On December 13th, the Museum of Moving Image saluted Annette Bening for her work in the arts and cinema.
Following his debut album The Attractions of Youth, Barns Courtney gives an absorbingly brilliant show at American Beauty.
Barns Courtney is greeted by an enlivened crowd, consisting of a wide mixture of fans, all threaded with a common anticipation for Courtney. This is reminiscent of Courtney’s music, one filled with a heterogeneity of sounds and evolving tones, though all built on the foundation of skilled vocals and a booming band. The music seemed to reach every corner of the venue, the band commandeering every person in the room.
Before attending, I was curious to find what type of crowd Courtney will pull. To my surprise, the venue was packed with a conglomerate of different listeners, ranging in almost every way possible. For many, this is a hard feat. Though, with his wide ambit of music, his tracks all hit a different nerve, making him easy to connect with.
The driving force behind the entire performance was the energy given by Courtney. The never-ending stream of vitality ran through each song, and the rowdy performance kept fans dancing along to the booming sound of Courtney’s voice.
With his talent, explosive stage presence, and definite sex appeal, confirmed by screaming teenage girls, Barns Courtney demands your attention.
The debut album The Attractions of Youth is available now.
SUR channels violence, love, and nature in his debut EP.
My first encounter with Dr. Jane Goodall was in the second grade. In celebration of Women’s History Month, the mothers of students dressed as famous women throughout history, one playing the part of Dr. Goodall. It was then I learned about her work and love for animals.
Fourteen years later, Dr. Goodall still floats into and out of out my mind, usually triggered by an image of a chimpanzee, gorilla, monkey, or similarly, a large group of male college students at a house party. But in reflection, I had only skimmed the surface on what there is to know about Jane Goodall.
“Jane” reflects on Goodall’s life with a delicate yet intimate touch. Beginning at her arrival in Gombei, Africa, the documentary creates a clear image of just how crucial Jane’s discoveries were, and how undiluted her aspirations were. Carrying us alongside her, Goodall narrates the film, outlining her hopes, frustrations, accomplishments, and struggles. You are met with a side of Jane that could only be presented in a manner as soft and enveloping as her aged voice.
Before her exploration in Gombei, there was little known about chimpanzees. Working as an assistant to a scientist, Jane set off to examine these creatures, hoping to learn more about their species and to look for ties to mankind. Goodall’s research revolutionized the thinking of the natural world, providing more insight than ever before. Despite her work being undercut for her being a woman, Jane’s relentless work provided a much-needed foundation for evolutionary theory.
From her first steps in Africa, to finally being accepted by the chimpanzees of Gombei, to raising her child in the Serengeti, Goodall maps out her life with the utmost sincerity. The love she felt for her husband, the pain she felt watching chimps die, the joy that sprung from the birth of a baby chimpanzee, and the sadness that ensued when she sent her son off to school in England. Her life, and feelings, are painted with the purest colors.
It is uncommon to find a documentary that makes your chest feel warm and full. The tenderness that was felt throughout the film that could only stem from a genuine source of kindness. My love for nature and animals was re-sparked after watching this film, making the concrete sidewalk and rushing taxis of New York feel strange for a bit.
Goodall forwent a “normal” life, one filled with consistency and routine, for her unwavering love of animals. Parting with a hopeful plea for a more eco-conscious future, it is clear the Dr. Jane Goodall is far too good for any of us. The film is now playing.
Filmmaker Jeff Deutchman brings us his second installment in his election series. A follow up to his take on the 2008 run, Deutchman follows 16 subjects from across the country, all ranging in socio-economic and political backgrounds, as they move throughout election day, unbeknownst to what shift that day will cause. With aid from filmmakers spread out across states, Deutchman portrays our country on the brink of a social tsunami.
The most beneficial component to the film was the different perspectives that were examined. A veteran Latino, a politically unenthused nomad, an (attempted) unbiased partisan, a coal miner from West Virginia, a thoughtful Sikh from Queens. Each had their reasons for their beliefs, and each belief was given an attempt at validity.
At the start of the documentary, the watcher’s omnipresent viewpoint was fully intact. Yet as the film rolled on, that unattached view slowly melted away, transporting viewers back to that rollercoaster of hope and defeat that was election day. I grew restless in my seat, my chest growing tight and heavy.
At a first glance, this film missed the “commonality” factor that felt needed to tie in the stories and create a sense of wholeness. But in reflection, I, like many others, have never experienced that near tangible divide in mindset than I did on that day, and every day since. The slight state of separation between each subject was necessary to emulate the characteristics of that day.
The biggest success of this project was the demonstration of ignorance at every level, on every side. Some subjects displayed their ignorance in the most basic sense, from false information on the candidates, to little knowledge about who was even running. Other’s proved they didn’t comprehend larger concepts such as the heaviness of sexual assault and the pervasiveness of misogyny in our culture. For some subjects, it felt as if they were voting for life or death. For others, the outcome meant little to nothing.
Though this film aims to be unattached to one specific political party, there is an aftertaste of a democratic standpoint. Whether this was intentional or not is unclear, but I am curious to see how this story reads on a national scale.
11/8/16 is in theaters and on-demand on November 3rd. Watch the trailer, here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaGUjlKBzOY
Academy of Art University debuted the work of ten recent graduates at Skylight Clarkson Square. The show featured five womenswear collections, and two menswear collections.
Monday night, Dolores Huerta’s immensely underrated story was finally brought to light.
This past Monday, the documentary “Dolores” took screen at the Metrograph in New York City.
The first sign of a worthwhile night has to be a pizza shaped stamp on your hand, despite it’s meaning of “underage.”
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