in poverty statistics; the poverty rate for women is 55 7 whereas the poverty rate for men is 34 5 (“Almost half of one-person households live in poverty: study”) This demonstrates the clear socio-economic divide faced by women.
“Onaverage,womenin SouthKoreaarepaid around20-35%lessthan meninthesamesectors andoccupations.”
South Korea is noted as having one of the highest female suicide rates per capita when compared to other countries and the number is continually increasing. While the male suicide rate is still higher, that is a phenomenon in almost all countries
Finally, South Korea’s extremely low birth rate (0.81) is far below the replacement rate (2), meaning that the population will begin to decline in the coming years This has put a new expectation on women to dedicate more time to childrearing rather than careers. There have been countless instances wherein women are unable to reintegrate into their professional lives after having children This further leads to an economic dependency on men and can lead to cases of domestic, sexual, and economic abuse from which they are unable to withdraw.
The response from South Korean men is that the feminist movements have “gone too far” and have begun to oppress men One perspective on the rise of the frequently entitled “incel” —shorthand for involuntarily celibate movement is the disenfranchisement of men. However, this disenfranchisement isn’t the fault of feminist movements and ideas, but rather those of patriarchal expectations of women. Young men living in patriarchal societies are often led to believe that they should take priority over women in various aspects of life - including employment, relationships, and decision-making
As such, the introduction of more egalitarian values has led to men being taught patriarchal beliefs to disapprove of feminist movements that seek to ensure that no one should precede another based on gender
In conclusion, it’s essential to identify why these movements started to understand whether or not there exists a positive societal value in them. There is an extreme disparity between men and women in South Korea that needs to be met with a comprehensive and grass-roots solution that seeks to ensure no one is disenfranchised based on gender. To observe the 4B movement at a superficial level does not contribute to a discussion about the treatment of women, but rather seeks to characterise a movement solely by its appearance as “extreme.”
“theintroductionofmore egalitarianvalueshasled tomenbeingtaught patriarchalbeliefsto disapproveoffeminist movementsthatseekto ensurethatnooneshould precedeanotherbasedon gender.”
THEISSUEOFCOMFORTWOMEN
By Miyu Li '25
The topic of comfort women is one that is not known by a vast demographic, partly because it falls outside of the sphere of interest in the Western World, as it primarily pertains to East and Southeast Asia, and partly because most of the documents reporting their existence were destroyed after Japan’s loss in World War II.
"Inshort,comfortwomen werewomenwhowere,for themostpart,heldcaptive bytheJapanesemilitary andplacedincomfort stationstoworkassex workersfortheJapanese army. "
In short, comfort women were women who were, for the most part, held captive by the Japanese military and placed in comfort stations to work as sex workers for the Japanese army Documentation shows that women from different countries, including China, Philippines, Korea and even some European countries, were taken against their will and placed in these comfort stations. Comfort stations were structures in which comfort women were forced to operate and where the Japanese militia would seek release for their sexual frustration, often by brutally assaulting the women. The debate on the physical and mental violence inflicted upon these women is still an ongoing discussion, with two contrasting sides: one that denies such violations, mainly composed of Japanese civilians and government members, and one that advocates for a formal apology from the other side.
The first comfort station dates back to 1932, placed in Shanghai China, the date coinciding with the Manchurian invasion. Contrary to suppositions, the few remaining documents suggest that the first comfort women were actually of Japanese origin, and transported to Chinese land to work in the stations. The Japanese militia advocated for the comfort women system, stating that it would lessen the percentage of sexual violence inflicted on Chinese civilians during the Japanese occupation Other rationales given by the Japanese militia included: prevent the spreading of venereal diseases, avoid information leaks and generally rise the militia’s spirit. Although originally, the women placed in comfort stations were actual willing Japanese sex worker, as time progressed and as demand exceeded the number of sex workers available, Japanese militants opted to kidnap and torture civilians. Sexual violence wasn’t the only atrocity inflicted on these women, they were often humiliated, stripped of their identity and culture, forced to abort if pregnant and murdered if refused to have sexual intercourse.
