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Odessa Gaines

Odessa Gaines is the Daily's Executive Arts Editor. Odessa is a senior studying Psychology and Film and Media Studies, and you can reach them at kgaine01@tufts.edu.

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Arts

Beyond the scenes: An exploration of the Film and Media Studies community

By Ava Dettling and Odessa Gaines | April 28

The film industry is a notoriously tough industry to break into, leading many to not even try. That line of thinking tends to extend across smaller film communities, including those on college campuses. The Film and Media Studies Program is relatively new to Tufts’ academic offerings, having only been established in 2015 — but it has already drawn a large crowd of film-lovers.

Adventures of an A-Lister
Columns

Adventures of an A-Lister: A love letter to cinema

By Odessa Gaines | April 22

Well folks, this is it. After over a dozen pieces, two semesters and countless tickets lying forgotten in my calendar, “Adventures of an A-Lister” is officially coming to an end. However, before I say goodbye, I have to highlight my journey. From being chased down by rats in Boston Common to sitting in shock at ticket prices to silently sobbing in an empty theater, this column has been an adventure through and through.

SINNERS
Arts

Weekender: ‘Sinners’ is an exploration of our blues

By Odessa Gaines | April 17

Ryan Coogler has struck gold with his new Southern gothic horror period piece“Sinners” (2025). Set in1932, the moviefollows aset of twins, Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan), as they return to theirhometown in Mississippi after a seven-year venture into the casino scene of Chicago. The two businessmen plan to open a juke joint for their home community to enjoy food, drinks and — most importantly — the blues. Smoke and Stack travel around their small town,recruiting old friends to help put together a new space for the largely nonwhite community — a necessity, especially in the era ofJim Crow.

Talking Arts
Arts

What happens to the truth when we start to censor art?

By Odessa Gaines | April 9

On March 27, the current president of the United States of America signed an executive order to begin overhauling the Smithsonian Institution. This order comes from an effort to curb what has been called “woke ideology.” Paired with a crackdown on Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity programs, these new executive orders have instilled a very remarkable trait in our current administration: the ability to erase and change history.

Adventures of an A-Lister
Columns

Adventures of an A-Lister: ‘Hell of a Summer’ is full of laughs

By Odessa Gaines | April 8

It may only be April, but summer is here with Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk’s directorial debut “Hell of a Summer.” After premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 10, 2023, the film is finally showing in theaters across the United States. Shockingly fun, “Hell of a Summer” follows a group of camp counselors returning to Camp Pineway led by 24-year-old Jason (Fred Hechinger). Jason, whom everyone is shocked to see return, struggles to connect with his team of teen counselors but plans to impress the camp owners enough to become the new “camp leader.” However, things quickly go downhill when a masked killer begins to murder the counselors one by one. Without cell phones, driveable vehicles and more than a single brain cell within the camp, the race for survival is on.

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Arts

‘Don’t Eat the Mangos’ explores relationships, sacrifice, liberation

By Odessa Gaines | April 7

Relationships are complicated. Those between family members are even more so. This is deeply the case for a family of five living in El Comandante, a small neighborhood in Puerto Rico in 2019. “Don’t Eat the Mangos” by playwright Ricardo Pérez González and directed by David Mendizábal follows the family’s relationships with and sacrifices for one another as secrets are uncovered at last. 

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Arts

‘Meet Cute in Manhattan’ hits streaming services

By Odessa Gaines | March 27

“Meet Cute in Manhattan” (2025) opens the same way many good rom-coms do — with a voiceover. Jason (Terence Chen) walks us through the plot of common rom-coms, describing how often you may pass by someone in a big city, never crossing paths with them until destiny decides the right time. He explains that sometimes, all it takes to change someone’s life is a simple meet-cute.

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