On Saturday Sept. 23, I got to see “A Haunting in Venice.” It is the third Agatha Christie murder mystery adaptation where Kenneth Branagh portrays the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and serves as the film’s director. The film is loosely based on Christie’s 1969 novel “Hallowe’en Party.” I I have watched the previous two movies Branagh has directed (“Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile”), so I was quite excited with a third movie coming out.
Though I was excited for this movie since murder mysteries happen to be one of my favorite genres, I was also at the same time quite skeptical because I did not enjoy “Death on the Nile” as much as I thought I would. However, this film definitely did not disappoint.
A strong point of this film was its cinematography. There were a variety of different camera angles such as dutch angles and close shots used to help convey the ethereal and creepy atmosphere of a palazzo in Venice where the movie takes place. Also, I enjoyed the shots outside of the palazzo, as it helped to showcase the beauty of Venice and even got the viewer to see what was going on outside the palazzo while Poirot investigates the crime. The visuals were beautiful and one of the things that kept me engaged as the film progressed.
The story is a “whodunnit” within a haunted house setting. Something to keep in mind is that the movie was spooky, not scary. In my opinion, you will get the shivers. The movie does incorporate horror such as the use of supernatural elements. Additionally, it has some subtle comedy, which helps give the viewer some moments of brevity. The story to me overall did not feel rushed and I appreciated that. I do recommend watching the previous two movies as there are some small references from them, but it is optional as the movie is its own separate story.
The characters to me were all interesting in their own ways. I loved getting to know each of them and their own respective connections to each other and to the overall story itself. Once again, Branagh does a great job of portraying Poirot. With that being said, the rest of the cast did just as great. For instance, Tina Fey’s performance as Ariadne Oliver (Poirot’s friend and crime novelist) surprised me. I thought that I would be distracted because of her past works she has been in like “Mean Girls,” but I enjoyed her interactions with Branagh in the movie.
Out of the three films that Branagh has directed, I can say without a doubt that “A Haunting in Venice” is the best one. I came into the theater excited and left it feeling very satisfied. I recommend this film to any fellow murder mystery fan.
After years of anticipation, beginning back in 2018 with its announcement at E3, Bethesda Game Studios grand space Role Playing Game Starfield has launched to an auspicious start.
The game was released on Sept. 6, though players who pre-ordered the standard edition or the X-box game pass got to experience early access starting on Sept. 1. The game rocketed to over 6 million players worldwide within the first two days of release, according to an announcement made by Bethesda on X.
This is a successful start, but it does not reveal how many players bought the game and how many are simply trying it out using their game pass. For context, Skyrim, one of Bethesda’s biggest hits, sold 3.4 million copies within 2 days, and another major title, Fallout 4, sold 1.2 million copies on the platform steam the day after it was released. If even half of Starfield’s players bought their own copy, it is sitting among lofty company.
Reception among critics has been largely positive, with the game landing a solid 7/10 from IGN, an 87% from metacritic, many claiming that while the game isn’t as groundbreaking as the hype set it up to be, it is still a very good game with solid gameplay and impressive graphics. Audience reactions, however, have been much more varied.
Shortly after its release, the game experienced negative reviews on the public side of Metacritic, with a large number of 0 and 1 out of 10 reviews by angry players. Some users are expressing anger at the game for being an Xbox exclusive, while others refer to it as a “joke,” “outdated,” and a “loading-menu simulator”. The game dipped incredibly low early on, but after a counter-bomb movement by fans, it currently sits at a 5.6 average score.
Some players grew angry for gameplay-unrelated reasons. In the large character creation menu, one field allows a player to choose their pronouns, including “they/them” as an option. One streamer, HeelvsBabyface, who has 350 thousand subscribers on YouTube, went viral after an explicit rant when he came across the pronoun menu. Others, such as Dr. Disrespect, complained about developers making the game “political” by including the option, and many who agree with them have mentioned almost refunding their game when they saw it.
On the other hand, many streamers and gamers have been mocking these sorts of extreme reactions. The streamer The Act Man called the issue “superfluous” since pronouns hadn’t even been brought up in his 8 hours of playtime, and another streamer, Hutch, said that the reactions were “wildly unhinged”, especially as it is a very small option on the menu.
Whatever their opinions, the game is still remarkably popular, experiencing 1 million players online concurrently on the day of release, so one way or another, it seems Bethesda has made an impression with their new title.
On June 16, Kourtney Kardashian broke the news to her husband Travis Barker that she was pregnant at his band, Blink-182’s, concert. Holding up a sign that said “Travis I’m Pregnant” in reference to the 1999 Blink-182 video for their song “All the Small Things. This pregnancy announcement followed the couple’s first wedding anniversary, as well as a well-documented IVF journey on Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
Barbenheimer
On July 21, both Universal and Warner Bros. released their highly anticipated films “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie”. Bringing in over $500 million worldwide in a four-day time span, these two movies signified that movie-going might make a comeback. For most during that weekend, theaters were packed and audiences reacted together, just like the good old days. For more about these movies, please read “Barbenheimer: Review”.
