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Most recently published stories in Critique.
Marty Supreme: Movie Review
Marty Supreme presents itself as a sports film, but it isn’t really about victory, legacy, or even competition. It’s a hyper focused character study of an athlete whose entire sense of self is tied to proving his superiority even when the proof is unnecessary, humiliating, or already lost.
By Louise Noel 2 months ago in Critique
Democrats call for withholding DHS and ICE funding after second Minnesota fatal shooting
Another government shutdown looms on the horizon if the Republicans and Democrats can’t agree upon an appropriation bill. That’s a good thing. Shut down ICE first––and for good. Also, the FDA, DEA, OSHA, NOAA, FCC, FAA, and a whole host of alphabet soup organizations and agencies ought to cease as well.
By Skyler Saunders2 months ago in Critique
Kanye West takes out ad in 'Wall Street Journal' apologizing for past behavior
For Ye to issue yet another missive arguing that his bipolar I disorder led to his horrific behavior is the worst of all worlds. His half-hearted attempt to apologize to the Foundational Black American (FBA) is appalling. His attempt to get on the good side of Jews is embarrassing. What is most damaging is the fact he has no clue that the diagnosis doesn’t come with apology tours or full page ads in The Wall Street Journal. In actuality, the way to deal with this is not to apologize but to put up money. Ye needs to show his contrition by offering millions to Black and Jewish people.
By Skyler Saunders2 months ago in Critique
When Is a Move Final?
The Commitment Problem in Modern Chess Modern chess operates under a fractured commitment model that no longer aligns with how players think, how turns function in most games, or how chess itself is actually played across physical and digital formats. At the heart of the problem is that chess treats physical contact with a piece as binding commitment while simultaneously relying on a separate explicit action to end a player’s turn. This creates a logical contradiction: a move becomes final before the turn is over. In most turn-based games, interaction with game components is provisional until the player explicitly signals the end of their turn. Chess is an anomaly in this respect, and the inconsistency becomes increasingly visible in modern play.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast2 months ago in Critique
"Companion" (2025) Review
I genuinely thought this was going to be a rip-off of M3GAN. No joke, when I first saw this trailer I thought: “O God, they’re knocking-off M3GAN already!” Now, were I the more-evolved being I aspire to be everyday, I would’ve stopped and considered: “Well, I thought that movie was a ‘Chucky’ rip-off… but it actually surprised me!”
By Taylor Rigsby2 months ago in Critique
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother John my brother, he has always been the quiet strength in my life. When I was young, the world around me often felt loud and uncertain, but John was steady. He never needed many words—just his presence was enough. With strong hands and calm eyes, he could settle things without making a fuss. He fixed what needed fixing, never asked too many questions, and always seemed to know when silence was more comforting than advice.
By George’s Girl 2026 2 months ago in Critique
Ulysses
Elevator Repair Services Theater Company in association with The Public Theater put forth a unique play about the James Joyce book, "Ulysses". Set as a staged reading (DOTS), the actors move about the baron stage with ease. Directed by John Collins with co-direction by Scott Shepard, the story and the comedic "business" for the most part are really good. Not that "Ulysses" doesn't have some problems, the play for the most part is enjoyable. At 2:30 minutes, the direction is tested with the length of this play.
By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).2 months ago in Critique
to me
I know it had been over the last few weeks to a month since I have read and commented, but I have been reading very occasionally my notifications here on Vocal. Actually, over the past few weeks to probably a month I have been working on my study books that I have been writing, and I plan on publishing on Amazon when completed. I do have some good news to report for I believe that I mentioned that I have a volunteer book reviewing job for a magazine by the name of Story Monsters Ink for the past couple years along with a few others, but this past week I have been hired as a paid book reviewer for the online version of Story Monsters Ink and I have been reading and reviewing a few eBooks already for them already. I am sure glad that I like to read for the publisher wants reviews in 10 days after receiving an assigned book. I do plan on continuing to write, read and comment here on Vocal too.
By Mark Graham2 months ago in Critique
My Little Chickadee
It’s probably no surprise that I absolutely adore Mae West, author of some of the best one-liners ever penned or spoken on this earth. I learned about My Little Chickadee in undergrad, when I was in the English department chatting with Cowboy Mike, our lit-to-film guru, and he told me sbout it, told me that Mae West and W.C. Fields wrote their own dialogue for this 84-minute gem. But that’s not strictly true: they wrote the entire screenplay, not just their own dialogue.
By Harper Lewis2 months ago in Critique
Toward the Linguistic Apocalypse
Toward the Linguistic Apocalypse What stands before the present age is not a technological crisis but a linguistic one. Artificial intelligence does not announce the rise of a new sovereign intelligence; it announces the collapse of an old regime of words. Power is unraveling not because machines are becoming conscious, but because language is becoming uncontrollable. The monopoly over meaning, interpretation, memory, and narration is dissolving, and with it dissolves the architecture of authority that depended on silence, delay, and scarcity.
By Peter Ayolov2 months ago in Critique
