The Arts Desk’s weekly picks for music, movies and more
By ZOEY MORTAZAVI — arts@theaggie.org
Book: “To the Lighthouse” by Virginia Woolf (1927)
This is my favorite book of all time, in case anyone was wondering. Woolf’s stream-of-consciousness prose was a bit intimidating to me at first as I somewhat struggled to understand the dynamics between characters, but before the end of the first section (the book is split into three parts: The Window, Time Passing and The Lighthouse), I was hooked. Woolf’s characters are incredibly honest and genuine. The lighthouse is symbolic of what each character desires the most in this world, while they each individually struggle to obtain it. Lily Briscoe’s character is impossible not to root for, and you get to know each character on a personal level as Woolf peers into each of their minds, using a style of omniscient narration that I can’t get enough of. The book offers glimpses of beauty within the mundane repetition of daily life, creating moments of literary magic out of seemingly nothing: a candle burning in the dark, an exchanged glance, curtains blowing in the wind. I cannot recommend this book enough; In fact, to commemorate my love for it, I’m planning on getting a lighthouse tattoo. Genuinely.
Album: “Frank” by Amy Winehouse (2003)
This album literally changed the game — not only for me, but also just the game in general. Amy Winehouse’s iconic album, “Frank,” should not be a mystery to anyone, but in case it is, I wanted to give it some well-deserved attention. This album has it all: slow ballad tracks like “Take the Box,” more upbeat songs like “Amy Amy Amy” and “In my Bed” and somewhere in between, like “Mr. Magic / Through the Smoke.” No matter the song, Amy’s ability to express heartbreak while taking so much control over her feelings is inspiring and captivating to listen to. Her confidence, unique vocals, musicianship and her incredible range of lyrics is also displayed throughout this album. Her music will always make me feel empowered, and this album is an example of how I feel that in my everyday life. This album has also already made an appearance on my KDVS radio show, “The Red Scare” — and it definitely will again.
Song: “Pol” by Googoosh (1975)
Googoosh is one of my favorite Persian singers of all time. Any Iranian person will tell you that she’s one of the all-time greats, so I’m definitely not alone in my love for her; My dad raised me blasting her songs around the house, so she’s been one of my favorites for as long as I can remember. “Pol,” better known as “Bridge” in English, is particularly special in my opinion — it opens with a hauntingly beautiful violin intro before her vocals start, and the song in its entirety showcases her beautiful voice and instrumentals. The song explores themes of finding solace with a loved one amidst feelings of solitude, delving into the deep and intuitive “bridge” that romance can build in one’s life. You definitely don’t need to understand Farsi (in fact, I’m not even fluent myself) to feel the depth and emotion of the love she is describing in the song. Another song by her that I’ve been obsessed with is “Gole Bee Goldoon,” a favorite that I play at every family reunion my family hosts. Either way, I definitely recommend giving this song a listen — especially if you’ve been meaning to expand your musical horizons a little bit.
Movie: “Roman Holiday” dir. William Wyler (1953)
I watched this movie with my dad for the first time in sixth grade, when I was undergoing a serious “I need to be an actor” kick. Audrey Hepburn became one of my ultimate role models after my first watch — she is so graceful, poised and charismatic in the film (and all of her films) that she’s one of the all-time greats to watch. The movie is fun, funny and the dynamic between Hepburn and Gregory Peck is incredibly enjoyable and gratifying to watch. In “Roman Holiday,” Princess Anne (Hepburn) gets a taste of everyday life beyond her duties as a touring European princess alongside Joe Bradley (Peck), a handsome and witty journalist, who shows her around the city. Peck and his friend end up covering her tour around the city, and their romance blooms as they spend a few days together. The movie’s bittersweet ending always sticks with me, and it’s one of those feel-good movies that I could (and do) watch time and time again.
Written by Zoey Mortazavi — arts@theaggie.org