Threads
Meta’s take on Twitter, Threads, launched earlier this summer on July 5. After 24 hours, the site had more than 95 million posts and 190 million likes. Having gained such traction so early on, Meta creators were excited to see how the future of Threads would turn out. Unfortunately, the site saw a 70% decline in daily users just two weeks after its peak on July 7. Following this news, the popular social media app Tik Tok has announced text-only posts, in addition to the photo and video post options.
The Idol
On June 4, HBO released the first episode of “the sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood,” as said by the show’s leading lady Lily-Rose Depp. Created by Sam Levinson, the creator of Euphoria, and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, The Idol portrays the complicated relationship between a contemporary cult-leader and female pop icon. Viewers were so taken aback by the controversial plot line and almost pornographic scenes, they created a rumor that the show had ended abruptly, scratching the fifth episode and releasing the finale early.
Matty Healy
Matty Healy made headlines a couple of times this summer. The first of which occurred right after news broke that Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn had separated. Shortly after, rumors about Swift and Healy dating began circulating, to later be confirmed by one of Swift’s friends and producers, Jack Antonoff. Although Antonoff confirmed the relationship to be a casual one, Healy was seen at and even in some of Swift’s Eras Tour shows, opening with Phoebe Bridgers. Healy had a few weeks of radio silence after he and Swift broke things off, until he performed at Malaysia’s Good Vibes Festival in mid-July. Following an aggressive rant about Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws, Healy grabbed bandmate Ross MacDonald for a kiss.Not only did the remaining three days of the Good Vibes Festival get canceled, but The 1975 also canceled their upcoming shows in Indonesia and Taiwan. Although Healy likely thought he was performing an act of protest and solidarity, many queer Malaysians are critical of Healy’s actions, calling it an act of his “white savior complex.”
The weekend following July 21 was a big one, not only for movie-goers but also for the box office. Bringing in over $244 million to the domestic box office, Universal’s “Oppenheimer” brought in $82 million while Warner Bros.’ “Barbie” brought in a whopping $162 million over a three-day period, making that weekend the fourth-largest in the history of the domestic box office.
Like many of those who saw Barbenheimer, I saw “Oppenheimer” first and followed with “Barbie” for a light-hearted pallet cleanser. To reflect my viewing experience, I will first review Christopher Nolan’s movie, then end with Greta Gerwig’s.
My biggest takeaway from “Oppenheimer” was how beautiful it was. I was lucky enough to see it in a 70 mm theater, but I think even with a smaller aspect ratio, the colors and lighting would still be impactful. Even in the black and white scenes, the contrast was graded very well. Even though I am typically not a fan of different saturations being used to portray different time periods, I understood and almost respected how Nolan’s choice helped the flow of the three-hour film. As fragmented as the plot was, I think this choice was more than just artistic and really helped with audience digestion of the concurrent plot lines.
Although I try not to look into movies too much before watching them, I obviously expected performances from Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr. and Matt Damon, but the rest of the star-studded cast was distracting to me. Naming a few of those who really caught me off guard, Devon Bostick (Rodrick in “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”), Josh Peck (Josh in “Drake and Josh”), Matthew Modine (Papa in “Stranger Things”) and Gary Oldman (Sirius Black in the “Harry Potter” movies) were all distracting me from the actual plot as they were on screen. The most distracting was Rami Malek, although one could make an argument for the importance of his specific talent towards the end of the film.
While I understand these actors’ want to be in a Christopher Nolan movie, the culmination of all of them at once was a lot to take in.
I also don’t have much to say on this last note but I think it’s an important one to include: “Oppenheimer” does not pass the Bechdel test. This does not have to be an important thing to keep in mind, but matched with the arguably unnecessary nudity of Florence Pugh and the fact that no woman speaks for the first approximately 20 minutes of the film, it’s interesting to point out and think about, especially in the 21st century.
I also do recognize that although this review is fairly negative, I rated “Oppenheimer” as 4.5 stars on Letterboxd. It was visually pleasing, beautifully edited, and the actors’ performances were stunning. Overall, I would highly recommend Christopher Nolan’s latest film to anyone who likes World War II history, Cillian Murphy, or movies as a whole.
As for Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” this movie was all I wished it was and more. Not to sound cliche, but the self-reflection that I had at the end of the movie made me so genuinely happy to be a woman. And for those of the viewers who are not women, “Barbie” at the very least makes you more aware of the feminine presences in your life, both within yourself and those close to you.
The casting choices made by Allison Jones and Lucy Bevan were impeccable. Not only were Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling the epitomes of their characters, each cameo was tasteful enough to get recognition without stealing the spotlight. From Michael Cera to Kate McKinnon, each side character was casted with just as much attention to detail as the leading roles, really making Barbieland feel like a fully developed reality.
Although Margot Robbie’s performance was near perfect, I think that America Ferrera as Gloria was the best part of the whole movie. Given her history of roles, Ana in “Real Women Have Curves”, Carmen in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and Betty in “Ugly Betty”, Ferrera has fared well in her iconic roles as one of the first Latinas on television to not fit the stereotypical beauty standard in the early 2000s (and that’s not to say that she isn’t beautiful). Continuing on this track of roles, in the movie “Barbie,” Gloria is a woman who struggles with her self-image and self-worth. By creating a Barbie that goes against societal standards of women, in that she thinks of life beyond having perfect hair and a girls’ night every night, Gerwig’s combination of Gloria and Stereotypical Barbie is, in my opinion, brilliant. And the casting that goes hand-in-hand with this plot point furthers my opinion even more.
