Martin Cid's Blog: Martin Cid Magazine, page 153

Honeymoonish: A Glimpse into Kuwait through Netflix’s Latest Film Starring Mahmoud Boushahri and Nour Al-Ghandour

Netflix introduces us to its latest offering from Kuwait, featuring stars Mahmoud Boushahri and Nour Al-Ghandour. While the film may not break new ground in the cinematic world, it endeavors to mirror the grandeur of Hollywood productions and concurrently showcase the tourism appeal of Kuwait. Despite its ambitious intentions, the end result falls somewhat short, presenting a lukewarm addition to both the worldwide cinema landscape and its specific genre.

The film, a romantic comedy, struggles to strike the right balance between romance and humor.

Plot Overview of “Honeymoonish”

The storyline follows a man obliged to marry to fulfill his father’s wishes (and secure his inheritance) and a woman desperate to tie the knot after her boyfriend marries someone else. Their story unfolds into a honeymoon riddled with complications, where truth is a rare commodity.

Characters: Hamad and Noor

A successful romantic comedy hinges on the audience’s ability to see themselves in the characters – they are usually nearly perfect, with their charm lying in their quirks. However, Hamad and Noor, as written, fail to resonate or endear themselves to the audience. The film attempts to forge a connection that never fully materializes, leaving the characters feeling distant.

The Actors: Mahmoud Boushahri and Nour Al-Ghandour

Both Boushahri and Al-Ghandour are undoubtedly attractive, bringing a visual appeal to their roles. However, constrained by the script, their efforts to inject humor through exaggerated expressions, gestures, and dialogue only go so far. It’s clear they are committed to their performances, but the material doesn’t allow their talent to fully shine.

Kuwait’s Portrayal

Primarily, “Honeymoonish” aims to cast Kuwait in a desirable, tourist-friendly light. While it’s undeniable that Kuwait has many wonderful aspects, the film’s overt emphasis on this objective detracts from the storyline and character development. The beautiful cinematography and breathtaking landscapes, while visually pleasing, may have been more fitting for a travel documentary than a feature film.

The Genre: Romantic Comedy

“Honeymoonish” sets out to be a light-hearted romantic comedy that also serves as a cinematic postcard for its locale. Compared to other entries in the genre, it lacks the originality and humor needed to make a lasting impression. It feels like a missed opportunity to explore the format creatively.

Our Takeaway

If you’ve come this far, it’s clear: “Honeymoonish” didn’t win us over. The film is so determined to fit the mold of a romantic comedy that it ends up feeling more like a marketing product than a cohesive, engaging narrative. Ultimately, it fails to deliver the humor or heartwarming moments one expects from the genre.

Where to Watch Honeymoonish

Netflix

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Ronny Quevedo: Composite Portals | Alexander Gray Associates, New York

Alexander Gray Associates, New York presents Ronny Quevedo: Composite Portals, the artist’s second solo exhibition with the Gallery. The show opens today, Saturday, April 27, followed by a reception from 6:00–8:00 PM. Positioning Andean textiles as conduits between the precolonial past and our postcolonial present, Composite Portals approaches the body as a site where history is accumulated and worn. The works in the exhibition abstract the visual languages of uniforms, tunics, and quipus to reflect on identity and cross-cultural exchange. They serve, per Quevedo, as “tribute to places known, unknown, and lost.”

Quevedo’s new works weave together personal and collective histories to map connections between lineage and inheritance. Taking inspiration from precolonial textiles, these compositions examine traditional patterns of distortion, abstraction, and deconstruction to underscore the ways in which the past is constantly re-formed by the present. Works such as Powers of 10 (a fifth floor walk-up) (2024) and broadway wiphala (2024) take up the gridded design of centuries-old Andean garments as a geometry with universal and culturally-specific meanings. For Quevedo, this pattern provides the means “to create movement within the static structure of the checkerboard.” Its marriage of interlocking opposites challenges binary thinking and fixed systems of meaning by simultaneously referencing pre-Columbian and modernist art histories.

Quevedo notes the continued influence of Édouard Glissant and Silvia Rivera Cusicanqui on his new body of work. His compositions continue both postcolonial thinkers’ projects of advocating for multiplicity, pushing against reductive dichotomies to make space for complex interconnection. Illustrative of this approach, works such as el valle de la periferia (the valley of the periphery), an ode to Don Francisco de Arobe y sons Pedro and Domingo (2023) illuminate untold histories of the colonial matrix. Quevedo re-envisions the past, describing this pursuit as “[reimagining] points of origin.”

