Tag: Brigid Walshe ’19
Tis’ the Season: Netflix’s New Seasonal Entertainment
by The Cowl Editor on November 8, 2018
Arts & Entertainment
by: Brigid Walshe ’19 A&E Staff
October, November, and December are always fun, exciting months, with the change of seasons and of course, all the fun holidays. With Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas taking place over the course of three months, there is almost always something to celebrate. In addition, Netflix is giving us even more of a reason to celebrate: new, spooky shows for Halloween, and new, festive movies for Christmas.
Last year, Netflix strategically released the second season of Stranger Things in mid-October, and their original films A Christmas Prince and Christmas Inheritance in late November/early December. This year, they have plenty of Halloween and Christmas shows and films lined up, and everyone is currently talking about their two new, original series which premiered within the last couple of weeks, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and The Haunting of Hill House.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina brings Sabrina Spellman back into the picture. The show is a reboot of the popular 1990s/2000s show Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but with a spookier, darker twist. The show follows Sabrina in the midst of her 16th birthday, which marks the day of her “dark baptism,” where she becomes a member of the witch community, and a follower of the Dark Lord. In the midst of all of this, she also needs to choose between her two worlds: the world of magic and witches or the world of mortals, which Sabrina seems to prefer.
The show stars Mad Men star Kiernan Shipka as Sabrina, and Disney Channel star Ross Lynch as her mortal boyfriend, Harvey Kinkle. The show received very positive reviews, with the New York Times calling it a “blast.” It currently has a 90 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and an 8 out of 10 rating on IMDb.
On top of the success of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, the other frightening Netflix original show is The Haunting on Hill House. The show is based loosely on the 1959 novel of the same name by Shirley Jackson. The show is what some may call an old-fashioned ghost story, filled with family drama and guaranteed to leave the viewer feeling uneasy after finishing all 10 episodes.
The show follows the Crain family and their time at the Hill House, which is filled with paranormal activity and tragedy, and the story weaves in and out of the past and present, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. Critics and fans have been absolutely raving about this show, with Paul Tassi of Forbes saying that it “may be Netflix’s best original show ever” calling it a “horror home run.” The show currently holds a 92 percentage approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 8.9 out of 10 on IMDb.
With Halloween over, Netflix is already promoting their new original Christmas films, including The Holiday Calendar and The Christmas Chronicles, which will be released on Nov. 22. Since Netflix’s spooky Halloween shows were huge successes, it only makes viewers even more excited for their holiday films, which have big, haunted shoes to fill.
Lights, Camera, Live Action: The New Trend at Disney
by The Cowl Editor on October 25, 2018
Arts & Entertainment
by: Brigid Walshe ’19 A&E Staff
Most kids grew up watching “classic” animated Disney movies, and many of us can consider these films a huge part of our childhood. Well, Disney is now taking these classics and bringing them to life, literally (with the help of some CGI).
Starting with their remake of the 1951 classic Alice in Wonderland in 2010, Disney has created seven live-action remakes, and there are still, many more that will be released within the next five years. This past week, the first trailer for the live-action adaptation of the 1992 film Aladdin dropped, and people are already getting excited.
The studio originally had a lot of problems casting Aladdin and Jasmine, as they wanted to find actors who fit the roles. Disney reportedly held over 2,000 auditions for the roles until they decided on newcomer Mena Massoud as Aladdin and Naomi Scott as Jasmine. Will Smith was cast as the Genie, a character first made famous by the late Robin Williams, and he promises to add his own flair to the character. Aladdin will also feature two new characters, with Billy Magnussen playing Prince Anders, another potential suitor for Jasmine, and Nasim Pedrad playing Dalia, Jasmine’s handmaiden. The live-action Aladdin also provides a great opportunity for Disney to promote diversity in their productions. While they have been criticized in the past for cultural appropriation, the studio promises to honor and realistically portray the culture in the film, which starts with the cast.