Overall, I would give Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” five stars. Genuinely. I had high expectations going into this movie and they were exceeded by every element of the film.
In retrospect, the weekend following July 21 was one that will be remembered well, not only by history buffs, but by teenage girls of all ages, as well.
“Hold her while you can, cause someday you won’t get the chance.”
Walking hand in hand with one of my dearest friends, we make our way down to the World Café Live, ready to enter the world of Stephen Sanchez. The World Café Live might very well be one of the coolest live music venues in the city. This space, which runs as an independent, non-profit, music venue was very neat. The main floor was stocked with a full bar with little bar stools around it. This area overlooks the pit, with the stage set up by the front of the room. Above the bar area, there was a balcony that overlooked the whole space.
My friend and I went to the pit, and we were right in the middle, but all the way in the back. Even though we seemed far from the stage, the venue was not too big, so we felt pretty close. There was a wide range of people in the crowd, from college age students, to older couples there for a Valentine’s date night, to even younger children tagging along with their parents. Even though this was my first time at this venue, it felt comfortable and familiar to me. My friend and I passed the time talking with each other and catching up before the opening act took the stage. It had been a very long time since we had hung out, so it felt nice to fall back into our own rhythm together again.
Before long, the lights dimmed and the opening act Kings Elliot took the stage. Her songs were melancholic as most of them were based on her personal experience with mental health. I did not even realize that she was going to be the opening act, but I am really glad that she was because I really loved her sound. Clear and crisp, her voice carried throughout the space and filled the room. Even though her songs were more of a serious nature, they were definitely songs that stuck with me and something that I would add to my playlist.
Soon the atmosphere changed, and I knew it was going to be time to see the headliner of the show: Stephen Sanchez. The lights dimmed once again, and these round lights on the stage began to shine and they were pretty bright, like a dazzling glow. Soon, the main act himself burst onto the stage. I could tell at that moment that Stephen was a born performer. He immediately captivated the audience with his smooth voice, high energy, and lovable personality. I knew then that this was going to be a great show, and it only got better.
Once he wrapped up the first couple songs, he threw his guitar pick into the crowd, but everyone was too mesmerized by him, no one really noticed. Except me. I bent down, turned my flashlight on, and right by my foot, I saw it! His guitar pick! It was a surreal moment; I really felt like I was the main character. However, truthfully, I felt like I wanted to give it to someone else. Standing next to me and my friend were a teenage couple and since Valentine’s Day had just passed, I figured “love in the air” and gave the pick to the girl, after I was able to give it a kiss and grab a quick picture with it.
Stephen did a great job engaging with the crowd. He sampled one of his new songs “Only Girl,” and even taught the crowd the chorus so we could all sing along with him. Some other sweet songs he sang were “Hold Her While You Can,” “Lady by the Sea” and the song that blew up on TikTok, “Until I Found You.” His energy went all over the place, from a soft crooning lovey dovey voice, to jumping around the stage with his guitar in hand. In between songs, it was cute to see Stephen hug his bandmates and show his appreciation for them.
Something that I also enjoyed during the show was towards the end. His band went off-stage, and Stephen played a few songs by himself with just his guitar. It was a nice change of space, without the flashy lights or heavy guitar or drums. Just hearing him have full control of his voice as he serenaded the crowd. During this time, it was sweet to see the couples hold onto each other and sway to his pretty voice.
Although it was sad to see the show end, it was so magical. The venue had a disco ball, and it was so cool to see an actual disco ball shine and glitter during the last few songs. This was my first being in the presence of an actual disco ball and I am so happy I got to experience it. It really was the icing on the cake. It was the perfect ending to a really fun concert. Even though Stephen Sanchez is just at the starting line of his career, I can tell he is going to stick around for a while and I am excited to see where he goes from here.
2022 felt like a weird year for music to me. It seemed like every song that I’d hear on the radio, I was thinking to myself, “who the heck is this?”, making me feel as out of touch as the older adults in my life who say, “you’re the only way I hear about new music.” The fact that I’m still listening to radio is probably part of the problem, but basically what happens is a song gets popular on TikTok, and then makes the rounds on Spotify, which gets it to chart on Billboard, and then it starts to receive radio airplay. A month later, your mom’s in the car singing along to a song your favorite TikToker used in their video and now it’s not cool anymore. There were lots of songs this year that I liked (Silk Sonic being my favorite act that delivered this year), but there were lots that I could do without.
Before I get into the actual list, here are some dishonorable mentions:
Big Energy by Latto
Sweetest Pie by Dua Lipa & Megan Thee Stallion
pushin P by Gunna & Future ft. Young Thug
Fingers Crossed by Lauren Spencer Smith
Broadway Girls by Lil Durk ft. Morgan Wallen
Bet On Me by Walk off the Earth ft. D Smoke
Music for a Sushi Restaurant by Harry Styles
She Likes It by Russell Dickerson ft. Jake Scott
Made You Look by Meghan Trainor
#10 Woman by Doja Cat
via Kemosabe Records
When I first heard this song, I thought, “What’s a ‘wooma’”? Turns out she’s putting on weird Patois, which is about as out-of-place as me “axing you question, no cap!” Doja Cat, born in Los Angeles to a Jewish mom and a South African dad, is trying to sound like she’s from the Caribbean, when the closest island she was born to was Santa Cruz. Now it’s no secret that Doja Cat is trying to sound like Rihanna, as in the song she says, “I could be the CEO, just look at Robyn Fenty.” Doja, it’s okay. We don’t need a replacement for Ri-Ri. Truth be told, I really didn’t miss her.
