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I’ve seen six out of the nine nominees for Best Picture, which is a lot more than I can usually say I’ve seen. And I have lots of Opinions.
But if I get too much into that, we’ll be here for days, and I’ll just get angry all over again (ha), so what I’m going to do here is go down the list of nominees and give you flash reviews and tell you whether or not you should see it. Let’s not waste time and get right to it.
9. The Darkest Hour, directed by Joe Wright
N/A, haven’t seen it, don’t plan on seeing it. I love Joe Wright as a director, and I’ve heard it’s a well done movie, but I’ve also heard it doesn’t really tread any new ground as far as biopics go. Also Winston Churchill has been done, and also I am. Not a Gary Oldman fan, to say the least. So. Moving on!
8. The Post, directed by Steven Spielberg
N/A, but this is one I do want to see before the Oscars, because I’ve heard from trusted sources that it’s great. And who doesn’t love Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks? Also, it’s the third movie of the season that Michael Stuhlbarg is in, and I want to be 3 for 3.
7. Phantom Thread, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
N/A - this is the last one that I haven’t seen, but I do really want to see it. Paul Thomas Anderson is an incredible filmmaker, and I love Daniel Day-Lewis and fashion, so I think this will be great, and right up my alley.
6. Dunkirk, directed by Christopher Nolan
I saw this ages ago, when it first came out, so forgive me if this isn’t the most detailed of flash reviews, but I do remember really loving the film. It’s very intense, and almost claustrophobia-inducing, because of the nature of the camera work and how in the experience it puts you, but it’s extremely well done. And even though most of the young men in the movie aren’t super distinguishable as characters, the ensemble on the whole is incredible (Harry Syles was great, and that’s not even because I’m biased), including Mark Rylance, one of my favorite actors, as a citizen and not a soldier, who goes off in his boat to do what he can.
5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, directed by Martin McDonagh
This film is one of the more contentious in this category - apparently, either you love it or you hate it, there’s no in between. I find that not to be the case, personally. I had a few issues with the script, and one character in particular, but overall, I thought it was a really well done film, with a truly incredible acting ensemble that, for the most part, deserves all the awards (Frances McDormand!!! Queen!!!). The real stand outs for me in it were Caleb Landry-Jones as an advertiser who gets mixed up in Frances McDormand’s plan, and Woody Harrelson as a terminally-ill police chief who acts as the moral and emotional center of the story. Even though parts it felt like very much like a white guy trying to talk about racial tension, I thought it was an interesting exploration of how hate begets hate, and how love is really the only way to stop that cycle - but that whether or not you act on that is up to you, and you alone.
*Up until now, this has actually been in order of desire to see/actual enjoyment of the movie, but going forward, it’s less actual ranking because I literally love all of them deeply, for some different and some same reasons, and more a feelings dump about how amazing and incredible these films are.*
4. Get Out, directed by Jordan Peele
Guys. I don’t like horror movies, like, at all. So I was on the fence about seeing this movie - I love Jordan Peele, but do I really want to be scared out of my mind? But I feel like that also gives me particular license to tell you that this is not your typical horror movie. Yes it is scary, and yes it is a horror story about the black experience in America, but it’s sensibility is more that of a thriller or suspense movie, which, you know. I can deal with. And I’m so glad I did, because it’s one of the best directed and best acted films of the year (can Daniel Kaluuya just win Best Actor like he rightfully deserves?? Please??). And I also don’t remember the last a film gave us something as immediately iconic or culture-shaking as the Sunken Place.
3. Lady Bird, directed by Greta Gerwig
I feel like this film did a really hard thing and pulled it off in a huge way - Gerwig made something so incredibly specific to an experience like Lady Bird’s, and her own, and yet so universal that nearly everyone who has seen this movie has said that they know Lady Bird like they know themselves. I grew up just north of NYC, and am Jewish to my bones - truly, my life could not be more different from Lady Bird’s - but I walked out of that movie theater feeling like I had been totally, completely seen and understood in a way I haven’t felt before because of a film. Also, shoutout to another truly incredible ensemble cast, especially Laurie Metcalf, Lucas Hedges, and Beanie Feldstein (Kenwood pride!). There’s another actor I’d like to shout out, but I’ll be singing his praises in another two seconds, so I feel like that may be a waste of time. Instead, I’ll just say that if Metcalf doesn’t win that Oscar, I will cry.
