Brent Leoni - articles written by Brent Leoni

Michelle Zauner's Crying in H Mart: Redefining Multiculturalism Through a Daughter's Eyes

The Japanese Breakfast frontwoman's first memoir is a tribute to her late mother and a fascinating exploration of accepting Korean-American identity.

Documentary

Bastards’ Road Presents an Honest Depiction of the Lives of Veterans

After a year-long festival circuit run that resulted in multiple awards, Bastards’ Road will be released on DVD, VOD, and on digital platforms in North America on May 11, just in time for Memorial Day. In this documentary (winner of the Jury Award at the Naples International Film Festival and

Donal Trump

The Deglorification of the Underdog in American Culture

This March Madness was one to remember. There was an epic Final Four game, incredible comebacks, and, like every year, a fair share of underdogs. Schools like Oral Roberts, Oregon State, and UCLA won the hearts and minds of America with their respective tournament runs. Their opportunism is the epitome

culture

Coffee Milk: Short Fiction

Abby drove across the city to the Friar Hotel in the afternoon. She was surprised by the accommodations. They had some useful facilities. There was a workout room and an indoor pool; she was definitely going to check out the workout room after she got settled. Dinner wasn’t going

Social Media

Gun Sales and Firearm Training are on the Rise—What's Causing the Surge?

A January WIRED article “I Am Not a Soldier, but I Have Been Trained to Kill,” while conceived in 2020, has taken on a new meaning following the attack on the Capitol. Functioning as a “Shooting Party” for a post-bipartisan world, Rachel Monroe’s vignette recounts her time spent at

Film

"Promising Young Woman" Is Poised To Be One of the Emblematic Films of the Post #MeToo Era

After nearly a year of anticipation, “Promising Young Woman” hit theaters on Christmas, around the same time it cracked several critics’ year-end lists. Along with “The Assistant,” “Promising Young Woman” is poised to be one of the emblematic films of the post-Me Too era. Emerald Fennell‘s “Promising

2020

Complaining About How 2020 is the Worst is the Worst

The prevailing narrative of 2020 is how bad the year itself is. Even when there was a significant portion of the year to go, social media and even the media at large had already written the year off as the worst in recent memory. What they didn’t acknowledge, however,

HBO

How an HBO Episode "How To With John Wilson” on The Mandela Effect Became a Commentary on Nostalgia

The title of the television event of the fall can probably be awarded to “How To with John Wilson,” the new HBO show whose meager six episodes still found a way to cringe its way into the hearts of its viewers. Perhaps the biggest calling card of the show is