"Itisclearhowithadsuch
alonglastingeffectonthe countriesmostaffectedby it,namelyChinaand Korea"
It is clear how it had such a long lasting effect on the countries most affected by it, namely China and Korea. After the end of World War II, the comfort women who were able to survive and escape were inflicted with severe mental and physical health issues and, to this day, are requesting a formal apology from Japan and filing lawsuits against the Japanese government. Over the many years since then, nearly all Asian countries have acknowledge the existence of such crimes, and in 2007, the U S demanded a public apology from Japan. The country’s responses to such requests are highly controversial, as well as most of the official statements regarding it, due to the unwillingness of both the government and population to take accountability for the atrocities committed.
The surge in demands for a formal apology and compensation begun in the early 1990s, through a wave of various lawsuits against the Japanese government, started by numerous former comfort women, and then followed by Chinese survivors. Although the sentiment was acknowledgedby the government, resulting in Japan’s cabinet secretary issuing an apology and activists searching for other survivors in Mainland China, none of the lawsuits were able to succeed In 2011, the last ones of the lawsuits filed by Asian comfort women were denied.
However, on December 28th, 2015, both the Japanese and South Korean governments announced the formation of a “Comfort Women agreement” Despite this, neither side presented a written text of the agreement, opting instead for their foreign ministers to read a statement on national TV The statement, delivered by Kishida Fumio, Japan’s Foreign Minister, on behalf of the Prime minister, Abe Shinzo, reads:
“The issue of comfort women, with an involvement of the Japanese military authorities at that time, was a grave affront to the honor and dignity of large numbers of women, and the Government of Japan is painfully aware of responsibilities from this perspective.
As Prime Minister of Japan, Prime Minister Abe expresses anew his most sincere apologies and remorse to all the women who underwent immeasurable and painful experiences and suffered incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women ”
"Sincereapologiesand remorsetoallthewomen whounderwent immeasurableandpainful experiencesandsuffered incurablephysicaland psychologicalwoundsas comfortwomen."
Although this statement, from Japan’s side appeared apologetic, as they also sent 1 billion yen towards the recovery of South Korean comfort women, the aftermath sparked controversies in regards to it It was stated that the issue of comfort women would not be resolved until projects addressing the issue and attempting to amend for the mental and physical scars of the survivors were implemented. However, within three weeks the agreement would fall apart when Prime Minister Abe announced, during the Japanese National Assembly, that there was no concrete evidence that documented the kidnapping of comfort women. This statement received widespread criticism and negative sentiment, leading the South Korean side to demand an apology for the statement Abe’s response, however, was dismissive, heightening the tensions between the relations between Japan and the countries of origin of former comfort women The issue was then brought to the UN’s Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which condemned Japan for the inconsistencies present in their statement and actions. Japan argued that comfort women were not sex slaves but instead licensed sex workers, though such claims lack documentary evidence to validate them. Such an argument has therefore been used by both the Government and civilians towards the efforts of cleansing Japan’s name and image
"Despitetheagreement, whichsoonfellapartsoon afteritsannouncement, theJapanesesidefailedto addresstheissue internally."
Despite the agreement, which soon fell apart soon after its announcement, the Japanese side failed to address the issue internally The government did not make any significant efforts to educate its youth regarding such events. a. Wherein this failure is reflected in the modern attitude and approaches taken by Japanese civilians towards the matter, as well as in the tensions present in the relations between Japan and the countries affected.
The rationale behind the unwillingness of taking blame may very likely be the wellness of Japan’s image to the world In that aspect, it can be argued that they were successful as, despite the many atrocities and war crimes committed by Japan, currently, the Western world has a tendency to overlook, or in some case completely ignore, all of the events that happened, instead opting to putting the country on a pedestal.
