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http://www.afronerd.com/2022/08/discussing-she-hulk-disney-more-warner.html

 

Afronerd Radio can now be heard LIVE courtesy of Apple Music/Itunes

Good Evening, citizens!  It's time once again for the latest installment of Afronerd Radio's Grindhouse broadcast airing every Sunday at 6 p.m. eastern on BTalk 100.  The topics up for grabs are: the first two episodes of Marvel-Disney+'s She-Hulk streaming series were released and we give you our impressions; more upheaval at Warner Media/Discovery-including shunted projects, job losses, and canceled shows at HBO Max; and speaking of Warner, purportedly troubled actor, Ezra Miller had a sit down with WM executives concerning his future as the Flash; a King Kong series is under development for Disney+; as The Marvels movie is slated for a 2023 release, one of the film's three protagonists, Photon (also at one time called Captain Marvel), is priming for a solo comic book series; music mogul and artist, Sean P-Diddy Combs, appears to have caused an internet uproar over his comments about the state of R & B music (but his former protegee, Usher, disagrees); the Batman: Killing Time comic book series introduces a new (but unpronounceable villain) and Marvel fans are starting to complain about dropped plot threads in movies and films.   

One thing that Dburt is doing (finally) is investing in cryptocurrency, courtesy of Roundlyx. We would implore our followers to investigate, discern and then explore by using our referral code: afro-87A4BF

https://blackgirlnerds.com/jennette-mccurdy-hides-nothing-in-her-shocking-memoir-im-glad-my-mom-died/

Jennette McCurdy provides a riveting account of her life growing up as a child star and being forced into a competitive industry by an emotionally manipulative mother. Unlike other autobiography content, McCurdy’s self-accounts are raw and barely refrain from exposing those who put her in uncomfortable situations. 

The book also shares the narrative that McCurdy’s negative actions are often a direct result of verbal and emotional abuse by adult influences. In her autobiography, I’m Glad My Mom Died, McCurdy takes her power back by using little censorship with her words as she details the abuse inflicted by her superiors. 

The Significance of “The Creator” 

McCurdy shows great strength and courage as she tells her truth while using vivid phrases to reveal those who do her wrong. The significance of limited censorship in McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died is it establishes the narrative of whom is to blame for the detriment of her childhood and upbringing. She is very raw in her truth, to the point that readers familiar with her work can use context clues to figure out who she discusses or wants to expose. 

Her autobiography is not simply her life story but also serves as an exposé. She exposes her mother, grandmother, and TV executives, as the adults who fail her and contribute to her downward spiral. These spirals include her eating disorder, secrecy, and burgeoning maturity. 

Although the focal point of the autobiography is McCurdy’s relationship with her mom and how Jennette was forced to be the breadwinner by booking TV roles, she notes other influences who inflicted pain upon her. She vaguely mentions a prominent Nickelodeon executive using terms like “The Creator” to issue a powerful statement. By using terms like “The Creator” to describe her abuser, her audience can understand the power that person has on her and the industry. 

McCurdy does not use their name for privacy reasons, but still illustrates the power dynamic this person has on her by calling them “The Creator.” The Oxford Dictionary defines “creator” as “a person or thing that brings something into existence.” In this case, The Creator symbolizes both the maker of a show and a person of power. The Creator brings her show into existence which also serves as McCurdy’s big break in acting. Like her mother, The Creator is also one of the adults in her life that she tries to never displease; she will not face repercussions. 

Why such a title?

On the cover of her memoir, McCurdy wears a salmon-colored attire and smirks while carrying a pink urn. One may think that the cover image and title I’m Glad My Mom Died is a rather harsh take on a toxic maternal relationship. But, it helps to create the story about McCurdy’s truth. 

There are portions in this autobiography in which McCurdy empathizes with her mother. In specific chapters, she cries about her mother’s illness and does what she thinks will satisfy her mother or gain approval. Even though McCurdy shows human emotions over particular events that impact her mother and their relationship, she is still a victim of abuse. The grieving and mourning for her abuser’s health or obedience to her mother’s wishes, don’t make her any less of an abuse victim. 

A large percentage of the abuse she endures is emotional and verbal. Her mother is one of the figures who know how to emotionally manipulate her. She is glad the abuse is over. The death of her mom puts life into perspective. It brings an end to her manipulation that otherwise would remain had she not passed. The abuse, control, and suffering are gone. She is done living life on eggshells; she is free.   

Growing up and losing control

I’m Glad My Mom Died is a coming-of-age book. This book cover’s McCurdy’s childhood, awkward teen years, and ultimately her becoming a woman. Despite McCurdy’s stages of growth, her mom fails to provide her daughter with the independence that comes with maturation. 

