United States
Freelance Writer, Actor and more.
Media Criticism, Creative Non-fiction, Journalism, Novelist, Playwright, Screenwriter, Occasional Poet & Stand Up
MFA in Writing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
BA in Theatre and International Film & Media Studies from Loyola University Chicago
Contributor for The A.V. Club
Email: [email protected]
www.josenateras.com - Twitter: @ josenateras - Instagram: @Jlorca13
Arts & Culture Commentary
As we as a society move beyond outdated gender stereotypes and generalizations, it has become clearer and clearer that the realm of esports could be an ideal industry for gender equality. Unlike more traditional sports and competitions, which use physiological differences to justify gender-based segregation, the world of gaming's meritocracy is gender-neutral.
As the gaming industry works to dismantle preconceived notions and stereotypes surrounding gender and gaming, there is a key demographic often overlooked. A significant percentage of the population identifies as LGBT+, and the community has impacted all facets of culture and industry across the board. The same is true for the gaming industry.
Dario Argento's superior Italian horror Suspiria has long held a fascination for the LGBTQ community. With Luca Guadagnino's reimagining currently hitting the theaters, I decided to ask Adam E. Hoak and Jose Nateras, two of my favorite Chicago actors (and enthusiastic horror buffs) to chat with me about their love for the film,...
Although performance-enhancing drugs have always been a means for athletes to gain a competitive edge, when it comes to esports, the use of steroids might
As competitive gaming continues to work on its shortcomings regarding gender and racial demographics, it's also important to keep in mind the importance of accessibility for gamers who identify as disabled. Because competitive esports relies on skills and abilities beyond the physical prowess of competitors, more than any other competitive industry, esports has the potential to achieve unprecedented levels of inclusivity and equality.
Earlier this week Porchlight Music Theatre, a mainstay in the Chicago theater community, announced the casting for their much anticipated production of Lin Manuel-Miranda's "In the Heights " Aside from the problematic handling of this announcement by The Chicago Sun-Times - Hedy Weiss described the cast as "unusually 'authentic'" - the casting statement was bound to cause an uproar: Porchlight cast a white actor in the central role of Usnavi - a Bodega owner who received his name from the...
At this point, it's commonly understood that a consistent sedentary lifestyle has negative health effects on the body. Numerous studies have been conducted on
In today's society, issues of racial inequality are woven through all of our cultural institutions, systems, and industries. As time has progressed, our conversations around such issues have become more nuanced and correlations between representation and society as a whole have become more apparent.
Hedy Weiss has a long and well-documented track record of being highly problematic, to say the least. F Newsmagazine has covered her antics in the past year alone.
News & Recaps
From Jay-Z to Jon Bon Jovi, big name musicians becoming part owners of sports teams is nothing new. However, when it comes to esports, celebrity ownership is
Put some serious Rustin Parr vibes in your Animal Crossing look with this fun little easter egg! Although the trailer for last month's Nintendo Switch release of the Blair Witch game was first released for the back in June, it wasn't until recently that viewers noticed something hidden among all the eerie stick people totems: a hidden code.
The subclasses, College of Spirits for Bards or Undead Patron for Warlocks, allow for players to access a bunch of new spooky powers. In an article recently posted in the recurring Unearthed Arcana feature on the official website for Dungeons & Dragons ,two new subclasses for bards and warlocks were announced.
In each episode of The Shining 2:37, host Suzen Tekla Kruglnska investigates, in order, two minutes and 37 seconds of Stanley Kubrick’s iconic 1980 film The Shining. The 2:37 of this episode encapsulates the sequence that starts with Jack Nicholson’s character, Jack Torrance, chasing his son, Danny (played by Dan Lloyd), into a snowy maze. As ever, Kruglnska is joined by a guest, but significantly, this week’s guest is none other than Dan Lloyd himself. Lloyd, now in his mid-40s, has a wealth...
Food 4 Thot focuses on relationships, race, sex, and identity hosted by Fran Tirado (Deputy Editor, Out magazine), Tommy Pico (poet), Dennis Norris II (former figure skater, former violinist, current writer), and Joseph Osmundson (scientist and non-fiction writer). This episode they’re joined by guest Steven Canals, creator of FX’s ’80s dance musical Pose. Having such a diverse group of hosts is beautifully refreshing when it comes to queer, male conversations, and the entire series is a...
Players of Wanderhome will get to explore the world of Hæth as anthropomorphic animals called Kith. Tabletop RPG players who are also fans of tenderhearted anthropomorphic animals and tranquil nature scenes seen in a Hayao Miyazaki film have reason to rejoice: Wanderhome.
Interviews
I started working as a host at The Cherry Circle Room (CCR) over a year ago, just a short while before Alan Epstein - the photographer behind the " What Was Breakfast " project - started as a server there himself.
As the industry of pro gaming continues to develop and grow, there's a lot of interest in the ways in which gaming crosses over from pastime to profession. Along with all of the sponsorships and competitions, pro gamers have to deal with a number of responsibilities and decisions unique to their position in the industry.
Reviews
Few films have been able to generate the specific sort of word-of-mouth that Julia Ducournau's "Raw" has. Yes, Ducournau's film has built a name for itself as being a spectacular entry to the horror film genre. Yes, "Raw" has joined the ranks of "The Babadook" and "American Psycho" as chill-inducing genre fare, helmed by female directors.
There are few surprises to be had in “Love, Simon.” If you’ve seen any teen rom-com from the last couple of decades, you’ll be able to spot each major plot point coming. “Love, Simon” makes no attempt to reinvent the wheel. It is familiar, charming, mainstream, and marketable... *Winner: Illinois College Press Association — 2nd Place: Critical Review, Film - 2018
Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 7:38PM Post-Apocalypticon. Clayton Smith. Dapper Press, October 24, 2018, Trade Paperback and E-book, 269 Pages. Reviewed by Jose Nateras. In "The Apocalypticon Trilogy," Clayton Smith has crafted a world readers will find both familiar and drastically changed by the events of the apocalypse.
Either peering from the cover of the two-tape VHS set at the local Blockbuster or peeking up from a rain-gutter in a popular meme; fewer cinematic representations of the horror of childhood have made the same sort of cultural impact as Stephen King’s Pennywise the Clown. As the titular antagonist of King’s 1986 Novel, “IT,” Pennywise serves as one of the many faces that an interdimensional evil wears as it terrorizes the town of Derry, Maine... * Honorable Mention: Illinois College Press...
As a child, until around seven or eight years old, I was convinced that Aladdin was Mexican. I was positive. Here was a character that looked like me, regardless of any song lyrics identifying a fictionalized "Arabia" as the setting of the film; I had found a character I could identify with.
Kaiju movies, which focus on giant monsters like "Godzilla," have been popular for decades. Recent films -"Kong: Skull Island," new incarnations of "Godzilla," "Pacific Rim," "The Host," and "Cloverfield" to name a few - demonstrate that this trend is as lively as ever.