The Arts Desk’s weekly picks for music, movies and more
By JULIE HUANG — arts@theaggie.org
Song: “Wuthering Heights” by Kate Bush (1978)
During the rainy season, indulging in periodic glances out of the window to watch puddles grow ever larger on the uneven pavement outside is a classic activity enhanced by background music — and “Wuthering Heights” is particularly appropriate. As a retelling of Emily Brontë’s only novel, Kate Bush’s shivering vocals and enigmatic lyrics perfectly represent the Gothic novel’s toxic relationships, its perpetually windy, stormy English moors and my mood while studying for midterms. I also admire how the song manages to fit a remarkable amount of content into four minutes and 29 seconds, given that the novel it’s based on is usually around four hundred pages long.
Movie: “Cinderella” dir. Kenneth Branagh (2015)
Although I maintain that animations retain a magical quality that live-actions films usually fail to replicate, an exception is made for 2015 rendition of “Cinderella” — the live-action remake adds more intricate visuals and brings depth to certain characters. For one, the narrative choice to frame the evil stepmother as a foil to Ella herself adds an enjoyable sense of tension and tragedy. However, the costuming may be the most enchanting facet of the film. The animated Cinderella’s iconic silver ball gown is adapted into a breathtaking blue variant that shines brighter than every other dress at the ball. This is a deliberate choice that highlights Ella’s one-of-a-kind innocence and kindness that shines from within. Thanks to the costume designers’ attention to detail, though, the external presentation is just as radiant.
Book: “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017)
Overcoming the midst of the quarter usually demands that any leisure reading be low-effort, and “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” is just that — it’s easy to follow but rich in emotional rewards (or devastation). The novel follows a movie star’s tumultuous romantic history over 30 years through the end of the Golden Age of Hollywood, culminating in her finally sharing her personal truth in its entirety with a struggling writer who could use the inspiration. Reid’s novel goes from intriguing to gripping to ultimately heart-wrenching, and I was left reflecting on its numerous plot twists long after I put the book down.
TV Show: “Gossip Girl” (2007 to 2012)
On the one hand, it’s a teen drama of the 2010s that has already had its time to shine, but on another hand, it’s perfect if one ever feels like watching self-important rich people engage in psychological warfare with one another, competing to see who is the most out of touch. The plot largely consists of every major character on the show taking turns backstabbing or dating each other, or both, but it makes sense within the context of the show, kind of. An advantage of the characters’ massive wealth is their easy access to expensive fashion, which translates on the screen into beautiful costuming completed by eye-catching designer pieces. Overall, “Gossip Girl” remains a good watch if you want to disconnect from reality for a little while and think only about which self-absorbed man the millionaire heiress should end up with.
Written by: Julie Huang — arts@theaggie.org
