‘The Way Back’ is way more than just an inspiring sports movie
In the opening shot of “The Way Back,” Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck), throws a rope down the frame. The camera pans, just slightly—it’s not quite clear toward whom he is tossing it, but the act doesn’t seem all that out of place on a busy construction site. Jack spends his days here, earning a living—more […]
One last time: Koslofsky’s Corner
Well, that got here quick! Dear reader, you’re holding in your hands the last print issue of The Hoot for the 2019-2020 school year, which just so happens to contain the very last “Koslofsky’s Corner.” Yes, this self-indulgent exercise must come to an end, as COVID-19 shutters the doors of this university a month and […]
Hear funny at the ‘Voices of Comedy’ festival this weekend
Brandeis has had its own pseudo-music festival for years: look no further than Springfest. But this weekend, Brandeis will be hosting its first ever comedy festival. Organized almost single-handedly by Anna Cass ’21, “Voices of Comedy” is a two-day event coming this Friday and Saturday, March 6 and 7. First, on Friday at 8 p.m., […]
The love of look: ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’
To love is to look. To gaze at the one you care about, learning their perspective, their point-of-view and the manner in which they move through the world. To find yourself pulled deeper. To learn the little movements and muscles, catching every stray and repeated gesture and motion. To be loved is to be seen, […]
Koslofsky’s Corner: On the worthless dribble of ‘Jojo Rabbit’
“An anti-hate satire.” That’s the label writer/director Taika Waititi stuck onto his latest feature, the damn-near insufferable “Jojo Rabbit.” Have you ever longed to spend two hours inside the head of a cute ten-year-old Nazi? If so, this is the movie for you: from the opening frame, we’re plugged into the consciousness of Johannes “Jojo” […]
Koslofsky’s Corner: yikes, I’m in love with Noah Baumbach
There’s something masochistic about turning on a Noah Baumbach movie. If you’re unfamiliar, this is the writer/director who broke into the mainstream with “The Squid and the Whale” (2005), an excruciating, autobiographical riff on his parents’ divorce. More than any other filmmaker working today, Baumbach makes no illusions about his characters, people he’s willing to […]
‘1917’ Review: World War One-Take
A “cut” is an elementary filmmaking term that refers to the point at which one shot ends and another begins. The camera “cuts,” and suddenly we’re looking at another angle, another scene or another perspective. It’s a basic tool of editing, an essential aspect in the construction of a film. Or maybe it isn’t. After […]
Koslofsky’s Corner: top ten of 2019
Here we are: a presentation of the top ten movies of 2019! First things first: this was not a great year for blockbuster filmmaking. I’ve only got one franchise picture on my official list, and just about every sequel, soft-reboot or spin-off I saw in theaters was disappointing. As usual, the big studios need to […]
‘Marriage Story’ review: one for the adults
Why does Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) love Charlie? He’s steady. He’s a great dad to their 8-year-old son Henry. He’s a good cook, and the caring head of the avant-garde theater company that employs both of them—he the director; she his lead actress. Why does Charlie (Adam Driver) love Nicole? She gives thoughtful, perfect presents. She’s […]
Koslofsky’s Corner: a quick thanks to all
Congrats, everybody: We made it! It’s the last issue of The Hoot for 2019, and, to be quite honest, I’m so proud of the arts section, and the paper as a whole. I’ll be uncharacteristically brief: Thank you so much to every single person who contributed to arts this semester. Whether you got roped into […]
Koslofsky’s Corner: What are we going to do about the Marvel hegemony?
Martin Scorsese is one of our greatest living filmmakers. How many years has this guy been making classics? Turns out, he’s also one of our sharpest critics. In an Op-Ed for The New York Times, Scorsese clarified some of his recent criticism of the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). My disdain/jealousy of Scorsese’s […]
On ‘Jesus is King,’ Kanye delivers a holy disappointment
On Oct. 25, after umpteen delays, Mr. Kanye West finally released his ninth solo studio album, “Jesus is King.” Was it worth the wait? And what’s become of hip-hop’s loudest auteur? The Hoot Arts Editor Jonah Koslofsky and staff music critic Chris de Mena discuss: Jonah: For years, Kanye has been a mess. Sometimes, that […]
Koslofsky’s Corner: I am watching (the) ‘Watchmen’
“How do I take off a mask when it stops being a mask?” That’s what Rami Malek’s Elliot Alderson drawled back in the second season premiere of “Mr. Robot.” A few years later, Elliot may have found something resembling an answer, and my beloved hacker-drama is wrapping up its run, part-way through its fourth and […]
Koslofsky’s Corner: Even if you’ve never read a comic before, enter the House of X
OK, this is it. This is the piece where I truly unleash my inner (and outer) nerd. I’ve been reading comic books since I was eight years old—these days, dozens of millions of people turn out for every adaptation of each superhero story, but what not nearly as many know is that the comics these […]
Brace yourself for the rip-roaring insanity of ‘Parasite’
Bong Joon-Ho’s “Parasite” moves like a rollercoaster. That is the best way to describe how its tension builds and crests, before releasing in an exhilarating back-half that had me on the edge–if not falling out–of my seat. Fair warning: like any intense, good ride, it’ll leave you a bit winded. But even after you depart […]
Koslofsky’s Corner: ‘Blue Velvet’ is the perfect movie for Yom Kippur
The Jewish holiday Yom Kippur is no picnic. Hey, it’s not supposed to be—arriving 10 days after the celebration of the new year (Rosh Hashanah, for any gentiles who haven’t been keeping track), Yom Kippur is a day of repentance, a time to reflect on the ways we can do better in the coming year. […]
Sorry society: ‘Joker’ sucks
On July 20, 2012, a gunman opened fire in a screening of “The Dark Knight Rises.” Twelve people lost their lives. The shooter’s hair was dyed red, and in the days that followed, a rumor circulated that he had been impersonating the Joker, attempting to emulate the fictional mass murderer. Now, this rumor has been […]
Koslofsky’s Corner: Jonah’s back from NYFF, and he’s seen some of the year’s best
Transcendence. The feeling that’s triggered when a piece of art goes beyond mere expression, what’s felt when a blend of ideas are executed to perfection. At least, that’s how a guy talking to me outside Lincoln Center explained it last Friday. But transcendence is an inherently subjective experience, and every time a critic proclaims that […]
Koslofsky’s Corner: Jonah’s not in class, but he’s got thoughts about lots of movies
Oh, Israel. You’re the one topic students on the Brandeis campus don’t rush to argue about. What am I going to do with you? The truth is, there’s probably no time when Nadav Lapid’s Israeli maximalist opus “Synonyms” wouldn’t have deeply resonated with me. It was the first of twelve films I’ll be watching at […]
Koslofsky’s Corner: A New York Film Festival Briefing
Goodbye, Brandeis! I know, it feels like I just got here, but by the time you read this, I’ll be all packed for my two-week trip to New York City. What’s pulling me away from beautiful Waltham, MA and back to the grimiest metropolis in the world, you ask? Only the 57th New York Film […]