Many of the new live-action films have differed themselves from the originals in little ways. While films like Cinderella and The Jungle Book have stayed pretty true to their original storyline, other films, such as Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, have introduced new elements to the plot, such as new characters or new music. The 2017 Beauty and the Beast featured new songs, such as “Evermore” and “Days in the Sun.” Aladdin will feature two new songs as well.
Following Aladdin’s release in May 2019, Disney has plans to release more life action remakes. The live-action remake of The Lion King, starring Donald Glover and Beyoncé, will premiere in July 2019, the live-action rendition of The Lady and the Tramp will premiere in the Fall of 2019, and the highly-anticipated Mulan will premiere in May 2020.
However, Disney is not stopping after Mulan; they have many future projects that are still in the development phase, including Prince Charming, Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, The Sword and the Stone, Pinocchio, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and The Little Mermaid. Disney is even planning a live-action remake of the iconic final scene from Fantasia, called Night on Bald Mountain, featuring the giant black demonic feature, Chernobog.
Disney has really hit the jackpot with their live-action films, which many fans are pleased with, and they have no plans of slowing down. While we grew up with the animated original films, the next generation will see our favorite heroes, princesses, and characters brought to life in a new way that we did not know growing up.
Saturday Night Live Season 44 Premiere
by The Cowl Editor on October 18, 2018
Arts & Entertainment
Old Faces and New Material Go for Comedic Gold
by: Brigid Walshe ’19 A&E Staff
Now that fall has officially begun, that means one thing: SNL is back. After its summer break, the show finally returned to its 11:30 p.m. Saturday timeslot on Sept. 29. Three weeks into their 44th season, the show is already getting a lot of buzz for its first three episodes.
Most of the cast from the previous season has returned, with the exception of Luke Null, whose departure was announced in late August. Although his reason for departure was never announced, he is back in his hometown of Chicago. While he was the only cast member to be let go, SNL upgraded cast members Mikey Day, Alex Moffat, and Melissa Villaseñor from featured players to repertory players—which is essentially just a raise—for this upcoming season.
When it comes to newcomers, SNL hired Ego Nwodim, a comedian from Baltimore. Prior to SNL, she was a regular with the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Los Angeles, performing her own stand-up shows.
The show kicked off its season with host Adam Driver (who plays Kylo Ren from the new Star Wars films) and musical guest Kanye West. In the past two weeks, comedian and Crazy Rich Asians star Awkwafina and SNL alum/late-night host Seth Meyers took on hosting duties, with musical guests Travis Scott and Paul Simon, respectively. For this upcoming fourth week of the season, Jonah Hill will be hosting, with musical guest Maggie Rogers.
Although the season just started, it has already gotten a lot of buzz in the media, from Kanye’s politically motivated outburst following the end of the show’s Season 44 premiere, to Alec Baldwin’s reprisal of his role as President Donald Trump. The show has never shied away from addressing politics in past seasons, and viewers should not expect this season to be any different. The show has already done skits on West’s meeting with President Donald Trump and Brett Kavanaugh’s (portrayed by Matt Damon) Senate confirmation.
The show has even performed skits that poke fun at cast member Pete Davidson’s now former relationship with pop singer Ariana Grande. The show is also bringing back fan-favorite skits, like “Weekend Update” with Colin Jost and Michael Che, which is a recap of various events or news that took place the previous week. The early episodes have received average and above average reviews from critics, and fans seem to be pleased with the first three episodes of the season.
Mumford and Sons’ Upcoming Album Delta
by The Cowl Editor on October 4, 2018
Arts & Entertainment
A Musical Reflection on Life and Creativity
by: Brigid Walshe ’19 A&E Staff
The English indie/alternative rock band Mumford and Sons is back with new music, and fans all over the world are already begging for more. On Sept. 19, the band announced that they would release a new single, “Guiding Light,” the next day, along with a new album, titled Delta, on Nov. 16.
