Charlene Badasie

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Charlene Badasie

Freelance Writer / Journalist • Copywriter • Copy Editor • Social Media Strategist • Marketing Strategist • Brand Development • Marketing Writer • Ghostwriter.

Bylines: Glamour, GQ, HuffPost, Thrive Global & Backstage with Jon Bon Jovi

Writer at Fortress of Solitude
Copywriter at Digital School of Marketing & Trifocus Fitness Academy

Confessions That Can Get Your Movie Card Revoked

Social media platforms and pop culture forums have made it virtually impossible for anyone to have a differing opinion about a movie, television show, or fictional character. Openly express criticism of a popular movie and your timeline will be flooded with comments from strangers telling you why you’re wrong, or even stupid for not liking Movie X,Y or Z. The argument usually escalates quickly, with your personal taste being equated with sexism, racism, bigotry, or whatever other terrible insult they have at the ready. In reality, this is a false equivalency. A difference of opinion about something (in the grand scheme of things) as insignificant as a movie really shouldn’t be just cause for online harassment or bullying. So in the spirit of everyone being different but equally awesome, here’s a list of relatively unpopular opinions about some of the most famous movies in recent years that would probably get my movie card revoked.
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Fortress of Solitude •

Logitech G Pro X Superlight Gaming Mouse Is A Hit With Gamers

With all the fanfare surrounding the release of next-gen gaming units, PC gaming has sort of slipped into the shadows. But due to the hefty price tags attached to those consoles, gaming on your computer is a pretty good alternative – especially if you have the right gear. At only 63 grams, Logitech’s G Pro X Superlight is essentially a feather-light version of the brand’s Pro Wireless mouse. But there are several other differences worth noting.
Fortress of Solitude •

Actor Sam Myerson Uses Social Media As His Own Comedy Sketch Show

With the entertainment industry in disarray due to the global pandemic, a lot of actors have had to find more creative ways of doing what they love. Although lots of famous folks use social media to keep their fans entertained, indie film star Sam Myerson has taken it to the next level. The California native, who’s tirelessly worked to make a name for himself in Hollywood, is using his social media platforms to promote his own comedy sketches. His skits are a brilliant mix of current and classic humour, reminiscent of Jerry Seinfeld’s observational comedy.
Fortress of Solitude •

Is Metacritic’s New Review Decision Leaning Towards Censorship?

Metacritic is implementing a 36-hour review delay to ensure that people actually had enough time to play a game before sharing their thoughts about it online. Some gamers might view the move as an attempt to stifle their opinions, and perhaps it is. But is that really a bad thing? Ever since the rise of social media, Joe Public has been given a platform to shift the narrative in various areas of the entertainment industry. It only takes a second for a seemingly harmless comment or tweet to spiral out of control, forcing studios to change their CGI graphics, fire a director or change their casting choice. The truth is “cancel culture” hides under the guise of an opinion, which everyone is entitled to, regardless of the facts laid out in front of them. However, there needs to be a line drawn between the need to express and opinion and causing financial ruin to a company.
HuffPost South Africa •

Roan Ash Is Geared To Dominate The SA Music Scene

Growing up in Pretoria in the early 90's, Roan Ash always had a passion for music. He graduated from Hendrik Verwoerd High School and studied music at the Campus of Performing Arts. Recounting his frustration while learning to play his first guitar at the age of 13, he describes his musical beginnings as humble, slow and small. Roan played his first gig at a school carnival in his hometown and then went on to play free shows at small venues, pubs and weddings.
GQ South Africa •

Loyiso Madinga Understands The Business Of Comedy

Madinga has quickly risen to being a celebrated international comic. His career has been on the fast track since his debut in 2012 at the Montecasino Teatro. Since then he quickly became a regular on the local comedy circuit. Madinga travelled the country on Trevor Noah’s Nationwide tour and represented South Africa in a variety of international comedy festivals. His debut one-man show, Born Free-ish, was a four-night, sold-out success. He hails from a little village in the Eastern Cape but these days you can find Madinga on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, serving up some comic relief.
Thrive Global •

Learning To ‘Evolve’ With Actress, Lindsey McKeon

Lindsey McKeon has worked steadily in Hollywood and is best known as Tessa, The Reaper on Supernatural and Taylor James on One Tree Hill, among others. Besides her acting work, Lindsey recently launched a new website called, Evolve by Lindsey. According to McKeon, if you love to live a healthy lifestyle but don’t want to feel like you’re giving up things you love then Evolve is the place for you. It’s somewhere to gather advice about health, wellness, diet, lifestyle, and relationships.
Fortress of Solitude •

Are SJWs And PC Culture-Based Propaganda Ruining Movies?

