BOOK REVIEW Untangling the Traditions That Begot Early Christianity
One would be hard pressed to find something that has influenced Western civilization more than Christianity. Even in the age of Britney and Facebook, the figure of Christ — cornerstone to the faith — is considered divine by a significant fraction of mankind. Debates stirred by discussion about the historical Jesus make headlines periodically, be they triggered by the serious study of artifacts like the shroud of Turin and the James Ossuary, or by storytelling from the likes of Martin Scorsese and Dan Brown.
MOVIE REVIEW ‘Monsterpiece’ or Just Monstrous?
From a mere ten sentences, Spike Jonze has managed to create a full-length feature film in his newest release, <i>Where the Wild Things Are</i>. The movie is an adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s picture book and delves into the realms of childhood and love at its truest and simplest form.
MOVIE REVIEW The Saints Are Back in Boston
When I heard Troy Duffy had made a sequel to <i>The Boondock Saints</i>, I was speechless.
COMEDY REVIEW Comedy and Commentary (Clothing Optional)
Andy Ofiesh performed comedy in the nude for the first time in 2005. Since then, he has brought his unconventional delivery to venues in Scotland and New York City. He currently recruits local Boston comedians to join him and his unique brand of stand-up on the first Wednesday of each month at Improv Boston in Cambridge.
MOVIE REVIEW ★★★★ The Most Expensive, Maintream Porno Ever Now Has a Sequel.
Porn is a particularly difficult breed of entertainment to quantify: can a porn film be critiqued as more than just a vessel of sexual fantasy? Ought it be judged merely on the quality of its sex scenes, or can such topics as cinematography, acting, and (dare I say) plot make into the conversation? I have one particular film in mind.
BOOK REVIEW An MIT Alum Reveals The Simple Art of Estimation
Could you lift a house if only it were made of Styrofoam? Is it feasible to dig one’s way out of prison with a spoon? How many balloons might it actually take to lift a person or a house off the ground?
THEATER REVIEW Veterans and Newcomers Shine in ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’
Shakespeare’s comedy “The Merry Wives of Windsor” strikes me as one of his more down-to-earth plays, in that it’s not so much about complex romantic networks (though there’s a bit of that) or cross-dressing (and a bit of that) but instead largely about messing with somebody simply because he’s really, really sketchy. Regardless of how much or how little you believe in “an eye for an eye,” it’s difficult not to laugh at the punishment endured by Falstaff, the sketch artist in question and a carryover from “Henry IV.” Cruel as it may seem to extreme empaths, you honestly can’t say he doesn’t ask for it.
INTERVIEW Rubblebucket Orchestra Ramp Up to Halloween Gig at Middle East
Afrobeat groove specialists Rubblebucket Orchestra will play a special show tomorrow night at the Middle East Downstairs. The morning after a gig in Hartford, I caught vocalist and saxophonist Kalmia Traver on the phone to discuss Rubblebucket Orchestra’s past, the new record <i>Rubblebucket</i>, and the influence of African music on her band’s style.
COMEDY REVIEW Night of Comedy Gets MIT to Lighten Up
As any good <i>Office</i> fan would know, B.J. Novak came to MIT last Saturday night for a stand-up comedy show. Novak, whose career started in stand-up, plays Ryan Howard in the hit NBC sitcom, writes for the show, and has appeared in such films as <i>Knocked Up</i> and <i>Inglourious Basterds</i>.
EXHIBIT REVIEW For Very Important Muggles Only
Instead of heading to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Hogwarts Express left platform 9 3/4 and took a transatlantic detour to Boston this September. Though no young witches and wizards were aboard the train, more than two hundred authentic costumes and props were.
INTERVIEW Q&A with Neville Longbottom
Matthew Lewis, who portrayed Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter series; Eddie Newquist, president of Branded Entertainment and Exhibitgroup/Giltspur; and Paul Fontaine, Vice President of Education of the Boston Museum of Science, discussed the Harry Potter exhibition at a roundtable discussion with <i>The Tech</i>.
CONCERT REVIEW Bel Canto with Flair
For all of its expert craft, there are many non-trivial reasons Gioachino Rossini’s <i>Tancredi</i> isn’t one of his more popular operas. Large rifts gape in the plot line (Since when is Amenaide pregnant? Why doesn’t Argirio recognize the renown Tancredi when he joins his army? Why does Amenaide write a letter that is unaddressed and almost purposefully misleading?), while the drama portrays an affected and protracted moral code that holds very little in common with modern experience.