2. The Shape of Water, directed by Guillermo del Toro
This film is a straight up fairytale. Everything from the costumes (yes, the fish man is a costume) to the set design to the music to the cinematography is like a technicolor dream that completely transports you into this world of both political intrigue and romance. The performances from Sally Hawkins and Doug Jones are two of my favorite things from this year in film, and Michael Stuhlbarg, as always, gives an incredible performance as a character that I don’t want to spoil for people who have not yet seen the movie. Richard Jenkins, as the narrator and main character’s best friend, gives one of the most touching, heartfelt performances of the year, and of the Best Supporting Actor nominees, I hope he wins. (He won’t, but I wish.) At its heart, the film is about how love and compassion for each other will ultimately take down those in power who exploit and abuse people, and I left the theater with tears still in my eyes.
1. Call Me By Your Name, directed by Luca Guadagnino
I saw this at a movie theater about half an hour from my apartment, and literally the whole subway ride back I think I may have been in a Sufjan Stevens-induced fugue state. This film, guys. Everything from the visuals to the soundtrack to the acting is a feast for the senses, giving the viewer a sensual, sumptuous, and, in many ways, nostalgic ode to Northern Italy and to love itself. Timothée Chalamet delivers what is probably one of the most emotionally open and vulnerable performances I’ve seen from a male actor his age (he was 20 when he filmed it), and the last scene, totally silent save for the Stevens-penned song “Visions of Gideon,” is a revelation for the guy, who has definitely proved he will have a long career in Hollywood. His co-star, Armie Hammer, delivers an equally nuanced and impressive performance, and has always been, to me at least, a criminally underrated actor. But the actor who utterly steals this film in one simultaneously heart-renching and heart-healing scene is, once again, Michael Stuhlbarg. (Honestly, I’m gonna be angry until the day I die that he wasn’t nominated for Best Supporting Actor, but whatever.) One of the most remarkable things about this same-gender love story is that the only villain is time. I am queer, so this movie resonated very deeply for me (I’m still thinking about it almost two weeks later), but it’s also the simple story of a first, true love - anyone who goes into this movie will come out of it relating or understanding in some way to the characters.
If I absolutely had to pick a personal favorite, you can probably tell that would be Call Me By Your Name. But honestly, I love all of the nominated films that I’ve seen this year in one way or another. I feel like there was a period of five-ish ten years where filmmaking was kind of… boring, and it reflected in the nominees for awards (I barely remember what the nominees were from 2010 to 2015). But in the last two years, I really think that there’s been a renaissance of sorts in how people are approaching filmmaking, or perhaps some overdue credit is being given to independent auteurs, and it shows. Truly, I’d be happy with any of the last four films on this list winning - they are all remarkable feats of what good movies can do for their audiences.
Guys. Guys, this show.
I'm a pretty big fan of Gilmore Girls, and have been for years, and when I heard that Amy Sherman-Palladino was finally doing the show she was destined to do, about a fast-talking Jewish girl from New York, I was so, so excited. In fact, my anticipation may have been a bit too high, enough that I could have been disappointed if it wasn't perfect.
Thankfully, it was.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel follows the smart, quick-witted, mile-a-minute talker Miriam "Midge" Maisel as she tries to re-orient her life after her husband leaves her on Erev Yom Kippur. Twist one: the show is set in 1958, meaning there is a whole different set of societal standards she has to abide by that don't exactly make it easy. Twist two: the husband that leaves her moonlights as a mediocre stand-up comic - after he does the leaving, she drunkenly stumbles into doing really, really fucking good stand-up comedy.
