This week, we follow Julie Andrews again, this time as Maria through the lush fields and mountains of Austria with seven singing children, a handsome Captain and some nuns in “The Sound of Music” (1965). No, we have not become a Julie Andrews column (not that it would be such a bad thing). Allie ...
March 2020 brings an exciting array of new books. Here are eight of the most anticipated books of 2020 that launch this month."Deacon King Kong" by James McBride“Deacon King Kong” is James McBride’s first novel after his award-winning work “The Good Lord Bird” (2013). This book dives ...
“Roll over Beethoven / Dig to these rhythm and blues”Chuck Berry sang these lyrics in 1956 in his hit single “Roll Over Beethoven” (1956), only to be covered and further popularized by The Beatles in 1963. The song’s premise is that Beethoven would be 'rolling in his grave' if he had ...
During the pre-title sequence of the new film “Sonic the Hedgehog” (2020), the protagonist is told by his mother figure that he must “never stop running” from those who would hurt him to harness his super-speed. Over the next 90 minutes, you realize that that’s the whole point: trouble finds ...
One of YouTube’s best offerings is the Bon Appétit channel, a page with over 5 million subscribers and a variety of wonderful videos, including chefs making gourmet treats, teaching kitchen skills and recreating food from tasting it. The channel is a part of Bon Appétit’s — the monthly American ...
After being criticized early on for a slow-moving plot, it seems like the time the writers of "Better Call Saul" (2015–) spent world building has come back to benefit them and their viewers.In just the first three episodes of the fifth season, major plot points have moved the story further ...
In most popular apocalypse stories, the plot largely takes place either during or after a worldwide catastrophe. After a disaster or plague, we watch protagonists struggling to survive in a society post-collapse, which only vaguely resembles our current world. In an inversion of this narrative, “Weather” ...
Recently, Bermuda shorts have been attempting a comeback. American Eagle brought them back in stock last year and they have even graced the thighs of the Kardashians. Though there is plenty of evidence of a resurgence, many are still undecided over whether they should try the shorts. So, as temperatures ...
Natalie Diaz’s highly anticipated second collection of poetry, entitled “Postcolonial Love Poem” (2020), was released on March 3. Diaz is a Mojave American poet, and her debut poetry collection, titled “When My Brother Was an Aztec,” was published in 2012. Diaz is also an educator and activist, ...
Rewatchability is one of the more important differentiators I use in evaluating films. “Good Will Hunting” (1997) certainly fits into that “rewatchable” category. Its basic premise is well-known: a “wicked smart” janitor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology gets recognized for solving ...
The first time that television footage of Benjamin Netenyahu appears in the Israeli docudrama“Incitement” (2019), the impact of his presence takes more than a moment to register. The film is not his story; it instead details the evolution of the right-wing extremist Yigal Amir in the year leading ...
This week we are going to London with a cinematic masterpiece: “Mary Poppins” (1964).Anna Hirshman (AH): Despite my best efforts to obtain a working VCR, in which to put my VHS copy of the film, I have not watched “Mary Poppins” in many years. Watching it as an adult, there are many more subtle ...
With her new single, “Stupid Love” (2020), Lady Gaga returns to the blood-pumping, hair-raising dance-pop of her early career. For many fans, Gaga’s new single is a welcomed comeback. It’s radio friendly — unlike much of her last essentially pop endeavor “ARTPOP” (2013) — and connects ...
The first piece I ever learned on the violin was a Romanian Hora — no “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and no Bach minuets. In fact, no sheet music at all!For many violinists this would be a strange way to start. Yet, this unorthodox start has made such a difference to my development as a violinist ...
Lovers of Jane Austen’s 1815 iconic novel “Emma” — and fans of the coming-of-age film genre — can rejoice at the release of “Emma.” (2020) this weekend. It’s a story we all know in some way (possibly from “Clueless” (1995); a girl who loves meddling in her friends’ love lives but ...
In the age of reboots, it comes as no surprise that Universal Pictures has remade its 1933 classic "The Invisible Man." In the original, "The Invisible Man" is an imposing but sympathetic protagonist, a brilliant scientist with the capacity for despair, remorse and love. In this ...
Introduction: In case you live under a rock, white sneakers are everywhere. We usually try to stay ahead of the trends so we can give our advice to our loyal readers on whether they should try out a look. But the prevalence of white sneakers on this campus has necessitated a response from us. So, today ...
Between the corsets, accents and obsession with propriety, experiencing a period drama can feel like stepping into another world. For some, that ability for escapism is part of its charm; for others, its rules can make the stories feel alienating.Barbara Wallace Grossman, a professor in the Department ...
Even if they are mostly unfamiliar with his music, when people hear the name Jimi Hendrix, most can immediately recall that he is a famous guitarist. And that is fair, as he is undoubtedly on the short list of candidates for the unofficial title of “greatest guitarist ever.” But even that is selling ...
The Canadian artist Grimes might be flooding the news recently: her drama with Azealia Banks (the highlight of which involved leaked text messages of Banks telling Grimes she “smell[s] like a roll of nickels”), her relationship with billionaire Elon Musk and confirmed pregnancy with his child and ...
