Arts

Arts

WEEKENDER: BAAFF celebrates legacy and joy on 15th anniversary

By Erin Zhu | November 2

The Boston Asian American Film Festival celebrated its 15th anniversary this year, screening its program from Oct. 12–22, which showcased shorts, documentaries and narratives, closing with a preview of director Lulu Wang’s upcoming series, “Expats” (2023–), starring Nicole Kidman. The Daily spoke with Susan Chinsen, director of BAAFF, to get a greater understanding of the festival and what it hopes to achieve.

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Arts

‘Killers of Flower Moon’ is a defining entry in the Scorsese catalog

By Ethan Essner | November 2

In “Killers of the Flower Moon” (2023), we are pulled back into the dark, twisted underbelly of the American workforce with a story that links gracefully with the previous works of the director. Featuring another examination of crime and raucous character confrontations, the film is nothing short of a monumental staple in the already stacked career of one of the true great American directors.

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Columns

Confessions of a Cooking Fanatic: Fruity favorites

By Elizabeth Foster | November 1

My cooking origin story begins with the first phase of the COVID-19 lockdown, between March and June of 2020. As a high school senior, I was (very validly) going through a bout of self-isolation. I barely left my room during those first few months of the pandemic. What was I doing with my time? Watching cooking videos: primarily Bon Bon Appétit’s YouTube content.

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Arts

Joe Pera, Jim Carrey in alternative standup

By Jake Ren | November 1

On Oct. 6, comedian Joe Pera released his first standup special on YouTube. He opened it with the following words: “How ‘bout this door?” He then turned to gesture at the massive black door looming behind his substantially smaller body. “Something pretty big could come through this door.” Pera just smiled warmly and stayed pointing at the door awhile. The absurd investment was never mentioned again for the rest of the special. There is not an inkling of explanation for it.

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Arts

In ‘The Fall of the House of Usher,’ karma is not a relaxing thought

By Ishaan Rajiv Rajabali | November 1

“The Fall of the House of Usher” brings together “Succession” (2018-23) and “Final Destination” (2000) with witty dialogue, gripping cinematography and a killer soundtrack.  

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Arts

‘Fashioned by Sargent’ masterfully invites viewers to step into the artist’s shoes

By Siavash Raissi | October 30

In 1888, famed painter John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) hosted his first solo exhibition at the St. Botolph Club in Boston, where he displayed some of what would later be deemed his most iconic works. Throughout his life, he would continue to return to Boston, painting portraits of Boston’s wealthiest patrons and his closest friends, including Isabella Stewart Gardner.

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Columns

I Can’t Think Straight: “Sex Education,” Sivan, secular society

By Cole Reese | October 30

There’s an unsaid notion that seems to exist both inside and outside the queer community: queer people cannot be people of faith. But as of late, I’ve seen two pieces of mainstream media challenge this assertion.

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Columns

Compost in the Daylight: Projectile turtles

By Sadie Leite | October 30

“My sister, Petra, one time picked up a stone from a river at summer camp, then discovered it was a snapping turtle and threw it at my face.”

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Music

Expect a captivating performance from Sun Salon on Friday

By Abbie Klein | October 27

The local collective Sun Salon will be playing at the Fisher Performance Hall in the Granoff Music Center on Friday at 9 p.m. Sun Salon performs and records a unique combination of rapped poems accompanied by improvised jazz, and they’ve just released their first album, “Deep Space” (2023). On Oct. 17, the Daily spoke with Abraham “Abe” Brownell, the coordinator of the collective. In addition to organizing the group, Abe writes and performs poetry and plays lap steel guitar and mandolin. He also works at Tufts as the staff assistant in the Granoff main office.

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Theater

WEEKENDER: Tufts theatre department prepares for ‘Marie Antoinette’

By Nate Hall | October 26

For its fall production, the Department of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies is staging David Adjmi’s play, “Marie Antoinette” (2012). A contemporary take on the story of the young French queen who witnessed the country’s collapse into revolution in the late 18th century, the play reflects many of the challenges women face in the modern world.

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Arts

Łaszewo gives electric performance in Cambridge

By Natalie Bricker | October 26

Three-person electronic band Łaszewo (pronounced la-zay-woah) played an incredible show on Thursday in Cambridge at Sonia. The band’s energy was bubbly, fun and contagious, which was all the more impressive given that lead singer Keeva “Kiki” Bouley had recently fractured her ankle. Band members and producers Matt Ehrlich and Justin De La Fuente frequently hyped Bouley up, encouraging the crowd to chant “Kiki” and applauding Bouley’s ability to dance around while wearing a protective boot.