Through his embrace of polyvocality, Quevedo situates his work between histories and identities. Works like myself when I am real – sin ti soy nadie (2021) seamlessly insert symbolic materials from his parents’ biographies into indigenous Andean cultural traditions—an action that, per the artist, “unearths a personal past that migrated many places and times.” The interstitial space occupied by this and other related works allows Quevedo to approach abstraction not as a formal tool, but rather a transformative lens through which displaced, marginalized, or obscured cultures are transposed onto our present moment.

Weaving together opposing materials and diverging narratives, Quevedo upholds a commitment to “interlacing a wide span of time and space. From the Andes to The South Bronx, these interpretations of a re-imagined self … give life to an ancestry of abstraction and transformational figures.”

Ronny Quevedo’s work will be featured in upcoming solo and group presentations at Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; The Menil Collection, Houston, TX; and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA. In 2022, he was commissioned by Delta Air Lines in partnership with the Queens Museum to create a large-scale permanent installation at LaGuardia Airport, Queens, NY. Other solo presentations of Quevedo’s work include Ronny Quevedo: ule ole allez, Locust Projects, Miami, FL (2022); Ronny Quevedo: offside, University Art Museum, University of Albany, NY (2022); Ronny Quevedo: at the line, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, CO (2021); and no hay medio tiempo / there is no halftime, Queens Museum, NY (2017), traveled to Temple Contemporary, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Philadelphia, PA (2019), among others. His work has been in numerous group exhibitions, including El Dorado: Myths of Gold, Americas Society/Council of the Americans, New York, NY (2023); Gilded: Contemporary Artists Explore Value and Worth, Weatherspoon Art Museum, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC (2022), traveled to Hunter Museum of American Art, Chattanooga, TN (2023), and Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth, Hanover, NH (2024); Pacha, Llacta, Wasichay; Indigenous Space, Modern Architecture, New Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (2018); and The World’s Game: Fútbol and Contemporary Art, Pérez Art Museum, Miami, FL (2018), among others. Quevedo’s work is in the collections of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, NY; Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, CO; Denver Art Museum, CO; and Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY. He is the recipient of many awards and grants, including the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Biennial Grant (2022); Joan Mitchell Fellowship (2021); Jerome Hill Artists Fellowship (2019); Socrates Sculpture Park Artist Fellowship (2017); Queens Museum / Jerome Foundation Fellowship for Emerging Artists (2016); and Eliza Long Prize, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (2014 & 2013), among others.

More information on Ronny Quevedo: Composite Portals

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Pipeline presents Alina Frieske Solo photography exhibition, in conjunction with Photo London

Sat in the intersection between photography and painting, Alina Frieske’s solo exhibition Nightly Newsfeed explores how accustomed we are to unsorted visual information held close to our bodies. Her tangible approach to photography speaks to the physicality of touch in relation to digital media and devices.

Using fragments of images as her primary medium, Frieske explores the expanding digital network that constitutes our virtual realities. Sourced from an unlimited flow of online images, she records countless fleeting moments documented by strangers. Frieske cuts this extensive resource into ever smaller fragments to make up her colour palette, before prismatically collaging them into new compositions. In applying each layer like a brushstroke, she infuses her work with the tactility of painting; multiplying, stretching and overlaying her material to create new figures and surroundings. Each clipping marks the tension between stripping away and covering up online traces.

The works exhibited feature close ups and night scenes that invite the audience to confront themselves with an almost voyeuristic intimacy. Body fragments, reflections and barely recognisable belongings form the visual vocabulary of Frieske’s collage technique. Her work poignantly reflects upon representations of identity and the commanding impact of social networks on our lived experience.

Alina Frieske (b. 1994, Berlin) lives and works in Berlin, Germany. She studied Visual Communication at Maastricht Academy of Media Design and Technology, Netherlands (2014-2017) before completing her MA in Photography at ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne, Switzerland (2019). Frieske has gained international recognition for her work, receiving awards from Stiftungspreis Alison und Peter Klein Stiftung (2023); Visual Arts Senate Department for Culture and Europe, Berlin (2021) & the ING Talent Award, Netherlands (2021). Frieske has exhibited with Fabienne Levy, Lausanne at several international art fairs including: Miart, Milan (2024); Dallas Art Fair, Dallas (2024)); Expo Chicago, Chicago (2023); Artissima Art Fair, Torino (2022); Art Geneve, Geneva (2022); Zona Maco, Mexico (2022) & Art021 Art Fair, Shanghai (2021). Solo exhibitions include Fabienne Levy, Lausanne (2024, 2022 & 2021).

