Saarthak Johri, Author at The Michigan Daily

Image of a boy and girl sitting on a roof looking out at a city at night.

Film

‘Blue Beetle’ is the DCU’s incredible, anti-capitalist, immigrant-inspired inception

by Saarthak Johri September 20, 2023September 20, 2023

Lately, to consume superhero movies is to get lost in the land of Oz. Senseless stories scripted by simpleton Scarecrows, formerly rebellious directors made Cowardly Lions by the Marvel movie machine, time and successive subpar attempts at cinema stealing away Kevin Feige’s (“Secret Invasion”) curtain — with only the odd miracle to keep it from […]

Illustration of three eyes. The left one shows a reflection of a bomb, the second one is an old photograph, and the right is dimly lit.

Of bombs and Bhagavad Gitas / The true Trinity of ‘Oppenheimer’ / I still need to be a scientist

by Saarthak Johri September 17, 2023September 19, 2023

A graphic with the words “little treatings from Ann arbor” depicting ice cream, chocolate bon bons and flowers within the letters of “Ann Arbor."

Arts

A little treat for an Ann Arbor college student

by Kaya Ginsky, Erin Evans, Allison Wei and Saarthak Johri September 5, 2023September 14, 2023

A split screen with the cover of The Front Bottoms's "You Are Who You Hang Out With" on the left and the cover of Current Joys's "LOVE + POP" on the right.

Music

‘You Are Who You Hang Out With’ and ‘LOVE + POP’ evoke evolving intimacies in antithetical experimentation

by Saarthak Johri August 31, 2023August 31, 2023

Sophia Wilde's eyes glazing over with expanded pupils in "Talk to Me"

Film

Two writers talk about why ‘Talk to Me’ is disturbing both beyond and because of the dead

by Saarthak Johri and Max Newman August 15, 2023August 15, 2023

A frame from the trailer for "Pikmin 4" which features a relaxing creature --- the Bulborb --- in front of a blue fence with a golden pocketwatch hanging from it on top of grass.

Digital Culture

‘Pikmin 4’ exchanges efficiency for accessibility

by Saarthak Johri August 11, 2023August 11, 2023

The interior of an airplane in the dark, illuminated by a seat’s screen playing The Fabelman’s movie, and another displaying a flight tracker to New Delhi, India. The illustration is surrounded by a stamp border, with text overlayed reading “भारत * India” and “1.50”.

‘The Fabelmans’ on a flight with and to my family

by Saarthak Johri August 9, 2023August 9, 2023

an illustration of a cave that has four Kens observing a shadow of a giant Barbie that is being protruded from a lotus flower on a cave wall.

Film

‘Barbie’ and Ken and the new MCU

by Saarthak Johri August 8, 2023August 8, 2023

Illustration of a film camera done in dark greyish tones. The lens has an orange hue and an outline of India.

The foreign country filter

by Saarthak Johri July 28, 2023July 28, 2023

A television playing the opening scene of the movie Asteroid City, set in a living room at night. Although the first scene of the movie is in black and white, the room is illustrated featuring the color scheme used throughout the rest of the movie.

Film

Maybe ‘Asteroid City’ wasn’t meant for the theaters, or to be understood

by Saarthak Johri July 21, 2023July 23, 2023