There’s a certain mystique that follows a Bond film, one that holds a timelessness and universality of frankly uncommon proportions. Any attempts to characterize it often point to the flair, the gadgetry or, most likely, the untouchable coolness exuded by its titular character. Whatever it is, though, there’s no doubt — the newly released No Time to Die has it, and then some.
After a busy year of songwriting and technical setbacks due to the pandemic, James Blake finally released his fifth studio album, Friends That Break Your Heart, on Oct. 8. The album is a testament to his growth as an artist, moving from his post-dubstep/electronic era into modern genres of pop and R&B. With 12 songs and a run-time of 44 minutes, Blake takes us on a transformative journey exploring themes of grief, regret and heartbreak.
The University’s annual week-long festival, Hoptoberfest, ended on Friday, Oct. 8 with a concert featuring indie-pop star Zella Day. Sponsored by the Hopkins Parents Fund and run by a student group of the same name, Hoptoberfest celebrates the coming of Halloween and the fall. This year marked a return of the festival to an in-person format.
Last Friday, the Hopkins Stand-Up Comedy Club (SUCC) gave it their all at their first show of the season, “Stand-Up Comedy Show: The Bird Election.” Just before 9 p.m., audience members filled Arellano Theater, in search of an evening comedy fix.
In-person dance shows are back at Hopkins! On Friday, Oct. 1 Homewood Arts Programs hosted a dance showcase in Shriver Hall. Over 10 student dance groups were welcomed back to the stage by an audience filled with friends, family and faculty; more than 400 people registered for the event on Hopkins Groups. This show marked the first cumulative dance display of the school year, reaching maximum-capacity seating in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines.
“A good movie starts when you walk out of the theater.” Those are the words of legendary writer-director Paul Schrader, the man behind the screenplays of American greats such as Taxi Driver and Raging Bull. His latest directorial effort, completed in collaboration with Martin Scorsese, embraces that very idea — and amplifies it to a magnitude you cannot ignore.
With the legendary impact left behind by jazz singer Billie Holiday, it is only fitting that her native city continues to uphold her legacy and celebrate her music.
It's finally here. Kanye West has released Donda, an almost two-hour-long album that comes on the backs of three listening sessions, years of missed release dates, a failed bid to become president, a brewing feud with Drake and a very public divorce from Kim Kardashian.
If you’re anything like me, all of your social media (particularly TikTok) have been flooded for days with reactions to Amazon’s new Cinderella, starring Camila Cabello. You’ve likely already been exposed to some aspect of the film.
As the start of a new school year comes around, much seems to be shifting and evolving. A hesitant positivity is brimming in the air, with in-person classes, group gatherings and the like fueling progress back towards normalcy.
The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) hosted its 33rd Annual Culture Show on Friday, April 23 with the theme of “Connected from Afar.” Each year, the Culture Show gives student groups on campus the opportunity to share their cultural heritage through music and dance.
After a winding road of pandemic awards shows, the end of the 2021 film awards season is at last upon us. On April 25, the highly anticipated 93rd Academy Awards — also known as the Oscars — took place live and in-person at Union Station in Los Angeles.
A month ago, I wrote a review of the first episode of Disney+’s new premier Marvel Cinematic Universe intellectual property, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. In it, I expressed disappointment with the way that the series opened. I believed that the show might improve as it went along, but I argued that, in the first episode, the show just wasn’t all that good.
With an introduction of the band Hunny by the Hopkins Student Organization for Programming, the awaited Spring Fair Concert began. Hunny was staged in front of a fish-eye camera, which gave a circular perception that could have been achieved in an in-person concert.
The Color of My Voice is an animated project meant to elevate the voices of those who have experienced racism and discrimination. Originally created by junior Keidai Lee, The Color of My Voice is now a collaborative project between Hopkins students and those at surrounding universities. With the goal of “illustrating stories about people facing and overcoming racial discrimination,” Lee and his team have been working on the project for almost a year.
The Barnstormers are back with their first ever fully-filmed musical, The Drowsy Chaperone. The show premiered last Friday and played over the weekend, and it is set to return with more showings this weekend due to popular demand.
Violinist Jennifer Koh gave a powerful performance for the Shriver Hall Concert Series on April 11. Koh performed selections from Alone Together, a project she started when the pandemic began. Her rendition of Ellen Reid’s “Brick Red Mood” was unusual because of its resemblance to an assembly of discordant notes that sounded like someone screaming. This piece opened my eyes to a form of classical music I had never encountered prior.
One of the parts of those glorious pre-pandemic days that I miss the most is going to the movies. There’s nothing like grabbing a bucket of popcorn, sitting down in a dark hall and watching some great art (or, you know, some pretty cool superheroes). And while there isn’t anything like the big screen, the Studio North screening on April 13 of short films made by Hopkins students was a truly lovely night, powered by students’ passion and creativity.
Yet another workplace sitcom has come and gone: After a sixth season that insinuated candid conversation about the past year, NBC’s Superstore closed up shop on March 25 with an hour-long, two-part finale. The episode brought back its dynamic star, America Ferrera, as the hardworking pragmatist Amy, who departed from the show after season five.
If you like massive CGI fights, a touch of sci-fi and almost non-stop action, then you’ve come to the right place. And you might not be alone, either. In the first five days of the theatrical release of the hugely-anticipated blockbuster Godzilla vs. Kong, its box office hit a record-setting $48.5 million, making it the biggest opening for a film since the start of the pandemic.
