Arts & Entertainment

Velvet Buzzsaw fails to fit into comedy or horror

By KATHARINE LEE
February 6, 2019

Velvet Buzzsaw, the latest comedy-horror film to air on Netflix, is a savage jab at the modern art community’s apparent descent into depravity. While an elevator pitch for the film sounds great — art comes to life and torments those who have let ...

GAGE SKIDMORE/CC BY-SA 2.0 Natalia Dyer stars as Coco in Netflix’s new movie Velvet Buzzsaw.

Mike Krol’s new Power Chords is a bit one-note

By NIKITA SHTARKMAN | February 6, 2019

You guys remember rock? The genre in which shirtless singers wear tight leather pants, do copious amount of drugs and are unabashedly cool? Rock has somewhat faded from the mainstream consciousness, but the music is far from dead. Last week, singer/songwriter Mike Krol, released one of the best rock records of this year: Power Chords. The project is loud, brash and still somehow grippingly tender.

Artist Toro y Moi releases a celestial-feeling EP

By KATY OH | February 6, 2019

Toro y Moi’s most recent album, released on Jan. 18, radiates just what we all need: Outer Peace. A chillwave genius and a talented graphic designer, Toro y Moi (also known as Chazwick Bradley Bundick) has incorporated his experimental brilliance in the 10 track LP. The 2019 album follows after almost a decade since the start of his professional music career when he released his debut album Causers of This in 2010. 

Andrew Subiela/CC By 2.0 Toro y Moi combines the genres of pop and electronic with his conceptual EP.
Ferran/CC BY-2.0 James Blake’s new album Assume Form showcases his new Los Angeles style

James Blake assumes new form with Assume Form

By NIKITA SHTARKMAN | January 31, 2019

James Blake makes good music. He’s been making good music for a long time. His first track, released back in 2009, “Air and Lack Thereof,” was a slapping dance song that he made in his bedroom. Since then the quiet, London-based producer dropped three fantastic albums, won the Mercury Prize and became one of the most sought after song writers, collaborating with pop icons such as Kanye West, Beyoncé and Frank Ocean. Blake is known for being your favorite artist’s favorite artist.

Netflix and Hulu’s Fyre docs offer contrasts

By COLE DOUGLASS | February 3, 2019

Almost immediately after their respective releases, documentaries Fyre Fraud and Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened quickly attained a level of memetic popularity almost on the level of the titular music festival itself. Hulu’s decision to release Fyre Fraud the day before Netflix’s Fyre was slated to release quickly grabbed the internet’s attention, and the subsequent sniping between the two streaming platforms made the whole conflict even more enticing.

Pull Quote Template 5.png

Bird Box does not live up to the expectations of its meme form

By CATE TURNER | January 31, 2019

Bird Box, a post-apocalyptic Netflix original starring Sandra Bullock, suffered an unfortunate fate that seems to befall more and more projects everyday: It became popular as a meme before it was respected as a film. Based off a relatively successful novel of the same name by Josh Malerman, the film set out with high hopes that were met with mediocre critic reviews. However, because of its massive internet popularity, the film did very well amongst Netflix users, and its 15 minutes of fame undoubtedly brought Bird Box the success it needed. 

Richard Goldschmidt/ CC BY-3.0 Actress Sandra Bullock shines in the lead role of new Netflix movie Birdbox
Courtesy of Rudy Malcom Roxane Gay discussed her opinions on race and privilege at Loyola on Tuesday, Jan. 22.

Author Roxane Gay speaks at Loyola for MLK, Jr., Convocation

By JACOB TOOK | January 30, 2019

Anyone who knows me knows that Roxane Gay is my favorite writer. She sits atop the list of people I would invite to a fantasy dinner party, followed by Serena Williams and Jaden Smith. I sometimes wonder about the nature of her oft-subtweeted nemesis. And I’ve now heard her live more than any of my favorite musical acts — which is to say, twice.

Thank You, Dad probes Jonestown cult

By NOAH JOHNSON | January 31, 2019

While there have always been individuals who idolize prominent criminals of the past and present, the fascination with cult leaders and other violent people from the 20th century has become more and more mainstream. This increase in popularity has been greatly aided by the focus that pop culture has placed on the crimes of the past. Netflix specials are made about strings of murders that are over a decade old; television shows have entire seasons focused on the rise of a cult in today’s social climate; and internet shows explore unsolved mysteries from the past century. 

Gage Skidmore/CC by-SA 2.0 Shameik Moore at SDCC 2018 discussing his role as Miles in the successful “Into the Spider-Verse.”

Into the Spider-Verse breaks Marvel’s usual mold

By KATHARINE LEE | January 31, 2019

After years of putting out cookie-cutter superhero movies, Marvel finally brings its audience something new with their latest animated hit, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Despite making yet another Spider-Man movie, the writers of Into the Spider-Verse somehow deliver a superhero movie unlike any other. 