Movies are one of humanity’s greatest creations ever. Thanks to movies, we can travel back in time or even to a galaxy far, far away. We can escape to places beyond our wildest dreams and lose ourselves in the fantasy. Movies are also a great way to learn. We can track the progress of humanity through the re-telling of stories about wars, gain insight into different countries and cultures and see just how much we have progressed as a society. Like photographs, movies are a snapshot in time. This used to be the essence of all movies. But lately Hollywood has tasked itself with leading us into a more “woke’ future by attempting to right the wrongs of all social evils. Having ditched the sexism, racial stereotyping and bigotry of yesteryear, Hollywood is attempting to erase the past in order to remedy the problem of unconscious bias. But they’re not doing it very well.
Glamour South Africa •

10 Ways To Be Kinder

It’s a tough world out there, and you never know what someone else is struggling with. Sometimes, all a person needs is a kind word or gesture to help them get through the day. Although many people overlook being kind, it is a positive way of living that makes others – and yourself – happy (and who doesn’t want that?) So the next time you find yourself feeling negative and irritable, take a deep breath and try to show kindness to a stranger.
Fortress of Solitude •

Why The MCU’s Captain America Is Actually A Jerk

“When bad things happen and you can stop them, but you don’t, they happen because of you.” Captain America is seen as the epitome of a hero. He is one of the few worthy enough to lift Mjolnir, he has access to Iron Man’s armoury and he’s been entrusted with Wakanda’s technology by Black Panther. Coupled with all the charm, world-saving, and moral grandstanding, it’s easy to believe that Captain America didn’t make a single false move throughout the eleven year Avengers saga. But upon closer examination Captain America has made some of the worst decisions in the entire MCU (post suspended animation). And these poor choices come to the forefront in Avengers: Endgame.
HuffPost •

Meet Rising Music Star Beth Thornton

Growing up in a village in England, Beth Thornton always had a passion for music. Her tiny village in Oxfordshire didn't even have a supermarket – just a local pub where she played many gigs as a teenager. She went to school in a town around 20 minutes outside her village. She spent most of her days skipping lessons and hiding in the music practice rooms. Her musical tastes centre on pop and country. So naturally, her own music has been described as a combination of these two influences.
Fortress of Solitude •

Marvel: How To Watch Every Movie In Scene-By-Scene Chronological Order

Marvel created something new with The Avengers in 2012. The movie brought together different heroes from their own stories into one big team-up movie. When that was done the characters parted ways and went back to their own sequels. This type of storytelling has always been done in the comics. But doing it across 23 films with so many strong characters and undertones was brand new. While each movie may not be telling the exact same story, they all take place in the same universe and are connected by characters, events, and settings. So if you’re new to the franchise you’d be forgiven for being a little confused as to how they all fit together, and in which order to watch them.
Fortress of Solitude •

Why Bucky Barnes Deserves To Be Captain America Instead

After what seemed like an eternity, the curtain closed on over ten years of MCU awesomeness with . While the ending was pretty satisfying it also left fans with a lot of questions heading into the new phase. The speculation over who would take up the mantle of Captain America has been bubbling under the surface ever since the MCU introduced us to The Winter Soldier and The Falcon way back in 2014. With Chris Evans tweeting about retiring from the role before Endgame dropped, we always knew that Steve Rogers would have to choose a successor. And he did…
Fortress of Solitude •

The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina Season 3: Hell Has Never Been Hotter

