Summer 2018: Vacation Vocations
Every summer, Mount Holyoke students go off into the real world for internships and experiences that will shape them for the rest of their lives. Some of our MoHos venture into more artistic endeavors. Arts & Entertainment talked to some of these students about their summers and the work they did in their respective fields.
“Lost in Space” joins expanding crew of impressive Netflix t.v. series
BY ERIN CARBERRY ’19
Released on April 13, Netflix’s “Lost in Space” is a reimagining of the 1960s sci-fi classic television show of the same name. When the project was first announced, audiences had their reservations: some feared another gritty sci-fi reboot while others had flashbacks to the series’ last attempt at a reboot, the universally panned 1998 film. Overall, hesitant audiences have nothing to fear: the series has heart, wit and cleverness in equal measure.
A film worth fighting for: Disney struggles with remake of “Mulan”
Schumer’s “I Feel Pretty” Struggles to Empower Women
BY JAHIYA CLARK ’20
Society has conditioned women to believe that they must look “pretty” to be happy, but how valuable is feeling “pretty?” In Amy Schumer’s new comedy “I Feel Pretty,” the running joke for most of the film is that the main character, Renee Bennett (played by Schumer, “Trainwreck”) thinks she is conventionally pretty. The joke is that it’s only in her head.
Rooke’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” dazzles and delights
BY EMMA MARTIN ’20
This weekend the Mount Holyoke College theatre department presented their popular rendition of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with four performances in Rooke Theater. The show, directed by Noah Tuleja, featured strong acting against the backdrop of an extravagant, whimsical set with creative costuming and an unforgettable soundtrack.
REVIEW: Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs” refuses to sit and stay
BY JAHIYA CLARK ’20
Hell hath no fury like man’s best friend scorned in the new Wes Anderson film, “Isle of Dogs.” Set in the futuristic dystopian city of Megasaki, the film’s main characters — or canines — were show dogs or actors in dog food commercials before being deported to the post-apocalyptic wasteland Trash Island.
For your ears only: An overview of podcasts
BY GABBY RAYMOND ’20
It’s 2018 and your life is probably full of social media, responsibilities for work or school and general upkeep of your life. But if you’ve never embarked on this journey into the cult of podcasts, it can be hard to know where to start. If you’re looking to try something new or want to add to your list, here are some of the most interesting shows in the four categories of talk, news, interview and narrative.
Five College Arts community benefits students
BY MIRANDA WHEELER ’19
Daphne Gauthier ’20 is one of the many Mount Holyoke students who takes full advantage of the various Five College arts communities at Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Hampshire College, UMass Amherst and Amherst College. As a member of the UMass Marching Band Color Guard (UMMB), she gets to practice and perform with the team.“Being involved in the UMMB has been without a doubt, the greatest experience of my life,” said Gauthier.
“The Titan” is its own worst enemy
BY ERIN CARBERRY '19
The newest entry in an expanding catalogue of Netflix original films, “The Titan” examines issues of humanity, survival and hope. The futuristic thriller follows Abi Janssen (Taylor Schilling, “Orange is the New Black”) as she travels to a remote base with her family so that her husband, Rick (Sam Worthington, “Avatar”), can participate in a risky military experiment in genetic evolution and space exploration.
Frankie Cosmos’ signature sound featured on “Vessel”
BY EMMA MARTIN ’20
Indie group Frankie Cosmos released their new album “Vessel” through Seattle-based record company Sub Pop on March 30. “Vessel” is more experimental, more ambitious and longer — featuring an impressive 18 tracks — than the groups’ earlier records, employing new instruments and recording techniques. Band members David Maine, Lauren Martin, Luke Pyenson and Kline all contribute vocals and their unique musical perspectives to create a familiar yet distinct sound.
“Ready Player One” misses opportunity to be good
BY ERIN CARBERRY ’19
One of the most anticipated films of the year, “Ready Player One,” is directed by industry giant Steven Spielberg (“Jurassic Park”) and based on the 2011 debut novel of the same name by Ernest Cline. The film follows Wade Wyatt, or Parzival (Tye Sheridan, “X-Men: Apocalypse”), through the fantastical multiplayer virtual world of “the Oasis.” There, he and his friends battle for control of the virtual wonderland against a heartless corporation, Innovative Online Industries, and its head honcho, Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn, “Rogue One”). In the real world, Wade battles the realities of a rundown futuristic Columbus, Ohio.
Shall We Dance? : An Overview of Dance at the Five Colleges
Demi Lovato wows with “Tell Me You Love Me” tour
BY SARAH OLSEN ’18
Since her 2011 departure from Disney, Demi Lovato has been taking great strides to prove herself to be more than a childhood star. Last year she released her sixth album, “Tell Me You Love Me,” and, this February, she embarked on a world tour. The international portion starts in Brazil in May with the U.S. leg of the tour finishing in Newark, NJ this Monday.
“Thoroughbreds” is a chilly, sophisticated thriller
BY EMMA MARTIN ’20
“Do you ever think about just killing him?” Amanda (Olivia Cooke, “Me, Earl and the Dying Girl”) asks her kind-of new friend Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy, “The Witch”) in a memorable scene from psychological thriller “Thoroughbreds,” the feature debut of writer-director Corey Finley. As Amanda casually uncorks a bottle of wine, the two teens first discuss the main subject of the movie — their plan to kill Lily’s stepfather Mark (Paul Sparks, “The Greatest Showman”).
Fernandez-Dieguez, a film-making powerhouse
BY MIRANDA WHEELER ’19
Writer-director Cass Fernandez-Dieguez ’19 has always loved cinema. “I remember when I was little, my grandpa would pick up a camcorder and we would go and make movies,” they said. “It wasn’t until I was in about 11th or 12th grade that one of my teachers noticed I had really strong screenwriting skills. Whenever there was a project, I wanted to do a video project.”
“Game Over, Man!” is a small symptom of a massive problem within the entertainment industry
BY ERIN CARBERRY ’19
It’s more than likely that not one person on the Mount Holyoke campus — save for myself — watched this recent Netflix release, helmed by the creative team and cast of “Workaholics,” a sitcom about college dropouts starring Adam DeVine (“Pitch Perfect”), Anders Holm (“The Mindy Project”) and Blake Anderson (“Dope”). Following in the footsteps of “Jackass” and “Harold & Kumar,” “Game Over, Man!” takes its niche genre — brainless, vulgar and hyper-masculine gross-out humor — to a startling new extreme.
“A Wrinkle In Time” sparks controversy
Mount Holyoke celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with Irish songs and dance
BY MIRANDA WHEELER ’19
Mount Holyoke Folk Music and Dance Society (FMADS) hosted its St. Patrick’s Day Irish Showcase in Chapin Auditorium Thursday night. The holiday event encouraged attendees to wear green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, but otherwise focused on the celebration of Irish performance styles, music, texts, prominent figures, heritage and culture.