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Columns

The Power of the Pen: Why are the actors still on strike?

By Odessa Gaines | October 26

With the writers strike of 2023 over, the big question is: When will the actors follow suit and leave the picket lines? Even though both the writers and actors strikes started because of similar reasons, the two unions have had different levels of success in meeting their goals with the big studios. The actors strike, in particular, has continued because of disagreement surrounding increased actor residuals and the use of AI in film and television productions. 

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Arts

Couch connects with students on Tisch Roof in Coffeehouse series

By Matthew Winkler | October 25

On a weekday evening in the heart of midterms, music on Tisch roof brightened campus. Student band Freshman 15 drew in students and passersby with their loud, brassy sound, before a portion of Boston-based band Couch brought a relaxed and comfortable vibe fitting for TUSC’s Coffeehouse series.

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Columns

Confessions of a Cooking Fanatic: Sheet-pan fan

By Elizabeth Foster | October 25

As a senior, I’ve seen the wide range of what Tufts Dining is capable of and, more specifically, what the Tufts administration is willing to provide students with for their meal swipes (and how that has decreased over the years). But you know what doesn’t decrease over the years? The effort-to-yield ratio of a sheet pan meal.

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Columns

Attack of the B-Movies: The allure of the ‘Crash’

By Ethan Essner | October 25

In 1996, David Cronenberg released “Crash,” a film which transcended the characteristics of any preceding B-movie through its depiction of violence and sex. Inherently, every character in the film is an overstimulated, hypersexualized being coexisting in a crazy world of voyeurism and loneliness. In this vein, the film traces arousal and getting off through the sight of car collisions. Cronenberg's conscience functions here as a horny man looking to make a movie about sex, not romance. In this way, it truly is love at first crash.

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Columns

Compost in the Daylight: Crying on the Peter Pan

By Sadie Leite | October 23

“The last time I was on a public bus I was also crying.”

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Arts

Wes Anderson’s new Roald Dahl films are short and sweet

By Nate Hall | October 20

Roald Dahl is well-known for his beloved children’s stories, including“Matilda” (1988), “The Witches” (1983) and “The BFG” (1982),many of which have been adapted into popular films. Less famous, however, is his large catalog of short stories, some of which have now found their way to the screen thanks to director Wes Anderson.

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Theater

‘POTUS’ takes on the patriarchy with humor and wit

By Nate Hall and Odessa Gaines | October 20

It’s a normal day at The White House until the president, in a meeting with international diplomats, calls his wife a “c—t.” After controversy erupts, his chief of staff and press secretary are left to clean up the mess. This is the opening scene of “POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive” a political farce that just wrapped up a month-long run at the SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston. Written by playwright Selina Fillinger, the play follows seven women in the president’s inner circle as they navigate a day full of scandals that bring the country to the brink of crisis, combining over-the-top physical comedy with timely political commentary.

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Columns

Inside the MFA: What can the MFA do for you?

By Claire Wood | October 20

Although all Tufts students have free access to Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, many forget to utilize the museum. The MFA houses almost 500,000 works of art across a multitude of ancient and modern collections. You can find art ranging from 6,500 B.C.E to even the 2000s. The museum is open every day except Tuesdays and is eager to welcome visitors with a variety of interests and needs. Regardless of what you’re looking for, the MFA has an incredibly diverse and expansive collection available to students.

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Arts

WEEKENDER: Religion in cisgender women’s and gender minority music

By Maeve Hagerty | October 19

“I’m not scared of god / I’m scared he was gone all along,” rising alternative artist Ethel Cain sings on the title track of her 2021 EP “Inbred.” The critical and popular success of Cain’s recent debut album “Preacher’s Daughter” (2022) landed her song “American Teenager” a spot on Barack Obama’s 2022 playlist and cemented her as a rising star of the indie/alternative music scene. But Hayden Anhedönia, who uses the stage name Ethel Cain, is only one singer within an increasingly popular phenomenon of cisgender women and gender minority artists producing music which deals directly and indirectly with themes of religious belief and trauma. They explore the manner in which Christianity specifically has influenced their lives and their music, with the result being something unexpected: The music resonates with a whole community of people whose relationships with their faith may not have always been easy.

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