Mumford and Sons described “Guiding Light” as a “bridge between the old stuff and the new stuff.” The new song returns to their acoustic roots (with a little banjo action, of course), and has an uplifting, loving message.
The band released their first album almost 10 years ago and, since then, fans have heard their sound evolve and felt the stories that their music conveys. The last new music that Mumford and Sons released was their extended play, Johannesburg, a collection of five songs written and recorded with local artists during their tour in South Africa in 2016.
The band’s last full album was released in 2015, and a lot has happened in the lives of the band members. They have written many songs about their lives, but feel that now is the time to share specific stories in Delta. In an interview with Music Week, Frontman Marcus Mumford said, “The scale of everything in our lives seems to have got a bit bigger – certainly birth and death are much more real than they were 10 years ago–so in that way it’s felt like an ushering from shelter to something more wild.”
With the release of the new album, Mumford and Sons will embark on their Delta World Tour in 2018 through 2019, which will include a 60-date tour, playing in some of the most famous arenas around the world. The band has teased details regarding the tour, saying that they are re-imagining their version of an arena performance, and promise that it will be a new experience for all their concertgoers. They will release more specific details regarding the tour on Oct. 4.
The band is always looking for new ways to grow as musicians and artists. With this album, the band feels like they have “fulfilled so many of their artistic ambitions.” There are no more limitations and boundaries to what they can experiment with in their music, and they feel as if their creative experiments have truly succeeded in Delta.
Delta is a reflection of all that life has to give, presented in an acoustic, moving, and real way by Mumford and Sons. Even after 10 years, the band feels like they have so much left to give to their music and have no plans on retiring anytime soon.
Mamma Mia, Here She Goes Again!: Lily James’s Breakout Summer
by The Cowl Editor on September 27, 2018
Arts & Entertainment
by: Brigid Walshe ’19 A&E Staff
Some people may recognize Lily James from her performances as Lady Rose MacClare on Downton Abbey, Cinderella in Disney’s 2015 live-action remake Cinderella, or even from her more recent roles in Baby Driver and Darkest Hour. Whether you have been a fan of hers for years or are just hearing about James now, the summer of 2018 was arguably the best of her career.
Critics praised James for her performances as young Donna in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, the long-awaited sequel to the 2008 film, Mamma Mia!, as well as Juilet Ashton in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, a new Netflix film that follows a young author on a journey to the Isle of Guernsey post-World War II.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was one of the summer’s biggest hits. James took on the challenge of portraying the vibrant and lively young Donna, whose older self was played by Meryl Streep in the first film. While it is no easy task to play a character previously portrayed by someone many consider to be a cinematic legend, James stepped up to the challenge, bringing Donna’s charisma and wild spirit back to life in the sequel.
The film is set in both the past and present. It explores Donna’s adventures after she graduates from Oxford up until she finds out she is pregnant with her daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried). Meanwhile, in the present day, Sophie is getting ready to open a new taverna with the help of her boyfriend, Donna’s friends, and her dads. James received acclaim from critics, including Richard Brody of the New Yorker who said, “[James] brings a dramatic depth and substance with a seemingly calm effortlessness to a role that’s written as if on postcards.”
James’ second big summer project was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. This film was based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer. The story follows a young author (played by James) who begins corresponding through letters with members of a book club called the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, formed during the German occupation of the British Isle of Guernsey.
The film, which also stars Glen Powell, received mostly positive reviews, with many critics praising James’ performance. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times says, “James effortlessly holds the story together.”
After her whirlwind summer, James will not be returning to the screen for a while. Her next film role will be in an untitled Danny Boyle/Richard Curtis project set to premiere in 2019. It will be a musical comedy about a world where only one man can remember The Beatles’ music. She will also be returning to the stage in London’s West End for All About Eve next February. With consistent success and praise from critics, James has quickly become one of the most sought after actresses in Hollywood.