Selected group shows include Centre de la Photographie de Genève, Switzerland (2024) & Centre régional de la photographie Hauts-de-France, Douchy-les-Mines (2024) Photo Elysée, traveling exhibition, Switzerland (2023); Centre photographique Rouen Normandie, Normandy (2022); Photo Vogue, Milan (2022) & Last Tango, Zürich (2022).

Alina Frieske, The Missing Part, 2022. Image courtesy of Pipeline

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Carolyn Dorfman Dance Presents Celebrate 40/NYC at the Ailey Citigroup Theater in Honor of our 40th Anniversary!

Carolyn Dorfman Dance presents Celebrate 40/NYC, in honor of the Company’s milestone 40th anniversary on Wednesday, June 12 and Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 7:30pm at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, 2405 W. 55th Street, NYC.

Highlighting works from over 4 decades of creation and performance, these performances feature the NY premiere of Dorfman’s newest work, THE ATTITUDE OF DOING, with music by violinist extraordinaire, Regina Carter; co-commission by NJPAC for the TD MOODY JAZZ FESTIVAL; and the NYC theater premiere of NOW!, by the electric Juel D Lane, who began his career with Carolyn Dorfman Dance. Sharing the depth and breadth of the Company’s canon of works, selections from its iconic repertory will include Echad, Lifeline, Keystone, Dance/Stories, Interior Designs, Living Room Music, Love Suite Love, and Waves and feature joyous and poignant works from Carolyn’s Legacy Project; dances that explore her Jewish heritage, the Holocaust and immigration, including The Klezmer Sketch from Mayne Mentshn (My People), and Cat’s Cradle. 

Carolyn Dorfman Dance has a rich history of commissioned collaborations and offers that the work of the following artists will also be featured in these performances: Charlotte Blake Alston, Horacee Arnold, Russell Aubrey, Anna Alisa Belous, Svjetlana Bukvich, Kate Freer, Bente Kahan, Pete List, Dave Tennant, Greg Wall and Neal Woodson.

Tickets start at $17.85 and can be purchased online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebrate-40nyc-tickets-879565803997.

Carolyn Dorfman Dance in ECHAD by CarolynDorfman- photo by Christopher DugganAbout Carolyn Dorfman Dance

Carolyn Dorfman (Artistic Director), choreographer and founding Artistic Director of Carolyn Dorfman Dance (CDD) is known as a creator of evocative dances that reflect her concerns about the human condition. She is interested in creating “worlds” into which the audience can enter. Hailed as the consummate storyteller, Dorfman, a child of Holocaust survivors, has also created a celebrated body of work that honors her Jewish legacy, its trials and triumphs, its treasured uniqueness and, most importantly, its universal connections. Her interdisciplinary and intercultural approach on the stage and in the community explores the rich tapestry of human experience, tradition, and stories.

Celebrating its 41st season, Carolyn Dorfman Dance explores the fullness of life and moves people to connect to our common humanness, build understanding, and face barriers together through innovative and expressive contemporary dance. Through the creation of new work, live performance, education, and community programs, CDD moves minds, hearts, and bodies. We affirm the power of dance as a metaphor for life’s delicate balance; the individual and community existing in relation to one another in harmony and peace. CDD’s dance entertains, enlightens and encourages humans to engage in working towards a better today and a more equitable tomorrow. We Say Yes! Come Move Human with CDD.

Touring nationally and internationally, her company appears at major theaters, festivals, universities, and non-traditional performance venues. At the heart of CDD’s immersive artistic and educational programming is DEPTH- Dance that Empowers People to be more Human. From New York City to Houston, Miami to Omaha, Detroit to Chattanooga, and more, Carolyn Dorfman and Company see dance as a powerful and joyous vehicle for human expression, connection, social action, and change. Multiple tours to Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina have been supported by The Trust for Mutual Understanding, U.S. Arts International, and the U.S. State Department. For Dorfman, “through our work, we reveal the world as it is…the world as it can be”. 