#9 Super Gremlin by Kodak Black
via Atlantic Records
I have never, for the life of me, been able to understand the appeal of this guy. His flow is nasal and slurred, his writing is sloppy, and I can never get over his voice. He sounds like a coclique baby crying itself to sleep. ZEZE, the one song from him that I can stomach, was saved by the steel drums and contributions from Travis Scott and Offset. Kodak Black, who gets in trouble with the law about as often as I get gas, had the ninth most popular song of 2022 and it doesn’t really do much to impress me in any way. The chipmunk vocal sample grew on my nerves in record time, the trap beat is completely hackneyed, we get several poop references throughout the song, and he talks about taking fake drugs, which can lead to at best the worst trip of your life and at worst a surprise OD. Apparently, this song is a diss track towards somebody named Jackboy, who’s a member of Kodak Black’s Sniper Gang crew, but the lines are so interspersed with the bragging that I could hardly notice. Kodak Black frames himself here as a troubled antihero who’s on a redemption arc, which is always essential for a flimsy justification for defending him. When it comes to this song and gremlins in general, I’d like a little sunlight.
#8 Boyfriend by Dove Cameron
via Columbia Records
From what I’ve been able to gather, Dove Cameron is kind of like this generation’s Miley Cyrus, but on a much smaller scale. Whereas Miley Cyrus skyrocketed to fame as a child star with Hannah Montana and then went on to have 8 top ten hits as an adult, Cameron was on a show where she played her own twin and then played Maleficent’s daughter in a made-for-TV movie and then……this. In this song, she sees a girl who’s with this jerk of a guy (we have to assume) and thinks she can treat her better, in a sort of gender-swapped version of Shawn Mendes’ “Treat You Better”. It sounds like it was made in some smokey lounge and then they invited an EDM artist to completely ruin the afterparty.
“Never would have left you alone/ For someone else to take you home.”
This just seals the deal. That girl’s all by herself, because her man stepped away from her for a few seconds and Cameron thinks she’s fair game to be taken home by someone else. Let’s all thank Dove Cameron for showing everyone that a bi girl can be just as big a sex pest as a frat guy.
#7 I Ain’t Worried by OneRepublic
via Interscope Records
I don’t have much to say here. OneRepublic is a band that I don’t really care too much for. Ryan Tedder’s falsetto is something that I can tolerate from time to time. “Feel It Still” did grow on me, but this song feels like your short window of time is running out and you’re desperate for something to hold people’s attention – which is echoed in the melodic key progression. It feels like it’s trying to diffuse into some tension, but never reaches that point, only remaining in limbo and stagnation.
#6 Bring Back the Time by NKOTB and a bunch of old goobers from yesteryear
via Columbia Records
This may have been funny a few years ago, but it’s just sad now. In 2018, these guys released a song called “80s Baby”, which is pretty much the same as this just with different guest stars. This time, the Old Kids On the Porch teamed up with Rick Astley, En Vogue and Salt-N-Pepa for what is the musical equivalent of attending your twenty year high school reunion and then attending your twenty-five year high school reunion while telling the same stories. I’d like to mention that every year, the NKOTB have a cruise, where people who lost their looks a long time ago can spend a week on a boat in hopes that a half-drunk Donnie Wahlberg can sing to them one more time.
“So Bring Back the Time/You know we still got the magic”
Yeah, keep telling yourself that, whatever helps you sleep at night.
#5 TO THE MOON by JNR Choi and Sam Tompkins
via Twitter
This song begins with an abbreviated cover of Bruno Mars’ ‘Talking to The Moon’ by UK singer-songwriter Sam Tompkins, whose crooning strips the song of R&B flavor. Since drill uses samples in this vein, and adds huge percussion over it, we have UK drill rapper JNR Choi, who dropped an album last year that hardly got any attention. On this song, he seems to be doing his best Pop Smoke impression and the song goes viral because the catchphrase ‘to the moon’ is common in the crypto scene. I mean, the cover single is literally a screenshot of Elon Musk tweeting it. Capitalizing on current trends would be enough to dislike this, but the drill beat is painfully sterile, and this guy JNR doesn’t acquit himself well at all. It’s a generic love and sex song and naturally it got an American remix, with Fivio Foreign and Gunna delivering more bland garbage. So, let’s be clear here: this song got popular because of a bad cover, an even worse remix and a crypto meme. This is less like Apollo 11 and more like Apollo 1 or 13, completely worthless.
