Leisure

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

Leisure

The Dark Knight gets even darker in neo-noir thriller The Batman (2022)

This story begins with an already trauma-riddled Bruce Wayne, allowing us to witness his transformation from a vengeful vigilante to Gotham's hero.

By March 19, 2022

Leisure

Grab a seat at Signature Theatre’s Daphne’s Dive

As soon as the audience enters Signature Theatre’s ARK, they become immersed in the world of Daphne’s Dive. To get to their seats, they must walk across the black-and-white checkered... Read more

By March 18, 2022

Leisure

The National Geographic Museum reopens its doors and reinforces a call for change with its newest exhibitions

When visitors walk into the recently reopened National Geographic Museum, an important message greets them upon entry, “When a wildlife image sparks an emotional connection, it can also become a... Read more

By March 9, 2022

Leisure

Oscar contender The Worst Person in the World on how it feels to be alive

Something achingly beautiful happens halfway through The Worst Person in the World (2022), Joachim Trier’s latest romantic comedy-drama: Our protagonist Julie (Renate Reinsve) flicks a light switch in her boyfriend’s... Read more

By and March 5, 2022

Leisure

Metroid Dread is one of the Switch’s best games. It almost didn’t exist.

Nobody expected Metroid Dread (2021). The game, a follow-up to the Game Boy cult-classic Metroid Fusion (2002), began its life nearly two decades ago as a title for the Nintendo... Read more

By March 4, 2022

Leisure

Halsey’s If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power (Extended Version) demystifies pregnancy and fame

When Halsey first announced that their fourth studio album would be about pregnancy, she faced intense fan resistance. In an Internet age where teenagers and young adults are a cornerstone... Read more

By February 19, 2022

Leisure

In The Tragedy of Macbeth, the kingslayer isn’t the only one plotting

The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) opens on a disorienting, bleak, and foggy landscape, tracing in the footsteps of a weary soldier. The first lines of dialogue anchor the audience in... Read more

By February 18, 2022

Leisure

West Side Story (2021) is an exceptional remake, despite problematic lead and box office failure

Content warning: This article mentions sexual assault. Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021) provides its audience with one of the most delightful yet devastating movie-going experiences of the year, complete... Read more

By February 5, 2022

Leisure

Disney’s Encanto (2021) is a nuanced but incomplete take on family

We need to talk about Encanto (2021). Or, so says everyone on Twitter the last few weeks. Disney’s new animated film Encanto is a creative sensation that examines the complexities... Read more

By February 4, 2022

Leisure

Licorice Pizza is jubilant and juvenile

Soaked in summer sweat and 70’s nostalgia, Licorice Pizza marks the return of director Paul Thomas Anderson with his first film since 2017’s Phantom Thread. Set in “the Valley” of... Read more

By January 22, 2022

Leisure

Spider-Man: No Way Home is fan service executed brilliantly

With a groundbreaking debut of $600.8 million at the global box office, Marvel Studios’ highly anticipated Spider-Man: No Way Home hit theaters on December 17, quickly taking the world by... Read more

By January 7, 2022

Leisure

Gus Dapperton’s Last Stop

The screams faded, the lights returned to their normal stable yellow hue, and the crowd slowly started to trickle onto the street, ears still ringing, mouths still grinning. It was... Read more

By December 14, 2021

Leisure

Weathering the storm: Adele is a force of nature on 30

Adele has returned bearing gifts. Her latest album, 30, is another smashing collection of musical masterpieces that strike deep into your core. The British singer’s fourth album, which is about ... Read more

By December 9, 2021

Leisure

Beyond the Lights sits at the intersection of commentary and theatre

It’s five minutes to show time on the opening night of Beyond the Lights, and nobody knows exactly what to expect. The air buzzes, electric with barely contained enthusiasm and... Read more

By December 4, 2021

Movies

Dune, despite countless strengths, might alienate newcomers to the franchise

As I prefer to do with most movies, I went into Dune (2021) with a blank slate. I didn’t know anything about the book or David Lynch’s 1984 attempt. In... Read more

By December 3, 2021

Leisure

Revamped, rerecorded, and repackaged: Red (Taylor’s version) revisits a timeless classic

A 30 song, two-hour-plus version of Red. In the words of Taylor Swift, “I never saw [it] coming, and I will never be the same.” Red (Taylor’s Version) takes listeners... Read more

By and November 29, 2021

Leisure

Spencer can be one-note, but is claustrophobically effective

Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales (Kristen Stewart), is facing away from the camera, alone. Her back is arched gracefully, not a hair on her head is out of place, and... Read more

By November 29, 2021

Leisure

PinkPantheress’s to hell with it goes back to the future

Something about PinkPantheress seems familiar. Pulling extensively from 2000s beats, the TikTok-famous hitmaker crafts songs that are often an ode to the distinct sounds of her childhood. Incorporating the dazzling... Read more

By November 28, 2021

Performance

Cabaret blurs the line between reality and performance

nomadictheatre and the Theater and Performance Studies (TPST) program have made their co-produced return to the stage with a Broadway classic, spectacular ambience, and a whole lot of glitter. Audiences... Read more

By November 19, 2021

Performance

Exhausting and evocative, Machinal is a massive triumph for Mask and Bauble

Machinal’s set could hardly be any more simplistic. The floor and the walls are covered in basic black and white geometric shapes, vaguely reminiscent of the lighted windows of a... Read more

By November 8, 2021