Leisure

Reviews and think pieces on music, movies, art, and theater.

Leisure

If you suspend belief, Sharper may charm you

Stilted dialogue and an unbelievable story blunt Sharper’s self-proclaimed wit. 

By March 2, 2023

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A Maman-tous occasion: NYC favorite opens a new location in Georgetown

On Feb. 14, New York’s beloved café-bakery chain Maman opened the doors to its Georgetown location.

By and February 21, 2023

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Magic Mike’s Last Dance strips away logic with its barely there plot

Magic Mike’s “final tease” swaps drugs and tear-away pants for pseudo-feminism and an ill-developed romance. 

By and February 18, 2023

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Lil Yachty’s Let’s Start Here. courageously ventures into uncharted waters

Let’s Start Here. is a groundbreaking and delightfully experimental soundscape that draws upon pop and psychedelic rock.

By February 13, 2023

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Måneskin’s latest album gives the glam-rockers a Rush! to the top

With their first studio album since their Eurovision victory, Måneskin is making a bid for global recognition.

By February 12, 2023

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One With Eternity brings Kusama’s polka-dotted vision of “self-obliteration” to the Hirshhorn

Kusama imposes a dissolution of the self upon the experiencer through her multidimensional works, as one feels like they are being absorbed and incorporated into the art.

By February 5, 2023

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Turn Every Page documents a legendary literary duo’s fear of legacy, mortality, and … semicolons?

Gottlieb showcases her artistic talent through this emotional journey of their respective lives, legacy, and love

By February 4, 2023

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SZA’s SOS pushes R&B boundaries in her vulnerable exploration of self-worth

SZA’s musical and lyrical brilliance work together to create an album that was well worth the five-year wait.

By January 21, 2023

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Prince Harry’s Spare re-rehashes the past

Spare concludes with another rehashing of the Sussexes’ departure from the royal family while offering little new insight or perspective.

By January 20, 2023

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Bones and All’s writing is just bare bones: This cannibalistic romance lacks real depth

The romance of Bones and All, despite what it lacks in its writing, shines through in its cinematography.

By December 21, 2022

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Armageddon Time: The power of white privilege

In this semi-autobiographical film, Gray attempts to show the power, privilege, and advantages of being white in America. 

By December 15, 2022

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Meghan Trainor’s Takin’ It Back is a little bit of a trainwreck

As could be inferred by its not-so-subtle title, Takin’ it Back tries to take us back to Trainor’s glory days.

By December 13, 2022

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National Gallery Nights conclude with a celebration of America’s rich artistic culture

This final event was Americana themed and celebrated the American cultural experience through art and live performances.

By December 13, 2022

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If Joji’s SMITHEREENS accomplishes anything, it’s making his audience cry

The majority of SMITHEREENS feels reminiscent of (and even indistinguishable from) Joji songs we’ve already heard. 

By and December 12, 2022

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She Said offers an engaging (if imperfect) look at the story behind the #MeToo Movement

Adapted from the 2019 book of the same name, She Said (2022) doesn’t directly grapple with the impacts of the article that started it all.

By and December 12, 2022

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Empire of Light bites off more than it can chew

In this ’80s period film, Colman portrays Hilary, a middle-aged movie theater manager in an English coastal town.

By December 9, 2022

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Legacy honored as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever tenderly chaperones its audience through grief and loss

But the movie is an ode to Boseman. Wakanda Forever is, at its core, a story of grief, resilience, and recovery.

By December 2, 2022

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Smile is an entertaining horror film that squanders its thematic potential

Perhaps this recent shift in consumer interest helps make sense of the seeming contradiction between Smile’s aggressive promotion and thematic scope. 

By December 1, 2022

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Black Adam: A boring attempt

2/10. Less than mid.

By November 29, 2022

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Aftersun is all hazy memories and melancholy

Sunshine, salt air, and sadness color this stunning portrayal of a father-daughter bond.

By November 29, 2022