#4 High by The Chainsmokers
via Columbia Records
After releasing new singles consistently from 2014 to 2019, The Chainsmokers took a three-year hiatus. Why would DJs who make music for people to dance to might not have put out any music during a pandemic, when lots of clubs were closed down? Who knows. But during the break, they spent a lot of time listening to the Arctic Monkeys. A lot of the songs seems to be reminiscent of that era. The song is about being an enabler to an addict who can’t change. Feel like there are some comparisons to be made to people who still listen to The Chainsmokers, despite the fact that even though they suck, they just can’t help themselves. Remember when they used to get singers like Halsey and Daya? They need to do that again, because—seriously they spent three years doing nothing—they couldn’t take a couple singing lessons. Nah, just overproduce the vocals and mask it with an awful beat and we’re good to go. I could say that people could only love this song when they’re high, but I don’t believe for a second that any drug would make this tolerable.
#3 h2hoe by cupcakKe
via cupcakKe
Uhhhh, yeah, I can’t really type the lyrics to this song without having to delete it anyway. Anyway, for those who aren’t familiar with “cupcakKe”, (try not to cut yourself on the edge) her whole gimmick is that she’s a shock rapper. The “throw the GPS, make him come the fastest route” line made me laugh a bit, even if it is super clumsy. Honestly, I’m trying to say something about this song that won’t get me in trouble with my editor. Even though I really hate the cadence of this song, the worst part is that flute/recorder thing in the background. What is that? Overall, this song is just gratuitous for the sake of being gratuitous. It’s not particularly clever and there’s no message here, just her trying to say as many vulgar things as she can in three minutes to make a sixteen-year old’s laugh. If the goal was to expose the double standard of men being allowed to talk about sex whereas women aren’t, that would’ve been ok if Cardi B and Nicki Minaj didn’t already do this and showed the world that no one really cares outside of prudes who look like they avert their eyes whenever their wives take their socks off. I think this song is just as stupid and pointless as the rap songs about sex by men that I’ve made fun of in the past.
via Kemosabe Records; This song by three men is just as derivative as the CupcakKe song.
#2 Rich Flex and Privileged Rappers by Drake & 21 Savage
via OVO Sound and Republic Records
That’s right, it’s a two-way tie, but they both get the Rick Ross award for Fakest Rapper.
“Ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy
I’m on that Slaughter Gang sh!t, ayy, murder gang sh!t
Ayy, Slaughter Gang sh!t, ayy, murder gang sh!t, ayy”
I have a question for just about every rapper out there. Why do you let Drake get away with this? Is it because he’s so popular? That every time he releases an album every song from it is in the Top 20? Do you want to be nice to him so he might feature you and be left with the sloppy seconds from his Spotify pennies? If that’s not it, then why do you let him pretend he’s such a hard gangster when he’s an actor from Canada who has a career as a rapper because Lil Wayne was high on cough syrup and said he could be on Young Money. I mean, I get it, lots of rappers are full of it. Eazy-E, one of the grandfathers of Gangsta Rap, sold drugs and then became a rapper because he felt it was an easier way to make money. I get some of it’s an act. However, a lot of them came up in rough neighborhoods and they can rap about what happened to their friends or family. Drake grew up in a country that has an average of 145-gun homicides a year. A YEAR! And he’s talking about being “on that Slaughter Gang sh!t” and “chrome on chrome”. Get – and I can’t stress this enough – outta here with that! Then he has the gall to release a song called “Privileged Rappers” and it’s NOT about how easy he had it. In fact, he says this: “I hate a privileged rapper who don’t even know what it take”. WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! You’re a privileged rapper, Aubrey! And I know Drake stans will be saying, “but didn’t you see that post from his first show?”
via Instagram
This made the rounds on social media last October. He got paid $100 as the opener for a show in Toronto. You know who he opened for? ICE CUBE! Tell me who, in their first show, gets to be the opening act for a LEGEND. How does that happen without connections or privilege? Drake has so little self-awareness, he couldn’t tell you where his elbow is. Maybe next year he can write a song about how he hates Canadian rappers who had a friend whose dad was an acting agent which led to them doing over 100 episodes of TV, then had two uncles in the music industry and was able to somehow open for Ice Cube and then almost immediately, start working with Lil Wayne, who was the hottest rapper of the mid-to-late 2000s. It’s a real shame this man bought a $100,000,000 mansion and it didn’t come with a single mirror.
#1 ABCDEFU by Gayle
via Atlantic Records
This song was released in 2021, but it didn’t blow up until February 2022, peaking at #3 on Billboard off the strength of angry teenage girls discovering it and using it in the TikToks to help them get through their funny little teenage breakups. Everything about this song is just horrendous. From the vocal fry singing to the lyrics where she outs herself as materialistic and self-centered. She’s mad that he has a relationship with his family, and I hate that basic guitar they buried in the instrumental so they could pretend this is a “rock” song. Finally, the whole reciting the alphabet gimmick is just childish. If “Numb Little Bug” was baby’s first ennui, then this is baby’s first teenage angst. It also goes without, but the sequence of letters in the title doesn’t spell anything. If you want to spell things, how about O N E – H I T W O N D E R. Since releasing this song, she’s released five more; none of them charted. Her first EP debuted two months after this song’s peak success, hitting #138 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart. The slot above was Bob Seger’s Greatest Hits album. That’s right, her debut album got beat that week by a CD they’ve been selling at truck stops since before she was even born. Last but not least, I’d like to cap it off with this. She says “that sh!t you call art”. There’s an old saying Gayle, people in glass houses shouldn’t throw steaming piles of barely coherent, poorly produced, ultimately unlistenable pieces of excrement.