Toronto International Film Festival: Dramas Steal the Show
by Kerry Torpey on September 20, 2018
Arts & Entertainment
by Brigid Walshe ’19
A&E Staff
It is that time of the year again: film festival season. Following the Venice Film Festival earlier this month, the annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) began last week and wrapped up on Monday.
The festival is one of the most popular film festivals in the world, garnering more than 380,000 attendants annually. Each year, more than 4,000 films are entered, and only between 400 and 460 are shown. In the past, films that were shown at TIFF have performed pretty well during awards season. Two movies (both dramas) that are generating a lot of buzz this season are A Star Is Born and Beautiful Boy.
A Star Is Born is the story of Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper), a seasoned musician, and Ally (Lady Gaga), a struggling artist. The movie follows their relationship, and their careers as musicians and artists.
This is Gaga’s first leading role in a film, although she has previously acted on the small screen in American Horror Story, which she received an Emmy for. The film is also Cooper’s directorial debut. The movie has received a lot of praise from critics, and they anticipate that the movie will be a huge hit, with some critics, such as David Sims of The Atlantic, even calling it an “Oscar front runner.”
Another film that critics and fans are talking about is Beautiful Boy. Hot off acclaimed performances in Call Me by Your Name and Ladybird, Timothée Chalamet returns to the screen with Beautiful Boy, a film based on the 2008 novel, Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction by David Sheff.
The film follows the relationship between a father (Steve Carell) and son (Chalamet) as the son struggles with a meth addiction. The movie, based on a true story of Sheff and his son Nic, does not shy away from the real demons that come with addiction. On the other hand, it also shows the love, life, and hope that can come out of it. The Los Angeles Times wrote that “Timothée Chalamet and Steve Carell are superb in a moving portrait of addiction and familial love” and the movie opened to generally positive reviews. The Shape of Water, last year’s Oscar winner for Best Picture, was screened at the TIFF. Green Book, a drama about a New York bouncer’s new job as a chauffer for a pianist in the Deep South, won the People’s Choice Award, which is awarded to the most popular film at the festival. Green Book, Beautiful Boy, and A Star Is Born, will all be released in cinemas in the coming months.
Hozier Makes a Comeback with New Music and Tour
by The Cowl Editor on September 13, 2018
Arts & Entertainment
by: Brigid Walshe ’19 A&E Staff
After a brief hiatus, Hozier is back and seemingly better than ever. The Irish musician just released his first EP in over three years; to fans and critics it was worth the wait. The EP, entitled Nina Cried Power-EP, features four new songs: “Nina Cried Power,” “NFWMB,” “Moment’s Silence (Common Tongue),” and “Shrike.”
While his music is classified as traditional folk rock, Hozier really turned to the blues for this EP, specifically drawing in the soulful, spiritual vibes of the black experience in America. In an interview with Billboard, Hozier explained that this EP was all about “crediting the legacy and the result of protest.”
The title track, “Nina Cried Power,” features Mavis Staples, who is regarded as one of the greatest gospel and blues singers of all time, as well as a prominent civil rights activist. This gospel-inspired track is an ode to some of his inspirations, such as Mavis Staples, Marvin Gaye, and Nina Simone, of whom the title track is named after.
To listen is to feel uplifted, empowered, and hopeful. Hozier stated that he is not concerned with how this new EP performs on the charts but that the record is heard, hoping to have the chance to perform his new music on the road in the next couple of months.
Hozier will be celebrating the release of his EP with some live performances in Europe, followed by a North American tour. He gave some lucky fans an inside look to his new music at The Academy Dublin in Ireland, and will play one more show in London before he departs for his North American tour. Hozier will start the North American leg of his tour in Ottawa, Canada on Sept. 15, and will continue until the end of October.
Hozier will be in Boston’s House of Blues on Monday, October 1. His new music will leave you feeling inspired and empowered, and will make you fall in love with him all over again.