Carolyn Dorfman Dance in NOW by Juel D. Lane-Photo Whitney Browne-2022

These performances are dedicated to Carolyn’s parents Mala (Weintraub) Dorfman (1923-2022) and Henry Dorfman (1922-2001),. Both Holocaust survivors and immigrants, Carolyn’s parents engendered great humanity and passionately delivered their legacy. They inspired the core values of Carolyn Dorfman Dance: a company with a deep respect for DEPTH — Dance that Empowers People To be more Human. 

Carolyn Dorfman. Lois Greenfield

The Company: Kayleigh Bowen, Tyler Choquette, Dominique Dobransky, Hannah Gross, Maiko Harada, Brandon Jones, Jacob Kurihara (Performing Apprentice), Aanyse Pettiford Chandler, Charles Scheland, Jen Silver (Performing Apprentice), Jared Stern, and Andréa Ward.

Carolyn Dorfman Dance is supported in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and Cultural Trust/Department of State; New Jersey Arts & Culture Renewal Fund of the Princeton Area Community Foundation; Henry S. and Mala Dorfman Foundation; the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation; Gregory S. Gallick M.D. and Staff; Jeff and Leah Kronthal/Kronthal Family Foundation; Dr. Ann Stock and Arshad Zakaria/Zakaria Family Foundation; Ira & Joan Berkowitz; The Hyde and Watson Foundation; North Star Media; and E.J. Grassmann Trust; among other generous foundations, corporations, and individual donors committed to Carolyn Dorfman Dance’s artistry and programming.

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Refurbished Koon Man Space to Open – Hong Kong

(Hong Kong – 23 April, 2024) Initiated by the Hong Kong International Photo Festival and operated by the Hong Kong Photographic Culture Association, Koon Man Space, a new space dedicated to contemporary photography, is set to open on May 9, 2024. Located in Chuen Lung Village, Tsuen Wan, Koon Man Space aims to bring the art of image-making, creative exchanges, learning, and experimentations in contemporary photography to this scenic village through a series of exhibitions and public events highlighting the culture, history, and ecology of the village.

Refurbished from a 60-year-old site of the former Koon Man School with the support of the “Funding Scheme to Support the Use of Vacant Government Sites by

Non-government Organisations” of the Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government, Koon Man Space will operate on a short-term lease. It is committed to be a community-oriented and accessible hub for art and photography, drawing inspiration from the unique cultural landscape of Chuen Lung Village. It invites artists and

researchers from diverse disciplines to engage in field studies within the village, incorporating perspectives ranging from local ecology, history, agriculture, food, community design, and science. By bridging traditional wisdom and contemporary viewpoints, Koon Man Space fosters a fusion of ideas. It will also host a variety of photography events, showcasing the diversity of photographic culture. To mark its opening, Koon Man Space is delighted to present a duo exhibition by local artists Ki Wong and Pak Chai, featuring captivating works that narrate the stories of Chuen Lung villagers.

“We are thrilled that our vision of transforming an abandoned village school into a space for art and photography, conceived in 2019, has finally become a reality,” says Mr. Ko Chi Keung, Chair of the Hong Kong Photographic Culture Association. “We express our heartfelt gratitude to the Development Bureau, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, and Fujifilm, for their unwavering support, which has facilitated a seamless restoration of the premises. Koon Man School holds immense historical significance as it was originally built and funded by the villagers themselves. It not only provided education to the children of Chuen Lung Village but also encapsulated the everyday moments of the villagers’ lives. Looking ahead, Koon Man Space is committed to organising a diverse range of public events. Through the medium of photography, we aim to forge a stronger connection between this 500-year-old Hakka village and contemporary life, igniting conversations, deepening

people’s understanding of Chuen Lung, and preserving the invaluable memories of its residents through creative expression.”

The original appearance of the school has been preserved to the greatest extent possible after the refurbishment. The two classrooms have been transformed into exhibition spaces for the inaugural show. Situated amidst beautiful natural scenery with a front yard, Koon Man Space offers a serene and contemplative environment for the viewers.

Artists-in-residence tell stories of villagers through the art of photography

In 2021, the Hong Kong International Photography Festival invited two visual artists, Ki Wong and Pak Chai, for a two-year field study in Chuen Lung Village leading up to the opening of Koon Man Space. During their residency, the

artists engaged with the villagers, exchanging views through images, and refining the research results into the content of the opening exhibition (from 9 May to August 4).