The electric buzz in the air immediately surged through me as I walked through the doors of Union Transfer, a concert venue in Spring Garden. Union Transfer is one of the many live music venues in Philadelphia. On January 27, I had the unbelievable chance to see British singer-songwriter Suki Waterhouse perform a sold-out show.
Suki’s voice sounded comforting, yet innovative. Her melodies and harmonies became amplified by the edge found in the rock-pop element she brings to the table. Seeing her was really just a stroke of good timing. I was on the phone with my sister talking about the idea of doing more things in the city, and I told her about the concert. She jumped to action and found out some tickets were still left for the show. I grabbed my wallet and, probably in the span of 5 minutes, two tickets were secured. This happened about three days before the show, so the excitement within me was very high. This being my first show of 2023, I was super excited.
Having my sister come down for the weekend to hang out with me and to see the show was really sweet. It had been a while since I have seen her or have spent time with her, so going to a concert together was a neat experience.
The walls of Union Transfer have seen a lot before becoming the beloved music venue that it is today. In the past, this space was utilized as a luggage storehouse for a baggage company. The current space has been renovated since. The exterior looked like just about any other regular building you would find, but the interior took the cake. I loved the high ceilings with the exposed beams and the chandeliers that created the ambiance of close gatherings and good times. There was a bar towards the back and even loft areas on the top catwalk, so people could stand and watch the show from a bird’s eye perspective.
Me, on the other hand, I enjoyed the vibrancy of being in the pit alongside the pool of people surged to the front, mere feet away from the stage. In this tighter space, I felt like I connected better to the music and the true experience of seeing and hearing live performances. Being alongside so many people reminded me of the reach that music has. The general audience of the crowd were mostly people that looked like me, young college students, but there were some people that seemed older too. It reminded me that even if we all look so different, we were there together for one reason, and that is the beauty that is found in music.
The opening act, Blondshell, started the night on the right foot, welcoming the crowd and leading us into a lull with her sweet voice. I especially liked her song “Olympus.” Definitely give it a listen. Blondshell’s set was the perfect length, long enough to get you in the mood and also preparing yourself for the true show, the headliner. Once Blondshell wrapped up their set, the anticipation within me was heightened. My sister and I were able to get close to the front, but we were on the left side of the pit, so we saw everything from a side angle. Paired with the fact that I am a little on the shorter side, it was not the most ideal spot, but since we were still so close to the front, I would not want to move anywhere else.
The moment that Suki came onto stage, my heart nearly leapt out of my chest. Up until this moment, I did not really know what to expect, but she truly captivated the audience with her grace, powerful voice, and sweetness. Suki’s charming nature was evident as she participated in someone’s BeReal and took photos on the stage in between songs. She was so happy to just be there and that made the whole night even sweeter. I loved hearing her perform one of my favorite songs “Melrose Meltdown”, and even other great ones like, “Nostalgia” and the namesake of the tour “Coolest Place in the World.”
The absolute most incredible moment during the show was when she looked at me. Okay, this can be debatable, but I promise you, Suki Waterhouse, and yours truly locked eyes during the performance, and she did not break eye contact either! Our gazes held one another for a good 10 seconds, at least, while she sang. At this moment, I could have just melted. Seeing an artist that I grew so fond of and for her to see me, in a sea of people, I do not think there could be anything more fantastic than that.
The night ended with Suki performing her song that blew up on TikTok a while back, “Good Looking,” and before I knew it, the multicolor lights dimmed, and the chandelier lights came back on. The past two hours that I was there felt like it happened in a blur, but I felt this serendipitous state of mind. I felt like I was just on cloud nine, and I felt so happy. My sister left to grab her coat from coat check, and I even got a chance to meet the opening act’s lead singer Sabrina!
The night ended from there, but the memories will stay with me forever. I am going to my grave, fully believing that in those brief 10 seconds, Suki Waterhouse serenaded me during her amazing performance in Philly.
Welcome to Campus Couture, a segment of La Salle TV’s Backstage Pass brought to the Collegian, talking about all things fashion at La Salle. For Campus Couture’s first fashion coverage in the Collegian, Campus Couture’s team of editors has selected the Top 10 Oscars red carpet looks of all time.
Zendaya – Valentino 2021
At the top of our list, we have Zendaya wearing a vibrant lemon-yellow Valentino Haute Couture gown that went viral on social media. The actress, who presented the Oscar for Best Original Score, stunned in an outfit inspired by Cher that she paired with 183 carats Bulgari diamonds. Valentino said on Instagram that the chiffon dress was custom designed by their Creative Director, and it took artisans 300 hours to produce. The Italian label also revealed that the gown has its own name: Force de beauté, or force of beauty.
Cher – Bob Mackie 1974
Looking at the inspiration for that Valentino dress worn by Zendaya, Cher had show-stopping looks at every Academy Award show she attended. The 1974 Oscars was when Cher was promoting her self-titled album and had recently separated from Bono. Once again, wearing Bob Mackie, her staple designer, she wore a floral sarong-style dress skirt with a wrap-tie bralette and matching floral corsages around the neck and pinned up into her hair. Her stylist also brought the color palette of the dress into her beautiful look through her lilac eyeshadow, and plum-shaded blush.