Visually, the show is a delight, from the detail of the period sets - filmed both on a soundstage out at Steiner Studios and on some of the actual streets of New York, with some clever disguising of obviously modern buildings - to the lush costumes. Honestly, just give me all of Midge's clothing. Especially her coats. And her nightdresses. God, I love those vintage nightdresses. The soundtrack is also curated to perfection; from standards to showtunes to of-the-time pop, it all frames the show the way a good soundtrack should.
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| This is me trying to show you as much of that clothing in a short review as possible. |
There is a truly wonderful revolving cast of characters that fill out the show, from the pitch-perfect Tony Shalhoub and Marin Hinkle as Midge's put-upon parents, Abe and Rose Weissman, to Luke Kirby's cynical, acerbic Lenny Bruce, with whom Midge, by some stroke of fate, is friends, to Susie Meyerson, manager of the Gaslight cafe and of Midge's comedy career, played with aplomb by the always wonderful Alex Borstein. Even Joel, the sad-sack husband, is played brilliantly by Michael Zegen (who was in the original off-Broadway cast of Bad Jews!). But it is Midge herself, played by Rachel Brosnahan as if she'd been a Jewish comedienne her whole life, that steals everyone's hearts on the show. She is the image of the perfect 1950's housewife, but when her housewife life is completely and totally blown up, she finds that her sense of humor and vivacious energy can do more for her than just make her the life of the house party. Suddenly things that weren't even a passing fancy to her, despite the fact she was already funnier than her mediocre-in-every-way husband, are something she yearns for, and she begins to carve a path that a woman of the time would likely not have had the chutzpah to typically carve.
I don't want to spoil anything about this show, but if you're anything like me and cry at the drop of a hat, be prepared - about two seconds after the finale ended, I burst into tears out of pure joy. Honestly, it was a little embarrassing, but at least I was in the privacy of my bedroom. I'm thrilled that it has already been renewed for a season two, as I am definitely not ready to let go of this show. I can't wait for more adventures with what is truly a Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Black Friday sales are always tempting, whether or not you're someone who usually partakes in Black Friday. I'm not, typically - frankly, I think it's evil and exemplifies the worst of capitalism, but that's a post for another day. However, sometimes a good sale is too hard to pass up, and the one I let myself indulge in was ColourPop's. I got my hands on a few things from their current holiday collection, and after playing with them for a bit, I feel like like I finally have my thoughts thoroughly collected.
After watching ThatGirlShaeXO's haul video detailing the new releases, I decided on the Dusk 'till Dawn SuperShock Shadow Collection, containing six new shades, and two of the Ultra Glossy Lips, purely because of the fact that I didn't already own anything like these colors. Here are swatches of all of them.
I'll just get the glosses out of the way, because they're both fab. The colors (Believe Me and Imagine) are vibrant, despite the fact that they are glosses, and even though there's a shit ton of glitter in them, it doesn't look chunky or feel gritty or gloopy. They just give, as their name would suggest, an ultra glossy sheen to the lips that is perfect for a festive holiday look. If you're not into the maintenance that a gloss requires at a party where you're probably going to be eating and drinking a lot, they also look really great over a matte liquid lip - that way, you get the lasting power of the liquid lip and the moisture and shine of the gloss in one look.
Before I get into these specific shadows, I want to preface this with the fact that I already love the ColourPop SuperShock formula. The texture, as I'm sure you all know, is a really cool almost cream-to-powder, in that it feels sort of wet when you touch it, but blends out as easily as regular powder shadows do when it's on your lids. They tend to work best with a synthetic brush or finger - typically, I use a finger to apply mine. All in all, they are a really easy shadow formula to work with, and you can create any kind of look, from an every day one-and-done kind of deal to a super high fashion/editorial look.
That is honestly the only way I'd apply these particular shades. Feel free to pick up a brush to blend out edges once they're on, but for the best payoff of color and sparkle, just using your finger is optimal. Don't mistake this for me disliking the shadows, though. I really, truly love every single one of these shades - I think it's just a matter of figuring out how they are best used.
