We’re all Earthgang
Earthgang is the stage name of a pair of rappers, Olu and WowGr8. To kick off the release of their latest album, ‘Mirrorland,’ Earthgang came to Middle East in Cambridge to perform.
A day in Boston’s book oasis
A lovely annual event, the Boston Book Festival brings together Boston’s passionate writing and arts community, providing a rich rush of literature and positive energy.
Do not go gentle into that good light
Robert Eggers avoids a sophomore slump with ‘The Lighthouse,’ a brilliantly layered and beautifully shot film that’s unafraid to probe the darkest depths of mens’ souls.
At the intersection of art and technology
Alicja Kwade’s ‘In Between Glances’ is on display at the MIT List Visual Arts Center. Featuring unique sculptures such as her ‘Reconstituted Objects and A Light Touch of Technology,’ the exhibit is a perfect fit for the venue at the intersection of art and technology.
It’s a Bikini Bottom Day
‘SpongeBob SquarePants,’ the musical, never takes itself seriously, but the number of serious messages it manages to pass to the audience is quite impressive. It serves as simple entertainment, uplifting message, or clever exposé of some of our social problems, all at the same time.
Taika Waititi’s ‘Jojo Rabbit’ is worth a watch
While more risks could have been taken with the direction of the narrative, 'Jojo Rabbit' loses none of its poignancy and is an admirable entry into this season’s award contenders.
The sequel to ‘Maleficent’: not so evil after all
As an engrossing and entertaining film that challenges gender stereotypes, 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil' combats harmful fairytale archetypes of helpless, weak women. So, while it may not be a rollercoaster of emotions or unexpected events, it represents a well-intentioned family film that is interesting to watch nevertheless.
Jim Allison and T-cells finally break through to the spotlight
This documentary follows immunologist Jim Allison’s arduous path from a childhood in Alice, Texas to his Nobel Prize last year. Much like Allison’s real journey, it jumps around and occasionally leaves you confused, but turns out to mostly make sense in the end.
Shoot, loot, repeat
‘Borderlands 3’ has players defeating enemies, completing missions, and collecting vast amounts of loot. The game reaches new heights in the looter shooter genre, but may be a little daunting for those unfamiliar with the genre or the series.
Sailors’ den in south Boston
With its innovative Asian-inspired menu and sophisticated decor, Shore Leave is the rare underground tiki bar that has much more to offer than tropical cocktails in a beachy setting.
Fusion, flavor, finger food… and fun!
The unique part is that all dishes are to be eaten without utensils. So, naturally, my curiosity was ignited by the listing of a “Caesar-ish Salad” on the menu. I mean, who eats salad with bare hands?
An interview with Ben Platt and Julia Schlaepfer on ‘The Politician’
It is a show marked by its Wes Anderson aesthetics, wildly exaggerated characters, and bountiful twists and turns.
‘Joker’ is a tragedy without a punchline
Joaquin Phoenix’s deeply committed performance as the victim of circumstance turned psychotic supervillain isn’t enough to save ‘Joker’ from an underdeveloped narrative and unclear message.
Yuja Wang takes center-stage at BSO
Acclaimed pianist Yuja Wang takes on Shostakovich’s ‘Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor’ with flamboyance and flair.
Hunting demons to turn them back human
As one of the most popular anime of this past season, ‘Kimetsu no Yaiba: Demon Slayer’ excelled in depicting a compelling storyline with uniquely beautiful animation, catchy music, and a well-defined cast of characters. The anime stood out because of the mix of comedy, fantasy, and tragedy in a historical time period, and the impressive amount of detail in character design.
Boston Lyric Opera tries its hand at ‘bread and circuses’
The Boston Lyric Opera opens the season with its take on an “immersive” ‘Pagliacci’, a play-within-a-play centered on a love triangle between members of a commedia dell’arte troupe. The result: a bite-size opera with a festive preamble that makes up in spirit what it lacks in substance.
The Urban Outfitters of restaurants
Shojo puts an interesting and modern twist on traditional Asian menu. The stellar food combined with the moody ambiance make Shojo a hip place everyone should try at least once.
First loves can be fun and crazy, and so is ‘First Love’
Director Takashi Miike truly goes all out here. Though ‘First Love’ dips into cliches on occasion, as a whole, it embodies that crazy, disordered, fast-paced fun of a great action movie.
A concert for the soul
Sam Trump and Harold Green make for a surprisingly remarkable duo in concert. Alternating between Trump’s music and Green’s poetry created a show of positivity and community.
The true price of chocolate
We visited the Chocolonely Chocotruck to taste some chocolates, but what we got instead was a whirlwind tour of dark practices in something so seemingly wholesome that we rarely ever think twice about it — chocolate production and the use of slavery in it.