Tag: Op-ed

The Medicalization of Fatness in Political Rhetoric

The Medicalization of Fatness in Political Rhetoric

In 2025, American society continues to grapple with the consequences of framing fatness as a medical crisis — a narrative that has seeped beyond clinics and into the cultural bloodstream. As political leaders double down on obesity as a national emergency or an “obesity epidemic to be specific, sociologists and activists warn that the real […]

Michael Bay to Return to Transformers: Is the Future for the Franchise Bleak or Promising?

With Michael Bay’s “Transformers,” in 2007 being a smash hit, it allowed the franchise to really shine in the eyes of the public, with four sequels being pumped out to recreate the success of the first live action film since. However, with each release, the quality of each film took a hard nosedive and by […]

Ambiance and Music: How They Work Hand in Hand

When considering music as a whole, ambience isn’t something that’s always necessarily recognized or thought of, however ambiance has a major role that a good number of people fail to recognize, not only as an aspect of music, but as a genre of its own as well. Music that utilizes ambiance predominantly could be described […]

Why Prestige Cinema Can’t Stop Fetishizing Pain

Why Prestige Cinema Can’t Stop Fetishizing Pain

Prestige cinema has a pain problem. Not the kind that invites empathy or understanding but the kind that fetishizes suffering as a shortcut to artistic legitimacy. From Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” to Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave”, the industry’s most lauded films often hinge on the spectacle of agony. Physical degradation, emotional torment and […]

Fantasy Sports and the Commodification of Pain

Fantasy Sports and the Commodification of Pain

Fantasy sports have revolutionized how fans engage with games, transforming passive spectators into active strategists. But in the process, they’ve also done something more troubling: they’ve turned real human injuries into little more than strategic inconveniences. When a National Football League (NFL) running back tears his Achilles or a National Basketball Association (NBA) star tweaks […]

Borderlands 4 is Pushing It with Collector’s Edition

The gaming industry is in a very controversial position now, with the growing concerns of the high-ranking publishing companies becoming greedier than ever before. Increasing prices and dubious ownership have made video games more of a hobby that only some people can afford. However, with the recent announcement about Borderlands 4 collector’s edition, we can […]

Can Musk Do What Democrats Cannot – Break the Republican Party?

One common critique of the Democratic Party is its chronic inability to present as a united front. Unlike Republicans, who have successfully rallied behind Donald Trump, Democrats struggle to back just one single candidate. The GOP has increasingly become the Trump party, with critics likening the loyalty to cult-like, where actions are almost never questioned. […]

Why Pixar’s Elio Is Bombing

Pixar’s newest film, “Elio,” has just hit theaters on June 20, 2025 and has bombed abysmally. Its opening weekend performed at an embarrassing $21 million compared to its $250 million budget, which has set a record for Pixar’s lowest performing opening weekend, beating out the previous, staggeringly low, $30 million opening weekend set by “Elemental.” […]

Hey! Are you enjoying NYCTastemakers? Make sure to join our mailing list for NYCTM and never miss the chance to read all of our articles!