I feel like this collection lends itself really well to more editorial eyeshadow looks. Any of them would look extremely high fashion just smeared all over the lid and through the crease. I don't know that they all qualify as duochrome, but all of them have a base that is one color (or not much color at all, as is the case with New Magic and Goodish), and sparkles that are one or more other colors, creating a really dimensional, reflective look. New Magic is one of my favorite shades because of this - the base is a very translucent white, with blue and green reflect in it, but all over the lid it almost has a glossy effect that is really striking (also, it can even look pink at certain angles?? I'm still trying to figure it out, it's beautiful). Another favorite for this dramatic all-over-the-lid look is Half Light - it has a maroon base, with a ton of green and gold reflect in it, so much so that it can look straight up metallic green in some lights and angles, and mostly red with a ton of sparkle in others.
However, if you're more into a classic halo eye, or some other every day , you can still come up with some really great ideas when you use these with some more matte shadows. I would classify Stargirl, Half Light, Babykins, and Slay Bells as all-over-the-lid and outer corner shades, as they are the colors with stronger bases. Stargirl is an elevated rose gold, Babykins is a brownish red with a ton of purple and pink reflect, and Slay Bells is a deep chocolate with red and gold reflect. New Magic and Goodish would be what I consider shadow toppers, or even inner corner highlights, because of how translucent their bases are, though where New Magic is white, Goodish is a pinkish lavender. The sparkle in them is honestly incredible and brings any look to another level.
Honestly, the only negative thing I have to say about what I got is that the glitter kind of gets everywhere, but when you use products with glitter in them, that's sort of what you signed up for. I don't regret spending any of my $$$ on these products, and I've already gotten a couple really cool looks out of them. I used them for a performance I just had, and I'm using them again next week for a Christmas party, and the excitement is real.
Until next time, and happy holidays!!
However, if you're more into a classic halo eye, or some other every day , you can still come up with some really great ideas when you use these with some more matte shadows. I would classify Stargirl, Half Light, Babykins, and Slay Bells as all-over-the-lid and outer corner shades, as they are the colors with stronger bases. Stargirl is an elevated rose gold, Babykins is a brownish red with a ton of purple and pink reflect, and Slay Bells is a deep chocolate with red and gold reflect. New Magic and Goodish would be what I consider shadow toppers, or even inner corner highlights, because of how translucent their bases are, though where New Magic is white, Goodish is a pinkish lavender. The sparkle in them is honestly incredible and brings any look to another level.
Honestly, the only negative thing I have to say about what I got is that the glitter kind of gets everywhere, but when you use products with glitter in them, that's sort of what you signed up for. I don't regret spending any of my $$$ on these products, and I've already gotten a couple really cool looks out of them. I used them for a performance I just had, and I'm using them again next week for a Christmas party, and the excitement is real.
Until next time, and happy holidays!!
So I warned you I'd probably talk about One Direction at some point. That point has come.
At around 1 a.m. last night, right when I was about to go to sleep, One Direction pulled a Beyoncé and dropped a brand new single without any promo. Within half an hour, it had shot to number one on iTunes in almost 80 countries, breaking a record in the process.
For good reason. The song is catchy as hell, and reminiscent of bands like The Police and Fleetwood Mac, as many people have been commenting in reviews of the song. Now, Fleetwood Mac is one of my most favorite bands of all time, and on first listen I wasn't sure why people thought it felt like them. But then I listened to it again - and again, and again - and I urge you to do so as well, paying good attention to the instrumentation. It's the rhythm guitar on the choruses and the rollicking bass line on the verses that hearkens back to songs like Rhiannon or Little Lies. It's a tried-and-true formula and I, for one, love the band's commitment it; it satisfies my little '70s pop rock heart.
The voices are split well on the parts - quite possibly my favorite thing about the song is how Liam got to let his lower range shine. The boy has a beautiful baritone, and he's never really gotten to show it off until now, which makes me excited for the other music from the album we have yet to hear. Harry really shines on the riffs at the end of the song, filling in for and actually sounding quite similar to former bandmate Zayn. Frankly, the only thing about the song I don't like is that you can hear where Zayn's voice would have fit into the song really well. I yearn for a reunion one day where we can hear him sing on the track.