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s horror-filled reimagining of our favourite half-witch half-mortal is back for a third season of – and hell has never been hotter. Season three of The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina picks up one month later with Aunties Zelda and Hilda rallying what’s left of their coven to re-open the Academy of Unseen Arts. Meanwhile, Sabrina is determined to make good on her vow to bring Nick back from Hell. After a few failed attempts she realizes the only way to save Nick is by claiming her rightful place as Queen of Hell. But there’s a catch. Citing infernal law, The Prince of Hell, Caliban challenges her claim to the throne. As Sabrina focuses on Caliban’s challenge and business of being Queen, a battle for Greendale ensues in which she is forced to choose between the throne and the town she calls home.
Fortress of Solitude •

South African Cinemas Hoping to Open in July - But Will You Go?

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the entire movie industry came to a screeching halt. Film and television productions were put on hold, while cinemas (including South African cinemas) themselves have been closed for almost two months (depending on which part of the world you’re in). But in recent weeks, Hollywood studios have held out hope that movie theatres will be back in business by early July. In South Africa, the release of Unhinged will coincide with cinema openings across the globe. South African cinemas plan to open safely and will comply with all state public health department guidelines. Safety measures include socially distant seating (capacities of 25-50%), staggered showtimes to reduce crowding, and more time between each show to allow for increased cleaning.
Glamour •

7 Tips On Makeup Hygiene To Take Note Of

For many of us, doing our makeup is part of our daily routine. With that in mind, it’s important to make sure that the products you apply to make you look and feel your best, aren’t doing more harm than good. No matter how often you cleanse, tone and moisturize, your skin won’t be at its healthiest if you don’t practice good makeup hygiene. Here are seven makeup hygiene hints to help you keep your makeup in a stellar condition, and your skin, radiant.
Fortress of Solitude •

Good News! Comic Con Africa 2020 Isn't Cancelled... Yet

Due to the coronavirus pandemic a lot of big pop culture events, from Coachella to the Met Gala, have been postponed or cancelled. Could Comic Con Africa 2020 be next? Maybe not. In geek culture, the most crushing blow was the official cancellation of San Diego Comic-Con. It’s the first time the event has been cancelled in its 50-year history. The disappointment wasn’t just felt by fans, but also by the many artists and creators who rely on the event to bring more attention to their work. However, if you’re in South Africa there is some good news (for now). Reed Exhibitions Africa plans to go ahead with Comic Con Africa 2020 this September. How can they pull this off given the current pandemic? We’ve got all the info right here!
Fortress of Solitude •

Movies Delayed By The Coronavirus

The coronavirus pandemic has had a massive impact on the film and television industry. Movie theaters around the world have been closed and film festivals have been cancelled or postponed. As a result, the global box office lost millions of dollars and streaming has become even more popular. While smaller films are proceeding with earlier digital releases, those belonging to large movie franchises, like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, James Bond and The Fast Saga, are either moving or have been delayed indefinitely. With that in mind, here’s a list of all the movies that have been delayed (so far), along with their new release dates (where available):
Fortress of Solitude •

Is Don Cheadle Leaving The MCU?

Avengers: Endgame may have been Don Cheadle’s last MCU appearance as James Rhodes/War Machine. The actor, who replaced Terrence Howard in Iron Man 2, recently revealed that he signed a six-movie deal with Marvel – which ended with Endgame. After his making MCU debut in 2010, Don Cheadle became a fan-favourite, with many praising his chemistry with Robert Downey Jr. He returned as War Machine for Iron Man 3 and reprised the role for crossover appearances in other MCU movies including Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. War Machine also made a credits-scene appearance in Captain Marvel. In a recent interview, Cheadle talked about how he was offered the role of War Machine, as well as his contractual deal with Marvel.
Fortress of Solitude •

Sam Raimi Is Set To Direct Doctor Strange 2

MCU fans were disappointed when Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness lost the directing talents of Scott Derrickson back in January due to “creative differences”. But when director Sam Raimi (of the Tobey Maguire trilogy) entered talks to take his place a month later, they were thrilled. Some fans may even recall that Doctor Strange was mentioned in. In a recent interview, Raimi officially goes on the record about taking on the project. He also explains the relevance of this Easter Egg in relation to his new gig.
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