Ki Wong’s exhibition, titled The Rock and the Gaze, is the fruition of many processes: using old photos shared by the villagers, their memories were gathered, and the moments prior to and during the taking of the photos were

re-captured in interviews. They were then processed and presented in different forms, such as zooming in on the photo and picking a focus, repainting, and translating discoveries into words. Poet Lau Sim unravelled and found language for the underlying messages from the vast collection of photographs and interview materials. In the form of short fiction, they expand on and relive the moments trapped in the photos, in particular the role and experiences of women in the old days. At the front of the stone work factory, Wong borrowed stones that hold memories, and put them into a ball of crushed weeds and seeds collected from Koon Man School before its refurbishment. She replanted those seeds, as a way to connect the past and present, and to represent the cyclical evolutions of life.

Photovoice is co-led by Pak Chai and Ki Wong. The exhibition, as suggested by its name, tells stories through images. In the photos taken by the villagers, they hope that their stories of Chuen Lung shine through. Three villagers were invited to participate in the exhibition. With different backgrounds, the Chuen Lung they see naturally varies.

Heidi Chak, a second generation Chuen Lung resident, is a photography enthusiast like her father, the late photographer Chak Wai Leong. The stream next to her home, the imposing cotton tree her window overlooks, and the ginger-yellow cat that lingers have become elements of her everyday photography. Her work encapsulates her natural, unfiltered personality. Another second generation resident, Chan Wai Cheong, through his family photo albums, tells the tale of a process of a home being built – a Teochew family, residing in a Hakka village, helping villagers with the constructions of bridges and roads, an identity and sense of belonging gradually forming. Tracing back time with the photos, Chan returned to where some of the shots were taken, and Pak Chai assisted in taking then-and-now photos as a documentation of the changing landscape in the village. The third participant, Tsang Kim Man, is an indigenous inhabitant of Chuen Lung who learned photography at a young age. His work has traces of the 60s and 70s salon style, with strong contrasts of light and dark. He set on a journey to look for the places and objects of his memories – he took photos of where he wandered to as a child, and objects he would often come across.This exhibition is an attempt to let those who live in Chuen Lung tell their stories through photography and through these works and the protagonists’ lenses, viewers may understand the village more.

Regular programmes, workshops and partnerships

In addition to exhibitions, Koon Man Space will offer a series of regular programmes and workshops, inviting image-making artists from different cultural backgrounds to engage in exchanges with public visitors. Highlights

include Photography Salon, Chuen Lung Ecology Research Residency and Guide Training Programme, Photobook Corner, and partnerships with various organisations. Some of these programmes have already been hosted in various locations prior to the official opening of the space, and have received positive response.

Koon Man Space launched the Photography Salon in December last year, providing a platform for learning and exchanges on contemporary photography, engaging photography practitioners, researchers, writers, and critics to facilitate in-depth discussions. Artist Ki Wong returned to Chuen Lung, and led participants through an introspective exercise of recognising one’s intent in their gaze. In another recent session, wildlife photographer Fung Hon Shing, curator of the exhibition Life (cycle) of the Hong Kong Newt, guided participants to investigate the challenges newts face in Hong Kong.

Alice Cazenave of the UK-based artist collective The Sustainable Darkroom did a one-month residency in Chuen Lung in March this year. In her workshops, she guided participants on the experimentation of plant developers, and subsequently took participants on a photowalk around the village. A Roundtable took place during her residency with visual art practitioners of different backgrounds, to discuss the cultivation of sustainable art practices.

Since last year, Koon Man Space has collaborated with Outdoor Wildlife Learning Hong Kong (OWLHK) on a freshwater ecology research in Chuen Lung and will be working together to bring forth a docent training programme, aiming to explore and gain a deeper understanding of the changing natural environment of Chuen Lung. Over the course of eight months, OWLHK conducted extensive field studies, findings of which will be presented in May this year. As the research concludes, OWLHK will integrate their findings with their expertise in Hong Kong ecology and ecology docent training, leading to the development of a comprehensive training programme.

Koon Man Space will also conduct a two-year visual study on Chuen Lung, encompassing the history, cultural heritage, and fauna and flora of the village. Open Studios will be held to present work in progress. Touring exhibitions and workshops at schools and community centres will be organised.