"Drag Me Down" also really shows how far the boys have come since their days on The X Factor. I for one am really proud of them. It's a slick, fun, and upbeat song that has the potential to get stuck in people's heads on the regular. It's already stuck in mine. I'm just gonna say it - "Drag Me Down" is the new song of the summer.
At around 1 a.m. last night, right when I was about to go to sleep, One Direction pulled a Beyoncé and dropped a brand new single without any promo. Within half an hour, it had shot to number one on iTunes in almost 80 countries, breaking a record in the process.
For good reason. The song is catchy as hell, and reminiscent of bands like The Police and Fleetwood Mac, as many people have been commenting in reviews of the song. Now, Fleetwood Mac is one of my most favorite bands of all time, and on first listen I wasn't sure why people thought it felt like them. But then I listened to it again - and again, and again - and I urge you to do so as well, paying good attention to the instrumentation. It's the rhythm guitar on the choruses and the rollicking bass line on the verses that hearkens back to songs like Rhiannon or Little Lies. It's a tried-and-true formula and I, for one, love the band's commitment it; it satisfies my little '70s pop rock heart.
The voices are split well on the parts - quite possibly my favorite thing about the song is how Liam got to let his lower range shine. The boy has a beautiful baritone, and he's never really gotten to show it off until now, which makes me excited for the other music from the album we have yet to hear. Harry really shines on the riffs at the end of the song, filling in for and actually sounding quite similar to former bandmate Zayn. Frankly, the only thing about the song I don't like is that you can hear where Zayn's voice would have fit into the song really well. I yearn for a reunion one day where we can hear him sing on the track.
"Drag Me Down" also really shows how far the boys have come since their days on The X Factor. I for one am really proud of them. It's a slick, fun, and upbeat song that has the potential to get stuck in people's heads on the regular. It's already stuck in mine. I'm just gonna say it - "Drag Me Down" is the new song of the summer.
I've been away for a long time. It wasn't intentional, I promise - I was just very busy in a musical theatre intensive for two weeks, and then assistant stage managing a show while in an emotional slump for the week after that ended.
So this is kind of just a life update post, as well as some theatre recommendations. I hope that's okay!
From July 6th thru July 17th, I participated in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts' (AADA for short) Two Week Musical Theatre Intensive. It was easily one of the best, most fun, most exhausting two weeks of my life, and I kind of wish I could do it all over again.
Over the course of those two weeks, the other thirteen students in the class and I took four classes - Vocal Technique, Song Interpretation, Jazz/Tap, and Acting Exercises - in which we worked on one song both vocally and storytelling-wise, learned part of the Ann Reinking choreography for All That Jazz (from Chicago), and focused on our improv skills and audition monologues. It was a lot, and it was hard at times, but I know I learned so much from the things we worked on, and so did my friends.
We all bonded really well, which was unsurprising. What was surprising was just how close we became so quickly, and how much we didn't want to leave each other. I'm fairly certain we're going to be in each others lives for a while, even though some of them live overseas. In fact, I'm going to Schmackary's with three of them tonight!
Sadly our time together in the program did have to end, and when I left I returned to work assistant stage managing for a beautiful new musical entitled "Rachel: The Musical." No, it's not about me - it's about Rachel Carson, the marine biologist and environmentalist who wrote Silent Spring, a book exposing the dangers of a pesticide used in the mid-1900s called DDT. It was the musical's world premiere at the Fresh Fruit Festival last Monday, and it had it's last performance in the festival on Saturday. But keep your eyes open - there was some low rumbling about a potential transfer, so if you want to see it you might have a chance!
I also have seen quite a bit of theatre in the last few weeks, so I'm just gonna go through what I saw and give a little overview and rating out of 5 stars. I'd definitely recommend seeing all of the shows though, if you can.
Les Misérables - It was actually the fourth time I'd seen this show, and the second time I'd seen this staging. I'm also not sure you really need a summary, so I'll just go ahead and rate it. 5/5 stars!
