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(05/05/21 4:01am)
For this last column, I asked my friends to share a bit of what they’re looking forward to as a post-pandemic world starts to come into focus. They sent me songs of rumination, rest and, most of all, celebration. This is part 2; part 1 is available at tuftsdaily.com.
(04/28/21 5:01am)
For my last “Comfort Cartoons” column, I want to celebrate the upcoming summer season with my favorite animated show. “Phineas and Ferb” (2007–15) was a seminal show throughout my childhood, a program I could consistently rely on for escapism and quirky humor. Most episodes follow stepbrothers Phineas Flynn and Ferb Fletcher — who use their summer vacation to build insane inventions and go on amazing adventures — and their pet platypus, Perry, who’s a secret agent. It’s a pretty genius premise that sets up “Phineas and Ferb” for consistently interesting plots and great characters.
(04/21/21 5:01am)
“Batman Beyond” (1999–2001) is a futuristic take on the Dark Knight and another installment in the DC Animated Universe. It’s mainly set in 2039, with Bruce Wayne now an old man, retired from crime-fighting. His rogues' gallery is all but finished, with most villains retired or deceased. This makes way for a new Batman in Neo-Gotham:Terry McGinnis, a teenager. Mentored by Bruce and wearing a fancy Batsuit, Terry is just what the futuristic megalopolis needs.
(04/14/21 6:01am)
Something weird is going on in Gravity Falls, Oregon, and it’s up to preteen twins Dipper (Jason Ritter) and Mabel Pines (Kristen Schaal) to get to the bottom of it. We’re talking about “Gravity Falls” (2012–16), one of Disney Channel and Disney XD’s funniest, strangest and most interesting animated endeavors. The show follows Dipper and Mabel’s summer vacation with their “Grunkle” Stan (Alex Hirsch) in Gravity Falls, a small town filled with secrets and supernatural activity.
(04/09/21 4:01am)
This week, Chris Panella's take on dance music is both reflective and forward-looking: On a good day, I can almost imagine how close we are to dancing together again, to partying in crowded nightclubs (or unfurnished basements). Even while wishing for those days to come faster, Chris soundtracks his daily routine to disco and beat drops, crafting vibes that make us feel a little less alone.
(04/07/21 4:31am)
This week, we’re looking at “Static Shock” (2000–04), an influential animated series following Virgil Hawkins, a 14-year-old boy who fights crime as “Static,” a superhero with electromagnetic powers. The show is another installment in the DC Animated Universe, premiering before the culminations of the DCAU, “Justice League” (2001–04) and “Justice League Unlimited” (2004–06).
(02/24/21 6:01am)
Picture this: It’s a hot summer afternoon and you’ve just plopped on the couch. Remote in hand, you flip through the channels. And suddenly, you’re lost in “SpongeBob SquarePants” (1999–) and a “Phineas and Ferb” (2007–2015) marathon, with the occasional “Ed, Edd n Eddy” (1999–2008) episode thrown in. Before you know it, mom’s home. You spent the day enjoying some cartoon violence and comfort television. Good for you!
(03/17/21 4:01am)
Sleeping with the television on was a dangerous game. Sometimes, it’d be fine. You’d fall asleep to some game show or a BBC documentary on the city of Pompeii and sleep safely and soundly. But most of the time, you’d wake up to something like the “George Lopez” (2002–07) theme song or that “Ultimate Love Songs Collection” commercial. The latter featured Michael Bolton and Céline Dion belting at the top of their lungs; it’s no wonder you’d jolt out of bed, desperate for the remote.
(03/10/21 6:31am)
In this installation of “Comfort Cartoons,” I’m focusing on “Batman: The Animated Series” (1992–1995), the iconic neo-noir crime television show that began the DC Animated Universe (DCAU).
(03/03/21 6:31am)
This week, we’re looking at a Cartoon Network classic, “Ed, Edd n Eddy” (1999–2009). The series follows three middle school boys — the titular Ed, Edd (nicknamed "Double D") and Eddy — throughout their daily shenanigans, which often involve money schemes, jawbreakers and embarrassing moments. The boys’ plans are usually foiled by their cul-de-sac neighbors: Jonny 2x4 (and his wooden friend Plank), Jimmy, Rolf, Sarah, Kevin and Nazz. The Kanker Sisters, who live in a nearby trailer, appear too. The sisters’ plots usually involve their love and obsession for the Eds, who don’t feel the same way.
