Culture

REVIEWS

Verbatim will be reviewing new and old books, movies, music, and any other cultural production that sparks interest within the BT community. If you have any recommendations for something newly released or a lost gem that's worth another look, let us know on Instagram @btverbatim.

This month were reviewing a mainstream release that can be seen in theaters or on the Disney+ streaming service.

Disney's First Southeast Asian Princess Won't Disappoint Viewers

By Kidman Ip

Disney recently released a movie on March 5th titled Raya and the Last Dragon. However, due to Covid-19, Raya and the Last Dragon, like other movies, has not gathered as large of a crowd as anticipated. COVID-19 has had a substantial impact on the film industry in 2020 and to accommodate to this pandemic, Disney has made Raya and the Last Dragon available to Disney+ for an extra fee of $30.

I remember hearing of the movie last year and was excited to watch the first Southeast Asian princess. As an Asian American myself, seeing any representation on screen is exciting itself and this movie did not disappoint. The film follows Raya, a warrior princess, who must find the last dragon, Sisu, in order to save her divided home from the Druun. Throughout her journey, Raya travels through the various kingdoms of Kumandra to find the broken missing orb pieces. She is not alone during her travel and is accompanied by her armadillo friend Tuk Tuk and an eccentric band of misfits that she has picked up along the way. All the while, they must escape from Raya’s longtime enemy, Namaari, the Fang warrior princess. Namaari and Raya were friends until Namarri betrayed Raya’s trust by stealing and breaking the orb years ago. Because of this, the balance between the dragon’s spirits and the Druun’s were unbalanced and the Druun turned some citizens into stone, including Raya’s dad. This leaves Raya on a quest to restore peace and become Kumandra as her dad once envisioned.

Raya is not just trying to bring her father back to life, but rather she’s trying to reunite the world. Raya and the Last Dragon focuses on a central theme—a quest for unity. The movie deals with social and political issues which cause the characters to find common ground again after betrayal and heartbreak. One of the many things I love about this movie is how intricate the plot is and how kids can handle more complex plots and themes than Hollywood usually gives them. Children can enjoy "Raya" purely as an adventure movie, but it can also challenge adults to consider trust, forgiveness, and courage. Is fear a result of distrust or the cause of it? Are we divided because we're enemies or because we're told we're enemies? There are only some of the questions I had while watching the movie that other viewers may also ponder.

My only small criticism is that Raya and the Last Dragon can sometimes be almost too dense with its theme. In particular, in the film's last half-hour there was so much that happened, and I felt that they were trying to cram everything that was left. The movie ended with lots of storytelling and I think the animation itself would have sufficed. Therefore, It had a habit of overexplaining itself when its imagery and narrative get the job done on their own.

Another noticeable feature that was appreciated was the cast's voice work. Kelly Tran finds just the right mix of vulnerability and strength in Raya and Awkwafina fits right into her optimistic wonderful dragon voice. The whole cast had impressive voice work: Daniel Dae Kim nails the father/daughter dynamic with just a few scenes and Gemma Chan sells the complex arc of a young woman forced by her mother to act against her own beliefs. All of them were able to bring a different perspective to the movie.

Raya and the Last Dragon could have been a traditional princess story—another tale of a young woman chosen by royalty or magic to save her people. However, this is not the case. It’s a story about fallibility and the uncertainty that often accompanies courage. Many films have been dismissed because of the closure of theaters in the last year, not getting the attention that may have resulted from normal times. I hope Raya and the Last Dragon gets the recognition it deserves. But I’m certain that the movie will not be lost to history and will find its audience. It’s too good not to.

RECIPES

Glazed Spiral Ham

ingredients-

1 (8 to 10-lb.) whole cured, smoked, bone-in ham

1/2 c. apricot jam

1/4 c. light brown sugar

2 tbsp. bourbon (optional)

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

directions-

1. Remove ham from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 350°. Place a rack in a large roasting pan and cover the rack with foil. Pour 2 cups water in the bottom of roasting pan and place ham on the foil on the rack.

3. In a small bowl, stir together jam, brown sugar, bourbon, Dijon, and red pepper flakes. Brush ham with some of the glaze and roast, basting with more glaze every 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 140°, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.

4. Let rest 15 minutes before carving

Parmesan and Garlic Asparagus

ingredients-

1 pound asparagus spears, woody base removed

1 tsp olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/8 tsp salt

a dash ground black pepper

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

directions-

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add trimmed asparagus spears and boil for 2 minutes, just until the spears are bright green and float to the top. Remove spears and place on a paper towel. Pat dry.

2. In a large, non-stick skillet, heat the oil. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1 min.

3. Add asparagus and sauté over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and toss with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

5. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Lemon Bars

ingredients-

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided

3/4 cup plus 3 tbsp powdered sugar, divided

1 1/2 tsp salt plus more

1 cup (2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 to 2 tsp ice water

5 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tbsp Meyer lemon zest

3/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice

directions-

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving 1" of overhang on the two long sides.
In a food processor, pulse 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add ice water 1 tsp at a time if mixture is too dry. Press dough into bottom of prepared pan, pressing snugly against the inside edges.
Bake crust for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Set pan on a wire rack to cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 300°.
Whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until well combined and pale in color. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining 1/4 cup flour, and a pinch of salt. Pour topping over warm crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until set.
Set pan on a rack to cool. Remove squares by lifting parchment. Cut into bars. Dust with remaining 3 tbsp powdered sugar.

CREATIVE WRITING

Call for Submissions: The Ivy and the Ashlar

Brownell Talbot's annual creative writing publication is now accepting submissions for its Spring 2021 issue. Students (of all grade levels), faculty, and alumni are encouraged to submit poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction, drama, photography, and illustration to editor Crystal Huang (crystal.huang@brownell.edu) or through Verbatim's Instagram (@btverbatim).

Our theme this year is hiraeth, which is a Welsh word that expresses "a longing for a place to which you can never return." This theme was chosen to capture the challenging circumstances that many have faced in the past year, and our collective wish that life could return to "normal," but also recognizing that what we once thought was "normal" isn't likely to exist in the future.

Submitted work can reference this theme, but is not required to do so. We're excited to see creative work inspired by any topic or subject matter!

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