Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
April 3, 2026 April 3, 2026 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

arts

COURTESY OF SARAH JUNG Jennifer Koh performs her project Alone Together and two pieces written by J.S. Bach.

Violinist Jennifer Koh portrays the pandemic through performance

By SARAH JUNG | April 22, 2021

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. 

COURTESY OF RISHABH KUMAR Guy Nolet and Tom Lyle appeared in “Sugar,” which was the second of three short films that Studio North premiered this past week.

Studio North screens short films about love, stand-up and growing up

By RISHABH KUMAR | April 19, 2021

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. 

RON COGSWELL/CC BY 2.0 The workplace sitcom Superstore comes to a memorable end after six seasons.

NBC’s Superstore gives retail workers their flowers

By PAIGE MAULTSBY | April 19, 2021

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.

TOM SIMPSON/CC BY-NC 2.0 Pictured is an image from the 1962 film King Kong vs. Godzilla.

Godzilla vs. Kong is a winning CGI spectacle — just don’t think about it too much

By SOPHIA LIN | April 9, 2021

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.

COURTESY OF SARAH JUNG The Benito Gonzalez Trio played "Sama Layuca" at Keystone Korner Baltimore. 

Benito Gonzalez Trio celebrates McCoy Tyner's music

By SARAH JUNG | April 9, 2021

The Benito Gonzalez Trio gave a live-streamed jazz performance at Keystone Korner Baltimore on April 3 to celebrate McCoy Tyner. The trio included pianist Benito Gonzalez, bassist Essiet Okon Essiet and drummer Billy Hart. 

COURTESY OF JAE CHOI Clint McCallum's background during his performance at The Red Room in Your Room concert.

The Red Room in Your Room series spotlights Baltimore artists

By JAE CHOI | April 9, 2021

The High Zero Foundation, a Baltimore-based organization dedicated to promoting improvised and experimental music, held an online concert on March 25. The foundation hosted the event over the livestreaming service Twitch as part of its ongoing The Red Room in Your Room series. Despite the collapsing of geographic constraints afforded by online events, the series has continued to foreground the work of Baltimore-based artists, and the March 25 concert was no exception. 

GAGE SKIDMORE/CC BY-SA 2.0 Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, who play the titular stars of Marvel's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is what you’d expect, in all the wrong ways

By BINYAMIN NOVETSKY | March 28, 2021

I never had particularly high hopes for Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the new series which debuted its first episode on Disney+ just this week. Every trailer, as far as I could tell, looked so... standard. I have seen a lifetime’s worth of jump-cut-filled action sequences and computer-generated explosions. For a long time, I loved them. Now, to be honest, I find them kind of boring. They just don’t inspire awe and fear in me the way that they once did.

RUBEN ORTEGA/CC BY-SA 4.0 Patrick Ness is the author of the book that Chaos Walking is based on.

Chaos Walking is weighed down by missteps and predictability

By SOPHIA LIN | March 17, 2021

One of the first science fiction movies of the year, Chaos Walking (in theaters now) appears to show great promise. With its slick premise, enrapturing action and striking title, it has every look of a sci-fi fan’s dream come true. To top it off, its star-studded cast includes the likes of Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley and Mads Mikkelsen, and behind the camera is director Doug Liman, responsible for the critically acclaimed Edge of Tomorrow.

PEABODY AWARDS/CC-BY-2.0 Amy Poehler directed and starred in the movie Moxie.

Netflix’s Moxie will make you cry, just give it some time

By BINYAMIN NOVETSKY | March 13, 2021

A little less than halfway through Netflix’s new movie Moxie, I texted my girlfriend, “This movie is making me feel conflicted. I can’t tell if it’s good or not.” And I couldn’t: The first half of this film oscillates greatly in quality. It takes a while to get going, and even once the main plot really starts to take centerstage, the stakes of the movie are still tremendously unclear. There are moments of brilliance sprinkled throughout the first half of the movie — it certainly wasn’t bad — but I was far from convinced.

GAGE SKIDMORE/CC BY-SA 3.0 Paul Bettany plays both versions of the character Vision in WandaVision.

WandaVision redefines the superhero genre

By ANDREW SHIBUYA | March 10, 2021

Following the incredible commercial success of Avengers: Endgame, I, like many others, wondered how Marvel would ever surpass the film’s and its predecessors’ sheer scope and magnitude. Was it something that they would even be able to pull off? Was it even worth attempting to do so? WandaVision is a curious answer to these questions. 

COSMOPOLITAN U.K./CC-BY-3.0 Awkwafina, who plays the dragon Sisu, is one of the best parts of the film.

Raya and the Last Dragon is both beautiful and flawed

By SARAH JUNG | March 9, 2021

After a series of trailers, Raya and the Last Dragon finally premiered on March 5. The movie begins with an elaborate two-dimensional animation of Kumandra, a once-united land that now appears unrecognizable to the current inhabitants, who are divided into different territories.

MTV INTERNATIONAL/CC BY 3.0 Beer’s new album Life Support is an emotional adventure of self-discovery and renewal. 

Madison Beer’s new album Life Support does not disappoint

By ELAINE YANG | March 6, 2021

Last week, Madison Beer released her debut album Life Support. This album was Beer’s response to years of turmoil: being dropped by her label and diagnosed with borderline personality disorder as many of her personal relationships suffered, all while facing constant scrutiny as a teenage star on social media.

COURTESY OF SARAH JUNG Dance at Le moulin de la Galette was one of his many works presented during his birthday livestream event.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s 180th birthday celebrated through livestream

By SARAH JUNG | March 6, 2021

On Feb. 25 I celebrated one of my favorite artist’s birthdays at the “Pierre-Auguste Renoir 180th Birthday — Livestream Art Program” hosted by Robert Kelleman, founder and director of non-profit organization Washington, D.C. History & Culture. As a participant of the virtual art gallery tour, I was fondly reminded of my previous tourist experiences in art galleries. 

EVA RINALDI/CC BY-SA 2.0 Jason Sudeikis accepted his award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy TV Series while wearing a sweatshirt.

78th Golden Globes, though heartfelt and amusing, loses magic to online format

By SOPHIA LIN | March 5, 2021

The 78th Golden Globe Awards kicked off the 2021 film and TV awards season on Sunday. As expected, it was a mostly virtual ceremony, with nominees tuning in through Zoom and presenters showing up in-person at their respective bicoastal locations. Hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler returned, and with already three hosting turns already under their belts, it promised to be an eventful, no-holds-barred kind of night. 

COURTESY OF SARAH JUNG Daniil Trifonov showed off his musical talent to Hopkins students in a virtual recital. 

Shriver Hall Concert Series hosts Daniil Trifonov's virtual concert

By SARAH JUNG | February 26, 2021

This past Sunday, the Shriver Hall Concert Series livestreamed Daniil Trifonov’s pre-recorded piano program from New York's 92nd Street Y. The virtually delivered event was a success, with over 200 live attendees from around the world — highlighting Trifonov’s international presence.

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