Arts - The Tufts Daily

Arts

Best of 2010 | Top 10 Movies

December 8

1. "The Social Network": When writer Aaron Sorkin and director David Fincher teamed up for a movie chronicling the rise of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Hollywood perked up with excitement. The film presented a chance for two of modern film's greatest creative minds to expose the story of the very man who made "private life" a thing of the past. Initially marred by controversy regarding the credibility of the film's storytelling, "The Social Network" went on without further hitches. Complemented by a talented ensemble of young actors such as Jesse Eisenberg, Armie Hammer and Andrew Garfield, the film delivered pure cinematic bliss.

Arts

Ashley Wood | Fashion Contraceptive

December 7

As I sat down to write my final column for this semester, I couldn't help but feel like it should be one last ode to the brilliantly hilarious woman who inspired my topic choice: Leandra Medine.

Arts

Boston Ballet's staging of 'The Nutcracker' is an enchanting classic

December 7

Though attending Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" is a holiday season tradition for ballet naifs and connoisseurs alike, each viewer interacts uniquely with this timeless piece. The magic of "The Nutcracker" cannot be solely attributed to the beautiful dances or the jovial musical score. The true enchantment lies in the experience as a whole.

Arts

Soulja Boy exceeds expectations

December 7

Soulja Boy Tell 'Em has a new favorite word: "swag." On "The DeAndre Way," his third major-label release, Soulja Boy says "swag" at every occasion. He uses it as a chorus, an exclamation, a statement, a question, a verb, an adjective and a noun. This review is going to do the same thing. Swag!

Arts

Nelly's new album shows rapper still has it

December 6

Back in my elementary school days, Nelly was the "ish." Every one of my friends saved up to buy his notoriously successful albums "Country Grammar" (2000) and "Nellyville" (2002) because not doing so was simply an abomination. The songs on these albums were so good that I still get nostalgic when I hear those classic tracks. Now, Nelly has finally returned with yet another masterpiece. Five long years after the unforgettable "Sweatsuit" which included classics such as "N Dey Say" and "My Place," his new album has hit the shelves.

Arts

NBC's pain is 'Chuck' fans' gain

December 5

This article is the latest edition of "Second Chances," a recurring feature looking at TV shows that deserve a second chance from viewers. Their ratings may be low, but their quality is high, so if you tuned out early on, here's our case for why you should give each show another try. This time: "Chuck."

Arts

Dance Concert Preview | Annual Fall Dance Concert gets innovative, transcendental

December 2

It's reasonable for a Tufts student to expect to encounter Henry David Thoreau's "Walden" in an English class. But what about on the dance floor?

Arts

Disney gives classic fairy tale a new hairdo with 'Tangled'

December 1

Every year there are several Disney movies worth spending that $10-per-ticket fee to enjoy. Last year, "The Princess and the Frog" and "Up" shared that title, and 2008 saw "WALL-E" take the cake. In their own special ways, these films warmed the hearts of millions of adults and kids alike.

Arts

Forget Shaws: Options abound for healthy, quality produce

December 1

It's Sunday night, and your housemate with the car just announced this is the only time in the next six days he's going to have time to go grocery shopping. So you hop in, go to Shaws — or Stop & Shop or Market Basket — grab a cart and head over to the produce aisle.

Arts

Theater Review | 'Assassins' cast and crew bring historical brutes to life

December 1

With a gun in nearly every scene and nine shots fired on stage, Torn Ticket II's "Assassins" certainly promises to be explosive.

Arts

Week in Review | TV

December 1

Many shows took a break last week in honor of Thanksgiving, so besides the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, there wasn't a lot of new content to cover. However, networks took advantage of the lull in programming to make some announcements concerning new and returning shows.

Arts

Top Ten | Signs of the Apocalypse

December 1

E!'s new reality series, "Bridalplasty," premiered last Sunday, displaying a heated competition between 12 brides vying for free plastic surgery procedures. WTF, world? It seems the apocalypse must be near.

Arts

Weisfield Collection boasts diverse array of lithographs at MIT's Dean's Gallery

November 30

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Dean's Gallery through Jan. 7 is featuring artwork loaned by the Weisfield family. The collection of 14 pieces created between the 1840s and 1990s is eclectic in subject matter due to its artists' varying nationalities.

Arts

Ashley Wood | Fashion Contraceptive

November 30

It's 1 o'clock in the afternoon, and I'm currently sitting in a Dunkin' Donuts in Logan Airport. My flight doesn't leave until 6 p.m., but unfortunately, I have an unhealthy obsession with arriving early. I follow a very strict pattern whenever I go to the airport: I always fly Jetblue, I always arrive at least three hours early, I always carry both my driver's license and my passport, and I always dress in comfortable clothing.

Arts

Community' is a study group worth joining

November 30

This article is the latest edition of "Second Chances," a recurring feature looking at TV shows that deserve a second chance from viewers. Their ratings may be low, but the quality is high, so if you tuned out early on, here's our case for why you should give each show another try. This time: "Community."

Arts

Rihanna 'Loud' and satisfying

November 30

Five years ago, hip hop boss Jay-Z was so fixed on signing Rihanna, his newest discovery, that he refused to let her leave his office until she signed with his Def Jam label. Jay-Z deserves to be commended for his incredible foresight, as Rihanna has become one of the premier pop stars of our time.

Arts

Kanye West's 'Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' a dream, not a nightmare

November 29

Kanye West's teeth are diamonds. But actually.

Arts

Cannibal' more interested in dancing than human flesh

November 29

It's been a mere 11 months since Ke$ha's first album, "Animal," skyrocketed her to success, and Ke$ha's fame train isn't showing signs of slowing down anytime soon. With the Nov. 19 release of "Cannibal," Ke$ha continues to entertain and live up to her wild reputation: infectious beats, synthesized melodies and Auto−Tuned vocals combine to create the very definition of "catchy," and listeners, regardless of musical preferences, will find themselves involuntarily toe−tapping and head−bobbing in time with her songs. With her sophomore effort, Ke$ha does not disappoint.

Arts

Under the Skin' showcases the art of Japanese tattoos

November 29

Japan's history with tattoos has taken many turns since they were first popularized there in the 18th century. Since then, tattoos have moved from ubiquity among both the upper and lower classes in the Edo period to complete taboo status after their illegalization in the early 20th century, when they were relegated to members of the yakuza, or the Japanese mafia.

Arts

Love and Other Drugs' spread too thin

November 28

Contrary to what drug companies may hope, there's not a lot that's sexy about selling erectile dysfunction medications like Viagra.