(03/24/21 5:31am)
The “Scooby-Doo” franchise is possibly the prime example of an intergenerational cultural touchstone. The Mystery Gang,their iconic outfits and their groovy Mystery Machine have remained something most audiences can connect with in some way. That’s partially thanks to the various installations of “Scooby-Doo,” which have spanned a handful of animated films, video games, television shows, merchandise and live-action movies.
(03/25/21 5:33am)
There’s something particularly enticing about the opening seconds of“Till The World Ends,” the first track and second single off Britney Spears’ “Femme Fatale” (2011). An electronic ringing introduces the song and quickly transforms into a steady dance-pop beat. Spears’ iconic heavy breathing and vocalization appear soon after, setting a familiar tone. But as “Till The World Ends” continues, we soon realize that this is a different sound than what we've heard before from theprincess of pop. It’s sparky and robotic. This is “BritEDM,” “Britelectronic” music or whatever you want to call it.
(03/15/21 6:35am)
COVID-19’s impact on the film industry has been well-publicized and well-debated. Across the country, most movie theaters closed during the various stages of lockdowns, and plenty of films’ productions and releases were delayed. Thankfully, many movies finished production, like Christopher McQuarrie's "Mission: Impossible 7" (2021) and Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling,” which is expected to be released in 2021. While some studios are holding off releases of their films for movie theaters, like Marvel’s “Black Widow” (2021), others made difficult decisions to release their content on streaming services. Warner Bros. in particular faced controversy when it announced that all of its 2021 films would be released in theaters and on its associated streaming service HBO Max simultaneously. This includes blockbusters like “Dune” (2021), “Space Jam: A New Legacy” (2021) and "The Suicide Squad” (2021). This decision certainly reflects our use of steaming services over this past year. But only time — and our COVID-19 vaccine distribution — will tell when audiences will return to movie theaters.
(03/11/21 5:33am)
Few popstars can match the fame and success of Britney Spears. Her meteoric rise to fame in the late ’90s, followed by ongoing triumphs in the 2000s and beyond, serve as career benchmarks for music artists. All of her albums were smash hits, featuring vibrant singles and iconic music videos. Spears played with many trends in her music, from teen pop and dance-pop to electronic dance music. She calculated every single career move, at least beforeher conservatorship began in 2008, and made it look easy.
(03/05/21 6:33am)
The Pokémon Company finally announced its most anticipated games of the past 25 years on Feb. 26. The franchise celebrated its 25th anniversary with many things — like the surprisingly fun virtual Post Malone concert — but the crown jewels of the commemoration were the “Pokémon Brilliant Diamond” (2021), “Pokémon Shining Pearl” (2021) and “Pokémon Legends: Arceus” (2022) game announcements.
(02/25/21 7:03am)
“The first thought I had, sitting and listening to it, it was giving me goosebumps,”Pete Tong said in his 2013 interview with Daft Punk on BBC Radio 1.This particular promotion for “Random Access Memories” (2013) was a rare appearance for the French electronic music duo — they seldom make public appearances.
(02/16/21 6:01am)
For the world’s most famous pop stars, expanding into other businesses is a great way to connect with fans, build a brand and make some money. It’s almost a rite of passage at this point: Beyoncé’s Ivy Park athleisure, Rihanna’s Fenty products and Lady Gaga’s Haus Laboratories are all just recent examples of popular artists taking advantage of their big names to capitalize in other ventures.
(02/05/21 6:01am)
Sophie Xeon, better known as Sophie, died in Athens, Greece on Jan. 30 following an accidental fall. Hailed as “one of the most intriguing new presences in experimental pop," the Grammy-nominated producer was a true visionary.
(12/11/20 6:02am)
While the holiday season is going to look a little different this year, your ability to watch classic holiday films from the safety of your residence prevails. Here's what the Arts & Pop Culture editors have to say about their favorite holiday movies:
(12/07/20 7:03am)
Picture this: You’re on a video party — a fleeting trend before Zoom fatigue sets in — dancing with some friends to a club mix. You’ve just made a stiff vodka soda (more like vodka with a pipette’s worth of club soda), and you’re ready to party. Well, relatively.