For more information about Koon Man Space, please visit https://hkipf.org.hk/, or social platforms: Instagram @koonmanspace, Facebook HKIPF Hong Kong International Photo Festival.

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Russell Crowe returns with a new exorcism in The Exorcism. Trailer

Russell Crowe plays Anthony Miller in a new exorcism movie but it is not the second part of “The Pope’s Exorcist“, but a new thriller. In this new horror film, Russell Crowe is joined by Ryan Simpkins, Sam Worthington and Chloe Bailey.

The Exorcism is written and directed by Joshua John Miller and is set on a shoot, in which an actress is possessed by a none-too-benevolent spirit.

Sinopsis

Anthony Miller (Russell Crowe) is a troubled actor who begins to fall apart during the filming of a supernatural horror movie. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) wonders if her father is returning to his past addictions or if there is something more sinister behind…

Premiere of the film

The premiere is scheduled for June 6.

The ExorcismMovie Trailer

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‘Monkey Man’: A Spectacular Tale of Vengeance from India, Produced by Jordan Peele

Immerse yourself in a narrative rich with rhythm, action, stunning cinematography, and skillful editing, Monkey Man presents a story that ingeniously blends mysticism with a classic tale of vengeance, marked by violence and atrocity. At its core, themes of injustice and mortality intertwine with ancient gods, blurring into the multi-faceted reality that persists in India.

This brilliant film captivates on all fronts, boasting everything we crave in a cinematic experience. At the helm, writer, director, and lead actor Dev Patel demonstrates his readiness to narrate a grand story filled with epic moments, commercial appeal, and ultimately, a high-quality film that masterfully weaves action, social drama, and exceptional cinematography.

Monkey ManPlot Overview

A boy witnesses his mother’s death in a fire. Years later, the memory unrelenting, he plunges into the underworld to track down the perpetrator of the tragedy. The protagonist must descend into hell itself to confront and overcome the ghosts of his past.

About the Movie

Monkey Man channels pure Bollywood in its most spectacular form, with an epic storytelling style where everything, absolutely everything, seems exaggerated. The film masterfully combines this grandiosity with a gritty underworld story, a realistic narrative that rings true, manifesting as a thriller that feels part fairy tale, part brutal social commentary.

Featuring breathtaking cinematography and memorable sequences, the entire film is set against a richly atmospheric backdrop. It balances realism with the fantastic and surreal, transitioning into a thriller as the plot unfolds. The storytelling, brutal and violent, culminates in a fittingly intense conclusion. Excellently executed across all its elements, the film especially shines in its editing and use of vibrant, contrasting tones in photography.

Between Hindu Tradition and Reality

The film opens with a tale, that of the monkey man (which gives the movie its title). Throughout, it is laden with references to the Vedas, Hindu gods, and Indian traditions. In this metaphorical transformation of the boy into the monkey man, the protagonist navigates the hells of his childhood through tradition, engaging with the gods amidst a reality skillfully intertwined with ancient lore.

Monkey ManA Stark Portrait of India’s Brutality

Monkey Man aims to expose the bitter, brutal, and violent face of India, highlighting its corruption without reservation. The narrative portrays a country where corruption and greed for rupees reign supreme, focusing on power and corruption. It tells the story of a man who, through discovering himself as a deity, seeks to end this corruption, or at least a part of it, showcasing a reality filled with thieves, pickpockets, prostitutes, and murderers in a corrupt world that has forgotten the teachings of ancient gods.

Our Opinion

A thriller that truly deserves attention. Brutal, violent, and exceptionally crafted, it’s a film that embraces excess and violence, offering a path to enlightenment through extreme violence. Yet, beyond its thrilling action sequences, it delivers a powerful action-packed movie with much more to say.

Beautifully aesthetic and well-told, Monkey Man is more than just an action film; it’s a cinematic experience that profoundly resonates.

Movie TrailerThe CastDev PatelSikandar KherPitobashAdithi Kalkunte

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Relativism in the Internet Era

For those not in the know, and to put it succinctly, relativism is a philosophical vein that suggests, in extreme brevity, that everything is relative. It stands in opposition to objectivism, which posits the existence of a singular truth (often linked with monotheistic faith), arguing instead that there are as many truths as there are individuals. Figures like Aristotle and Plato once engaged in fervent debates over the concept of “the truth”.

