A 40-year-old woman has finally decided to change her name legally after hating it her entire life. She was named “Charity” by her birth mother, and although her adoptive family considered changing it when she was adopted at 10, they decided against it. She eventually realized that most of her friends knew her by her gamer tag, Natalliya, and decided to make the change.
Richard Linklater’s Hit Man is a clever and sexy comedy starring rising star Glen Powell. While very original, it feels designed for box office success but may struggle on Netflix due to its emphasis on shared big screen experience. The film challenges expectations by denying the existence of hit men, setting up a metatextual exploration of myth and identity. Powell delivers an impressive performance in multiple iterations of his hit-man act, while his chemistry with Adria Arjona adds excitement and romance. Hit Man delves into the nature of identity, questioning whether we can become who we wish to be and the role of our inner selves. Linklater and Powell employ clever mise-en-scène to engage the audience in unexpected ways, creating a tense atmosphere. The film’s strengths lie in its shared theatrical experience, where the audience is collectively immersed in the projected images and questions our perception of reality.
Despite being born before the American singer, Taylor Swift from Scotland has faced disbelief and name-related difficulties. However, after sharing her story, she has gained support from fans who appreciate her genuine connection to the superstar’s moniker. Her story has also motivated others to consider changing their names.
‘We the Animals,’ an adaptation of Justin Torres’ novel, follows Jonah, a 10-year-old boy navigating the complexities of growing up amidst his parents’ tumultuous relationship. Along with his older brothers, Joel and Manny, Jonah grapples with his father’s unpredictability, while also discovering his own identity. The film’s cast includes Evan Rosado, Raúl Castillo, Sheila Vand, and Isaiah Kristian.
The article explores the concept of gradual dismantling, using the example of an old Fiat car and Frankenstein Singh’s Dosa Crush restaurant. It raises the question of when an object loses its identity as its components are removed. In the case of the dosa, the author wonders how many components can be subtracted or replaced before it remains a dosa in name only.
In his HBO series ‘The Sympathizer,’ South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook uses fireworks as a metaphorical interpretation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Through flashbacks and interrogations, the series explores the complex identity and fractured memory of a half-white, half-Vietnamese double agent during and after the Vietnam War. Park’s meticulously crafted vision, inspired by his background as a film critic, examines the danger of ideological authority and the suppression of individuality.
Rachel Khong’s second novel, “Real Americans,” explores the complexities of racial and cultural identity through a multifaceted narrative that spans time frames and seamlessly blends genres. From the Cultural Revolution in China to Y2K in New York City, the novel follows the interconnected stories of Lily Chen, an American-born daughter of Chinese immigrants, and her mother, May, a geneticist. As Lily navigates the challenges of her own identity and relationships, she grapples with the enduring theme of time and its influence on her life. With its thought-provoking themes and deftly interwoven narratives, “Real Americans” is a compelling examination of what it means to be an American.
