Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
November 22, 2025 November 22, 2025 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

Arts & Entertainment

joella marano/cc by-sa 2.0

The Spy is an aesthetically flawed portrait of Eli Cohen

By BINYAMIN NOVETSKY | September 19, 2019

There is no way to review The Spy, Netflix’s new show about Israeli agent Eli Cohen, without talking extensively about the brilliance of Sacha Baron Cohen. It’s true that the history behind the show is fascinating and that there are some incredible side stories as well. There’s no question that there are distinctive and remarkable artistic decisions taken by the director and cinematographer in almost every episode. 

dvsross/cc by-sa 2.0

Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez shine in Hustlers

By COLE DOUGLASS | September 19, 2019

I’ll get the unfortunate news out of the way first. Despite all of the buzz on the internet, Hustlers probably isn’t going to win any Oscars. However, it is easy to see why the film — and Jennifer Lopez’s performance — has garnered so much praise since its release earlier this week. 

Courtesy of Diva Parekh

What I learned from a Baltimorean published novelist

By DIVA PAREKH | September 19, 2019

Leaving my apartment in Nine East to go to India for part of this summer, I had to wait 15 minutes for my very slow Uber to make its way to pick me up and take me to the airport. The security guard sitting at the front desk was someone I recognized — she always sees me at my sleep-deprived best. Yet, waiting for the Uber was the first time I had the chance to have a real conversation with her.

courtesy of Sarah Y. Kim

Madonnari Arts Festival in Little Italy reimagines classic Italian art

By SARAH Y. KIM | September 12, 2019

Pasta is my go-to comfort food. So when a friend suggested this past Saturday that we treat ourselves to dinner in Little Italy, I agreed. It had been a long first week back, and I’d spent too much time on campus. There was also a festival that she wanted to go to, which sounded nice, but I didn’t really know what that was about. 

COURTESY OF RUDY MALCOM Singer dodie performed at 9:30 club in Washington, D.C.

dodie delivers an emotional performance at concert in D.C.

By AMELIA ISAACS | September 12, 2019

About three quarters of the way through every concert that I’ve been to, I find myself transitioning from a state of enjoying the concert and the moment that I’m in, to realizing that the experience will be ending soon and feeling stressed about having to enjoy the performance.

Mourad Asap / CC BY-SA 4.0

It: Chapter Two is a repetitive and disappointing sequel

By COLE DOUGLASS | September 12, 2019

If the first part of the It saga was about the terrors of childhood — the uncertainty of growing up, the possibility that adults can’t or won’t help you solve your problems — then It: Chapter Two is a treatise on stagnation, the fear that maybe we can’t ever escape the demons (metaphorical and otherwise) that haunted us as children. 

Joe Mabel / CC BY-SA 4.0  Director Justin Chon’s recent film Ms. Purple unveils a new side to Asian-American life.

Director Justin Chon reevaluates the American dream in Ms. Purple

By ARAN CHANG | September 12, 2019

Many may recognize Justin Chon as a frequent collaborator of popular Asian-American Youtubers Wong Fu, Ryan Higa and KevJumba. Or to others less familiar with YouTube, he can be associated with Eric Yorkie from Twilight or Brenda Song’s annoying brother in Disney’s Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior. 

Frank Schwichtenberg / CC BY-SA 4.0  Young Thug’s album So Much Fun stands out among contemporaries.

Thugger breaks musical ground with So Much Fun

By BRANDT MATTHEWS | September 12, 2019

With the release of So Much Fun, Young Thug is finally seeing the commercial success fans have wanted for him for years. Despite being a household name for many as far back as 2015 with his Barter 6 project, or even 2014 through the single “Lifestyle” as a part of Rich Gang, Thugger’s road to superstardom has been long and fraught to say the least. 

Student groups dazzle freshmen at dance show

By JAE CHOI | September 12, 2019

The annual Hopkins Dance O-Show took place this past Saturday at the Shriver Hall auditorium. The event is a popular showcase of the University’s dance performance groups, usually held a couple weeks after freshman orientation. Several minutes into the show, the auditorium was already filled to the brim, with more students shuttling into the auditorium between performances. 

Public domain In Hail Satan? The Satanic Temple protests against religious symbols on government grounds.

Hail Satan? Takes us Behind The Satanic Temple

By KATIE TAM | September 5, 2019

Premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and released shortly after in April, Hail Satan? follows the rise and growth of The Satanic Temple (TST), a “nontheistic religious and political activist group,” according to Wikipedia. The documentary, directed by Penny Lane, draws attention to The Satanic Temple and their confrontations with local governments and media outlets as they advocate for religious pluralism and the separation between church and state. 

Rinkydinkpanther/cc by-s.a 4.0 The Great British Bake-Off judge Paul Hollywood brings personality to the competition.

The Great British Bake-Off returns for its tenth season on Netflix

By EMILY MCDONALD | September 5, 2019

The Great British Bake-Off is back for its tenth season, with new episodes available on Netflix every Friday, just three days after they originally air in the U.K. By now, the reality show has garnered a reputation for being undeniably soothing. It’s the show you fall asleep to after watching a horror movie, and it’s the show you turn on when the news is stressing you out. 

Jwslubbock/cc BY S.A 4.0 The Great Hack follows the Facebook-Carmbridge Analaytica Scandal.

Netflix's The Great Hack isn't that great

By CHRISTIAN HELGESON | September 5, 2019

It’s somewhat ironic that the stylish aesthetics of The Great Hack, Netflix’s recent documentary on the 2018 Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal, are so indebted to the social media world it indicts. Throughout the film, its subjects walk through city streets bustling with digitally superimposed messages and posts hovering in the air. 

UNKNOWN/CC BY-s.a 2.5 Thousands of Dayton residents were left unemployed after the General Motors plant closed.

American Factory delves into complex struggles

By KATY OH | September 5, 2019

 With the 2020 presidential election around the corner and my summer mornings on the subway inundated with bolded headlines across passengers’ phones about the Democratic debates, tensions are at an all-time high.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark presents old stories with a contemporary twist

By JAE CHOI | September 5, 2019

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, directed by André Øvredal and produced by Guillermo del Toro, is a film adaptation of the popular children’s book series of the same name. Although it has a running time of only 108 minutes, the film manages to develop unique renditions of the original stories and creatively incorporates them into the larger narrative plot of the film.

Midsommar delivers compelling, genre-defying narrative

By JAE CHOI | August 7, 2019

Midsommar, a newly released folk-horror film from director Ari Aster, follows his highly acclaimed debut film Hereditary, which was released only a year ago. After relishing in the delightfully gruesome premise and fantastic acting of Hereditary, my expectations for Midsommar were high. 

Producer Showcase: Jarreau Vandal and Edacs

By NIKITA SHTARKMAN | May 2, 2019

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been constantly listening to music from two completely unique and distinct producers. Both are fantastic and should be far more popular than they are, though they make completely different music. 

Naval Historical Center/CC BY-SA 1.0 Taegukgi depicts the cruel conditions of the Korean War.

South Korean film delivers nuanced portrait of war

By CHRISTIAN HELGESON | May 2, 2019

Liberty in North Korea JHU (LiNK), a student group under the umbrella organization of the same name, held its rescheduled screening of the 2004 South Korean film, Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War, on Wednesday, May 1. Although I could not attend in person, I was able to watch the film on my own time. 

Trending
Weekly Rundown
News-Letter Magazine