Welcome back to classes! As we enter spring, arts releases are picking up again, finally breaking the bit of winter hiatus we’ve seen this year. If you’re looking to take a much-needed breather from the whirlwind of exams and papers, we’ve got good news — there’s a lot to dive into.
For the most part, I’m a huge fan of superhero films. Their predictability is my comfort cinema; I love their simplicity and determination for obvious good to prevail over evil. I love their surprisingly inspirational training montages. I even love that all the protagonists have cheesy superhero names (seriously, though, why are there so many names that end with “Man”?).
As you get ready for spring break, the Arts section has plenty of recommendations to help with your relaxation. For those staying in Baltimore, the Charles and Senator theatres continue to feature great revivals like Porco Rosso and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. However, wherever you are, you can catch Keanu Reeves do his thing in John Wick: Chapter 4. Moreover, big names like U2 and Lana Del Rey are dropping albums right now, so be sure to check those out!
Somewhere in the middle of Cocaine Bear, a bag of cocaine bursts open, and, as some of the powder fortuitously settles in a straight line, the titular bear snorts it right up her nose. I think the previous sentence suffices as a summary that obviously entices readers to watch this movie.
I don’t know much about comedy. To be honest, I don’t have a very sophisticated sense of humor. Don’t get me wrong — I like sophisticated, witty humor. It’s a great moment when someone comes around to the end of the joke and it feels like a full circle moment.
We’re upon that precarious last week before spring break. There’s almost always lots of work to get through before we can finally have a moment of respite, but, if you can spare any time, here’s what to check out this week. And, if not, you’ve always got the week after!
On the evening of March 3, the Hopkins Symphony Orchestra (HSO) gave a concert entitled “The Maestro” celebrating the 30th anniversary of their music director, Jed Gaylin. They played pieces by Mozart, Amanda Harberg and Manuel de Falla.
The Bloomberg Center for Physics and Astronomy hosted “Music and Astronomy: New Music for Voice Inspired by Space” on March 4, which featured original compositions and vocal performances by Peabody Institute students. The event, free and open to the public, was a collaboration between the Peabody Department of Composition and the Department of Physics and Astronomy, bridging the two different campuses for an evening of interdisciplinary exploration.
The breakneck advancement of technology is bound to become one of the defining phenomena of this century. Thinkers across fields from medicine to philosophy have deliberated the implications of technology, yet it remains distinctly fruitful and enlightening to investigate the ways in which artists consider the unprecedented predicament before us.
I have always had an interest in shipwrecks. The Titanic was once my favorite — the most fascinating shipwreck bar none. It was the epitome of turn-of-the-century hubris and grandeur, a ship the likes of which was never seen and will never be seen again. However, there has recently been a reshuffling in my shipwreck rankings. While not quite supplanted, I have found another shipwreck that rivals my interest in the Titanic — the Lusitania, which sank on May 7, 1915. Lusitania: An Epic Tragedy by Diana Preston is the book that prompted my rethinking.
I have never felt more intensely attached to a character than when I watched The Mandalorian for the first time. Not attached to the Mandalorian, the titular character and intended central protagonist played by Pedro Pascal. Not to any villain, comedic side character or even a character with intelligible lines. No, it was to the real star of the show: Grogu, also known as Baby Yoda.
It’s a busy week in the film and music worlds! New films like 65 and Scream VI have got fans excited, while the revival series at the Senator and Charles theatres are bringing masterful works like Japanese director Kenji Mizoguchi’s Ugetsu and Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits back to the big screen. Meanwhile, pop star Miley Cyrus and the fictional Daisy Jones and the Six release new albums this week, so, if you can find time, there’s a lot out there for you to watch and listen to!
The Shriver Hall Concert Series routinely brings virtuosic professional musicians to give concerts at Hopkins. On Feb. 26, the Dover Quartet was joined by double bassist Joseph Conyers to play pieces by Joseph Haydn, George Walker and Antonín Dvořák.
It’s an exciting week for the arts, especially for film nerds who will be delighted with the opportunity to watch Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back on the big screen at the Charles Theatre! A similar wave of nostalgia is likely to pervade you if you go for the revival screening of John Hughes’ Ferris Bueller’s Day Off at the Senator Theatre. Elizabeth Banks’ new movie Cocaine Bear seems to have all the trappings of a cult classic and is sure to be a lot of fun as well.
After a series of contentious years, many wonder whether the Academy’s new leadership, namely President Janet Yang and CEO Bill Kramer, can draw viewers and positive reviews for the upcoming 95th Academy Awards. Due to uncertainty surrounding the value of awards shows, my predictions on who will take home this year’s Oscars will weigh both public opinion and the merit of the nominees themselves to select the most favored winner.
With South Korean cinema gradually becoming more mainstream over the past few years, works of directors like Park Chan-wook are becoming more scrutinized. I urge everyone to jump on the bandwagon to be exposed to the wealth of this industry and its many uplifting and entertaining stories. For now, I recommend the dark and twisted rabbit hole of romantic perversion that is Decision to Leave.
Is there any movie franchise bigger than the Marvel franchise? After a quick Google search, I received my answer: a resounding no. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has, according to CNBC , grossed over 22 billion dollars at the global box office. For reference, the second highest grossing franchise, Star Wars, only grossed 10.2 billion, and it started roughly 30 years before Iron Man was released in 2008.
The Peabody Opera Theatre put on a production of John Blow’s opera Venus and Adonis in conjunction with the Peabody Historical Performance Department on Feb. 17. The performance took place at Theatre Project, a small performing arts center located a 15-minute walk north of the Peabody Institute.
It’s a quieter week here in the arts world. Big-budget releases and superstar artists have taken the week off — but all the better for it perhaps. It makes for a fantastic chance to dive into the indies, the debut artists and the up-and-comers.
What makes a great romantic comedy? Is it option A, the absurdly attractive romantic leads masquerading as average Joes and Janes? Is it option B, the juicy, far-fetched and highly preventable misunderstandings that bring them together? Or maybe it’s option C, the moment when their eyes meet or their shoulders brush and you think, “Yup, they’re endgame.”
