The Girlfriend Experience

Steven Soderbergh directs this DV-cam look at the life of a high-end Manhattan call girl (played by porn star Sasha Grey).

"...working practices. However, he has few ideas regarding the commodification of sex that haven’t been heard and seen before...."

May 22, 2009 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

The Autobots get wild as their animal counterparts join the fight

"...nowhere else to turn. This hunk-of-junk piece of IP commodification truly can’t be regarded with any further value other..."

June 9, 2023 Movie Review by Trace Sauveur

Candyman

Cabrini Green’s monster returns to manifest abiding Black fears

"...multitude of themes – about the presentation, exploitation, and commodification of violence against Black people in America, about artists..."

Aug. 27, 2021 Movie Review by Richard Whittaker

Halston

Documentary about the life of the master couturier and milliner should have learned his lessons about simplicity and elegance

"...The commodification of art or aesthetics is nothing new, but this..."

June 7, 2019 Movie Review by Josh Kupecki

Vox Lux

Pop star drama is all off-key

"...event essentially goes viral. It’s a cheap act of commodification that feels ahead of its time. From that point..."

Dec. 14, 2018 Movie Review by Danielle White

Are You Experienced?

In a new ad campaign, the Blanton redefines 'art,' raising questions about what it means

"...and the field of art are supposed to resist commodification, it seems we are all in for a big..."

June 30, 2006 Arts Feature by Nikki Moore

The Nature of Generosity

"...into four large sections -- "The Old Animal," "Agriculture," "Commodification," and "Generosity" -- this book moves from prehistory to..."

March 2, 2001 Books Review by Mark Busby

Austin Film Critics Announce 2024 Awards Short List

The Brutalist, Anora, Dune: Part Two lead nominations

"...are two films that deal with women's sexuality and commodification in societry, Sean Baker's slapstick tragicomedy Anora and Coralie..."

Dec. 27, 2024 Screens Post by Richard Whittaker

Presidential Candidate Cornel West Hosts Music Industry Roundtable at Carver Museum

Sentimental talk invites Bill Callahan and Alphabet Workers Union

"...musings on artists providing tenderness in an era of commodification inspired the kind of affirmative mumbles – “that’s right,”..."

April 17, 2024 Music Post by Carys Anderson

Queer Comic Clara Blackstone Is Creating Good Pollution

New Fallout Theater comedy show elevates weird comedy for trash people

"...folks: people who wear their weirdness without shame or commodification. “The more out-there, the more trashy, the more cool..."

July 22, 2022 Qmmunity Post by James Scott

Fantastic Fest Interview: Chris Atkins Investigates Who Killed the KLF?

How to make a documentary when no one wants to talk about it

"...the illusory nature of fame and capitalism, and the commodification of celebrity...."

Oct. 6, 2021 Screens Post by Richard Whittaker

Fantastic Fest Review: Who Killed the KLF?

Band biography that burns Behind the Music to ashes

"...a critique of Blair-era culture, of commercialism, of the commodification of art, of celebrity status. Pre-KLF, Cauty may well..."

Sept. 25, 2021 Screens Post by Richard Whittaker

Kambui Olujimi Speaks Art to Power in "Zulu Time"

This Brooklyn artist’s solo exhibition at the Blanton shows how those in power make sure the world runs on their watch

March 15, 2019 Arts Feature by Barbara Purcell

OUTsider Fest Review: Our Future Ends?

Lemurs, dancers, and the question: Are queer spaces going extinct?

"...at our humanity as well as the colonization and commodification of it, its parallel to queer folk begs the..."

Feb. 21, 2019 Qmmunity Post by Lilli Hime

David Israel Won’t Be Commodified

Stream the Austin songwriter’s lament of reality TV love

"...“To me, [‘Car Commercial‘] is about the commodification of love and the way desire sells products, like..."

June 11, 2018 Music Post by Kevin Curtin

SXSW Music Interview: Shamir

Las Vegas singer explains how a breakdown inspired his latest record

"...Yet “Straight Boy” reckons with the commodification of queer culture amongst straight men and queer-baiting in..."

March 16, 2018 Music Feature by Alejandra Ramirez

Punk Rock Patron of Austin Music Richard Lynn

Super Secret founder and Sonic Transmissions Festival underwriter expands operations

"...to think constantly about money, commercial appeal, and the commodification of music. I can go back to 'What can..."

Sept. 15, 2017 Music Feature by Michael Toland

"Cali Thornhill DeWitt: This Magic Moment" at Farewell Books

Nineties youth rebellion meets millennial "meh" and resigned participation in this solo show

"...that participates in the same systems of value and commodification that it critiques. The display of the quilts in..."

Jan. 29, 2016 Arts Review by Seth Orion Schwaiger

Untold Verve Rules Empire Control Room

Londoner sifts decades of UK bass culture for Chaos in Tejas

"...the vacant influence of cultural appropriation and white washing commodification...."

June 2, 2014 Music Post by Conor Walker

Food, the City, and Innovation

Rethinking the global food system

"...questions. For instance, what issues are raised by the commodification and mass marketing of food technologies that could potentially..."

Feb. 5, 2013 Food Post by Anna Toon

'Joseph Phillips & Shawn Smith'

Two artists make dazzling use of artifice to explore and explode the artificial

"...The commodification of the land, the digitization of the meatspace world:..."

Sept. 10, 2010 Arts Review by Wayne Alan Brenner

Camp Camp

The queer performance series' last show may not have been the finale advertised

"...were seeking to reject the concept of institutionalization and commodification, challenging what it means to be successful in the..."

Dec. 19, 2008 Arts Feature by Kate Getty

Truth Seeker

Photographer Sebastião Salgado bears witness to the world in black and white

"...has been controversial, as some view this as the commodification of others' suffering. "Salgado is one of the first..."

Dec. 19, 2008 Arts Feature by Andrew Long

An 'Our Town' for Our Town

With 100 Austin stories, Zach builds a city on a stage

"...been an underground phrase coined to stave off the homogenization/commodification/Houstonization of Austin's free spirit and unconventional creativity. "Weird" became..."

Sept. 30, 2005 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

Post-Minstrel Syndrome

Blackface Is a white fantasy about the way things used to be

"...how people involved with those fields are affected by commodification, economic or otherwise. Despite the modern angle, Charles' signature..."

June 20, 2003 Arts Feature by Verushka Gray

For the Love of Crap

Local doc PrizeWhores gets cozy with koozie-junkies.

"...commodity.' From there, Garrison launches into her spiel about 'commodification, consumption, capitalism ... all those 'C' words,' tossing out..."

Oct. 19, 2001 Screens Feature by Kate X Messer

The Spatial Engineer of the Invisible City

He is everywhere. He is unavoidable. He is Tha' Subliminal Kid.

"...Asked about the commodification of urban hip-hop culture by the white middle class..."

March 2, 2001 Screens Feature by Marc Savlov

Feasts That Define the Millennium

Food, the Original Commodity

"...who felt betrayed by M. de la Reynière's morbid commodification of the feast. Yet this famous mortuary-themed meal also..."

Jan. 7, 2000 Food Feature by Rachel Feit

Postmarks

Share the Smart Growth

"...of a growing awareness of other cultures is the commodification of their icons, spirituality, and art forms for profit...."

Jan. 1, 1999 Column