Lady Gaga – Alexander McQueen 2019
Taking it forward to 2019, we have another iconic singer in another iconic look. Lady Gaga wore Alexander Mcqueen at the 2019 Oscars, where she won an award for Best Original Song after her duet, “Shallow,” in the movie“A Star is Born,” topped the charts that year. Lady Gaga’s stylist reported that they were going for a timeless look, taking inspiration from the silhouette of Marilyn Monroe’s dress in the movie “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” as well as adding a diamond necklace last worn by Audrey Hepburn in promotional photos for “Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The yellow diamond stone of the necklace is called the Tiffany diamond and is one of the most famous pieces the company has ever created.
Audrey Hepburn – Givenchy 1975
Let’s look at the one and only, Audrey Hepburn, who Lady Gaga’s necklace paid homage to. In most of her iconic fashion moments both on- and off-screen, Audrey was wearing Givenchy. She and Hubert de Givenchy met in their mid-20s. Their friendship and professional partnership spanned over 40 years. He designed her first Oscars dress, the black satin gown she wears in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” and a pink jersey dress for her wedding day. She once said that Givenchy’s creations always gave her a sense of security and confidence, and her work went more easily knowing that she looked “absolutely right.” This Givenchy dress with intricate beading and a modest cutout at the 1975 Oscars is at the top of our list.
Lupita Nyong’o – Prada 2014
On the topic of Tiffany’s- topping many magazine and news outlets’ Best Dressed lists, Lupita Nyong’o stunned the fashion world with her custom tiffany-blue silk Prada look at the 2014 Oscars, which she later described as a “Nairobi blue” in honor of where she grew up in Kenya. This look was everywhere in the news and on social media, and for good reason. Lupita looks like an effortless and ethereal Cinderella in this light and airy pleated gown with a deep v-neck top and low-cut sides. She paired the dress with Fred Leighton jewels, satin Prada platform sandals, and a matching Prada clutch with baguette crystal detail, framed in gold to go along with the award she won for Best Supporting Actress that night.
Elizabeth Taylor – Edith Head 1953
In another fairytale look, Elizabeth Taylor attended the Oscars in 1953 wearing a dress fit for a princess. The actress chose an elaborate light pink ruffled corset dress for the event, which is thought to be designed by Edith Head. This dress was appraised in 2011 at an event in Minneapolis, MN, on the show “Antique Roadshow” of the PBS channel.
Grace Kelly – Givenchy 1955
Fellow queen of the silver screen and real-life Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly wore an Edith Head original when she won Best Actress for “The Country Girl” at the 1955 Oscars. Grace Kelly’s custom gown cost $4,000 to make in 1955. At that time, it was the most expensive Oscar dress ever. According to Elle Magazine, Designer Edith Head described the hue as “blue champagne.” While A-list stars of today consider outfit repeating a faux-pas, Grace wore her Oscar dress for three different occasions: for a Life Magazine cover, for the premiere of “The Country Girl” movie, and finally for the Oscars. It went on to become one of the most memorable gowns in Academy Awards history.
Sandra Oh – Elie Saab 2020
Next on our list, Sandra Oh walked the 2020 Oscars red carpet wearing a champagne-colored Elie Saab gown. The dress had a plunging neckline and a dramatic open back. The long dress featured thousands of sequins and the gown’s sleeves had large, sculptural, floral-esque bunches of tulle and lace from shoulder to elbow. The 3-D elements of the sleeves were mirrored all along the bottom of the gown’s skirt, making Sandra look like royalty. She paired the gown with a gold velvet bow belt, jeweled hoop earrings, a silver ring on one hand, and several thick chain bracelets on the other. Fashion bloggers listing it on their worst dresses of that year criticized the gown for being “too much,” but with a strong and bright personality like Sandra’s, she easily pulls it off.
Halle Berry – Elie Saab 2002
Another Elie Saab gown making Campus Couture’s Top 10 List is the one Halle Berry wore when she won an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2002 for her role in “Monster’s Ball.” This dress was so popular it even has its own Wikipedia page! A poll in The Daily Telegraph ranked this dress as the eighth greatest red-carpet gown of all time. Cosmopolitan also cited it as one of the best and most well-known Oscar dresses in history. Variety Magazine’s Complete Book of Oscar Fashion mentioned how it had “fashion critics raving for days.” Designer Elie Saab spoke with Australian Vogue about becoming a household name after Halle Berry wore this dress, saying “Halle Berry made the name Elie Saab more popular. She managed to really put the name Elie Saab on the international market. Halle Berry was the first woman of color to win an Oscar. It was elegant and daring and chic. I think this moment was a very exceptional moment for cinema.”
Charlize Theron – Gucci by Tom Ford 2004
Finally, we have Charlize Theron wearing Gucci at the 2004 Oscars, where she took home the award for “Best Actress” for her role in the movie “Monster.” Charlize wore a spaghetti-strapped, fitted, glittery gown from the Italian fashion house of Gucci. Tom Ford designed the dress when he was still the Creative Director of Gucci, but now he is well known for his own brand under his name. This dress, with its daring front slit and flowing train, made fashion history and is included in many best Oscar dress lists.