On The Town - Three sailors - Gabey, Chip, and Ozzie - have 24 hours off their ship to spend in New York City. They have a madcap adventure around town in their search for the beautiful Ivy Smith, Miss Turnstiles for the month of June, after Gabey sees her picture in the subway. Complete with great music and incredible choreography by Jerome Robbins, I'd give this one 5/5 stars as well!
It Shoulda Been You - Jenny is the wedding planner for her younger sister Rebecca's wedding, and she wants it to be absolutely perfect so her mother (played by the inimitable Tyne Daly) will stop picking on her for not having her life together (even though she does, thank you very much). Unfortunately, over the course of the wedding, some unexpected secrets come out and things do not go as Jenny planned. everything turns out fine in the end, it's a comedy! There were a couple songs in the show that probably weren't all that necessary, but I enjoyed this one the most out of everything i saw; I'd give it a 4.5/5 stars! - This closes August 9th, so go see it soon if it sounds like something you'd enjoy.
Avenue Q - The adult - very adult - version of Sesame Street. I don't think you need more than that. I feel like this show was so hyped up that I was expecting way more than I got. I definitely liked the show and had a good time, but I didn't like it as much as I wanted to. I have to give it a 3/5 stars.
The Wild Party - Queenie and Burr run an underground nightclub during the Prohibition era. When Burr rapes Queenie, she stages a party to get back at him, but the arrival of a Mr. Black sends her plans down a path she never intended. This was an Encores! production, which unfortunately means it only played a limited number of performances, but I'm hoping it gets transferred somewhere, because it was pretty incredible. The music is lush with gorgeous instrumentation and harmonies, and the acting and singing was stellar all around. My only problem with this production was that the plot felt a little thin at some points. I give it a 4/5 stars.
Significant Other - Twenty-something Jordan Berman (played by my boy Gideon Glick) slowly watches his friends all find love and get married, while he can't seem to find any guy that wants to love him the way he wants them to. I'd call this a dramedy, and it's only the show on this list that isn't a musical, but it might also be my favorite one. It's funny without being insensitive, serious without hitting you over the head, and heartfelt without being soppy. And for someone in her twenties and starting that part of her life, it definitely hit kind of close to home. 5/5 stars, for sure.
That's it, folks! I hope your summers are going well and you're finding worthwhile things to do with your time. I'll be back tomorrow with a post, I think. Not sure what it's going to be yet though.
Much love,
Rachel Shoshanna
So this is kind of just a life update post, as well as some theatre recommendations. I hope that's okay!
From July 6th thru July 17th, I participated in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts' (AADA for short) Two Week Musical Theatre Intensive. It was easily one of the best, most fun, most exhausting two weeks of my life, and I kind of wish I could do it all over again.
Over the course of those two weeks, the other thirteen students in the class and I took four classes - Vocal Technique, Song Interpretation, Jazz/Tap, and Acting Exercises - in which we worked on one song both vocally and storytelling-wise, learned part of the Ann Reinking choreography for All That Jazz (from Chicago), and focused on our improv skills and audition monologues. It was a lot, and it was hard at times, but I know I learned so much from the things we worked on, and so did my friends.
We all bonded really well, which was unsurprising. What was surprising was just how close we became so quickly, and how much we didn't want to leave each other. I'm fairly certain we're going to be in each others lives for a while, even though some of them live overseas. In fact, I'm going to Schmackary's with three of them tonight!
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| Look at these gorgeous people!! |
I also have seen quite a bit of theatre in the last few weeks, so I'm just gonna go through what I saw and give a little overview and rating out of 5 stars. I'd definitely recommend seeing all of the shows though, if you can.
Les Misérables - It was actually the fourth time I'd seen this show, and the second time I'd seen this staging. I'm also not sure you really need a summary, so I'll just go ahead and rate it. 5/5 stars!
On The Town - Three sailors - Gabey, Chip, and Ozzie - have 24 hours off their ship to spend in New York City. They have a madcap adventure around town in their search for the beautiful Ivy Smith, Miss Turnstiles for the month of June, after Gabey sees her picture in the subway. Complete with great music and incredible choreography by Jerome Robbins, I'd give this one 5/5 stars as well!
