Ah, the great indoors; isn’t it just lovely in here? Similar to a sprawling park or giant city, it seems like I discover something new about my house every day. For example, when I moved my couch to pick up a popcorn kernel that fell under, I was surprised to find a slew of dust bunnies, pretzels, and pennies: a treasure trove for my dust buster. Wow, there’s just so much to discover!
Entertainment
Gemini: A wild family party in Woods Theatre
When pulling a folding chair up to Gemini’s packed dinner table, audiences get a plate piled high with zesty comedy, rich conflict, and a heaping scoop of love. With direction from Jack Burke, Ph.D., and Assistant Director Katherine Fernandez, the Monmouth University Department of Music and Theatre Arts presented Albert Innaurato’s Gemini (1976) with flair.
The Last Days of the Cinema
In the week leading up to AMC and other theater chains closing their cinemas on March 16 to protect patrons from the coronavirus, the writing was on the wall. From Sunday March 8 to Saturday March 14, I saw firsthand—through four separate trips—how theaters struggled to bring people in.
Local Band Spotlight: About a Year Ago
Newly-formed Ocean Country melodic hardcore band About a Year Ago independently released their debut EP Borrowed Time on Feb. 4. Rising from the ashes of the now-defunct Toms River-based easycore band Sick on Sunday, About a Year Ago pushes into the new decade with a sound that embodies the raw D.I.Y. essence of the New Jersey local music scene.
Don’t Answer The Call of the Wild
They say a dog is a man’s best friend, but Buck has a different calling. Based on the famous 1903 novel The Call of the Wild by Jack London, Buck is captured and sold as a dog sled pusher for a mail carrier. After the carrier is forced to sell his dogs, Buck eventually finds a new home with John, played by Harrison Ford.
50/50 by 2020s Sweden Emphasizes Gender Equality in Film
In 2012, the Swedish Film Institute began an initiative called 50/50 by 2020. The following year there was a plan put in place to achieve the goals by having equal representation for female film directors. There was a program put in place called Moviement so women in the industry could have mentors, as well as resources, to hopefully encourage women to be part of the film industry.
Tokyo Twilight: The Films of Yasujiro Ozu
In Tokyo Story, an aging mother and father from a small village go to Tokyo to visit their adult children, but when they arrive, their children don’t have any time for them. In Late Spring, Noriko is a beautiful young lady who would like to marry, but she doesn’t want to leave her father all by himself. In Equinox Flower, a daughter refuses an arranged marriage to choose her own spouse, but her stern father has a difficult time accepting her decision.
‘Top of the Pops’: A Conversation with The Smithereens
The Smithereens are an iconic American rock band that formed in the 1980s, with founding members Pat DiNizio, Jim Babjak, Mike Mesaros, and Dennis Diken. They are from Carteret, New Jersey and have played around the Jersey Shore throughout their ongoing career, so it’s only fitting that they stop by West Long Branch.
Too Soon for Criterion? The Irishman and Marriage Story Become Part of the Collection
The Criterion Collection is a place where film connoisseurs can go to see which movies have been given the titles of “classic” and “contemporary.” If you look through their website, there is a sea of titles from around the world that have been released for the public to view and collect. The films have been released on their streaming service, DVD, and Blu-Ray.
The Eagle Huntress Lands at the World Cinema Series
Monmouth’s Global Education Office will be presenting The Eagle Huntress at Pollak Theatre on Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. The viewing is free and open to the public. This film is a part of the World Cinema Series and it fits perfectly with this year’s theme, Women: Power and Identity.