AT THE MUSEUM Portraits of the modern American woman
Fashion photography tells a story. With each ad campaign, each extravagant photo shoot, haute couture designers and stylists are selling a story about a woman, about a lifestyle. The woman decked out in pearls with a cigarette perched between gloved fingers and leaning coyly into a handsome Clark Gable-look alike is perhaps a wealthy matron meeting her lover. The young girl applying eyeliner carefully, tongue stuck out in concentration allows the public an intimate glimpse into perhaps the last five minutes before a date with a beau.
FESTIVAL REVIEW Montreux, the musical petri dish
Jazz festivals are a strange, modern beast, a queer mix of federally funded tourist traps alongside the grassroots gatherings of lonely fanatics to meet, greet, and bitch about the state of culture today. On one hand, they’re a wonderful way to take in a huge breadth of musical diversity, to see and talk to the greatest practitioners of old and new jazz — a Davos for the aficionados of the world. On the other hand, they can be ridiculously expensive, attracting those who may have the funds to pay for tickets but not necessarily those who should be deciding the future of jazz. Certainly, Charlie Parker wasn’t playing for sexagenarians in lawn chairs. Even close to the peak of his career he busked on Manhattan streets for heroin money. Parker was the 1940’s hipster icon, the scourge of the squares, and the founder of bebop.
THE NOTEPAD Why Ke$ha sucks
Ke$ha is the latest in a series of things that suck. She’s got the usual dumpset-pop trappings with an extra dose of marketing zeal. <i>The Guardian</i> once called her a degenerate Miley Cyrus. It’s said she broke into Prince’s house to give him her demo CD. Her avaricious self-branding is her empowerment, and is, we’re told, zero parts objectification.
MOVIE REVIEW The awkwardness of reality
<i>Please Give</i> is a quirky movie that tickles your funny bone but thoroughly irritates everywhere else.
MOVIE REVIEW Inception: Architecture of <br />the minds
An idea is more than a thought. It’s a virus, a cancer of sorts, that can spread until it completely takes over a person, until it defines the person. A single idea from the human mind can build cities. An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules. This is the premise of the film, <i>Inception</i>.
MOVIE REVIEW Inception: Caught between dreams and reality
“Dreams feel real while we are in them, it is only after we wake up that we realize that something was actually strange” says Dominic Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio).
THEATER REVIEW The art of being an artist
<i>“You asked me recently why I maintain that I am afraid of you. As usual, I was unable to think of any answer to your question, partly for the very reason that I am afraid of you, and partly because an explanation of the grounds for this fear would mean going into far more details than I could even approximately keep in mind while talking.” </i>
ALBUM REVIEW Soundtrack for the summer laziness
As an artist known for his gentle voice and acoustic stylings, Jack Johnson is a pro at creating lounge music to set the mood. His fifth and newest album, 2010‘s <i>To the Sea</i>, stands out for just that: a unique feel-good vibe that makes you want to keep listening.
MOVIE REVIEW The Last Airbender: Shyamalan flops again
As fans of the animated series the movie is based on, and as human beings in general, watching <i>The Last Airbender</i> was a painful experience. Fans will mourn the film’s lack of resemblance to the original; everyone else will mourn the ghost of M. Night Shyamalan’s storytelling ability.
CONCERT REVIEW Give me the funk: War kicks off concert series at the Hatch Shell
With bubbles floating through the air and peace signs diffusing through the crowd at a rate that would have impressed even Robert Brown, the flower children of Boston made a comeback at the first of 103.3 WODS’s Free Summer Concert Series on June 19, featuring the wildly popular 70’s funk band, War.
Uptown Espresso
Mandatory meetings at 9 o’clock in the morning should not happen, especially for software interns (and MIT students), whose natural sleep-cycle is more similar to that of a loris than a normal, functional member of society. But it happens, and it’s times like these when I’m glad to be working in Seattle, a city which boasts quite a competence in caffeinated beverages. After all, this is the home of the international coffeehouse chain which brought you the Frappuccino. Needless to say, after my meeting I needed a quality cup to get me through the day, and so I made my way around the corner to Uptown Espresso for a caffeine fix and some breakfast.
MOVIE REVIEW Crossing the finish line with <br />Spirit of the Marathon
<i>Spirit of the Marathon</i> is a rare documentary movie that tries to capture the drama and essence of the 26.2 mile running event. Director Jon Dunham and his crew filmed on four continents to chronicle the experiences of six very different marathon runners throughout their training and closing with their performances in the 2005 Chicago Marathon. The film focuses on two elite runners who focus on winning the race: American Champion and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor and the Kenyan professional runner Daniel Njenga. The film also displays the struggles and successes of the five amateur runners Ryan Bradley, Leah Calle, Gerald Myers and Lori O’Connor. “The reason that most people run the marathon is that it is a challenge for them. And whether it’s physical, mental or both – it’s something that helps them in their everyday life” explains Marathon champion Alberto Salazar.
Alta
Once you’ve made the tourist pilgrimage to NYC, later trips usually revolve around exploring the more obscure offerings of the City. Since I always find myself in situations where I need to optimally allocate my monetary funds between food and shopping, I end up settling on tasty but relatively budget-friendly eats.
MOVIE REVIEW A moving story of a childhood’s end
The culmination of what may be Pixar’s magnum opus,<i> Toy Story 3 </i>is hands-down one of the best movies of the year.<i> Toy Story 3</i>, like the first two, follows the adventures of a group of sentient toys. The stars are, as in previous installments, Woody and Buzz Lightyear. Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is a cowboy doll based on a fictional 40’s and 50’s TV series called Woody’s Roundup. His former-rival-turned-friend Buzz (voiced by Tim Allen) is a space marine doll with a surprising level of self-awareness—most of the time.
MOVIE REVIEW Enjoyable for fans, but questionable for others
This is not the type of movie you see unless you’re genuinely interested in the characters. Sure, it seems to have all the makings of a fun girl movie; unlike such series as The Lord of the Rings, where knowledge of the books is a nice supplement but completely unnecessary for appreciation of the films themselves. Some prior exposure to Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha is a definite prerequisite for any real appreciation of the Sex and the City film series.
Teru Sushi
Having grown up in Los Angeles, I’ve learned to recognize good sushi. My friends and I are regular haunts at the best not-too-expensive sushi place in our suburb of Burbank, and when we’re really in the mood, will drive up to an hour and a half for the ultimate all-you-can-eat experience.
ALBUM REVIEW Stars paint memories in shades of longing
If anyone asked me what band I could listen to without ever getting sick of them, I’d have to say hands down, it is Stars. Stars, a Canadian indie pop band, is closely related to the band Broken Social Scene (actually, all of the members of Stars are members of BSS). The band is known for setting poetry to music; it is difficult to describe their musical style without using the words beautiful or ethereal. Their characteristic electronic sound is interwoven with string instrumentation, narrative lyrics, and soothing, caressing vocals. Their songs range from whispered words to upbeat numbers. I can’t help but gush about the vocals. Quite a few of their songs feature duet vocals with Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan, whose voices create a harmony that cannot be duplicated easily.