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Imagine yourself sitting in the back seat of your dad’s car on the way home from school –Nickelback is playing on his CD player radio. He asks you who sings this song and you have no idea, even though you’ve heard it a million times.
Daughter of a jewelry designer born into the peaks of British high society, Emerald Fennell made a career transition from acting to writing and directing with her television series “Killing Eve” and has since received many accolades and awards and great recognition for her work. Fennell’s sophomore project “Saltburn” is a film that aims to provoke, much like her debut “Promising Young Woman.” The latter film, for which Fennell received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay – one of the more puzzling decisions on behalf of the Academy in a history of many puzzling decisions – was sold as a poppy, high-brow feminist take on the rape-revenge film. However, in reality, it was a film composed of empty platitudes and pulled punches, with little to say about its subject matter.
The 66th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 4, was a televised triumph for Taylor Swift and her fans. By the end of the night, Swift strutted out of the Crypto.com Arena with two Grammys in hand. One of those awards was for Album of the Year, which brought Swift from three to four of the same award, breaking the record for the number of wins.
When will “Saturday Night Live” be the same again? SNL brought in Shane Gillis to host their latest episode alongside musical guest 21 Savage. The duo spun heads at first, starting with “Who is Shane Gillis?” and moving to “Why 21 Savage?”
Every year at the Academy Awards, there are a few types of films that are bound to be nominated: the blockbusters that dominated the box office, the arthouse hopefuls and the little indies that could.
In recent years, adapting beloved animated shows into live-action formats has gained far too much momentum in the entertainment industry. From childhood classics such as “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “The Fairly OddParents” to modern favorites like the recently ordered live-action adaptation of Disney’s “Moana,” major studios have been quick to capitalize on nostalgia by bringing these animated worlds to life on the big screen.
By the year’s end, 2023 arguably became one of the strongest years in film, as there was a plethora of striking works throughout the cinematic spectrum. Legendary auteurs continued to hone their craft across a wide range of stories and genres, and for once, there was no shortage of unique blockbusters. As is the case every year, there were more than a few films that slipped through the cracks and were only known to a niche in the moviegoing population. The following five titles are a fraction of such films.
The story of the Von Erich family has long been viewed as a story of tragedy, addiction and love that is anything but normal. On Dec. 22, 2023, the anticipated biographical sports drama “The Iron Claw” was released in the United States. Since its release, the film has received acclaim for its emotional portrayal of the family, with the National Board of Review naming “The Iron Claw” one of the top 10 films of 2023.
The following interview is with Sasha Giordano, director and co-curator of the latest exhibition at the Hofstra University Museum of Art, “Les Visionnaires: In the Modernist Spirit.” It has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
The 96th Academy Award nominations were announced on Jan. 23 and have made a splash by leaving out one of the record-breaking female directors of 2023: Greta Gerwig. Many have been expressing their opinions about how Gerwig was not nominated for the “Best Director” category, despite how much of a hit her movie “Barbie” was. This anger was continued for Margot Robbie, who played Barbie in the film, and was not nominated for “Best Leading Actress.” Her co-stars Ryan Gosling, who played Ken, and America Ferrera, who played Gloria, were nominated for their respective categories.
There is a scene in “The Holdovers’’ in which boarding school teacher Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) asks Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), a troubled student whom he is the guardian of over winter break, what the bottle of pills on his bed is for. Angus quickly brushes them off as being for his “low energy,” to which Paul bluntly responds, “You mean for depression?” Angus changes the subject and walks out of the room while Paul takes a few of the pills.
The growing world of movie musicals is a diverse and inviting place where beloved musicals come to life on the big screen, thrilling long-time fans. Entering the chromatic, jazzy ambiance of Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land,” viewers are charmed by the beauty and art of jazz and the symbolism of colors. With the release of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Tick, Tick… Boom!” in 2021, one is swept away into the musical, chaotic and heartbreaking story of Jonathan Larson’s life as an aspiring playwright. Each spontaneous break into song makes the film that much more delightful and the theatrical choreography adds another layer of enjoyment.
2023 has become the year of artificial intelligence. The current phenomenon has rapidly transformed modern technology landscapes and sparked debates across various fields. It is expected that this technology will play a significant role in shaping the future of various industries, particularly the entertainment industry, which is constantly evolving and has emerged as one of the frontrunners in attempts at adopting AI technology.
The slasher film “Thanksgiving” was released in theaters on Nov. 17, scoring big with fans and critics alike. The film has notched an 84% on Rotten Tomatoes with mostly positive reviews for director Eli Roth’s latest horror installment while also grossing $36.8 million against a $15 million budget as of Monday, Dec. 4.
The reality television juggernaut “Big Brother” capped off its landmark 25th season by crowning Jagateshwar “Jag” Bains, a 25-year-old truck company owner from Omak, Washington. Bains was not only the first Sikh player to win the game but also the first Sikh player to play “Big Brother.”
Nothing could prepare audiences for “Saltburn,” the psychological thriller and black comedy that was released on Nov. 17. The film follows a young university student who becomes obsessed with a wealthy student and his family, ultimately spending the summer with them at their Saltburn estate.
“The Hunger Games” franchise continued on Nov. 17 with the release of “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” a prequel movie to the original trilogy. The new movie, directed by Francis Lawrence, tells the story of the 10th annual Hunger Games, highlighting Coriolanus Snow.
In 2022, Elvis Presley reentered cultural consciousness through the flamboyant eyes of Baz Luhrmann. Austin Butler’s portrayal – and the exuberant stylistic elements of the film – depicted the well-known and beloved Elvis. Sofia Coppola’s new film “Priscilla” demands her audience of something greater: nuance. She demands the King of Rock to be seen through the eyes of his ex-wife, Priscilla Presley. Represented in this movie is a far-more nuanced and loveable icon because he is understood through the woman who loves him. What’s more, Coppola is able to acutely delineate how it is that a woman can lose herself in love and crafts a sophisticated story that honors the lived experiences of women.
“Attack on Titan” has finally come to an end after being on the air for over 10 years. The anime, based on the manga of the same name, tells the story of oppression, the cost of freedom and the endless cycle of violence. The series has gained immense popularity over its run, and due to its complex themes, it has sparked up discussions and debates that are still ongoing even after the final episode has aired.
Record labels are discussing a big change in the world of rerecording albums as the success of Taylor Swift’s “Taylor’s Version” releases increase. With Swift’s fourth re-recorded album released on Oct. 27, “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” record labels are discussing adding a clause to contracts for new signees to ensure that they do not rerecord albums for 10 to 30 years after they depart from the label. In some cases, labels are not allowing for artists to rerecord albums at all.