In conclusion, while, to some extent, Japan is held accountable for its actions during the Second World War, seen through the agreement made with South Korea, the country reluctantly does so, as it would signify a stain to their public image. The voices of many comfort women are yet to be heard, as the time to hear them is running out, as only a few survivors of the events are still alive, which makes a question arise: “Will the issue die down with them?”. It is important to recognize, when evaluating such a question, that close to none of the women have yet received justice and actions that can atone for the atrocities they endured
YEMEN:ANANALYSISOFVIOLATIONSOF HUMANRIGHTS
By Elena Sofia Uzielli ‘25
Suppressing opposition or truth, and shielding the wider public from unfairness or atrocity committed, greatly limits the possibility of contestation or questioning of an authority’s legitimacy, but results in limitations of freedom and direct violations of human rights laid out in the UDHR One context of application for this analysis is Yemen, where restrictions on free speech and demonstrations have been exacerbated by intrastate war and reinforced by an unofficial authority In particular, the Huthi de facto authorities have cracked down on journalists and activists, raising issues of arbitrary arrest, forced disappearances, and harsh restrictions on speech and press freedom. Human rights violations in Yemen are perpetrated by Houthis and those by the internationally recognised Yemeni government, in affiliation with the Southern Transitional Council (STC).
Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 when Houthi insurgents Shiite rebels with links to Iran and a history of rising up against the Sunni government took control of Yemen’s capital and largest city, Sanaa, demanding lower fuel prices and a new government. The Huthi are an armed political group of Northern Yemen, whose name originates from the Houthi family which has been crucial in the group’s history
“TheHuthiareanarmed politicalgroupofNorthern Yemen,whosename originatesfromtheHouthi familywhichhasbeen crucialinthegroup’s history.”
Contrary to popular belief, it is both the Houthi de facto government and the internationally recognized government (IGR) of Yemen that violate human rights in the sense of civil, personal, and political freedom.
The unjust imprisonment of journalists and violations of right to speech and expression, violations of the right to assembly through the arbitrary arrest of activists, and the violation of the right to religious freedom through the forced disappearances and persecution of religious minorities have occurred in various instances.
Over the past eight years, Amnesty International, one of the foremost human rights NGOs, documented the cases of at least 75 journalists, human rights defenders, academics and others perceived as opponents or critics who were subjected to arbitrary arrest, torture and other illtreatment, enforced disappearance, and unfair trials with recourse to the death penalty by the Huthi de facto authorities
The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate monitored 82 cases of violations from January to December 31, 2023, committed against journalists, photographers, media outlets, media headquarters, and journalists' property.
It states that with all its authorities, the Yemeni government committed 43 violations, making up 52% of the total number Of these, 20 cases were committed by forces affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council (STC). The Houthi group largely committed the remaining percentage, so believed around 40 violations
Houthi rebels are known to use arbitrary arrest and detention to suppress dissent, therefore they violate numerous articles of the UDHR, namely articles 9 and 19, respectively freedom from arbitrary arrest and freedom of opinion and expression One such example occurred on August 24th 2023, when five armed men in civilian clothes physically assaulted journalist Mujalli al-Samadi in Sana’a and issued threats to stop him criticising the Houthis He reported the incident at the police station but the authorities failed to hold anyone to account.
