Category: Pop Culture/Media

Analysis, criticism, studies on American propaganda (otherwise euphematically called “popular culture”)

  • Best of Asian YouTubers 2014

    By Chongchen Saelee

    Greetings, my loyal followers! I thought I’d give an update of the best of Asian YouTubers. You can view the previous title holders here.

    So, without further ado: (more…)

  • McDonald’s New Mascot Happy The Happy Meal Is Scary

    Happy The Happy Meal

    McDonald’s just announced their new mascot “Happy The Happy Meal” and it looks like it aims to mooch off of the success of the film Despicable Me’s minons. But it comes off as creepy. I think it’s the angular edges and not necessarily the big eyes or big smile. Then again, Ronald McDonald has ALWAYS been scary looking. Or maybe it doesn’t matter. McDonald’s is still at the top of the fast food chain. It’s only worth posting because I do character designs myself.

  • Why Do Young White Men Love FX’s “Louie”?

    By Chongchen Saelee

    The cable FX TV show “Louie” is played by comedian Louis CK, in a pseudo-biographical series. He’s a middle-aged white man, divorced from a black wife, and raising his “white-looking” daughters on his own. Most of the gags involve his fallible nature and quirks on how he sees life. And most of it is quite surreal. (more…)

  • ABC’s “Fresh Off The Boat” TV Show Coming in 2015

    By Chongchen Saelee

    For those keeping up with ABC’s new TV lineup, you might notice a lot of new minority-based TV shows. One of them is “Fresh Off The Boat” or “Far East Orlando” which is based on the memoir of American celebrity chef Eddie Huang. The main setup is about how an immigrant family struggles to assimilate with American culture. The term “fresh off the boat”, of course, is a derogatory term used against Asians who immigrate to the United States and have difficulty fitting in. It’s the equivalent of “fish out of water”. It’s about alienation. (more…)

  • Interstellar Trailer 2 Full Trailer

    http://youtu.be/kf_MZmctzo0

    No twists revealed in this trailer. No wormholes, cyborgs, or fancy timejump sequences.

  • Godzilla (2014) Tries Really Hard To Be An American Movie

    By Chongchen Saelee

    Gareth Edwards is a talented director if you’ve just learned that this is only his second major motion picture. But I being a heavy consumer of all-things American, I spotted too much of the same-o-same-o to really be too impressed. (more…)

  • Official Batsuit and Batmobile Reveal for Superman Vs Batman

    Why do I get the feeling it will be called “The Dark Knight Returns” now?

  • Superman Vs Batman Batmobile Design

    Batmobile based on Ford Lincoln Continental
    Batmobile based on Ford Lincoln Continental

    Very basic. Very vigilante looking. Not something “created by the government”.

  • Superman Vs Batman Official Plot Synopsis

    By Chongchen Saelee

    I think Superman dies in “Superman vs. Batman”. It’s much like “Empire Strikes Back” when Han gets frozen in carbonite. They’d want to leave SVB open-ended with a cliffhanger. Otherwise you won’t watch the last movie in their franchise. So this is how it will play out… (more…)

  • How to file a Privacy Act Request with CIA or other US Federal Agency

    http://www.foia.cia.gov/privacy_request

    By Chongchen Saelee

    It’s hard not to take things personally when you’ve realized your entire life has been under surveillance and scrutinized meticulously. It makes you question whether or not you’re an equal citizen, or a tool of the government, an expendable pawn. I have it in me to eventually submit a formal request to find out what the US Government has documentated about me. Or should I just ignore these losers and try to live my life?

    And ironic of all, they charge you a fee to get that information about yourself. Who knows what kind of garbage they have written about you or is made up. Talk about sadistic.