Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Critique.

Blackbird
I have seen "Blackbird" three times, once on Broadway which starred Jeff Daniels and Michelle Williams, another time off off Broadway starring Scott MC Cord at the 17th st theater and last night I saw this Blackbird at Theatre 4 at Theatre Row.
By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).about a month ago in Critique
Thou Shalt Judge
Vocal, darling, we need to talk. And yes, I know that sentence has the same energy as “we found something on your X-ray,” but stay with me.
By Iris Obscuraabout a month ago in Critique
The Empathy Deficit: When Activism Becomes a Performance Art. AI-Generated.
We live in an era of unprecedented awareness. Global injustices, local tragedies, and systemic failures are broadcast to us in real-time, packaged in high-definition video and poignant threads. Our response has become equally streamlined: a heart react, a retweet, a share to our Story with a sleek, pre-designed graphic and the perfect, pithy caption. We perform our morality in public, building a personal brand of consciousness. But in this grand theater of digital activism, a quiet, corrosive trade is happening. We are swapping the weight of genuine empathy—the kind that demands discomfort, sacrifice, and sustained attention—for the lightweight currency of performative allyship. The result is an empathy deficit, where we are more connected to causes than to people, and where caring has become a curated aesthetic rather than a compassionate action.
By HAADIabout a month ago in Critique
Stranger Things Season 5, Episode 4— Review & Analysis
Episode 4 is one of the most psychological episodes of the season. Every character is fighting not only monsters, but also their own fears, memories, and inner worlds. Through Will and Max especially, the show explores a powerful theme:
By Ceyda Uztosunabout a month ago in Critique
Stranger Things Season 5, Episode 3— Review & Analysis
Episode 3 builds the emotional core of the season. The show focuses on vulnerable children, parents carrying old guilt, and the thin line between what is seen and what is hidden. This episode develops both the characters and the growing danger in a very balanced way.
By Ceyda Uztosunabout a month ago in Critique
Man On The Inside
Introduction I was watching Netflix, and series 2 of this came up as a recommendation. I was unaware of this, but it had Ted Danson in it, so I thought I would check it out.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred - EBAabout a month ago in Critique
Are You Joking Vocal?
I hate having to do this. Vocal just sent me an email telling me I had 34 hours to enter The Forgotten Room Challenge. One Problem, This:
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred - EBAabout a month ago in Critique
Sparking Cognitive Ignition
In the United States of America, and probably elsewhere in the world, the first and foremost lessons we received in our youth indoctrination centers were to sit down! … be quiet! … follow instructions! … and most important, do not question!
By We the PPULabout a month ago in Critique
Dust. Content Warning.
I wipe cobweb-palmed ghosts of handprints off of Oscar's window. Nothing here looks familiar in the eye of unflinching daylight. A spider hangs from the skeleton of a dead chandelier. The only thing I recognize from last night is the smell of dust. Even after taking my morning shower and changing into a clean, pressed uniform, all I can smell is dust. It clings to my hair, to my teeth, to my tongue, my skin. Last night clings to everything.
By sleepy draftsabout a month ago in Critique
Christmas Cookies
Hard to believe that's it that time already. Where has the year gone? Anyhow, who doesn't love a batch or two of Christmas cookies other than old Ebenezer Scrooge. In all my years of growing up I have always helped in this Christmas tradition even if it was only unwrapping bags of candy for various kinds of cookies and doing the cookie count to make sure everyone got a share when giving to friends. Honestly, my favorite Christmas cookies are Raisin and Mincemeat filled cookies along with M&M cookies mainly. What are your favorite Christmas cookies to bake and eat?
By Mark Grahamabout a month ago in Critique
The Intelligent Cage: When Algorithms That "Know Best" Start Thinking For Me
We jumped into the AI pool with great anticipation, thinking the water was warm, but no one warned us the bottom was tiled with slippery, inescapable lines of code. It promised liberation, superpowers, an ever-present intelligent companion. But listen closely to that companion's whisper, and you'll hear something off.
By 天立徐about a month ago in Critique
I Paid $3,000 for an Autopsy Report on My Own Relationships
This isn't about end-of-life care or philosophical reflection. It's a service, commercially labeled "Life Panoramic Settlement." The process is as rigorous as applying for a loan, with a similar purpose: to assess your impact on the surrounding systems as either an "asset" or a "liability" during liquidation. I placed the order because I wanted to know if the world would even fucking blink if I vanished tomorrow night.
By 天立徐about a month ago in Critique