A terrifically significant, and eccentric, trio of films are turning 50 this year: Marjoe, Pink Flamingos, and Silent Running.
Review
Film Commentary: “Inland Empire” — The Dreamer Who Dreams
David Lynch’s Inland Empire is a provocative challenge to filmmaking as a medium of visual storytelling that’s largely gone unmatched in the sixteen years since its initial release.
Theater Reviews: “Hangmen” and “American Buffalo” on Broadway — From the Gallows to the Gutter
Two dark comedies explore American and British subcultures far below the line of decency.
Classical Album Review: Orion Weiss’s “Arc 1” — Crafting a Strong Sense of Impending Doom
The album serves up exceptional stuff, even if the program’s a touch macabre and pianist Orion Weiss’s well-written liner notes make uncomfortable connections between the world of pre-World War 1 Europe and our own pandemic-riddled age.
Concert Review: Joe Jackson at the Shubert Theatre — A Restlessly Creative Artist at the Peak of his Powers
Trampling on the expectations of his fans, of course, is a big part of what makes Joe Jackson the singular talent he is — and most of his admirers wouldn’t have it any other way.
Opera Review: “Champion: An Opera in Jazz” — Fought to a Draw
The cast for this Boston Lyric Opera production was first-rate, and composer Terence Blanchard has worked in a wide variety of jazz styles and shifts gears to keep the score swinging throughout.
Book Review: “Venus&Document” — Framing the World in Abstractions
This novel of ideas reads like an essay narrated in the first-person by a self-absorbed automaton.
Classical Album Review: The Claremont Trio’s “Queen of Hearts”
What might be the most impressive feature of this disc: everything on it was written for The Claremont Trio since 2008. The album stands as a shining testament to their adeptness as an ensemble as well as their curiosity as musicians.
Film Review: “Men” — Not This Asshole Again
I wish I could state unequivocally that this is a film perfect for this moment in time, and perhaps it is. But not in a good way.
Graphic Novel Review: Pictorially Evocative Narratives About Visually Creative Personalities
Graphic novels are wonderfully suited to chronicle the lives and times of artists, designers, architects, and even creative institutions.