McCurdy discusses the discomfort she feels due to the lack of respect her mother has for her daughter’s body. As McCurdy grows older, the feeling of owning her body doesn’t come with it. Throughout her book, she discusses the awkwardness of having her mom still bathe her, wash her hair, and wipe her. Her mother never wants her to grow up and it’s obvious. Youth is significant to McCurdy’s mom because it enables a stronger acting career for her daughter. 

The younger and smaller she looks, the more child roles McCurdy will book. In McCurdy’s case, appearing young allows her mother to treat her like a child rather than a teen. Her mother seems to suffer from “good little girl” syndrome. She does not want to let McCurdy grow up. This is a crucial part of her memoir because the lack of space between the two, or the coddling that goes on between them, signifies an unhealthy relationship that leads to an unhealthy self-image. Like her relationship with The Creator, this is also a power dynamic issue. 

Drawing Conclusions

McCurdy concludes that she spends the majority of her youth pursuing an acting career she never sought. It takes McCurdy years and a little self-discovery to realize that she lives out her mother’s dream not her own. Although she establishes a name for herself in the industry as a successful Nickelodeon actress, she no longer wishes to act. In the pursuit of an acting career, McCurdy instead discovers a toxic industry. She learns that the vast majority of the adults in her life are abusers, and through this memoir, she unveils their truth.

Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died is now available as an eBook or audiobook at Barnes & Noble.

https://www.thenerdelement.com/2022/08/15/salvage-marines-at-san-diego-comic-con/

By Désirée Guzzetta

In the new sci-fi series, “Salvage Marines,” which can be seen on Popcornflix, wars are fought not for nations, but corporations. Samuel “Sam” Hyst (Casper Van Dien) is saddled with life debt, something he doesn’t want to pass on to his unborn child. With his best friend, Ben “Tak” Takeda (Peter Shinkoda), he signs up for a two-year stint in the R.E.A.P.E.R.S., or Salvage Marines, who take on dangerous missions in the name of corporatism. 

Once in training, Sam and Tak realize not only are they the oldest recruits, but that there’s a chance that instead of working off their life debt, they may incur even more. For Sam, there’s also temptation in the form of Jada (Jennifer Wenger), a younger recruit who wants to escape her own problems. The series also stars Linara Washington as Sam’s pregnant wife, Sura, and Armand Assante as Kelkis Morturi, a corporation overlord who shows up as a hologram seemingly everywhere on Sam’s homeworld exhorting everyone to keep working.

The Nerd Element had a chance to participate in a roundtable at San Diego Comic-Con with “Salvage Marines” stars Van Dien, Wenger, and Shinkoda. The trio happily chatted with reporters about their new show, their personal relationships, and for Van Dien (prompted by a question from The Nerd Element), the four stages of an actor’s career.

The post Salvage Marines at San Diego Comic Con appeared first on The Nerd Element.

https://www.thenerdelement.com/2022/08/15/the-territory/

By Désirée Guzzetta

The new documentary, “The Territory,” director Alex Pritz’s feature-length debut, combines his footage with that taken by the indigenous Uru-eu-wau-wau people, whose land in Rondônia, Brazil is being clear-cut by illegal settlers and others. Shot over three years, the film details the conflict over the indigenous tribe’s 6,000 square miles of the Amazon rainforest, a conflict exacerbated by the Brazilian government’s seeming indifference to the Uru-eu-wau-wau’s rights. Darron Aronofsky (“Pi,” “Mother!”) is one of the documentary’s high-profile producers.

“The Territory” almost plays like a thriller. We are introduced to Bitaté Uru-eu-wau-wau (all tribe members take the tribal name for their surname), who is 19 and becomes his tribe’s leader. His mentor, Neidinha Bandeira, has been an activist for several decades trying to support the tribe and protect the rainforest. The work is dangerous, especially after Jair Bolsonaro becomes president of Brazil, an event which emboldens the illegal settlers to further encroach on the Uru-eu-wau-wau’s land. Bandeira receives regular death threats, and Bitaté and his people are treated like they don’t matter. Pritz includes interviews with some of the illegal settlers, including small farmer Sergio, who starts an Association to make his group’s efforts “legal,” and Martins, an invader who feels entitled to a piece of the land.

I saw the film when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2022 and was bowled over by its passion, and a second viewing cemented my opinion that it’s one of the best documentaries of the year. 

Ahead of the film’s general release on August 19, 2022, I spoke with director Pritz about his project, including what drew him to tell this story, why he included interviews with the illegal settlers, how he met Neidinha and Bitaté, and how the global community can support the Uru-eu-wau-wau. Spoiler warning: The conversation does include a few spoilers for the content of the documentary.

To learn more about “The Territory” and how you can support the Indigenous people of the Amazon, go to https://theterritoryimpact.org/

The post The Territory, A Conversation with Alex Pritz appeared first on The Nerd Element.