Arts

TUTV's 'In Motion' finally draws to a close

Nowadays, you don't have to go far to watch your favorite TV show - you just open your laptop and stream whatever you're in the mood for. This technological development has provided the perfect venue for Tufts University Television's (TUTV) productions. The most popular of these, the long?running college drama "In Motion," is set to return for its seventh and final season in the coming weeks, making it the perfect time to turn on the Mac and tune in to see just how talented Tufts' student body truly is.

Pro-Con: Carmichael

You're finally getting a meal with them. That friend you haven't seen since first semester of freshman year, that perfect 10 you met last week whose Facebook page clearly indicates they're your soulmate for life (whatever that means) or that professor you just can't quite click with but whose approval you desperately crave.

The Hunger Games' thrills die-hard fans, newcomers

The Jazz Club' brings sultry swing to Tufts

The Daily picks the best restaurants for this year's Restaurant Week

Niki Krieg | The Queen of Cibo

Next to Normal' juxtaposes fanfare with serious issues

With its heavy guitar riffs and taboo topics, "Next To Normal" (2009) is far from the Broadway camp of yesteryear. Composer Tom Kitt redefines the modern rock musical with folk undertones in his pop?infused score, topped off by the bitingly realistic lyrics of Brian Yorkey.

FIFA Street' loses spark in latest incarnation

EA Sports' "FIFA Street" was recently released on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, promising to mold itself in the image of other fantastic "street" games - including classics like "NBA Street" (2001) and "NFL Street" (2004). But the game falls short of expectations, leaving many to bemoan the end of such a strong series.

Mad Men' premiere subtly foreshadows drama to come in fifth season

Sexism, adultery, abject alcoholism - they're all back, and they're as scandalous as ever. After waiting nearly a year and a half for "Mad Men" to grace TV screens again, fans of television's most acclaimed drama can at last rejoice: Don Draper has indeed returned. But whether or not his return satisfied the ripe anticipation surrounding season five's premiere remains to be seen.

The Shins return triumphantly with dynamic, new 'Port of Morrow'

The Shins have been around for more than a decade, yet they have remained faithful to their stylized indie rock with a sound that fluctuates between upbeat and miserable, all the while remaining wonderfully melodic.

James Barasch | Barasch on Books

Over spring break I enjoyed reading Pulitzer Prize?winning Russian imperial biographer Robert K. Massie's reexamination of one of the greatest leaders of the early modern era. In his book, "Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman," which weighs in at 656 pages, Massie paints an interesting portrait of the Tsarina and her attempts to modernize Russia in the innovative, iconoclastic tradition of her 'Great' predecessor, Tsar Peter.

Thompson challenges perceptions of art in latest exhibit at MIT gallery

Twentieth?century artists transformed the subject of painting into a self?referential narrative in which painting itself became subject matter. Modernists reveled in the materiality of art, making brushwork, canvas and paint their field of exploration and point of departure. Artists of the 1970s became critical of the modernist perspective; they rejected the idea that any art could be completed in an isolated or entirely self?referential way. Postmodernists saw contemporary art as inevitably repeating the past and inextricably tied to the present.

Taco Loco brings Mexican cuisine to East Somerville

Whether it's the scent of cannolis wafting from the North End, the boisterous pubs in Southie or the abundance of Thai and Indian restaurants dotting Back Bay, one never goes hungry in Boston. The food is diverse, plentiful and often delicious, but chow?seekers from heavily Mexican?populated states like California or Texas often find their beloved burritos lacking. Without ragging on any particular locale, let it be acknowledged that Mexican restaurants in Boston are quite often subpar. Due to Boston's comparatively small native population, the food is often inauthentic or flavorless, and many have succumbed to despair.

Theater Review | 'Recent Tragic Events' gives a personal look at the aftermath of Sept. 11

Do you remember what you did on Sept. 11, 2001? Do you remember having the TV running nonstop the following days, watching the Twin Towers falling again and again while struggling to comprehend what had happened? How long does it take to resume a normal life after such a catastrophe?

Casa de mi Padre' capitalizes on pure silliness and kitsch

Throughout Will Ferrell's prolific acting career, he has pushed the lowbrow humor envelope, adopting various outrageous personas along the way. He was an ignorant, jingoistic racecar driver in "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" (2006), a clumsy human with a Christmas?inspired identity crisis in "Elf" (2003) and a fashion design icon known for the invention of the piano key necktie in "Zoolander" (2001).

Interview | Will Ferrell discusses tackling Spanish in 'Casa de mi Padre'

 Renowned funnyman Will Ferrell spoke to college press via phone about his new film, "Casa de mi Padre," a hilarious foray into the Spanish soap opera genre.

Elizabeth Landers | Campus Chic Report

A professor recently gave me "Pricing Beauty," (2011) an academic study of the modeling world written by Ashley Mears, a former model and current sociology professor at Boston University. I have always had a love?hate relationship with the modeling world of fashion. While I am repulsed by unrealistic body images, I am simultaneously attracted to beauty and the perfect "look." Women know that what we are looking at isn't real, but we accept the images and strive for them all the same. Though certainly not high?fashion, Sports Illustrated and Victoria's Secret catalogs contribute to the onslaught of bodies that we emulate.

Music Review | Odd Future's Hodgy Beats releases average EP

California hip?hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (more colloquially, Odd Future) dominated the Internet in 2011 and most of pop culture in every aspect. Once an unknown group of teenagers from Los Angeles, Odd Future burst onto the scene in early 2011 when its members - Tyler, The Creator and Hodgy Beats - performed the high?energy, slightly scary, mostly swag "Sandwitches" (2010) on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon."

TV Review | 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart' still going strong in its second decade

In a culture dominated by 24?hour news networks and media oversaturation, "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" is a refreshing change of pace, with pointed political commentary filling out its half?hour running time. Now entering his 13th year as host of the show, Jon Stewart continues to deliver sharp political satire by deftly balancing current events and sophisticated humor.

Intriguing premise can't save 'Grimm'

Despite lacking character development and cohesive plot arcs, the charming and endearing qualities of NBC's "Grimm" stand firm. But whether or not these qualities are enough to make up for the show's general letdowns is another question entirely.