Furthermore, it is also possible to analyse a case where multiple human rights were violated in order to achieve the deliberate violation of one. Particularly, in the case of journalist Naseh Shaker where article 3 (Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person) was breached in order to achieve a violation of article 19 (freedom of opinion and expression). On November 19th 2023, Shaker disappeared while passing through the city of Aden on his way to travel through Aden International Airport to participate in a training course held outside the country. Forced disappearance is a violation of one’s right to liberty and security, which is also an abuse of negative rights since, if for the purposes of this analysis we accept that the Houthis are a de facto authority since they label themselves as such, individual freedom is not a right that can be placed under their control, which it is since it is compromised in the event of forced disappearances at the hands of the authority
Houthi de facto authorities have also violated the right to religious freedom as laid out in article 18 of the UDHR On May 25th 2023, Huthi security forces stormed a peaceful gathering of Baha’is, a religious minority, in the capital, Sana’a. They detained and forcibly disappeared 17 individuals, among them five women Following international pressure, 11 were released However, five men and one woman remained held at the Huthi-run security and intelligence detention centre in Hadda and Sana’a. This is simultaneously a violation of article 18 and of article 20, which focuses on freedom of assembly and association
However, an argument can be made, through the concept of cultural relativism, that categorising Yemeni rebels and government actions as violations of human rights is an imposition of Western values Cultural relativism suggests that acceptability is socially constructed, therefore cannot be applicable universally. Yemen, a historically and presently deeply tribal nation, focuses on collective rights more than individual rights, contrary to the global west Namely, loyalty and community are values emphasised in tribal societies, and it can be argued that removing dissent and opposition to government or de facto government promotes these values that have a place at the forefront of society rather than human rights Furthermore, Yemen being a predominantly Muslim country, Sharia law is at the base of public and political life. Sharia law, in both the Shia and Sunni interpretations, differs greatly from international human rights standards, particularly in the sense of penal and corporal punishment Thus, it further undermines universalism
In conclusion, human rights violations at the hands of internationally recognised authorities and de facto authorities, namely the Yemeni government, the Southern transitional council and the Houthi rebel group, can be traced back to volatility in government and politics as well as totalitarian attitudes where dissent and opposition are crushed and censorship is used to promote conformity and loyalty Lastly, freedom of thought expression, opinion habeas corpus, assembly, religion, etc., can also be said to be western constructs and interpretations of human rights, and are therefore not applicable universally due to vastly different sociocultural and sociopolitical contexts.
O P I N I
TOPTENMOSTHILARIOUSCOVID-19 CONSPIRACYTHEORIES
By Coco Ferrari-Ross’ 26
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant global impact, and it has also sparked numerous conspiracy theories. Alongside the genuine concerns and serious discussions, there has been a parallel world of strange and outrageous ideas that have captured the attention of many Ranging from notions of microchips being implanted in vaccines to 5G networks causing the virus, these theories showcase a remarkable level of creativity and absurdity, unintentionally providing some comic relief. In this article, we will explore the top ten most amusing COVID-19 conspiracies, diving into the myths that have made us laugh Get ready to be entertained as we uncover the most outlandish and entertaining claims that have circulated during the pandemic.
10. COVID-19: China’s Not-So-Secret Weapon of Mass Disinfection
Along with China's Firepower, ranked first in the world for available manpower and for the strength of its naval fleet, they also, according to this conspiracy, were in vital need of a new biological warfare weapon. According to Pew Research, about 3 in 10 Americans during 2022 believe COVID-19 was created intentionally or unintentionally in a lab. Specifically, 23% believe it was created intentionally, while only 6% believe it was an accident. This opinion was particularly popular on the U.S’s far right. Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton went as far as publicly announcing that, “The Wuhan Institute of Virology is linked to Beijing’s secret biological weapons program ” Though I must give credit to this creative military conspiracy, I’m not sure if mandating Americans, Europeans and other possible targets of China to work online and consume endless amounts of social media really did that much for the Chinese military Though it certainly did popularize TikTok
9. D.I.Y. hand sanitiser
When there was a sudden rush to have access to the already limited hand sanitiser available in 2020, people started to get creative with D I Y substitutes Sales of hand sanitiser saw a year-on-year increase of 255% in February of 2020. Considering most people's height of social interactions were with their Amazon and FedEx delivery workers, it's no surprise that so many turned to alcohol to sanitise their hands, of course. The confusion may have started with the common knowledge that alcohol is a key ingredient in effective hand sanitiser, which contains at least 60-70% ethanol or isopropyl alcohol Many people mistakenly believed that any alcoholic beverage (including vodka, which has a typical alcohol content of 40%) was equally effective. So next time you're in a sticky situation instead of reaching for a bottle of trusty hand sanitiser it might just be equally effective to order a cocktail
8. Oopsie daisies: Are GMOs to blame?
This conspiracy rose to fame when the Italian attorney Francesco Billota wrote a bizarre article for the Declaration in which he falsely claimed that genetically modified crops can cause genetic contamination, causing an "imbalance" in the environment that allows viruses to multiply A
nti-GMO campaigners also try to blame modern agriculture, which is strange because the known way viruses like Ebola, HIV, and many others entered humans was through very ancient humans capturing and killing wild animals Ironically GMO’s are a part of current Pfizer COVID vaccines.
