Welcome back to another week’s To Watch and Watch For. The Hopkins grounds team has done quite the job at raking away the fallen leaves, and just as the trees are slowly turning bare, we must bear with the midterms we find ourselves taking. Now, in the midst of exams, here's to hoping that you can weather the storm and squeeze in a free hour here and there to check out the wide array of media releasing in the upcoming days.
This Friday, Sept. 26 Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another brings Leonardo DiCaprio to the big screen once more. Inspired by the 1990 novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon, this film involves ex-revolutionaries, a nemesis, a disappearance and the strength of a father-daughter bond.
In other news, Kamala Harris’ 107 Days releases Tuesday, Sept. 23. Over the course of 320 pages, Harris’ memoir tells her story of the 2024 presidential campaign. As a caption on an Instagram post, Harris describes it as a “candid, personal account of the shortest presidential campaign in modern history” — a book that brings its audience closer into the inner workings of what happened back in 2024. If you’d like to see Harris discuss her memoir live, she’s also going on the 107 Days book tour, making nearby stops in Philadelphia (Thursday, Sept. 25) and D.C. (Thursday, Oct. 9).
For her fifth studio album, Vie (or “life,” as translated from French), Doja Cat is returning to pop music. Tune in on Sept. 26 to press play on her 15 new songs, which are retro-rich in influences from the ‘80s and showcase her personal evolution. Perhaps you’ll find the perfect upbeat song to play as you engage in your study grind.
Finally, prepare to be amazed by the 3rd Annual Charm City Burlesque & Variety Festival — a celebration of the sly, seductive and twisted. Want to join the masquerade? Want to be taken on a journey that’s whimsical and uncomfortable? If so, this is the stop for you. Dress your best and float over to this two day festival of performances and classes, all celebrating Baltimore’s diverse burlesque and variety performing arts.
If you’ve been nodding along to these suggestions but are searching for more, check out the following to see what catches your fancy:
To watch…
One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson — Sept. 26
Brides, directed by Nadia Fall — Sept. 26
Cracking The Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution, directed by Bill Haney — Sept. 26
Eleanor the Great, directed by Scarlett Johansson — Sept. 26
Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror, directed by Linus O'Brien — Sept. 26
To read…
107 Days, by Kamala Harris — Sept. 23
Thief of Night, by Holly Black — Sept. 23
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny: A Novel, by Kiran Desai — Sept. 23
Lion Hearts: A Novel, by Dan Jones — Sept. 23
The Court of the Dead, by Rick Riordan — Sept. 23
Alchemised, by Senlin Yu — Sept. 23
To listen…
Vie, by Doja Cat — Sept. 26
Here For It All, by Mariah Carey — Sept. 26
stay with the ocean, i'll find you, by yung kai — Sept. 26
Big Lucky, by Peter McPoland — Sept. 26
bones, by Rainbow Kitten Surprise — Sept. 26
Live events…
3rd Annual Charm City Burlesque & Variety Festival — Sept. 26, 8 p.m., ongoing through Sept. 27, at Creative Alliance
- This event is not free — tickets are required. General admission is $51.
Charm City Slam's National Poetry Slam Finals — Sept. 23, 7–10 p.m. at Baltimore Unity Hall
- This event is not free — tickets are required.
Peabody Camerata — Sept. 27, 7:30–9:30 p.m. at Grace & St. Peter’s Church
- This event is free; registration is recommended but not required.
Al Shipley presents TOUGH BREAKS: THE STORY OF BALTIMORE CLUB MUSIC — Sept. 30, 7–8:30 p.m. at Greedy Reads, Remington
- This event is free; tickets are recommended but not required.
