I didn’t enter JFK International Airport this January with malicious intent, but I felt like a criminal by the time I stepped on the plane to Tel Aviv. As many non-Jewish travellers to Israel have experienced with the Israeli airline El Al, the two hours before my flight was spent in interrogation. I like to think that the only people who know me better than the … Continue reading Tales from Abroad (11/22/2012)

When becoming a professional in the film industry, first impressions can mean everything. Ryan Coogler certainly made his first impression as a director and writer when his first film debuted at the Sundance and Cannes film festivals, where it won awards at both. Can Coogler’s Fruitvale Station impress more than those at the film festival? Based on actual events from 2009, the film centers around … Continue reading Audience connects with real life story in Fruitvale Station

Rubber?  Does anyone have a rubber I can borrow?” I overheard a girl shout in my studio art class on a rainy Thursday afternoon.  I immediately took out my headphones to ensure I heard right.  Yes, I had heard right.  I dropped my charcoal stick and thought to myself, “Did she really just say that? Did she really just ask for a condom in the … Continue reading Tales from Abroad (11/15/2013)

The Norse god of thunder has returned to wage war and save the world—all nine realms, in fact—in Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World. With almost all of the major characters from the first movie returning,minus those from S.H.I.E.L.D., and a few new additions, this continuation of the battles of the great prince of Asgard is definitely worth taking a look at. Remember Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal … Continue reading Thor 2: a small ripple in Marvel’s pond

Senior Dance Major Johnny Bates was thrilled to learn last spring that he had been selected to choreograph a dance piece for this fall’s Choreographers’ Gallery, showing Thursday, Nov. 21 through Sunday,  Nov. 24. At auditions, Bates searched for the two dancers who could most effectively convey the mood of his piece. Bates’s duet is one of eight dances choreographed by junior and senior dance … Continue reading Student choreographers dig deep for Pure Movement Plus

There were plenty of blockbusters drawing in large audiences to the theatres in the summer of 2013.  Because of this, there were even more underrated films, some of which I haven’t even heard of until now. One of these films was The Spectacular Now, which had the writers from the critically acclaimed 500 Days of Summer. Is The Spectacular Now a hidden gem? The plot … Continue reading The Spectacular Now: low budget, high reviews

Fifteen of us sat with our legs crossed and huddled in the corner of a classroom, intently listening to the translation of a children’s meeting that was taking place.. “What are your human rights?” the facilitator asked a group of 25 middle-school aged students. One student after another rattled off basic human rights—the right to live, the right to education, the right to freedom—the list … Continue reading Tales fromAbroad (11/9/2013)