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Arts & Entertainment

ITSNEWKOREA/cc-by-3.0 Ma Dong-seok stars as Sang-hwa in Train to Busan, a zombie film.

Train to Busan excels using typical horror tropes

By DUBRAY KINNEY | February 2, 2017

Although there were plenty of strong films such as The Witch and Don’t Breathe, horror films released in 2016 were missing something, in my opinion. At a certain point I, as a horror fan, have a craving for something I know, just executed extremely well. Everyone wants to reinvent the wheel nowadays and sometimes all it takes to make a great film is to wear cliches and tropes on your sleeves and execute them in an amazing way. That’s what Train to Busan does and it excels because of it.

Bleed For This tells inspiring tale of perseverance

By DUBRAY KINNEY | December 8, 2016

Towards the end of Bleed For This, a 2016 biopic focusing on the car accident and recovery of ‘90s boxing champion Vinny Paz (played by Miles Teller), his cornerman and coach Kevin Rooney (played wonderfully by Aaron Eckhart) gives him a speech that is cut over a montage of Paz working to get back into the ring.

Angela N./CC-BY-2.0 Oasis playing a concert at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va. in 2008.

Supersonic pulls back the curtain on Oasis

By KATHERINE LOGAN | December 8, 2016

Equally as known for their wild antics and rocky relationships with one another as for their music, the band Oasis firmly established their place in rock history in the ‘90s with songs including “Champagne Supernova,” “Supersonic,” “Wonderwall” and “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” Directed by Mat Whitecross and produced by Asaf Kapadia of the critically-acclaimed documentary about Amy Winehouse, Amy, Oasis: Supersonic sheds light on the band’s origins, tracking their lightning fast rise without shying away from their less favorable attributes.

LUISJBOADA/CC-BY-SA-4.0 A Vine featuring Denzel Curry’s “Ultimate” popularized the use of these pixelated glasses in memes.

Iconic video sharing app Vine rests in peace

By JACOB TOOK | December 8, 2016

Of all that’s happened in 2016, it would probably be over-the-top to say that the most hard-hitting tragedy has been the death of beloved video sharing app Vine. However, because of the app’s pervasive influence on popular culture over the last few years, its departure marks a significant loss for the world of arts and entertainment.

Best albums of 2016: honorable mentions

December 8, 2016

The News-Letter’s Arts & Entertainment staff gathered last week to discuss the best albums of 2016. It was a long, contentious debate to say the least. Several albums’ omission in the finalized list reviled some of us, and thus we give you: The Honorable Mentions.

JEFFMASON/CC-BY-2.0 A hefty stack, the box sets for the first seven seasons of Gilmore Girls were recently revisited by fans.

Gilmore Girls warms hearts with wit and depth

By MORGAN OME | December 1, 2016

After nine years off the air, the pop-culture loving, coffee-drinking and fast-talking mother-daughter duo Lorelai and Rory Gilmore return in the highly anticipated Netflix mini-series, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.

The Anna Nicole Show deserves more respect

By KYRA LESSER | December 1, 2016

I’ve watched a lot of television. And I’ve watched a lot of great television. Yes, The Wire is probably the best television show of all time. Yes, I shrieked out in rage when David Chase cruelly chose to fade to black on the finale of The Sopranos. And yes, I almost wrote a personal letter to my one true love Larry David after watching the trainwreck that was the series finale of Seinfeld.

Doctor Strange falls into Marvel formula

By CARVER BAIN | December 1, 2016

While up to standards with previous Marvel films and certainly an enjoyable evening of movie watching, I found the newly released Doctor Strange to be the beginning of the end for me in terms of my interest in the Marvel universe.

COURTESY OF OLLIE The cover of the 10th issue of the Beast Grrl zine, titled “Cultivate.”

Local zine inspires young female artists

By EMILY BROWN | December 1, 2016

The female-led Baltimore art scene is thriving. The most recent issue of Beast Grrl zine (#10) reflects this community-driven scene, with special thanks given to BALTI GURLS, Monument Quilt Project, La Liga zine, Youth as Resources (which funds the project) and Red Emma’s.

IMMANUEL GIEL/CC-BY-SA-3.0 The Royal Shakespeare Theatre is located in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Theatrical production explores new technology

By JACOB TOOK | December 1, 2016

Over the break I certainly spent a lot of time eating, sleeping and generally trying to unwind while not thinking about my approaching finals. Although my time spent out of the house was sparse, I went to see a groundbreaking performance of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace, in Warwickshire, England.

GAGE SKIDMORE/CC-by-sa-2.0 Matt Smith stars as a young Prince Philip in Netflix’s critically acclaimed new series, The Crown.

Netflix’s The Crown turns royalty on its head

By KATHERINE LOGAN | December 1, 2016

If you’re like me, the first things that come to mind when you think of Queen Elizabeth might be her quirky hats, her beloved corgis or a dated, grandmotherly notion of tradition and formality. At first glance, the queen might not appear to be a particularly modern woman.

COURTESY OF JHU FILM SOCIETY The Royal Tenenbaums was the latest film to be performed as part of the JHU Film Society’s live read series.

Local artists read The Royal Tenenbaums live

By ANNE HOLLMULLER | November 17, 2016

The JHU Film Society hosted The Royal Tenenbaums: A Live Reading, was hosted on Sunday night. As the Film Society’s second annual live reading, the event  took place at Space 2460 and featured the participation of many local Baltimore artists.

Your Funeral connects art and the Internet

By WILL KIRSCH | November 17, 2016

Most people recognize that art is pretty cool. Whether we’re talking about hyper-realistic portraits and still lives that one can often find on Facebook or about some priceless works in a museum, everyone enjoys art in some way. Something else people really enjoy in this age of the all-powerful internet is memes.

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