Arts

Arts

'Derry Girls': the perfect ending for a perfect show

By Ryan Fairfield | October 17

After 19 episodes total, “Derry Girls” (2018–22) has finally come to a close with the third and final season of the show, which landed on Netflix on Oct. 7. The comedy, set in the Irish town of Londonderry, or Derry depending on who you ask, during the Troubles, the Northern Ireland conflict that spanned a majority of the second half of the 1900s follows a group of five friends as they navigate high school, adolescence and the political unrest of their country. 

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Arts

'Blonde': Exploiting Marilyn Monroe’s legacy

By Erin Zhu | October 14

Content warning: this article briefly mentions sexual violence and abuse.

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Column

Looking Through the Met: A Lexicon of Fashion

By Ryan Fairfield | October 14

The last time the Met Gala was not held on the first Monday of May was in 2004. Since Anna Wintour took charge of the event, it has been held on that day of the week for years, so much so that “the first Monday in May” has become synonymous with the gala. Due to the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Met Gala was held on the second Monday of September with the theme “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” and a dress code of “American Independence.” The 2021 and 2022 galas were part of a two-part exhibition, which is why the 2022 theme was also “In America.” 

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Column

K-Weekly: What are the Bangtan Boys up to?

By Odessa Gaines | October 14

On June 14, just four days after dropping their anthology album “Proof,” BTS (방탄소년단) announced that they would be taking a break from group activities. 

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Arts

Weekender: Heroes, gods and monsters: A recap of this year in Marvel

By Nate Hall | October 13

Over the last 14 years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a cultural juggernaut. The release of “Iron Man” (2008) marked the beginning of a decade-long saga that spanned nearly 30 movies, peaking with the record-breaking hit “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), in which fan favorites such as Iron Man, Black Widow and Captain America departed from the franchise. Although “Endgame” provided a satisfying ending to the MCU’s narrative, Marvel has kept the story going with a host of new movies and TV shows.

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Arts

Let Hugh Hefner rest in peril

By RaiAnn Bu | October 13

Chilly air, leaves falling, an ominous wind. Fall season is upon us again and one of the spookiest days of the year is imminent: Halloween. Don’t let the ghosts distract you from the real fear of Halloween: ugly costumes. 

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Arts

The tragedy of ‘Bros’

By Henry Chandonnet | October 12

It’s a crushing sight to see the first major-studio gay rom-com flop so publicly. “Bros” (2022) opened to a deeply underwhelming $4.8 million at the box office, cementing its fate as a failure in the public eye. Pundits and commentators alike have theorized on the shortcomings of the film, with creator Billy Eichner himself blaming that proverbial “homophobic weirdo.” So who’s to blame for this tragedy of queer media? The answer may be just about everyone.

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Columns

The Art of Good Soup: Are udon(e) yet?

By Ellie Lester and Cole Reese | October 12

This is a message for Shanghai Moon Restaurant in Medford, Mass. If you are not Shanghai Moon, or our Uber Eats driver, Diamond, keep scrolling. This does not concern you. 

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Local

Winkler's Weekly Symphony Guide: Modernism Triumphs

By Matthew Winkler | October 12

At last week’s Sept. 30 concert, an older woman approached me during intermission and told me how incensed she was by the program. To play not only a contemporary piece but also the modernist Shostakovich was simply too much! Luckily, “her Haydn,” as the woman would call Joseph Hadyn, closed the concert, saving her bourgeois sensibilities. I would have loved to see her reaction to the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s third and most recent Oct. 6–8 set, which flaunted a daring line-up of only 20th and 21st century works. Additionally interesting was that all of the pieces were “program music,” meaning they all tried to represent a non-musical narrative or image.

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Arts

'Pearl': A farmer’s daughter goes for the kill 

By Ava Dettling | October 7

In “Pearl” (2022), the second installment of Ti West’s vintage horror trilogy, we get a look into the real “farmer’s daughter.” It is a prequel to “X” (2022), which follows a group of independent adult filmmakers in the 1970s who are staying on a Texas farm to finish their film, “Farmer’s Daughter.” The group is soon subject to the murderous and sexual urges of Pearl (Mia Goth), the old lady of the farm and a homicidal sex addict. Pearl deeply mourns her youth and sexual prime, and she has no problem taking it out on the unsuspecting filmmakers. While “X” is a gory and exploitative examination of youth and sexuality, “Pearl” takes on a more subtle approach. 

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Columns

Looking Through the Met: Gilded glamour

By Ryan Fairfield | October 7

The 2022 Met Gala was the first traditional Met Gala since 2019. The Gala was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021, it was a smaller event held in September with a lack of some of the major, popular attendees. Needless to say, there was pressure on the Met to revive the gala and remind the public of what an essential fashion event it is.