7. 5G the deadly side effect of good wifi: Could your phone be plotting against you?
Are parents right? Are phones detrimental to our health? Because according to two very credible moms of Facebook, it really was that ‘gosh darn’ screen that was to blame for this global pandemic It’s doubtful that these people read the World Health Organizations article on 5G which stated that, “It is biologically impossible for viruses to spread across the electromagnetic spectrum.” The latter are waves/photons, while the former are biological particles composed of proteins and nucleic acids Not that that stopped British people from setting fire to cell phone towers. Which thankfully, due to the UK’s lovely weather, did not last long enough for health professionals to blink an eye.
6. Shining a light on government projects: Secret operations to install new streetlights with hidden surveillance technology
This COVID-19 conspiracy theory suggested that the pandemic served as a disguise for a covert operation aimed at implementing concealed surveillance technology through the installation of new streetlights. As per this notion, governments utilized the lockdowns and restrictions as a diversion to secretly introduce advanced streetlights equipped with cameras and facial recognition software, thereby intensifying public surveillance.
Advocates of this theory firmly believed that the purpose behind the installation of the new LED streetlights in numerous cities extended beyond energy efficiency, encompassing a larger agenda of monitoring and manipulating the population. The notion that streetlights, which are typically associated with illumination, played a pivotal role in an elaborate surveillance scheme, rendered this conspiracy theory very amusing.
5. The “Vax n Track” : get the 2 in one deal of a vaccine and a microchip!
A true anti-vaxxers dream of recognition was instilled in late December of 2020 When vaccines were heavily recommended by the government, medical denyers began to really think outside the box for this conspiracy, or should I say outside the syringe With what I am sure was a very legitimate sponsorship from Microsoft and Google, Craig from Facebook really did rake up quite a few believers. Videos pertaining to the theory have been viewed millions of times on TikTok. When 1,500 American adults were questioned in July of 2021 about the “use of the COVID-19 vaccine to implant microchips in the population,” 5% said it was “definitely true,” while another 15% said it was “probably true.” In the UK last year, there were 133 instances of alleged “Assault to a medical professional” crimes, including the destruction of vaccine stations and equipment and 300 instances of employees of pharmacies that supplied the vaccine such as CVS being physically or verbally assaulted.
4.Bill Gates – The Mastermind Behind the Pandemic?: A Tech Tycoon's Viral Venture
Bill Gates has now become the new chosen punching bag for conspiracy theorists across the globe. Members of QAnon, right-wing pundits, and anti-vaxxers have latched onto a 2015 TED talk by Gates, in which he addressed the Ebola outbreak and cautioned about a potential new pandemic, using it as evidence to support their assertions that he possessed prior knowledge of the COVID pandemic or potentially played a role in its intentional creation
3. Disney's newest release: The Magical Mishap of Disney's COVID-19 launch Alongside Its Streaming Service
Marketing can sometimes get a little out of hand Nowadays with hundreds of thousands of psychologists and neurologists being hired at marketing firms with the intention of making commercials and campaigns as convincing and manipulative as possible, the competition is quite extreme.
