Koslofsky’s Corner: what are we going to do with Dave Chappelle, old man?
“A guy your age wouldn’t even know the pain. It’s like in your generation the space shuttle [The Challenger] blows up every fucking day. How can you care about anything, when you care about every goddamn thing? […] I can’t keep track of all this shit, so you just, give the fuck up. That’s the […]
‘Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood’ is a desperate bid for transcendence from a filmmaker on his way out
Is there any American director with a brand-name that can rival Quentin Tarantino? For the last 25 years, this uncompromising auteur (or: stubborn misogynist) has been the loudest voice in violent, independent cinema. But not for much longer. “I think when it comes to theatrical movies, I’ve come to the end of the road,” he […]
Koslofsky’s Corner: And We’re Off!
Hello! Welcome to the Arts Section of The Brandeis Hoot! My name is Jonah, and I’ll be your arts editor for this coming year. I’m a senior studying English and film. Criticism, especially film criticism is a real passion of mine. I just finished a summer internship at “Film Comment Magazine”—one of the few earthly […]
Extravagant, indulgent and somehow perfect: we’re truly in the ‘endgame’ now
“Because if we can’t protect the earth, you can be damn well sure we’ll avenge it.” So said Tony Stark to a petulant demigod seven years ago—and with the release of “Avengers: Endgame,” that day has come. In the wake of last year’s “Infinity War,” and its unmatched, snappy cliffhanger, returning directors Anthony and Joe […]
For ‘Gloria Bell,’ Coming-of-Age is a Constant
We never quite finish growing up, so it makes sense that the coming-of-age honchos at A24 would eventually finance a movie like “Gloria Bell.” After all, this is the same studio that brought us “Moonlight,”“Lady Bird,” “Mid90s,” “The Florida Project” and “Eighth Grade.” Why not apply their signature lens to a middle-aged woman? “When the […]
‘Shazam:’ the importance of being earnest
“Shazam” starts off like so many superhero movies: an over-the-top prologue, an average chase sequence—you get the picture. But about 15 minutes in, something changes. After getting kicked out of multiple group homes, Billy Batson (Asher Angel) is given one last chance. He’s introduced to his new foster family, parents Rosa and Victor (Marta Milans […]
Gaspar Noe’s Pulsing, Claustrophobic ‘Climax’ is a Bottled Anxiety Attack
So the first time I saw “Climax,” I had an anxiety attack. From what I understand, you’re not supposed to take a drug like LSD solo, and I’d say the same goes for seeing this bottled trip of a movie. It was too much. I’m ashamed to admit that I reached for my phone for […]
In “Us,” Jordan Peele Unleashes His Apocalyptic Pessimism
Few endings are as gratifying as the conclusion of “Get Out.” Our hero, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) finally, well, gets out (with some unexpected help from a friend). But this crowd-pleasing closure was writer/director Jordan Peele’s second choice: The alternate ending, which found Chris unjustly imprisoned, is a much more realistic resolution—and an enormous bummer. Two […]
‘Captain Marvel’ review: one small step…
After 20(!) feature films, it’s fair to say that the Marvel movies have a certain rhythm. These things tend to find their footing around the second act, as the action, characters and humor all coalesce into a kinetic, sensory experience. The jokes land because they’re coming out of the mouths of people we care about. […]
Unstuck from time and self, ‘Transit’ demands your attention
There’s an espresso machine in the first shot of “Transit.” It’s not an especially fancy espresso machine, an average appliance you’d expect in any modern café. But protagonist Georg (Franz Ragowski) isn’t having coffee in the present—“Transit,” we soon learn, is set at an undetermined point during the height of the Nazi occupation of France. […]
Turns out some good stuff has snuck onto Netflix
Let’s face it: There’s a lot of crap on Netflix. On the level playing field of auto-playing thumbnails, it can be difficult to tell the good stuff from the bad. Netflix doesn’t care if you sink hours into reruns of “The Office” or another mess from Adam Sandler or the best movie of last year. […]
‘Greenbook,’ ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and leaving the Oscars behind
On March 4, 2018, “Get Out” won an Oscar. This was an enormous victory. Writer/director Jordan Peele walked away with the golden statue for Best Original Screenplay, awarding his work on a horror movie, a genre oft-ignored by the Academy. Plus, Oscar voters are even less likely to hand out trophies to financially successful, popular […]
Alas, ‘Glass’ disappoints
How did we get here? Nineteen years ago, writer/director M. Night Shyamalan made “Unbreakable,” a nifty little deconstruction of the superhero genre starring Bruce Willis as David Dunn, a quietly indestructible man. The film concluded with the twist that Dunn had an “arch-nemesis” in the form of Samuel L. Jackson’s “Mister Glass,” a genius restrained […]
‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ finds a unique take on the Wall-Crawler
Over the past two decades, three white guys have played Spider-Man. There was the original, chubby-faced Tobey Maguire, the Coldplay-listening skateboarder (we don’t talk about him) and the best of the bunch, the charming and childish Tom Holland. Last year’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming” did what it could to reinvigorate the myth of Peter Parker, but after […]
‘Vice:’ nearly as frustrating as the Bush presidency
Three years ago, Adam McKay won an Oscar. This was… a career shift: McKay made his name directing Will Ferrell comedies like “Step Brothers” and “Talladega Nights.” He’d never come off as a bad filmmaker (“Anchorman” is a classic), but awards-bait wasn’t his niche. “The Big Short” changed all that—the success of McKay’s frantic retelling […]
‘Vox Lux’—Shock ‘Value’
If there’s one thing abundantly clear about “Vox Lux,” it’s that this movie fancies itself as the highest and most relevant art. Why else would the film open with one of the most brutal depictions of gun violence ever shown on screen? It speaks volumes about writer/director Brady Corbet’s latest feature that one must issue […]
UTC’s ‘Godspell:’ ambitious and intriguing
Why “Godspell?” Of the countless stage plays and musicals available to Brandeis’ Undergraduate Theater Collective (UTC), of all the possible material that would bring out the best in Brandeis performers, why choose a seventies pop-rock re-imagining of the New Testament for this year’s fall production? I imagine this question must have popped into the mind […]
Who critiques the critics?
Jonah Koslofsky ’20 and Noah Harper ’19 are two guys who like to write about pop culture and occasionally review Brandeis productions. This week, they’re going to have a conversation about criticism in general. Shade… might be thrown. Jonah: So, Noah, about a month ago, the parody account known as “The Brandeis Bagel” uploaded a […]
‘Because of the War’ highlights Liberian musicians
The Wasserman Cinematheque may be Brandeis’ best kept secret. A state-of-the-art theater located in the International Business School building of all places, the Wasserman has been home to a few cool events the past few years but on the whole, doesn’t get nearly enough of the recognition it deserves on campus. This past Tuesday, the […]
Turns out, ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’ requires no forgiveness
Without an ample marketing budget, indie movies often lack a worthy trailer. My heart hurt a little earlier this year when a friend told me the taut, micro-budget “Thoroughbreds” looked bad—but, then again, based on the trailer, it kind of did. Millions will see—and anticipate—the marketing for the next “Avengers” film, and, thus, millions of […]
