Tag: film
A Slap in the Face to Filmmakers Sharing Underrepresented Stories
by John Downey '23 on April 8, 2022
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
A Slap in the Face to Filmmakers Sharing Underrepresented Stories
A Recap of The 94th Academy Awards
Grace Whitman ’22
Art has the power to tell the stories of people who would otherwise be unrepresented and thus forgotten, and this year’s Academy Awards truly encapsulated this fact.
In 2020, the Academy, the governing body that oversees the Oscars, set new diversity requirements for movies seeking to be nominated for Best Picture. One of the major requirements is that “the film must either feature at least one lead actor or significant supporting actors from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group, have at least 30 percent of all actors in secondary and more minor roles from at least two underrepresented groups or include a main storyline centered around an underrepresented group.”
Although these conditions will not become mandated until 2024, this year’s Best Picture perfectly captures the diversification of the Oscars that said conditions are intended to facilitate: Apple TV’s CODA, which is an acronym for Children of Deaf Adults.
CODA is a heartwarming story about a senior in high school named Ruby who is the only member of her immediate family who is hearing. For this reason, Ruby is a key asset to her family’s fishing business, but because of their dependency on her, Ruby struggles to tell them that she wants to study music—something her parents do not see beauty in—instead of working for the family business. A large portion of the film is in American Sign Language, and it truly brings to light the struggles that deaf people face every day.
In addition to CODA’s win for best picture, Troy Kotsur, who plays Ruby’s father in the movie, won Best Supporting Actor. Notably, Kotsur is the first deaf man to win an Academy Award for acting. His win and moving acceptance speech brought the entire audience to their feet with silent applause.
Another major winner of the night was Ariana Dubose for her role of Anita in the newest adaptation of West Side Story. In her acceptance speech as the first openly queer Afro-Latina to win an Oscar for acting, she said, “Now you see why that Anita says, ‘I want to be in America,’ because even in this weary world that we live in, dreams do come true.”
Other notable winners were Billie Eilish and her brother FINNEAS, who won Best Original Song with “No Time to Die,” Jane Campion, who won Best Director for her work on The Power of the Dog, and Disney’s Encanto, which won Best Animated Feature.
Evidently, the films nominated at the Oscars this year were created by empowered filmmakers and actors that were able to tell great stories. Unfortunately, however, their art was overshadowed by Will Smith’s altercation with Chris Rock.
The altercation began after Rock made an offensive joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Pinkett Smith recently found out that she has alopecia—an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss—which led her to shave her head. In an attempt to be humorous, Rock compared her to G.I. Jane. Attendees and viewers at home alike could clearly see Pinkett Smith’s disgust with the joke, followed by Smith walking on stage and slapping Rock across the face. Neither those present at the Oscars nor those at home immediately knew if the incident was staged or authentic.
Later in the evening, the answer to this question became clear. Smith won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his role in King Richard as the father and coach of famous tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. In his acceptance speech, Smith said, “Love will make you do crazy things” in reference to his earlier altercation with Rock, asserting that he will do anything for the people he loves, just like his character Richard Williams always did for his family.
Overall, while Smith and Rock’s confrontation at the 94th Annual Academy Awards was a bit of a slap in the face to the nominated individuals and projects that aimed to share underrepresented stories, the presence of such individuals and projects marks a promising trend for future Oscars.
Film Review: HBO’s The Fallout
by John Downey '23 on February 10, 2022
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
Film Review: HBO’s The Fallout
The First Movie of Gen Z
Talia Rueda ’23
On Jan. 27, HBO released The Fallout, a film about the ways in which a community deals with the tragedy of a school shooting. Starring Jenna Ortega and Maddie Ziegler, two Gen Z “it” girls, the movie represents the new era of filmmaking associated with this generation while also showcasing timeless themes.
The film seems to place great emphasis on artistry and cinematic elements rather than the actual context of them. In other words, the movie prioritizes moody lighting, an “artsy” film preset, and minuscule moments between its characters. Today, such cinematographic techniques are commonly used to focus on the aesthetic world of teenagers, as evident in projects such as HBO’s Euphoria. Although The Fallout seems to focus more on the beauty of its scenes rather than the unfolding story at hand, its message is far from simple.