But according to this conspiracy theory Disney thought of something truly extraordinary. They orchestrated the pandemic: locking up everyone in their houses and practically leaving them no other choice of entertainment This inevitably ends in us watching Frozen on repeat This conspiracy that Disney intentionally created and helped spread the virus, so that the launch of an updated Disney+ could be truly successful is unsurprising at this point
Though Tangled does bear a striking resemblance to the struggles we had during quarantine, it's basically impossible for Disney to “spread” a pandemic that was already viral in several other countries
2. COVID-19: The Invisible Unicorn of Pandemics
In the worldview of professional conspiracy theorists like David Icke and InfoWars’ Alex Jones, COVID-19 was about as legitimate as Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy as it may in fact not be a viral pandemic but rather “A ploy by the globalist elite to rob us of our freedoms”. Earlier weaker versions of this theory were common in political right-wing circles where it was believed that COVID would be "no worse than the flu";
THEVIRGINSUICIDESBOOKREVIEW
By Allegra Di Florio ‘27
The Virgin Suicides, a vintage, dreamlike novel was written by Jeffrey Eugenides in 1993 and set in suburban Detroit in the 1970s, focusing on the lives of five teenage sisters who all die by suicide This is the book I will be reviewing today
The author of the Virgin Suicides, novelist and short story writer, Jeffrey Eugenides, has become well known as a talented storyteller. After graduating from Brown University in 1983, Eugenides earned his master’s degree in English and Creative Writing from Stanford University. His big breakthrough came in 1990, when The Paris Review published his short story, titled “The Virgin Suicides”, which eventually won the literary journal’s Aga Khan Prize in 1991 He developed it into a novel in 1993 and in 1999, Sofia Coppola adapted it into a thriller/romance film. Eugenides published his second novel in 2002, titled “Middlesex” which tells the story of an intersex Greek American; it won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction the following year
“Hisbigbreakthroughcamein 1990,whenTheParisReview publishedhisshortstory,titled “TheVirginSuicides”,which eventuallywontheliterary journal’sAgaKhanPrizein1991.”
Interestingly, the Virigin Suicides is narrated from the perspective of a group of neighborhood boys who live across the street from the Lisbon girls, not in first person, but first person plural- the collective ‘we’ being the boys The story is a report told in retrospect and numbered ‘exhibits’, collected during the events or recovered from garage sales and medical offices afterwards, kept in the childhood treehouse, are mentioned frequently The novel follows the enigmatic Lisbon sisters who live with their religious, conservative parents, through their teen years.
The five sisters being Cecelia (13 years old), Lux (14 years old), Bonnie (15 years old), Therese (16 years old), and Mary (17 years old) As they grow and their religious parents become more strict, the boys remain bewitched by their beauty and mysteriousness, trying their best to interact whenever possible As the novel progresses and the girls’ lives become increasingly bleak, events take a turn for the worse At the end of the novel, the boys grapple with the deaths of the girls, forever searching for an explanation behind the deaths of the doomed sisters
“Asthenovelprogressesand thegirls’livesbecome increasinglybleak,events takeaturnfortheworse.”
According to Brittanica, “The Virgin Suicides was critically acclaimed, noted for its astute observations about the loss of innocence and the end of adolescence while also capturing the declining fortunes of Detroit ” I, personally, have mixed feelings about this book The style of writing is so fantastical and dream-like, creating an ethereal haze over the characters and setting, which I adore. Since the boys really know so little about the sisters and are recalling this story from the future, their imagination contributes to the melancholic tone of the book and makes the reader question what is real and what is simply fabricated or distorted with time. Themes of adolescence, destruction caused by love, responding to loss, and the horror of the mundane are very much present in this book. The story is definitely captivating, but it is a very heavy read and I would recommend taking breaks throughout.
“Sincetheboysreallyknowso littleaboutthesistersandare recallingthisstoryfromthe future,theirimagination contributestothe melancholictoneofthebook andmakesthereader questionwhatisrealand whatissimplyfabricatedor distortedwithtime.”
Overall, I think this novel is a very good piece of literature with profound themes, but I wish I had waited a little longer before reading it as it is very heavy and I felt overwhelmed with the amount of death throughout it. I do not recommend this book to middle school or young high school students, as it requires a specific level of maturity and emotional stability to handle these dark and complicated topics I do really like the style of writing of Eugenides and will definitely read some of his other books in the future.