It Shoulda Been You - Jenny is the wedding planner for her younger sister Rebecca's wedding, and she wants it to be absolutely perfect so her mother (played by the inimitable Tyne Daly) will stop picking on her for not having her life together (even though she does, thank you very much). Unfortunately, over the course of the wedding, some unexpected secrets come out and things do not go as Jenny planned. everything turns out fine in the end, it's a comedy! There were a couple songs in the show that probably weren't all that necessary, but I enjoyed this one the most out of everything i saw; I'd give it a 4.5/5 stars! - This closes August 9th, so go see it soon if it sounds like something you'd enjoy.
Avenue Q - The adult - very adult - version of Sesame Street. I don't think you need more than that. I feel like this show was so hyped up that I was expecting way more than I got. I definitely liked the show and had a good time, but I didn't like it as much as I wanted to. I have to give it a 3/5 stars.
The Wild Party - Queenie and Burr run an underground nightclub during the Prohibition era. When Burr rapes Queenie, she stages a party to get back at him, but the arrival of a Mr. Black sends her plans down a path she never intended. This was an Encores! production, which unfortunately means it only played a limited number of performances, but I'm hoping it gets transferred somewhere, because it was pretty incredible. The music is lush with gorgeous instrumentation and harmonies, and the acting and singing was stellar all around. My only problem with this production was that the plot felt a little thin at some points. I give it a 4/5 stars.
Significant Other - Twenty-something Jordan Berman (played by my boy Gideon Glick) slowly watches his friends all find love and get married, while he can't seem to find any guy that wants to love him the way he wants them to. I'd call this a dramedy, and it's only the show on this list that isn't a musical, but it might also be my favorite one. It's funny without being insensitive, serious without hitting you over the head, and heartfelt without being soppy. And for someone in her twenties and starting that part of her life, it definitely hit kind of close to home. 5/5 stars, for sure.
That's it, folks! I hope your summers are going well and you're finding worthwhile things to do with your time. I'll be back tomorrow with a post, I think. Not sure what it's going to be yet though.
Much love,
Rachel Shoshanna
I'm going to preface this post with the fact that I am a huge fan of genre television, which is not always a popular opinion. But if you are going to watch any type of genre show, I would highly recommend Orphan Black as your introduction into this realm of television. (I'd recommend The 100 next, but that's for another post on another day.)
Orphan Black follows Sarah Manning, a wayward grifter, as she is thrown into the clutches of a cloning conspiracy that holds the secrets of how she even came to exist. She meets and befriends a number of her "sisters" as they attempt to find some kind of self-determination out of the heavily monitored and controlled lives they have been forced to live, without their knowledge. The show deftly explores complex themes of agency, identity, and what it means to be a family, and thoroughly absorbs the viewer into the intrigue and suspense of the world the clones live in.
The third season of OB started airing on BBC America in April, and already it is shaping up to be a very different, but just as engrossing arc for the show. I don't want to give away too many spoilers, but the clone intrigue is doubled and new characters show up at every twist and turn. The suspense is still always building and the writing is as sharp as ever; I am constantly impressed by how each character is paid their due and given a chance grow, even if they are ostensibly the villains for our formidable hero. Nothing is ever as it seems, even for the bad guys (gals?), and, for me, that is the main reason why the show is so successful at what it does.
It highlights the multitudes of women, their good and their bad and everything in between, and sparks a conversation about their right to control over their own bodies and lives. It's politically and socially charged without being heavy-handed, and it's all wrapped up in a an intense, but always fun, sci-fi bow. Helmed by the talent of Tatiana Maslany playing Sarah and her sister clones, Orphan Black is definitely a genre show you don't want to miss.
Happy watching!
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Which is why I was super excited and not entirely surprised when I heard that Wilder Mind was going to be a more rock influenced album, and I have to say that I'm overall pretty impressed with what they've put together.
