‘I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK’
The Korean film “I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK” is a bewildering film. The story takes place in a mental institution. Il-Sun is a kleptomaniac who wears bunny ears and spends his days playing ping-pong. This changes when a new patient comes in, Young-goon, a woman hospitalized for an eating disorder that stems from her believing that she is a cyborg and only needs to grip batteries in order to gain energy. The film follows Il-Sun courting her and trying to cure her eating disorder by following along with her delusion while living with his own disorder. This involves Il-Sun convincing her that he installed a rice-energy converter in her as well as a bizarre yodeling scene. “I’m a Cyborg” is a love story that is half mental disorder, half fantastical hallucination.
Candice Bautista, Editor
‘We Brave Bee Stings and All’
Thao with the Get Down Stay Down’s “We Brave Bee Stings and All” is the group’s sophomore album and vastly improves on their original album, “Like the Linen.” Thao Nguyen, the lead singer, guitarist and inspiration for the band’s name, is the main writer for the songs. Her voice, which at first sounds incredibly androgynous, portrays the meanings of her lyrics effectively as they crack and whine from note to note. Her lyrics combined with the melodies are probably the most memorable aspect of Thao’s music. As she sings in her opening song, “Beat (Health, Life, Fire),” the listener can hear the hurt yet eagerness in her voice as she describes a past relationship. Thao’s appeal lies mostly in how optimistic her music sounds despite the meanings of her songs, whether she’s singing about gender disparity or about long distance relationships. Another fantastic aspect of Thao’s music is how talented a musician she is overall. Even those who don’t know much about guitar can hear the catchy unique riffs in the background of her songs. There is even a song that involves her beat-boxing in the background. Overall, the album is amazing, with each song different enough to stand on its own while also contributing to a conclusive piece of work.
Candice Bautista, Editor