Community Lens Class Offers Perspective, Scope
by thecowl.ae on May 4, 2017
Arts & Entertainment
by Brigid Walshe ’19
A&E Staff
“Civic engagement” may be a requirement in Providence College’s core curriculum, but, for many, it is seen as both an opportunity and a duty. Students may utilize courses at PC to extend themselves into the community, and work to connect with the world beyond campus walls.
Last week, PC’s Community Lens class presented their showcase, exhibiting students’ work with local kids at Providence’s ¡CityArts! for the Youth, as well as YouthRAP, an after school program that is a part of the Smith Hill Community.
¡CityArts! began its work in 1992 and it was developed as an initial response to the community’s critical need for positive programs to engage youth during out-of-school time. Today, kids in the program work with local artists, educators, and students from the surrounding community, including Providence College.
According to Olivia D’Elia ’19, the Community Lens class itself incorporates different elements of photography, public and community service, and global studies into their work in the classroom and at ¡CityArts!. “It consists of students going to different youth art organizations and teaching kids photography and how photography can affect a community, and how photography can help them raise their voice in their community and empower themselves.”
At the end of the semester, the students create an exhibition, titled CommYOUnity, to display their work, along with the work of the local kids. For D’Elia, a studio art major with a concentration in photography, art is something that she is passionate about and it’s an important medium to help artists express themselves. Each member of the class was paired up with a local kid who volunteered with ¡CityArts!.
D’Elia’s partner was Yanely, who is 11. To D’Elia, she was a little artist starting to come out of her shell. As D’Elia recalls, “she was very courageous and didn’t want to share her photos with the class, but she opened up and I learned a lot from her.” Her favorite memory was when they did an activity where Yanely had to make her own superhero, and she created a superhero artist, whose secret lair was an art studio where she could make whatever kind of art she wanted. “It was so creative and you never think about superheroes whose secret power was the power to be creative, and I love that,” D’Elia says.
D’Elia has even said she can’t wait to go back and volunteer. These kids will continue to take courses and she can’t wait to see them grow as artists.
For Hannah Mackie ’19, the exhibit was personally touching. “Not only did it show that the students worked really hard this semester to build photography skills and take some real high quality pictures, but it was evident that they had worked really hard to develop relationships with the community.” She said loved how every photograph was different; some were of people, others reflected community events around Providence, such as the Women’s March, and that there was no limitation to what the students had to photograph.
According to D’Elia, artists form their own communities when they find people who are passionate about the same thing. A bond forms that brings people together, and that is the sense of community that D’Elia and her classmates were looking for and found through Community Lens.
Into the Woods: Off the Screen and Onto the Stage
by thecowl.ae on April 27, 2017
Arts & Entertainment
By Brigid Walshe `19
A&E Staff
Crowds filed into the Angell Blackfriars Theatre this past weekend to see the final performances of Into the Woods, and many were left with a smile. The musical is the second musical that Providence College’s Department of Theatre, Dance, and Film has done on their new musical theatre track. The cast and crew did a fantastic job with recreating a well-known classic and making it unique in their production.
Friends, students, and theatre fanatics alike all showed their appreciation for the actors’ talent and hardwork. Veronica Murphy ’17 had nothing but positive things to say about the show. “I’m happy to see that everyone got a chance to shine in this production,” she said, “I thought they did a nice job with such difficult content and put on a great show.”
The expert performance can partially be explained by the actors’ talent, but also through their predispositon to the material. Courteney Olenzak ’17 said, “This show is one I’ve known since I was a little girl and it’s an honor to finally be a part of it in this way.” Olenzak says that the music was challenging, and intentionally so, but that everyone “worked incredibly hard and I’m proud with the result.”
Into the Woods is based on Grimm fairy tales and follows the stories of characters everyone has grown up with—Cinderella, Jack, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel to name a few. Each of the main characters has a wish—The Baker and his wife wish to have a baby, Cinderella wishes to go to the King’s festival, and Jack wishes that his cow would make milk.