The band recorded this third album in Brooklyn under the production of Aaron Dessner, of The National, and James Ford, producer for the Arctic Monkeys. You can hear the influence of both bands in the instrumentation of the songs; the electric guitars and driving percussion beats give the impression of a record designed to fill stadiums, and there is no doubt in my mind of Marcus Mumford and co.'s ability to do so. It is a broad, big indie rock sound that, as different as it is from their previous albums, still retains that Mumford & Sons feel.
Because here's the thing - you can still recognize them as Mumford & Sons, the brand. The new instruments and style don't do anything to mask what I like to think of as the "Mumford & Sons spirit." This collection of songs could easily have been set to their previous acoustic folk instrumentals and worked just as well; lyrically, the songs are still poetic and longing and poignant, and still have the ability to strike a chord within the listener (though I confess I do miss the literary allusions to be heard on Sigh No More and Babel. I love me some Shakespeare). The choruses and the build up to them still maintain the power and emotional truth the songs on those other albums did, able to touch something within that you barely even realized was there.
Frankly, musical elitism and this phenomenon people like to call "selling out" are ridiculous; just because bands evolve doesn't mean they're not making good music, and just because a certain kind of music isn't to your taste doesn't automatically make it bad. Even with their major musical overhaul, Mumford & Sons is still making beautiful music, and people would do well to give this album a chance. I have a feeling its one of those that you have to listen to a few times before it clicks. And when it finally does, you'll find yourself belting along to all of the choruses the way you would if you were blasting down an empty highway on a dusky summer night.
Some tracks to check out in particular:
"Tompkins Square Park," into "Believe" (seamless musical transitions!! It's gorgeous, guys, even though "Believe" itself is a teeny bit underwhelming compared to the rest)
"The Wolf"
"Just Smoke"
"Cold Arms"
"Only Love"
"Hot Gates"
Now that I've named nearly half of the album, you should really just go check it out. Happy listening!
Since the band's inception in 2005, they have lost one member and gained two, but one thing that hasn't changed is their consistent ability to make music that moves your soul, whether they are performing a lyrical ballad (sometimes in Gaelic) that makes your heart clench or an upbeat, completely instrumental piece that makes you want to get up and dance. The combinations of instrumentation are always interesting, and the way the flutes and pipes (and I do mean bagpipes) blend so well with the guitar, bass, and vocals adds something special to songs that might get lost and buried amidst the folk revivalism of the last five or so years.
Bann, released in March 2012, is an incredibly well crafted album that spans from introductory fiddle-heavy jigs (see: Glasgow of the Big Shops, Mogaisean) to slower, more lullaby-like songs (see: M'eudail, M'eudail). One of the strongest pieces on the album for me is Scotland's Winter - in it, Robertson deftly sets Edwin Muir's poem Scotland 1941 to beautiful harmonies, helped by Henderson, and instrumental, accented particularly by the distinctive bagpipe on a nearly two minute long ending solo by Mackenzie. It would be easy to grow bored and/or annoyed by such a long bagpipe solo, but in Mackenzie's hands (and lungs), it soars.
2013's Urlar is a strong follow up album, motivated by the band's visits to their hometowns; they were prompted by the music cultivated by their communities, and the emotion behind this compilation is potent. Forvie Sands, composed by Lindsay and inspired by the sand dunes of Aberdeenshire, is a standout with its plaintive flute and fiddle duet, as is Orangedale Whistle, inspired by MacCrimmon's cross-cultural upbringing (he was born and raised in Canada and moved with his family to Monifieth, Scotland in 1991). Bha Mise Raoir Air An Airigh, the seventh track on the album, is also a great achievement as a haunting update on a traditional folk song.
If you like Scotland and if you like folk music, and are willing to give bagpipes a shot (which you should be. They don't all sound like the ones at your hometown parades), Breabach is definitely a band you should check out. Though they haven't come out with another album yet, they have been doing a lot of traveling, both on tour and in search of new musical inspiration, and I can't wait to see what they come up with next.
You can buy both albums on their bandcamp. Happy listening!
