In her debut album "If I Could Make It Go Quiet," Girl in Red develops her sound and reflects on love and mental illness with an edge and a sense of humor.
I have noticed a common notion that fantasy and science fiction are easy genres to write for, simply because it comes down to making things up as you go. I would argue, though, that it carries the unique challenge of not just rounding out a character, but finding them a place in the strange world you create.
Bookstores across Boston celebrated National Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 24. Leading up to the day, bookstores announced their plans on social media, which included author talks, raffles and exclusive sales. Porter Square Books, Harvard Book Store, Brookline Booksmith, Trident Booksellers & Cafe, Papercuts J.P. and All She Wrote Books all participated in the day.
Seven years of hard work and navigation through life has led Porter Robinson to create another masterpiece in "Nurture."
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 and rest and, most of all, celebration.
Any great film needs a good ending, and this was the 93rd Oscars’ greatest downfall. In a typical year, the ceremony ends with the climactic award for best picture. This year, however, the order was switched, with best picture being presented third to last, followed by best actress and then best actor. The clear suspense that was built up for the best actor category led to much speculation that the night would end in the powerful and emotional announcement that the late Chadwick Boseman had won for his exceptional performance in "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom" (2020). So it was no surprise that the real winner, Anthony Hopkins, was quite a letdown.
This year, only about 170 people were granted the honor of attending in person, as even the golden lights of Hollywood are not immune to the lurking threat of COVID-19. Thus, the pressure was on for designers and attendees alike to stun, wow and create a memorable Oscars “moment.” This challenge was, of course, met in true Tinseltown fashion.
I would consider myself a quirky kid (as pretentious as that sounds). I had a strange sense of humor that came from being the youngest in a big family and often had to find ways to keep myself entertained. “Phineas and Ferb” was my best friend during those years, a show that made me feel less alone. Now, with every re-watch, I’m reminded of just how lucky I was to grow up with the triangle-shaped kid and his quiet British brother.
"John Wick" (2014) ran so that "Nobody" (2021) could ... walk? In recent years, the creative talent behind the "John Wick" franchise (2014–) have found their way into many different films. "John Wick" co-director David Leitch went on to direct "Atomic Blonde" (2017), "Deadpool 2" (2018) and "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw" (2019). Meanwhile, the main director of "John Wick," Chad Stahelski, will be heading the recently announced movie based on the hit PlayStation video game, "Ghost of Tsushima" (2020). And, after penning the first three "John Wick" films, writer Derek Kolstad emerged with "Nobody."
“Geiger #1” feels like the beginning of something huge, a cutting-edge blend of superhero comics, science fiction, fantasy and post-nuclear fiction that manages to excite, depress, thrill and intrigue. Plus, it's stitched together by some of the biggest and best names in comics. The book also cements Image Comics as the premier destination for creator-owned books and larger-than-life ideas.
It’s equally hilarious, terrifying and heartbreaking, which is a rare (and difficult) combo to achieve. And considering the fact that it’s about a hit man, it has some of the wildest cold opens that I’ve ever seen on TV. These cold opens do not only set the tone for how each episode will play out, but also point out the ridiculous nature of it all — that we’re essentially rooting for a hired killer to succeed, find love and be happy. The concept is ridiculous, but when it takes place in a world that's as ridiculous to the characters as it is to us, you find yourself in the unique position of relating to a hit man.
Wow. One hundred years of Gucci. While some would party with champagne and fireworks, Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele celebrates with his Aria collection (2021): a presentation of Gucci’s brilliant historical craft with a touch of modern creativity. Michele vehemently asserts, “Gucci’s long history can’t be contained within a single inaugural act,” and his work certainly reflects the brand's multitudinous inspirations: founder Guccio Gucci’s “horse wear”; former creative director Tom Ford’s hedonist aesthetic; and Michele’s own chic style.
I write this on an abnormal day — white builds up in the corners of windows that should be refracting April yellow-red-orange glow — but I know these days of light and sunroof-down drives with Spotify are near. My weather app says so. The return of the sun will clear the sinuses of snow, as summer hovers on the horizon. Play these songs as you learn to live again.
"Nomadland" is the current top contender for best picture, as projected by many media outlets, but I still think "Minari" has a chance. Although "Nomadland" is well-acted, has a distinctive cast and tells a beautiful story, the easily comprehensible and well-acted "Minari" has greater complexities that drive its narrative.
What I like about vinyl stores is that I need to be prepared to handle the disappointment of failing to find the record I want, but at the same time, I never know what I will discover by sheer chance. The burst of joy after flipping through arrays of vinyl and all of a sudden spotting a favorite album or a non-mainstream artist can light up my day.
Serena Williams is both a fashion trailblazer and one of the greatest athletes of all time. She has a history of using fashion to support her activism, with her most recent statement coming in the semifinals of the 2021 Australian Open in February. While she has always pushed boundaries and broken glass ceilings with her supreme athletic ability and talent, Williams has used her platform to support women in a variety of ways.
Thanks to the award-winning talents of composer Ramin Djawadi, the show’s original score is as much a part of the series as its main characters are. Characterized by twisting string melodies and pounding drums, very often in a minor key, the show’s soundtrack has become iconic.
“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.
With two years of operation under its belt, All She Wrote Books — an intersectional, feminist and queer bookstore in Somerville — continues to strive to be a space for all people and voices to feel welcomed and heard. Christina Pascucci-Ciampa opened All She Wrote Books first as a pop-up store in 2019 to address a gap she saw in the world of independent bookstores, and she is celebrating the store's two-year anniversary today.
Eight years ago, Hajime Isayama’s “Attack on Titan” (2009–21) finally received an anime adaptation and reached global stardom. Now, after three full seasons, multiple delays and a four-year hiatus between the first and second seasons, "Attack on Titan" has finally reached the first half of its conclusion. Though its plot may be familiar to those who read the original manga, the show masterfully captures Isayama's ability to write a compelling, multifaceted story within an even more captivating world.