MONKEYMANMOVIEREVIEW
By Stamatios Baltos ‘25
From the trailers of this movie, most people and I were expecting something similar to an Indianinfluenced John Wick, packed with outlandish fighting choreography, fascinating cinematography and direction, supported by an outstanding score and soundtrack. While all that is present throughout, the movie retains several other characteristics that were poorly, if at all, communicated through the trailers leading up to the movie's release. Monkey Man delves into themes of religion, revenge, and even social hierarchies, following the anonymous protagonist (Dev Patel) seeking a meager living in an underground fight club where he gets beaten up in a gorilla mask by more popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage from his childhood trauma, the man decides to make his way up the ranks and social classes and take his revenge on those who scarred him and his past
“MonkeyMandelvesinto themesofreligion, revenge,andevensocial hierarchies,followingthe anonymousprotagonist (DevPatel)seekinga meagerlivinginan undergroundfightclub...”
As mentioned earlier, the movie is packed with jaw-dropping action and choreography, with fight scenes lasting up to forty minutes yet managing to engage the audience throughout every single second, making them feel every single impact made on screen
Albeit amusing, the camera used for the majority of the movie and for all fight scenes is handheld, meaning that the footage produced can be shaky and sometimes hard to follow. Regardless, this tactic helps set the chaotic atmosphere of the action in this movie, where the protagonist isn't the best fighter and is frequently overwhelmed in combat. Most importantly, this camera helps put the audience directly in the scene, making us feel every impact and emotion present in the scene. Not only is this movie appealing to fans of action, but it's also appealing to fans of visuals and shot direction. The handheld camera is used for both close-ups in fight sequences and for wide shots of the environment, be it the landscapes of the poverty-ridden and industrial city settings or the large groups of people screaming in the crowded markets. What mainly stands out is the intelligent usage of all these different shots, where not a single one feels wasted, each serving a purpose to the audience, be it foreshadowing, introducing a character, or a possible weapon Every shot serves a purpose while maintaining a tasteful visual for the audience to appreciate. But great cinematography is not enough to produce a full feature, which takes us to the score and soundtrack
Monkey Man's music is different from that of other movies, being experimental and innovative, appropriating different tracks to different sequences, elevating the emotion and excitement in the audience throughout both action-packed and narrative scenes. Moreover, it is culturally appropriate to Indian culture, matching the environment and setting the movie takes place in, further enriching the audience's involvement in the screen
Sadly, only a few movies are even close to being near-perfect, and Monkey Man is definitely not making the cut Although the direction, the action, the score, the sound design, and everything mentioned previously are excellent, performing an outstanding job of involving the audience in the scene, there is a profound lack of quality in the narrative of the movie. One famous rule within the writing and eventual production of movies regards the importance of the third act Most films, books, and anything with a plot retain three narrative acts. The first act introduces the audience to all the characters, the environment, and the possible narrative The second act develops the characters and narrative, and the third and final act usually plays as the conclusion to the characters' story (unless it is open-ended to leave space for a sequel).
“Sadly,onlyafewmovies areevenclosetobeing near-perfect,andMonkey Manisdefinitelynot makingthecut.”
In Monkey Man, the final act appears and feels very distant from the tone presented at the very start, with characters and their motivations being gravely distant from what they were at the beginning of the movie Although it might seem and feel very different, the content is still great, consistently presenting stunning action stunts and choreography, score and soundtrack, and directing throughout the final third
In conclusion, Monkey Man reaches expectations with its abundant jaw-dropping action sequences and themes of religion, revenge, and social hierarchy While the trailers hint at a thrilling Indian-style John Wick experience, the film surprises with its unexpected character and plot depth, weaving a narrative beyond plain brutality and violence. The handheld cameras throughout the movie add a gritty realism to both fight scenes and emotional moments, immersing the audience in the protagonist's journey of vengeance However, the film stumbles in its final act, with a shift in character motivations and tone. Despite this flaw, Monkey Man remains a cinematic experience, showcasing the talent of its cast and crew while sparking thought on deeper societal issues.