And that is Campus Couture’s top 10 Oscars red carpet looks! If you’d like to hear more about all things entertainment, be sure to follow Backstage Pass on Instagram @backstagepassLTV and stay tuned to find out the next time you can get your backstage pass to fashion on campus with Campus Couture!
From the concert stage to the movie set, Harry Styles stars in Don’t Worry Darling and the question on my mind is can Harry Styles act? Do fans even care? Well, if you saw Don’t Worry Darling this weekend, you probably have some of those answers. The film is directed by Olivia Wilde and stars Styles, Florence Pugh, Chris Pine and Gemma Chan. With a budget of $35 million, and a press tour mired by rumors of drama between director Olivia Wilde and star Florence Pugh along with wild speculation over photos of Styles potentially spitting on co-star Chris Pine from the Venice Film Festival. Between bad press and average pre-release ratings, the film did well in its first weekend, grossing $19.2 million from Friday to Sunday. Facing Don’t Worry Darling this past weekend was The Woman King which was on its second weekend in theaters, and the re-released highest grossing film in history, James Cameron’s Avatar.
Warner Bros. Pictures
Another film playing in theaters this past weekend was horror movie Barbarian, directed by Zach Cregger. The film stars Georgina Campbell and IT actor Bill Skarsgård. Barbarian is in its third week since its release, on Sept. 9th. Moving towards the gruesome is Netflix’s Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, released on Sept. 21st . Directed and written by Ryan Murphy, who is also famous for his creation of Glee and American Horror Story, the Dahmer series stars an AHS actor, Evan Peters. Eating while watching this series is not recommended.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Disney fans got a glimpse of The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey. Unfortunately, some people were, let’s face it, racist concerning their issues about the casting of Halle Bailey who will play the first black Ariel. Most comments and discourse came from the popular social media app, TikTok, where people voiced how the casting choice was not “biologically accurate” for the fantastical, made-up creature, that we call a mermaid. Also generating controversy over diverse casting, is Amazon Prime’s The Rings of Power show which is placed inside The Lord of the Rings universe. Overall with 25 million people watching the first two episodes upon its release, the series is doing well even though it places women and people of color in the forefront of its narrative.
In the spirit of the school year ending, it felt appropriate to look backwards instead of getting on my soapbox and talking about any new movies. These thoughts simply reflect the impact these films had on me within the last two semesters. Without further ado, let’s jump into it.
1. The “Before” trilogy
Back in the fall, I set out to show my roommates Richard Linklater’s “Before” trilogy for the first time. There is simply nothing like the experience of watching these movies for the first time, and the shared experience of watching them with another person is incredible. “Before Sunrise” is romantic escapism. “Before Sunset” is a perfect fairytale. “Before Midnight” is the reality of life. All three movies in the trilogy when watched together feel simultaneously entrancing, euphoric and devastating. No movie can quite examine and comment on experiences of love, hope, regret, heartbreak and aging using the progression of time like these films do.
2. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” / “The Worst Person in the World”
I had written about these two movies already, but they deserve some type of mention again. I saw “The Worst Person in the World” in February and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” in April, and both have stayed with me long after watching them. It’s an incredible feeling to watch a film and instantaneously know that you are watching something made with so much talent and love. I’ve sung their praises so much in prior reviews, so there isn’t much more to add.
3. “Spider-Man: No Way Home”
All autumn, we counted down the days to “No Way Home.” Rumors had been swirling for months about Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. The excitement of my friends was palpable even though the movie’s release date coincided with finals week. For me personally, “Spider-Man: No Way Home”was the perfect catharsis after a week of exams and a semester of anxiety. Much of my childhood was spent watching the Sam Raimi “Spider-Man” movies with my sister, and getting to see these characters on the big screen again with her sitting next to me was amazing. The reason that Spider-Man resonates with so many people is that everyone can see themselves in Peter Parker. A normal person with a good heart who simply wishes to do better than before and help others. Therefore, a movie that essentially functions as a massive celebration of Spider-Man is bound to hold a special place in the hearts of so many, including myself.
Marvel Studios
4. “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”
I had been intending to watch Celine Sciamma’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” for the past few years but never got around to it. In early January, I finally dedicated an entire evening to watching this movie, and I was lucky to have such foresight. I couldn’t do anything afterwards. My eyes stared at the TV for at least ten minutes as I simply tried to process what I watched and how I felt. It is everything that a romantic slow burn should be with meditative pacing that eventually quietly explodes. It’s a movie that isn’t loud at all but somehow still produces the profound effect of a loud, in-your-face movie on the viewer. During the final scene and shot, my chest even felt tight, and my breathing became noticeable. Either Sciamma is a true master of her craft, or I was experiencing a minor heart attack.
Lillies Films
5. “Dune”
In October, on a whim with friends I saw “Dune” on opening night in IMAX and have thus decided not to watch it again. Not because I didn’t like the movie. No, no, I adored it. Just, there is no way I would be able to ever come near that particular viewing experience of this Frank Herbert adaptation ever again. “Dune” is the type of film that someone needs to watch on the biggest screen they can find. It cleaned up at the Oscars in the technical categories and for good reason. My only complaint would be that my theater was also 4D, so sand kept getting in my slushie.
The La Salle Collegian 