Today, the debate continues, albeit in a new form, with computers and AI systems competitively parsing through data to unearth “the truth” within a quantum universe filled with parallel worlds, atomic bombs, and machines that are slowly surpassing human capabilities.

Ladies, gentlemen, and thoughtful robots alike, be not deceived. AI is already here, processing data at unimaginable speeds thanks to Big Data. Companies are amassing behavioral data, conducting massive and somewhat terrifying marketing studies, then inputting this data into AI systems. The goal? To tailor preferences, dislikes, and as they claim, to present you with the healthiest of advertisements and to assist in your daily life.

It’s a form of relativism powered by modern algorithms that would surely astound the ancient Greeks, had they the tools to decipher it, perhaps with the aid of Pythagorean theorems.

This Big Data and company-specific AI (because nowadays, without your own AI, you’re considered second-tier) have one primary objective: to generate more profit for the company. This is their “truth” and their ultimate goal in life.

In a world where success is measured by financial gain, imagine a race between a human being with frustrations, family, and health issues, and a machine capable of processing millions of operations per second. Pitted against each other to see who can come up with solutions to earn more money, the human loses in the blink of an eye, barely having time to sit and think. The machine, even today, is leagues ahead, finding superior solutions for nearly everything.

And above all, for earning more and more money.

That is the ultimate goal of the companies controlling these AIs.

Who would you entrust with responsibilities and decision-making? The individual burdened with the frustrations of being human, or the machine capable of crunching millions of data points for greater profits? The choice is evident, and to be honest, I would make the same decision if faced with such a power dilemma.

A top executive of a major corporation once suggested hitting that formidable button to kick off the AI race, from which there would be no turning back. If it weren’t them, it would have been someone else. Naturally, they pushed the button, as others were already doing so, and it was time to stay competitive in a race where humans shouldn’t even participate to avoid embarrassment.

This article itself will go through internet filters, land on social networks, and in a matter of seconds, be ranked higher, lower, or lost in oblivion.

How much money will this article make for the company? None, zero dollars or Scandinavian rupees. Thus, we already know what decision the machine will make and what it will offer you.

Because business must go on.

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‘Marry My Husband’: A Whimsical Revenge Journey on Prime Video

Marry My Husband stands out as a whimsical Korean series that merits patience and here’s why: do not be misled by its opening sequences. After the initial shock of the protagonist’s demise, a highly entertaining story unfolds featuring the exceptional Kang Ji-Won, portrayed by the stunning Park Min-Young. With glasses as her disguise, she attempts to become someone else.

The Plot

Kang Ji-Won is battling stomach cancer with only six months left to live. Fate, not yet satisfied, holds more surprises for her: she discovers her husband’s affair with her best friend, and to add insult to injury, they have taken out a life insurance policy on her.

Just when life seems unable to get any worse, a twist of fate intervenes. After a fatal accident, Kang Ji-Won is given a second chance at life, sent back ten years with memories intact to right her wrongs.

Now, a decade younger and wiser, Kang encounters the company’s CEO. She concocts a plan for her best friend to marry her duplicitous husband, freeing her future self from his deceit.

What ensues is an amusing tale of two friends entangled in a premeditated debacle—one of them blissfully unaware.

Marry My HusbandAbout The Series

For those unfamiliar, allow me to introduce you to Studio Dragon, one of Korea’s leading production houses specializing in romantic comedies. They are known for their humorous touch, quality production, and engrossing stories—though without sky-high budgets, they consistently deliver hits and sound business ventures.

Marry My Husband is another such triumph for both the studio and the viewer: it demands little but delivers much. While it may not boast the grandeur of the greatest TV production nor an unparalleled script, its strength lies in its excellent team. Masters of this genre, they execute the narrative with almost surgical precision.

The series excels across the board: it entertains, moves, and provides a love story that’s both engaging and charming. Yes, the elements might be predictable, and the situations often exaggerated, but the formula demands it. This special sense of humor requires a constant genre mash-up, presenting dramatic moments one minute and hilarious antics the next, breaking conventions and surprising viewers.

The Characters

In this narrative landscape, the women lead. The rivalry between Kang and Jeong offers substantial intrigue. Although the ultimate betrayal has yet to occur, the past foreshadows the vindictive actions of our protagonist. The men, Yoo and Park, embody the roles of the undesirable boyfriend and the charming executive. While not groundbreaking, it serves its purpose of providing uncomplicated entertainment.

