Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
November 21, 2024

Arts & Entertainment




STEVEN SIMPSON / PHOTO EDITOR
R&B singer Bryson Tiller performed at Ralph O'Connor Recreation Center on Nov. 9 for the Fall Concert.

Bryson Tiller performs at Hopkins Fall 2024 concert

Bryson Tiller: a name synonymous with R&B, known for his hits such as “Don’t,” “Exchange” and “Whatever She Wants.” Tiller has nearly 22 million monthly listeners on Spotify, three Grammy Award nominations, multiple Billboard Music Award wins; and for only $15, any Hopkins student could see him up close during a campus concert on Nov. 9 hosted by Student Affairs. 


PHILLIP PESSAR / CC-BY-SA 2.0
Milman comments on the renaissance of cubism present in the Tesla Cybertruck’s design.

2D cars: The Cybertruck is today’s cubist artwork

Sharp angles. Bare sides. Flat features. Only lines. Am I talking about Picasso’s 1907 Les Demoiselles d’Avignon or about Elon Musk’s relatively new Cybertruck? If you weren’t sure either, maybe you’ve already made the connection that the Cybertruck is our modern version of cubist artwork. We’ve moved away from the canvas and oil paints and ventured into the world of stainless steel and armor glass. 


COURTESY OF EMA IWASAKI
On Saturday, Nov. 9, the Peabody Concert Orchestra opened their show to tangible excitement at the Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall.

The Peabody Concert Orchestra captivates the audience with an unforgettable night of music

The Peabody Concert Orchestra (PCO) displayed an exceptional performance on Saturday, Nov. 9 in the Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall. The excitement in the packed hall could be felt, especially as Dean of the Peabody Institute Fred Bronstein dedicated the opening of the annual PCO in memory of Steven Muller — former president of the Johns Hopkins University and the Johns Hopkins Hospital — who passed away in 2013. The program notes describes him as — “a visionary leader who reshaped and reinvigorated JHU during his long tenure as president.” 


JIYUN GUO / DESIGN & LAYOUT EDITOR
This week’s picks include a new book by Haruki Murakami, an alternative album, a fresh take on classical music, two blockbusters and a documentary. 

To watch and watch for: Week of Nov. 18

Do you feel winter on its way yet? The Arts & Entertainment section is here with another list of media to make your next week a little more colorful. This week’s picks include a new book by Haruki Murakami, an alternative album, a fresh take on classical music, two blockbusters and a documentary. 




COURTESY OF CATHY WANG
This week, Raphaël Feuillâtre performs at the Baltimore Museum of Art on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 3 p.m.

To watch and watch for: Week of Nov. 11

Hello everyone and welcome back to our “To watch and watch for” series, where the Arts & Entertainment section compiles a list of all the upcoming films, TV shows, books, albums and live events happening on campus, in the wider Baltimore area and beyond. I’m excited for this new format we started, because it means I get to share even more new releases. This week was extremely hefty in the musical department, with plenty of big names like Jon Batiste, Gwen Stefani and Mary J. Blige, and the list of live events continues to grow as we get further into the semester.


Dominick D / CC BY-SA 2.0
Smile 2 borrows plot points and narrative strategies both from other established horror films and the original Smile, resulting in an obvious cash grab without artistic ambition.

Smile 2 is like an old, beloved dead dog

You loved it in the beginning, but the older it got the messier it got, and you started feeling mad more than anything else, especially when you kept finding pee on the carpet, and in the very end, it died a rapid, out-of-left-field death caused by rabies: violent and hard to watch but harder to stop watching, and once it was over you wished none of it — the dog, the death — ever happened in the first place. Before you click away from this article or my editor can highlight and leave a comment for revision — “Rephrase for clarity” — let me tell you: I’m the first one to admit that my description is over-the-top, vying for attention, maybe not the best option and overall confusing, even if it does leave you with a visceral image.




RAWPIXEL.COM / CC0 PUBLIC DOMAIN
Machine Girl's newest project fails to continue the duo's streak of decidedly noncommercial music, instead mellowing their abrasive style for a wider audience.

Machine Girl’s MG Ultra is an adrenaline-drenched soundtrack for modern paranoia

Listening to Machine Girl can sometimes feel like being inserted headfirst into a meat grinder; it’s an unrelenting assault that leaves you strangely exhilarated but also satisfied. Their latest release, MG Ultra, which dropped earlier this month, strays slightly from their usual aesthetics, but still manages to deliver the sonic violence that unmistakably qualifies it as a Machine Girl album.


JAYDIXIT / CC BY-SA 4.0
Demi Moore stars in The Substance, a film directed by Coralie Fargeat that Guevara believes sparks an important conversation on women’s aging and beauty.  

The Substance is disturbingly ugly, but ultimately makes its point

What if, somehow, scientists discovered a way for us to regain youth? What if suddenly, we had the means to not just feel younger, but actually become a younger version of ourselves again? Should we have this ability? And is there a cost to chasing this societal ideal of the perfect (read: young) woman?


GOODFON / CC BY-NC 4.0
Guo highlights that the authentic and compelling relationship in We Live in Time is a refreshing departure from the traditional rom-com genre. 

We Live in Time and love without regret

A new take on the love story ended prematurely by illness, We Live in Time gives us a realistic and bittersweet view of what it means to love without regrets. Its genuine interactions and nonlinear plot create a relationship that’s beautiful because of the characters’ efforts toward each other, rather than their tragic premise.



JIYUN GUO / DESIGN & LAYOUT EDITOR
This week’s picks includes a book of letters by Oliver Sacks and the Hopkins Theater’s production of Passage!

To watch and watch for: Week of Nov. 4

Hello and welcome! It’s time for another week of new media. Whether you’re on the lookout for inspiration, entertainment or both, the Arts & Entertainment section is here with our list of fresh recommendations.


RAPH_PH / CC BY 2.0
Zhu describes that although Tyler, the Creator's latest project, Chromakopia, lacks the innovation suggested by the promotional material, the album’s vulnerability and introspection is refreshing. 

Tyler, the Creator’s Chromakopia prioritizes introspection over innovation

The rollout for Chromakopia — a series of dystopian, auteurist videos set to abrasive musical snippets — felt like deceptive advertising...There is a disconnect between the album’s industrially-tinged, barren aesthetic framing and its actual lyrical themes. On first listen, I found myself questioning: Why the mask, the military-inspired imagery and the shipping containers?  


COURTESY OF LAVANYA GUPTA
The cast of The Barnstormers' production of Twelfth Night, imitating the famous photo of the 2012 Public Theater production featuring Anne Hathaway. From left to right: Katherine Budinger as Countess Olivia, Emma Peralta as Viola and Ander Diez as Duke Orsino.

Art Deco Shakespeare: The Barnstormers' performance of Twelfth Night

For their Fall 2024 show, Hopkins’ longest-standing theater company, The Barnstormers, performed one of Shakespeare’s most performed plays, the romantic comedy Twelfth Night. I made sure to attend their first performance on Oct. 24, which had a sparse crowd — likely due to it being on a Thursday — but an energetic atmosphere.