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Local

Weekender: Latour shows Paradise Rock Club passion, love and gratitude

By Madeleine Aitken | October 6

Maude Latour’s song “Cyclone” (2022) ends with an overlapping chorus of the line “You know me well.” It felt like no mistake that that was the song she started her show at Paradise Rock Club with; by the time she got to the end of the track, she was singing those lyrics with immense passion, like she really meant it. 

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Arts

Joshua Bassett has finally found his voice with 'Sad Songs In A Hotel Room'

By Ryan Fairfield | October 6

Joshua Bassett has had a rumor- and drama-filled experience with fame since he gained popularity for starring as Ricky Bowen in “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” (2019–).  Bassett was rumored to be dating co-star Olivia Rodrigo throughout the filming of the first season of “HSMTMTS,” with the pair even writing a song together, “Just for a Moment,” for the show. Fans came to the conclusion that Rodrigo and Bassett broke up after he was spotted with former Disney Channel star Sabrina Carpenter. Following the release of Olivia Rodrigo’s “drivers license,” which was assumed to be about her relationship with Bassett, he was bombarded with attacks across social media, with the attacks continuing with the release of her album, “SOUR” (2021).

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Columns

The Book Nook: 'Sofi and the Bone Song': A spellbinding tale of music, self-discovery and love

By Layla Noor Landrum | October 6

Adrienne Tooley’s “Sofi and the Bone Song” (2022) is a beautifully crafted and heartfelt standalone young adult fantasy novel released this year from Simon and Schuster. It follows the titular character, Sofi, who longs to be a Musik like her father — one of a select few musicians in the country with a license to write and perform original songs. Born into a kingdom plagued by an endless winter where magic isn’t sacred, but accessible to all, strict laws ensure that music remains an untouched and pure art form. Ever since she was young, Sofi has trained as a musician with the hopes of inheriting her father’s title, but on the day of auditions, something unexpected occurs. Lara, a girl who’s never played the lute before, enthralls judges with her performance and secures the title of Musik, stealing the only dream Sofi has ever had for her future. Suspecting Lara of the illegal use of magic and mourning the sudden death of her father, Sofi sets out to expose Lara’s crime, only to find herself beginning to question everything she knew about magic, her past and her dreams.

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Column

K-Weekly: BLACKPINK makes comeback after nearly two years

By Odessa Gaines | October 5

After a nearly two-year and greatly anticipated wait, BLACKPINK has finally made its musical comeback with its new album, “Born Pink” (2022). BLACKPINK, a four-member girl group made up of Rosé, Jisoo, Lisa and Jennie, first debuted on Aug. 8, 2016, with their single album “Square One” (2016) under YG Entertainment. 

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Columns

The Art of Good Soup: What's (so)up nerds?

By Cole Reese and Ellie Lester | October 5

Last semester, we wrote a column about soup. Some found it funny, others found it cringey and some of you downright despised it. We felt all three. And so of course, we're going to do it again.

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Arts

Maya Hawke gives listeners an intimate view of her life with 'MOSS'

By Ryan Fairfield | October 4

In the past year, Maya Hawke has solidified herself as one of television's rising stars with an incredible performance in season 4 of “Stranger Things” (2016–) and her hilarious role in Netflix’s “Do Revenge” (2022). Hawke’s characters tend to have a comedic side to them, and her nature in interviews and other public appearances shows the world her positive, cheerful side — a stark contrast to her music. In her music, most recently with the release of her second album “MOSS” (2022), Hawke delves deep into the intricacies of emotions and relationships, from relationships with family members and friends to her navigation of the world in her public versus her private life. 

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Columns

Queeries: Queer artist advances the future of LGBTQIA+ in Iran

By Saba S. | October 4

Mahsa Merci is an Iranian-born queer multidisciplinary artist. Merci uses various forms of visual media to challenge society’s traditional concepts of beauty. Her art specifically revolves around gender binaries and queer identities. Merci’s work is an extension of the suppressed role of LGBTQmembers of Iranian society and raises awareness of the discrimination and violence that occurs against sexual minorities in Iran.

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Local

Winkler's Weekly Symphony Guide: The classical meritocracy and 'A Toast!' to the BSO

By Matthew Winkler | October 3

The Boston Symphony Orchestra opens its 2022–23 season with a program that is emblematic of its philosophy and serves as a historically and musically diverse preview of what’s to come. The lineup includes seemingly disparate works that reach over three hundred years back into the Baroque with J.S. Bach’s “Keyboard Concerto in A” before rocketing into the here and now with Jessie Montgomery’s “Rounds” (2022), a work whose inception was only a few months ago following its premiere in March. 

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Arts

"The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" first five episodes expand upon the lore of J. R. R. Tolkien's world

By Ishaan Rajiv Rajabali | September 30

Twenty-one years ago, audiences around the world heard Cate Blanchett’s ethereal voice whisper “the world is changed,” with no idea how “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” and its sequels, would change the world of pop culture.They had no idea of the cinematic experience of epic proportions they were in for. It is only fitting then, that its prequel, the heavily anticipated “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” (2022–), begins the same way.

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