Arts & Culture

Culture Corner with Liz Jacobson and Mathilda Silverstein
Arts & CultureApril 2, 2020
The Arts Desks’ weekly picks for movies, books, music and television shows Movie: “GoodFellas” dir. by Martin Scorcese “GoodFellas” is one of two Scorcese films we watched during Spring Break, and it didn’t disappoint. This almost three-hour film was entertaining and engaging the whole way through. The story of Ray Liotta’s Henry Hill, an associate […]

Can’t decide how you feel about Pete Davidson? Neither can the rest of us
Arts & CultureMarch 30, 2020
For every amount of praise Davidson receives, he is involved in double the amount of controversy — and the American public can’t get enough of it Pete Davidson has become quite the controversial character over the last few years. The Staten Island native made a name for himself as one of the youngest “Saturday Night […]

Mullet mania: Why is the most notorious 80s haircut making a bold comeback?
Arts & CultureMarch 26, 2020
Three “mulleters” on campus discuss their look This past year, I noticed a reemergence of a fashion statement so bold and so shocking, one that was thought to be lost long ago in the age of glam rock and unfettered redneck masculinity. I’m talking about the ape drape, the squirrel pellet, the achy breaky bad […]

How female artists like Taylor Swift and Megan Thee Stallion have stood up against sexism and exploitation in the industry
Arts & CultureMarch 26, 2020
A clapback to the patriarchal music industry Women in the music industry have been challenging the patriarchal nature of the business by extending a big middle finger to The Man. Musicians like Taylor Swift and Megan Thee Stallion have gained considerable popularity for stances they have taken against the sexist roots of the music industry. […]

Here’s a bunch of good stuff to watch: 30 TV shows, 100 movies online now
Arts & CultureMarch 25, 2020
The best of what’s on Hulu, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Kanopy, Tubi, Crackle, Vudu My friends watch a lot of movies and television, so sometimes I forget that the amount of media I consume is abnormally — perhaps even disturbingly — extensive. That said, I am now uniquely equipped to recommend what’s good out of what’s […]

Culture Corner with Ilya Shrayber
Arts & CultureMarch 24, 2020
The Arts Desks’ weekly picks for movies, books, music and television shows. Movie: “Police Story” (1985) dir. by Jackie Chan Democracy is flailing, COVID-19 is spreading and the stock market is the worst it’s been since the 1930s or something like that. So you owe it to yourself to kick back, relax and watch Jackie […]

Through the artist’s eyes: Bianca Ocampo discusses life as a student singer
Arts & CultureMarch 18, 2020
Finding solace, balance as a self-made artist Dream-pop student music group Urbanation, headed by fourth-year psychology and communication double major Bianca Ocampo, has amassed an impressive following as they move toward the release of their indie-rock album, scheduled to be released later this year. The album touches on life as a student, and the band […]

The portrayal of religion in current media
Arts & CultureMarch 18, 2020
Religion is portrayed in many different ways than our parents or grandparents experienced The topics explored and the themes portrayed in today’s media are vastly different than what was tolerated just 50 years ago. For example, when Lucille Ball got pregnant during her run as the star of “I Love Lucy,” showrunners consulted with a […]

Five professors share their favorite books
Arts & CultureMarch 18, 2020
Professors from different departments share their favorite non-academic reads Just like their students, professors are indecisive — half of those contacted couldn’t decide what their all-time favorite non-academic book was. So here is everything close to it. Sociology Professor Erin Hamilton — “Less” by Andrew Sean Greer Greer’s comic novel is described as satrically funny, […]

Jews & baseball: A Love Story
Arts & CultureMarch 17, 2020
Assimilation through America’s favorite pastime It was a bit of a long ride to the field, taking the better part of half an hour. When we got there, the smell of hops and yeast coated the field like a veil, courtesy of the Anchor Steam brewery across the street. The grass was deep green and […]

Commentary: Are we in a simulation?
Arts & CultureMarch 16, 2020
Everything, nothing is real Since the dawn of artificial intelligence (AI), theories about the nature of our existence tend to credit some greater power — human or otherwise — with the creation of our artificial reality. This concept sounds absurd to most, but there are believers, and they make some fair points. There are different […]

Making a MESS: Student-artist duo Lila Simpson and Shirin Mavandad promote inclusivity, sustainability
Arts & CultureMarch 16, 2020
MESS focuses on designing graphic tees for customers of all backgrounds Although Lila Simpson and Shirin Mavandad began their artistic endeavours individually, they found a similar artistic spirit in one another at a volcano in Costa Rica. Ever since, the two have been inseparable in the creation of their up-and-coming brand: MESS. The two students […]