The 1975’s new album: emotionally honest and musically mature

By EVELYN YEH | December 5, 2018

The most fitting word that represents The 1975’s new album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, is one that the band explicitly uses in a song title: sincerity. Put simply, the record is sincerity in the form of a vast assortment of sounds that fit together peculiarly well. A Brief Inquiry distinctly shows The 1975’s maturation: It is the band’s first major release after frontman Matty Healy’s stint in rehab for heroin addiction.

Batiste Safont/CC-BY-SA.20 The 1975’s new album release A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships propels them forward.

Documentary Kiki highlights the ballroom scene in Baltimore

By COLE DOUGLASS | December 5, 2018

When Pose began airing earlier this year, it brought the ballroom culture — an underground pageant system for members of the LGBTQ community — into the mainstream consciousness like never before. For many, including myself, the show serves as an introduction to the history of the ballroom scene and the LGBTQ community that brought it to life.

Travis Wise/cc by 2.0 Peabody Ballroom Experience’s event showed Kiki, which first premiered at Sundance Film Festival.

Winner of Cannes Film Festival reaches Netflix

By KATY OH | December 5, 2018

Happy as Lazzaro, translated from the Italian title, Lazzaro Felice, won Best Screenplay at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. On Friday, Nov. 30, seven months after its European debut, the film, directed by Italian director Alice Rohrwacher, finally came to Netflix. The film was not only listed as a critic’s pick in the New York Times but was also the topic of conversation for Vox’s weekly Cinemastream column. 

Hip-Hop artist J.I.D.’s new album Dicaprio 2 sounds effortless

By SAMUEL FARRAR | December 5, 2018

When talking about the fastest rising stars in the hip-hop scene, most people go straight to trap artists in Atlanta, such as Playboi Carti and Lil Yachty, or the SoundCloud phenomenons of South Florida, like Lil Pump and Kodak Black. These figures have dominated hip hop recently, with mantras of prescription drug use, face tattoos and general teenage angst. New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica called it hip hop’s punk movement — a sort of rebellion against traditional rap culture.

The Come Up Show/CC BY 2.0 JID’s sophomore album Dicaprio 2 leaves him with room for improvement.
Courtesy of Kanak Gupta “A Wonder in My Soul” touches upon the reality of gentrification and its effect on communities.

A Wonder in My Soul focuses on life in Baltimore

By KANAK GUPTA | December 5, 2018

Marcus Gardley’s A Wonder in My Soul, which is showing at Baltimore Center Stage from Nov. 29 to Dec. 23, is the story of the strength of two black women and their unbreakable friendship. The friendship has survived six decades of hardships and is now faced with the trial of surviving Baltimore’s gentrification.

Former SNL writer discusses his comedy career

By RUDY MALCOM | December 5, 2018

Former Saturday Night Live (SNL) writer Zack Bornstein gave a talk about comedy writing for television in Hodson Hall on Friday, Nov. 30. The prolific writer, actor, director and stand-up comedian shared his industry experience, knowledge and advice as part of the University’s Film and Media Studies program’s ongoing 2018-19 Visiting Artists Series. 

Courtesy of Rudy Malcom Comedian Zack Bornstein gave students tips on getting a career in comedy.

Latest film in Fantastic Beasts franchise disappoints audiences

By JUSTIN KIM | November 28, 2018

Continuing the spinoff series that nobody asked for, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is the second installment in the Fantastic Beasts franchise that keeps teasing the showdown between Grindelwald and Dumbledore. It keeps confusing me. Why is this series even called Fantastic Beasts? At least the Harry Potter movies were actually about the boy who lived; unless Dumbledore and Grindelwald are going to have an aerial dogfight on top of dragons and Hippogriffs, I don’t see why the Fantastic Beasts part should have any relevance.

New York Public Library exhibition honors Atkins

By KATHARINE LEE | November 28, 2018

This winter the New York Public Library celebrates Anna Atkins, an English botanist and artist from the 1800s. The exhibit Anna Atkins Refracted: Contemporary Works explores Atkins’ influence through the works of 19 contemporary artists. 

UPROXX/ CC BY 3.0 Lucas Hedges stars as Jared Eamons in Joel Edgerton’s new film about conversion therapy, Boy Erased

While a powerful film, Boy Erased erases its star

By RUDY MALCOM | November 28, 2018

I wasn’t expecting the uplifting sensation of a feel-good rom com when I went to see Boy Erased on Tuesday, Nov. 20. That shouldn’t come as a surprise; the film — based on producer and LGBTQ activist Garrard Conley’s same-titled 2016 memoir — is about Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges), who begins gay conversion therapy after his Baptist father tells him: “We cannot see a way that you can live under this roof if you’re going to fundamentally go against the grain of our beliefs.” But I wasn’t anticipating the unshakable tremor of a disturbing horror movie either.