Leisure

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

Leisure

Long Shot: Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron Shine in Timely Rom-Com

Is Seth Rogen hot? It’s a question that the internet has been asking ever since last November when the usually scruffy actor-comedian tweeted a selfie without his signature scraggly beard.... Read more

By April 24, 2019

Leisure

Critical Voices: Khalid, Free Spirit

What does it mean to be a teenager in the 21st century? Our routines are characterised by staying up late finishing assignments, checking our Instagram feed every morning like clockwork,... Read more

By April 19, 2019

Leisure

Hello Again to Student Musicals and Sex

This year’s annual Mask And Bauble Dramatic Society musical, Michael LaChiusa’s Hello Again, traversed ten stories in ten decades (ca. 1900’s to 1990’s). Each story depicted a sexual interaction between... Read more

By April 16, 2019

Leisure

Shazam! Starts Bright, Only to Fizzle Out

Nobody is born a hero, but anybody can become one. This sentiment saturates DC’s latest film, Shazam!—a teen-friendly flick that follows the journey of a 14-year-old boy who is suddenly,... Read more

By April 12, 2019

Leisure

Artists Respond Presents Dynamic Commentary on the Vietnam War

On the third floor of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the elevator door opens to face three four-foot tall canvases painted a deep, glowing red. In bold white font, they... Read more

By April 12, 2019

Leisure

Five Feet Apart Deserves a Closer Look

Among french fries and soda cups, Stella Grant (Haley Lu Richardson) hangs out with her best friends in her bedroom. They gossip about crushes, debate a bikini choice, and get... Read more

By April 9, 2019

Leisure

A Leisurely Stroll Down Memory Lane

For our 50th anniversary issue, we’ve selected a series of quotes from our leisure section in the last decade, some showing the significance of certain cultural moments, others displaying the... Read more

By April 4, 2019

Leisure

Jordan Peele’s Us is a Terrifying Exploration of the Duality of Human Nature

The hall of mirrors was always my least favorite aspect of amusement parks. There is something distinctly unnerving about trying to find your way through a labyrinth that projects endless... Read more

By April 2, 2019

Leisure

Greta Flops Between Psycho and Silly

There are two types of horror movies worth seeing: those that are done so well that they genuinely terrify you, and those that are done so poorly that you cannot... Read more

By March 25, 2019

Leisure

Concert Preview: Earl Sweatshirt, March. 26, The Fillmore

Thebe Kgositsile, who goes by the stage name Earl Sweatshirt, is 25-years old and one of the most talented lyricists in rap. Getting his early public start in the rap... Read more

By March 25, 2019

Leisure

Contagiously Jovial, Yet Thoughtful Gloria Bell is a Showcase for an Actress in Her Prime

At one point in Gloria Bell the titular character mischievously exclaims: “If the world blows up, I hope I go down dancing!” With this, Gloria tells us everything we need... Read more

By March 19, 2019

Leisure

How to Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World on How To Say Goodbye

After realizing that his beloved dragon, Toothless, needs to fly on his own, Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) spends the night designing a prosthetic for Toothless’ missing tail part. He paints it,... Read more

By March 19, 2019

Leisure

Touchstone Gallery Exhibits Highlight the Duality of the Natural World

On one side of the white wall sits a giant, glossy, black-and-white photograph of sand dunes, while on the other, a coterie of small, vibrantly-colored photos of rock formations and... Read more

By March 15, 2019

Leisure

Pulling No Punches, Captain Marvel Soars in Debut

A young Kree soldier—Vers (Brie Larson)—wakes up her mentor, Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), to practice fighting. She is running away from her nightmares: an explosion, a mysterious woman, an enemy Skrull.... Read more

By March 15, 2019

Leisure

Critical Voices: Quinn XCII, From Michigan, With Love

Quinn XCII’s sophomore album, From Michigan, With Love, is so raw, so real, and so deeply relatable. The album boasts a wide range of music, from upbeat bops like “Werewolf”... Read more

By February 27, 2019

Leisure

The Heiress Dissects the Psyche of a Woman on the Verge

Two women—one skittish and delicate, the other older and boisterous—contemplate the purpose of life as they lounge in a lavish 19th-century parlor. The young woman offers an answer: “It is... Read more

By February 27, 2019

Leisure

Nell Gwynn Captures the Heart of King Charles II and DC Theatergoers

Jessica Swale’s biographical comedy Nell Gwynn at D.C.’s Folger Shakespeare Theater presents the titular character’s rise from a mere orange seller to a mistress of the King of England. The... Read more

By February 26, 2019

Leisure

Critical Voices: KIDZ BOP Kids, KIDZ BOP 39

When the last great empire falls and capitalism as we know it crumbles, there will be a few great pieces of art that remain. These are cultural artifacts that are... Read more

By February 26, 2019

Leisure

Everybody Knows Lives Up to Its Title to Its Own Detriment

Everybody Knows is the sort of movie that uses its central mystery, i.e. the kidnapping of a young girl, not as an end in and of itself, but rather as... Read more

By February 23, 2019

Leisure

Critical Voices: Santana, In Search of Mona Lisa

Famed guitarist and singer Carlos Santana has come out with a new EP containing three tracks and two edits. The genesis behind the record is linked to the artist’s transformational... Read more

By February 20, 2019