OPERA REVIEW Metropolitan’s Production of Aida Refreshing
The audience at the Metropolitan Opera was surely as dramatic as the performers on stage. Despite booing conductor Daniele Gatti for what it considered a lackluster performance of Verdi’s <i>Aida</i>, the audience seemed quite content with a repeated performance a little over a week later.
THEATER REVIEW Murder, Improv, and Pithy One-Liners
The Charles Street Theater delivers with <i>Shear Madness</i>. The combination of a murder mystery, improv comedy, and audience interaction makes this a very unique production. The show’s motley cast features a flamboyantly gay hair salon owner, an attractive and spunky female hairdresser, a slimy salesman, an elderly blue-blooded woman, and two stereotypical Boston cops. The chemistry of the cast adds spice to the on-stage interactions; even the actors occasionally erupt into laughter at each other’s ad lib.
CONCERT REVIEW A Smorgasbord of MIT A Capella Groups
Last weekend had a lot to offer to MIT students, as the wide variety of student groups on campus showcased their love of everything <i>but</i> math and science to the visiting families. One of the weekend’s highlights was the Saturday night a cappella concert, dubbed the “Greater Boston Invitational Songfest.” The lineup included all nine campus a cappella groups, each performing two numbers of their choice.
CONCERT REVIEW Say Hi: Raw Like Sushi
Say Hi (formerly Say Hi to Your Mom), the little-known second opener at TT’s, proved to be by far the most talented band of the evening, blowing both the opening act and the headlining band out of the water. Raw and loud without any sacrifice to their catchy, simple melodies, Say Hi’s show on Tuesday was a performance that changed the way one would listen to a band’s recorded work.
CONCERT REVIEW Reviving the Masters
A point of clarification: the practice of castrating pre-pubescent boys that showed promise in singing started in the sixteenth century somewhere in Italy. In the absence of the testosterone-secreting gland, limbs elongated, ribs kept growing (resulting in extraordinarily large lung capacity) and, perhaps most importantly, the larynx failed to develop: the adult male (<i>castrato</i> in Italian) retained his pre-pubescent range and flexibility. Subsequent training developed the pre-pubescent voice into a mature, fully-developed, yet eerily pristine, alto or soprano voice part.
RESTAURANT REVIEW Eating Out with Mom and Dad
T<b>he Scenario</b>: Your parents have just arrived on campus, pleased to see that you haven’t gained all of the “freshman fifteen” in a month and a half of college. You show them around campus, stopping by the Student Center and emphasizing that this is where you eat on a daily basis. Eventually, you hear the five magic words from your parents, “We’re taking you out tonight.” Without missing a beat, you slyly say, “Well, there is one place I’ve always wanted to try out…”
CONCERT REVIEW Built to Spill Dig Further Down
Built to Spill, just days after the release of their seventh LP <i>There Is No Enemy</i>, stopped by Cambridge for a three night run at The Middle East Downstairs last weekend. After seventeen years and a handful of different lineups, songwriter Doug Martsch is still at the helm, looking aged but adjusted. The “well-groomed” five-piece took the stage on Sunday, warmed up after two nights in the same venue, opening with a powerful version of “You Were Right,” a tune from 1999’s <i>Keep it Like a Secret</i>. The song pulled the audience back and forth through a dynamic maze, always climaxing with Martsch’s accusation, “you were wrong/when you said/everything’s gonna be alright.” The song benefited from the controlled layering of three guitars. Most notably, guitarist Brett Netson’s overdriven leads cut through the mix at times to reveal a deeper counterpoint against Martsch’s riffing.
BOOK REVIEW Byrne, Bikes, Buenos Aires, Oh My!
At the core of <i>Bicycle Diaries</i>, David Byrne’s foray into cycling fan-(non)-fiction, is the notion that being on a bike provides a unique viewpoint of the world. Through offerings that are captivating and thought provoking, Byrne dispenses his insights from eyes perched above the cars and pedestrians. Being on a bike probably helps, but the real trick is being David Byrne. How else could you explain diary entries from Buenos Aires bike rides that devolve into meditations on canine hierarchy and lewd dog behaviors?