Our Takeaway

Give it a chance if you’re looking for a light-hearted escape without high expectations; Marry My Husband won’t revolutionize your life. However, if you’re in the mood for something fun, casual, and requiring minimal mental investment, this series has all the ingredients to entertain and delight without burdening the viewer.

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JO-HS Presents New York City Exhibition, “Techne” Showcasing the Work of Nine Emerging Latin American Artists

New York, NY | April 25, 2024 –  JO-HS, a global gallery specializing in emerging contemporary art, debuts its inaugural exhibition in New York, titled Techne.  A curated showcase of works by 10 emerging Latin American artists, Techne grapples with how technology shapes humanity and underscores JO-HS as a conduit for cultural community between Mexico City and New York City. Techne features drawings, sculptures, and paintings by contemporary Latin American artists Alicia Ayanegui, Sonia Bandura, José Eduardo Barajas, Celeste (an artist duo by María Fernanda Camarena and Gabriel Rosas Alemán), Alejandro Contreras, Chavis Mármol, Floria González, Rodrigo Red Sandoval, Hilda Palafox, and Ismael Sentíes. Techne will be on view May 9 – June 20, 2024 in Tribeca.

“Having the opportunity to showcase this dynamic group of artists as our first show at JO-HS in New York is incredibly fulfilling,” said Elisabeth Johs, Founder & Director of JO-HS. “JO-HS New York is a symbol of our mission to expand our presence across two important regions, both deeply rooted in artistic history. Techne brings together a dynamic group of Latin American artists who offer a unique perspective on technology and how it exists in our society today. This group of work spans various artistic mediums, inspiring thought-provoking conversations around technology’s impact on us as human beings.”

Celeste, Volvemos una y otra vez a nuestras conversaciones, 2024, Pigments and acrylics on dyed cotton canvas, Pigmentos y base acrílica sobre loneta de algodón teñida, 59 x 78 3/4 in, 150 x 200 cm. Image courtesy of the artists and JO-HS.JO-HS NEW YORK

JO-HS New York follows the success of JO-HS CDMX, which is located in a historic and architecturally important brutalist building from the 1970s. The building was sensitively renovated by founder Elisabeth Johs to create a vibrant exhibition and year-round artist residency program that debuted in 2021. This spirit of engagement has expanded as a multi-directional bridge with JO-HS’ New York City exhibition program kicking off at 121 Watts Street, which was once a textile factory steeped in a rich history as an artists mecca that housed the studios of Laurie Simmons and Carroll Dunham.

TECHNE

Inaugurating JO-HS’s New York City program, Techne examines how technology shapes human experience. The Greek root for technology/tecnología, techne has no direct translation in English or Spanish. Connoting “art,” “craft,” “knowledge,” and “technical skill,” techne is an expansive concept encompassing the many ways we give form to the world. In Techne, sculptures, paintings, and works on paper examine diverse technologies as tools and obstacles for human expression and experience.

Chavis Mármol, Mano pico, 2024, resin and sand sculpture, 23.6 x 51.2 x 4 in, 60 x 130 x 10 cm. Image courtesy of the artist and JO-HS.

The artists behind Techne exhibition each take a different approach toward the overarching theme. Ayanegui’s work mutates based on each place she lives – folding in new colors, shapes, and feelings as they appear; the works featured here examine light as both tool and challenge in painting; Bandura examines visual discourses surrounding nature and biology, excavating how discursive processes produce ideas about organisms as technical-natural entities and the symbiotic relationships that operate at all scales of life; Barajas uses painting  to monitor luminous atmospheres, color patterns, and emotional climates; Celeste integrates diverse media and disciplines in their practice to conduct a negotiation that expands concentrically to gradually encompass other collaborators and spectators within the workings of an intimate exchange; González uses photography, video, installation, performance, and painting to create fantastical scenes that bring together past, present, and imaginary futures; Mármol,one of the most entertaining, critical, and prolific artists in the contemporary art scene in Mexico, uses a blend of humor and social critique applied through techniques such as painting, sculpture, and performance; and Sentíes’ drawings and paintings explore dialectics inherent to the landscape genre: abstraction and figuration, harmony and chaos, proximity and distance.

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