Imagine a world where police wear face masks, not to protect themselves from a virus, but to hide their identities from the public. This is the case in HBO’s series “Watchmen,” adapted from a comic book of the same name. HBO made this show free to watch without a subscription from June 19 to June 21, the weekend of Juneteenth.
On Friday, April 24, Lionsgate Movies streamed “Dirty Dancing” (1987) on YouTube as part of a fundraising effort for the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. The foundation, according to its description on YouTube, “is dedicated to helping workers throughout the motion picture industry and is currently providing financial assistance to theater employees furloughed by the COVID-19 crisis.”
From March 5 to March 8, Rooke Theater was transformed into the scene of one of the most infamous murders in American history. “This explosive ride of a story is driven by propulsive rock music,” Michael Ofori, the director, wrote. Lizzie the Musical tells the story of the infamous Borden murders that took place in Massachusetts in 1892. The actors — Sophie Schweik ’23, Zara Malik ’21, Emma Chaffee ’22 and Kylie Levy ’21 — each produced phenomenal vocals. This production was especially fitting for Mount Holyoke College due to a central gay romance between two characters and the emphasis of abuse survivors’ voices, like Lizzie was.
To Netflix, nothing seems to parallel the perils of adolescence like telekinesis and murder. Eleven blows up things with her mind in “Stranger Things,” the repercussions of murder become clear in “The End of the F***ing World” and countless attempted and successful vengeance plots unfold in “The Politician.” Netflix’s new story of teenage angst, “I Am Not Okay with This,” isn’t as big and bold as these other examples. It’s not flashy and it doesn’t involve high-speed chases, which might put it closer along the lines of the trials of average, non-bloodthirsty, teens of the “Everything Sucks.” In true Netflix style, “I Am Not Okay with This” does still involve telekinesis, daddy issues and a distinct murder.
At first, Amherst College’s Stirn Auditorium — this year’s location of the 2020 Five College Film Festival — was almost empty, save for a few students chatting about last-minute preparations. The only indication I was in the right place were the programs on the front table and the festival flyer on the auditorium projection screen. But soon, people started pouring in, filling the air with a sense of artistic pretentiousness and a kind of off-beat humor that only 200 film students could produce.
Released Feb. 21, “Call of the Wild,” starring Harrison Ford, traces the journey of Buck — a large Saint Bernard — as he and Harrison’s character, John, explore the Alaskan wilderness in the height of the Yukon gold rush. The film is a heartwarming adventure from start to finish; one that beautifully captures the spirit of Jack London’s novel of the same name.
I fell in love with the music of indie pop duo Tennis in high school, back when my older brother’s cool girlfriend was their biggest (and it felt like only) fan. Their albums earned regular spots in my CD rotation and YouTube history — I loved that every song created an atmosphere, told a story and was infinitely listenable.
Released Jan. 17, “Dolittle,” a heartwarming adventure film, was the perfect way to unwind after a jam-packed first week of classes. The film boasts a star-studded cast, including Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, Octavia Spencer, Kumail Nanjiani, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, Tom Holland and John Cena. These actors lend their voices to a wide array of animals. Though human characters are fewer in number, big-name actors Robert Downey Jr., Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen take on these roles.
