Commentary

Film Commentary: A Critical Dichotomy — Time to Resolve It

December 11, 2018
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It’s as if critics of silent films were barred from discussing talkies, or devotees of black and white were banned from discussing color.

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Culture Watch: George Soros — Foe of Illiberal Democracy

November 6, 2018
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Now George Soros is mostly known as favored target of the right, more onerous to it, it seems, than even — Lock Her Up! — Hillary Clinton.

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Theater Commentary: Jukebox Musicals — The Trend Continues, Alas

November 2, 2018
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Producers are tapping into a specific demographic: predominantly white audiences that are flush and who crave the thrill of hearing – and seeing – their favorite tunes performed live.

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Film Commentary: FilmStruck Untimely Struck Down

October 30, 2018
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Why is the curtain suddenly dropping now on FilmStruck, a vast, diverse, and tastefully curated archive of films spanning the past century and the entire globe.

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Cultural Commentary: “The New Yorker” and The Fat Cats — Teaming Up

October 26, 2018
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Yes, The New Yorker cover pillories the superrich as they ignore the pixie proletariat at their feet. But so what?

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Coming Attractions: October 9 through 23 — What Will Light Your Fire

October 9, 2018
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Arts Fuse critics select the best in film, dance, visual art, theater, music, and author events for the coming weeks.

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Book Commentary: Karl Ove Knausgaard’s “Why I Write” — Incomplete Answer

October 2, 2018
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The old questions, good as they are, are going to be augmented with new ones: Are we creating a world worth living in? Are we creating a world we can continue to live in?

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Arts Commentary: Another View of “The Niceties”

October 1, 2018
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To an extent, The Niceties does probe a fault line between the Democratic Party and the left: a boundary that will rupture sooner rather than later.

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Jazz Commentary: Chet Baker — The Climax of Cool

September 29, 2018
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For most of its history, jazz has been a macho culture. Sexual ambiguity or gay-ness were subjects of derision.

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Music Commentary: 2018-19 Boston Classical Music Fall Season Preview (Orchestras, Opera, and New Music, mainly)

September 24, 2018
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There’s so much going on in the area that’s good that it’s a challenge to go wrong.

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