The self-explanatory new Netflix series, "The Standups," features six episodes with six comedians, one of whom is Miami alum Beth Stelling.
It's a good year to be a woman in film. Unless, of course, that film is directed by Michael Bay or stars Tom Cruise.
The airing of "Girls'" final episode on April 16 seemed to be an equal source of relief and distress for the American public -- maybe more relief.
"Snatched"
There's no way to unpack a Kendrick Lamar LP in one listen. From his major breakthrough "good kid, m.A.A.d city," presented as a time-jumping short film, to his ambitious, eclectic follow-up "To Pimp a Butterfly" which garnered 11 Grammy nominations -- one short of Michael Jackson's record for "Thriller" -- a Lamar record is guaranteed to come loaded with multi-narrative character arcs, history-spanning musical cues and some of the most stunning vocal acrobatics in hip-hop. Even last year's comparably small TPAB companion piece "untitled unmastered." was among the best rap releases of the year.
For fans of rebellion, sexual liberation and general debauchery (basically the 1920s as an era), the Miami University Department of Theatre's production of "The Wild Party" is a thought-provoking feast for the senses that should not be missed.
As the bright, swirling Technicolor background lit up Hall Auditorium, the audience was instantly pulled in. Dancers in long, medieval gowns began to twirl from behind the curtains until they were interrupted by a young man in full 1970s hippie garb, carrying a boombox playing "Stayin' Alive"
From Broadway to high school theatre productions to a feature film starring Johnny Depp, the musical "Sweeney Todd" has taken on many different forms. At Miami, the student theatre group Stage Left will perform the musical on Thursday night.
The trailer for "13 Reasons Why" seemed preposterous, and I'm a staunch proponent of young adult-targeted TV campiness; "Bunheads" and "Make It or Break it" rank among my favorite shows, and full disclosure, I still record "Teen Mom 2" to binge over breaks.
Looking for some new music?
"Hey, it's Hannah. Hannah Baker"
When a show starts with three princesses gyrating and swearing at their princes, it becomes immediately clear that Disney had no hand in this version of the company's beloved "Princess Line" franchise.
When Chance the Rapper dropped "Coloring Book" almost a year ago, I was nearing the end of high school, and my best friends and I were driving early one morning before school to watch the sunrise on Lake Michigan. I immediately fell in love with the catchy hooks, goofy laughs and nonsensical yelps that filter through his lyrics.
In the past few years, superheroes have taken television by storm. The CW has a DC show for almost every day of the week, and Marvel has partnered with ABC and Netflix to broadcast a handful of popular shows like "Daredevil" and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Just when it seemed like the formula for a comic book show was obvious, FX's "Legion" arrived to turn everything on its head.
Miami students may have noticed posters hanging around campus advertising the arrival of "The Latest Show," a talk show stopping in Oxford as part of its College Tour. Those who attended the showings, however, realized that this was not an actual filming of a real talk show, but a play made to appear like one.
On March 24, producer Brett Ratner ("The Revenant," "Prison Break") made a statement that caused major waves in the film community: "The worst thing that we have in today's movie culture is Rotten Tomatoes . . . I think it's the destruction of our business." With this accusation, Ratner certainly means to target the crux of our current film culture, but amidst all the negative responses, one has to wonder: Is he right?
College students will remember with nostalgia the days of popping in their favorite Disney movie on VHS tape. Favorites might include the magic of "Sleeping Beauty," the fierceness of "Mulan" or the elegance of "Cinderella." On April 5, these regal beauties will undergo a serious change in the production of "Disenchanted"
The way to a reader's heart is easy. Much like film buffs who gush over movies about filmmaking, devoted readers will melt in the palm of the author that can write well about their own relationship with words, stories and authors.
To be a pop trendsetter is to have the weight of an industry on your back. Music's biggest pop stars -- Taylor Swift, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry--have been taking huge amounts of time crafting new albums, fighting against the tide of copycats and determining which sonic trends are simply fads or the next big thing. Drake doesn't have that problem. His new albums are almost an annual affair, each release breaking streaming records and amassing hordes of fans.
The question raised by this "Beauty and the Beast" is not whether it's good or bad, but if it's necessary.
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