By the end of the first act, all of their wishes come true and it appears that they all get their happily ever after. The second act, however, introduces a situation that forces the characters to face the consequences of their actions, and they must come together to protect their kingdom.
Into the Woods first premiered over 25 years ago, when composer Stephen Sondheim and writer James Lapine debuted their musical on Broadway in 1987. Since then, the musical has been produced throughout the world, with productions from the West End of London to high schools across the country.
Many people may also associate Into the Woods with the 2014 Disney blockbuster, which featured stars such as Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, and Emily Blunt. The cast and crew had to face the question of how to reimagine a show that has been produced for 25 years and present it in a unique way, and they did a great job in creating a production unique to Providence College, and led the audience into woods they have never seen before.
It is no easy task to put on a production of a musical, especially one as complex as this one. Disney spent $50 million to produce the film, so it was hard to imagine where to start. One of the more unique aspects of this production was the set design. Since the musical is based on the stories found in books, the stage was filled with them, including four main books, which contained the stories of the main characters of the show. These books opened up to serve as a backdrop for each of the characters, and it made it seem like they came to life out of their stories. The crew also incorporated shadow puppetry into the famous scene of Little Red Riding Hood, when she confronts the Wolf at her Grandmother’s house, as the scene was acted out using the puppets’ shadows illuminated on a screen. The visuals of the play were fantastic, as well as the performances.
One of the great elements of this musical is how the stories of all of these different characters intertwine so well, and the cast and the directors of the show did a great job making the show flow smoothly. The performances were fantastic, along with the costumes, set, and music. As the audience left the woods at the end of the play, they may just have been wishing to return to them one day.
London: A Dramatic Experience
by The Cowl Editor on March 16, 2017
Arts & Entertainment
By Brigid Walshe `19
A&E Staff
When driving around London’s West End or theatre district, it is impossible to miss the bright signs advertising theatre productions. Theatre has become a staple of London’s culture and charm, connecting both residents and visitors to the city’s rich history.
This past week, members of the Providence College Liberal Arts Honors Program had the opportunity to experience London theatre as part of the program’s annual Spring Break trip. The trip gave students insight into daily life in London, along with a comprehensive understanding of its theatrical tradition.
Students in the program went to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre to see a production of The White Devil and The Old Vic Theatre to see Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead during the trip, both of which were enlightening.
The White Devil was being shown at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, which is part of Shakespeare’s Globe. The play is a revenge tragedy written in 1612, during the Jacobean era, by John Webster. The play follows the Duke of Brachiano and his descent into madness.
One unique aspect of the theatre was that it was lit solely by candlelight, which created an intimate atmosphere between the audience and the actors on stage throughout the show. This was perfect for the setting of the play, as it took place in between reality and nightmares and the dim lighting made it hard to differentiate between the two.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (known as solely Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) is an absurdist tragicomedy that expands upon the exploits of these two minor characters in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The play is being performed at The Old Vic Theatre until late April. The play stars Daniel Radcliffe as Rosencrantz and Joshua McGuire as Guildenstern.
The stage design on the play was simple, but created what seemed to be an optical illusion, making the set seem bigger than it was and creating this feeling that the play had more to it than the audience could see. The plot followed the two friends of Hamlet during the scenes of Shakespeare’s play, and the actors had the audience laughing and entertained.
Daniel Radcliffe stuck around to meet fans after the evening show, where Chris Fitzgerald ’20 waited and eventually met him. Fitzgerald says meeting Radcliffe was “the top experience of the trip, for sure,” as he and the star bonded over their similar tastes in literature.
While it is clear Fitzgerald had a particulary special trip, his fellow honors students did as well. All were immersed in the city’s dramatic history, allowing them to be transported through time—a place no plane or train could ever take them.