2019 was such a good year for movies. This makes it all the more disappointing that 2020 has been almost completely barren. The more interesting result has been the slew of movies released on streaming services or for direct purchase on demand.
Overall, “Nectar” presents a gripping journey through Joji’s mind. From the very beginning, the listener is immersed as Joji struggles with understanding the impact of heartbreak and solitude. However, this captivation is often interrupted by uninspired tracks that have no distinguishable identities, leaving listeners bored.
The film sells itself as a story about a woman who turns to making rap music when her writing career seems stuck, but it is so much more. Radha Blank’s screenplay is an intricate and personal portrait of what it means to be an artist, life in New York City, and the issues that come with gentrification.
Omar Apollo is a sight to behold. This is clearly evident, judging by the album cover for his debut album "Apolonio" (2020). Pictured with his bright teal hair, Apollo is seen bathing in a shimmery purplish liquid, his skin glowing brighter than his shiny white guitar, and butterflies resting on his legs, chest, and fretboard. He set a high bar of expectation for his debut album to meet, and he had no problem meeting it.
I’m not sure what brought about “The Cabin with Bert Kreischer” (2020), a Netflix miniseries that, despite a few laughs and unexpectedly emotional moments, fails to stitch together a wholly satisfying experience.
As someone who spent a rather large amount of their Starbucks barista savings on a nicer viola, I find myself rather defensive whenever my instrument is subject to the popular jokes and scorn cast on violas and violists. Ever since the 18th century, violas have been the butt of endless jokes and mockery. As it was often unaccomplished violinists who were made to take up the viola for the sake of the orchestra, the viola became an instrument associated with inferior musicians.
While it is much less dark than its predecessor and slightly inconsistent, “Savage Mode II” is not only 21 Savage’s best work so far, but one of the best hip-hop releases of the year. 21 Savage again proves he is a perfect fit for Metro Boomin’s cinematic and spooky production.
While you can always count on Marc Rebillet to cook up something original, what made his drive-in livestream this summer particularly special was his collaboration with a surprise guest: Erykah Badu, the "Queen of Neo Soul."
Studies have shown that listening to classical music spurs the brain to release dopamine, putting the listener into a heightened emotional state, and thus able to better absorb information. So, why sacrifice getting into the spirit of October when you can “feed two birds with one scone” and do so while you study? Here’s a playlist of some of the spookiest classical tunes to help you get started.
As expected from the “Holmes” moniker, the mysteries and the twisting plot of "Enola Holmes" leave viewers to constantly question what they thought they knew about the story.
The definite highlight of the show is the characters. The monstrous ways in which each one is haunted — some by external and some by internal demons — create well-rounded, sympathetic characters with whom the audience can identify and empathize.
A comic’s first issue is typically many things, a jumping-on point for new readers, a reintroduction for veterans to the canon and maybe a chance to establish a new status quo in a concise manner. The first issue of Scott Snyder’s “American Vampire 1976” has inherited this unique problem, but manages to accomplish all the stated goals all while Rafael Albuquerque’s art (and Dave McCaig’s coloring) gives every panel a spark of life.
Against all odds, 2020 has forced The Academy to, what I assume to be begrudgingly, remove their theatrical release requirement for the first time in history. For possibly the first time in history, releasing direct-to-video is being viewed as an alternative rather than necessarily a downgrade for the studio releasing it.
Considering that “Avatar” first debuted over 15 years ago, it hardly seems the candidate to make such a strong comeback as (technically) a children’s show. However, “Avatar’s” newfound popularity –– as well as “Korra,” its sequel/spinoff series –– proves not only their mastery of TV storytelling, but their timelessness and relevance of cultural commentary.
A lot has changed since the mid-20th century, but "Boys in the Band" (2020) reminds us that some struggles remain universal for gay men. With clear roots in performance, and an all-star, all-gay cast to boot, the movie has garnered a lot of attention. But does it deliver?
Ava was the most popular movie on Apple TV in its opening weekend, but you should save yourself the seven dollars. Cliché after cliché leads you through a story that only gets more absurd, leaving you unsatisfied and frankly wondering how filmmakers can mess up movies so badly. I watched this movie so that you didn’t have to.
On October 5, the Tufts Department of Music invited the genre-busting violin-viola duo “andPlay” to perform a live-streamed concert of contemporary string works by four female composers.
But what is the Afrobeats genre, specifically to Nigeria? As an extension of the earlier Afrobeat style (yes, the presence of the “s” is a distinction), it features lots of the same influences of jazz, funk, highlife and traditional Nigerian Fuji music. However, it has also drawn from more current pop music and techno, reaching a larger dance club audience and rising in popularity.
Terming a hybrid body of work, which includes scientific writing using literary metaphors and literature importing science to explore the psyche, as “nervous fiction,” the book asks important questions about the relationship between the body and the mind, between “rational” scientific inquiry and literary expression.
Though quirky and headstrong, Emily’s character was not strong enough to overcome anything of substance or deliver a compelling story.
