A closer examination of the movie “Music,” the controversial directorial debut of singer Sia. Photo from firstshowing.com. “Music,” the directorial debut of singer-turned-filmmaker Sia, has received backlash for its offensive and insensitive portrayal of a character on the autism spectrum. The film follows a newly-sober drug dealer Zu, played by Kate Hudson, as she becomes…
Currently on display in the URI Fine Arts Center, the works of artist and photographer Albert Chong represent the history of his Chinese, Afro-Jamaican family. Photos by James McIntosh.
From theatre to theater, how does the Netflix adaptation of “Prom” hold up? Photo from nerdsandbeyond.com. When I sat down in my seat at the Longacre Theatre, I had no idea what to expect with “The Prom.” By the end of the night, I was on my feet clapping and in tears. Two years later,…
The students of the University of Rhode Island’s music department, which often relies on performing live music, have been some of those hit the hardest by COVID-19 changes and regulations. Last week, professor David Neves wrote a letter to the editor in The Providence Journal, in which he criticized the state of Rhode Island for…
The first Hollywood-produced Black film was released in 1898, and since then the media has struggled to grasp how to produce a Black film that does not perpetuate stereotypes, tokenize diverse characters and reduce the work of historic Black figures by placing them within the lens of a white narrative. There is a huge difference…
With “Love Story (Taylor’s Version),” Swift is working to release new versions of her older albums, after losing her masters to record executive Scooter Braun. Photo from pitchfork.com. Just when you think Taylor Swift has reached her peak, the renowned artist made her first step towards reclamation on Friday with the release of “Love Story…
The University of Rhode Island’s Providence Campus Arts and Culture Program has assembled a virtual and in-person gallery of work by local artists entitled “SPEAKING OUT – A CALL TO ACTION: The Art Of Protest – Agents of Change in Rhode Island!” This exhibit’s work comes from an array of mediums which speak to subjects…
Despite the issues posed by the pandemic, URI film students are still persevering in their studies. Photo by Ethan Pellegrino. One of the final courses film students take at the University of Rhode Island requires them to direct their own film, and many students are determined to make their final projects a reality despite the…
Nickelodeon’s “Victorious” is looked back on fondly by most, but how does the show fare when one rewatches it nearly 8 years after its cancellation? Photo from upaaquila.org. Despite the extremely concerning videos circulating on TikTok from behind the scenes of “Victorious,” a since-cancelled show that was once near and dear to my heart (as…
While the “Harry Potter” book series is still (rightly) considered to be one of the greatest literary achievements of all time, the reputation of its author has not fared as well in recent years. Photo from theguardian.com. J.K. Rowling, world-famous author of the “Harry Potter” series, has faced a lot of backlash throughout the past…