In telling the story of the aftermath of a school shooting, director Megan Park brings a dark situation to light. The scenes encompass small moments of grief, as well as the many different roles that people can take on after such a traumatic event. This storytelling approach brings a great deal of realism to the film.
Notably, the movie takes its audience through the shooting in only its first few minutes. In this way, the focus is not placed on the actual shooting but rather on the ways in which it affects the school community. For instance, immediately after this traumatic event, viewers see the film’s characters at home, unsure of how they are supposed to act. Some sit in silence with their family at the dinner table; others immediately seek change and host marches to make sure this never happens again.
At first glance, main characters Mia (Ziegler) and Veda (Ortega) are very different from one another. Mia is a dance influencer who is always home alone because her dads are always traveling; Veda lives a much more typical teenage lifestyle, and initially finds herself idolizing Mia before the pair form a close relationship due to their shared trauma.
Through these characters, the film excels at realistically depicting teenage friendship. For instance, there are moments of awkward silence in Mia and Veda’s growing bond. They drink wine, swim in the hot tub, and FaceTime each other every night because they cannot sleep alone, but at times find that they do not know what to say to one another. The school shooting has certainly brought them together, but just as in most relationships, there are moments of discomfort. In the context of the film, these moments of silence suggest that despite the fact that their friendship is helping them heal, the pair must navigate certain elements of their trauma by themselves.
Altogether, The Fallout details many aspects of Gen Z life, not only by representing a common tragedy that has taken place in American schools in this generation’s formative years, but also by using camera operation and lighting styles that have become popular in young people’s favorite television shows, such as Euphoria and the rebooted version of Gossip Girl. Indeed, such idealistic cinematography not only encapsulates popular Gen Z trends, such as a love for film photos and retro ideals, but also presents the reality of this generation’s struggles unique to its own members.
Recap: The 2022 Golden Globes
by John Downey '23 on January 29, 2022
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
Recap: The 2022 Golden Globes
Controversy Overshadows This Year’s Ceremony
Grace Whitman ’22
In 2021, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted the 78th Golden Globes. The pair used their opening monologue to bring to light the lack of diversity in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group that selects the nominees and winners for the Golden Globes and also invites new members into the HFPA. At that point, not a single person on the 87-member committee was Black, which had been the case for over two decades.
Since last year’s Golden Globes, the HFPA has inducted 21 new members, including six Black journalists, five Asian journalists, 10 women, six Latinx individuals, and four individuals of Middle Eastern/North African descent. In a statement made after the announcement of the new members, HFPA President Helen Hoehne said, “We are building a new organization, one that is not focused on fulfilling quotas, but instead has diversity and inclusion at its core.”
The new members of the HFPA had immediate voting rights, and their impact was apparent in the 79th annual Golden Globes awards ceremony, which took place on Sunday, Jan. 9. However, the changes were not as well-received as the HFPA had hoped. NBC, which has hosted the Golden Globes for over 25 years, was particularly unimpressed by the seemingly performative nature of the HFPA’s changes: the network refused to air the Globes, leaving them unaired on television. Evidently, the show that was once the hottest ticket and known for kick-starting award season will be required to make additional internal changes before it can regain credibility.
Despite being unaired—as well as the additional challenges of Tom Cruise returning his three Golden Globes in 2021 and Scarlett Johannesson actively urging her fellow actors to boycott the award show in response to the HFPA’s lack of diversity—the Globes went on, though with no red carpet, no musical guests, and no guests or media outlets. Rather, the event primarily focused on the organization’s philanthropy.
The winners were announced on Twitter by the @goldenglobes verified account. The major awards went to The Power of the Dog for Best Motion Picture—Drama and West Side Story for Best Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy. West Side Story, a remake of the 1961 film of the same name, also won for Best Supporting Actress with Ariana DeBose in the role of Anita and Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy with Rachel Zegler in the role of Maria Vasquez. The Power of the Dog also won for Best Director with Jane Campion and Best Supporting Actor with Kodi Smit-McPhee in the role of Peter Gordon.
Other individual awards went to Will Smith for his role of Richard Williams in King Richard, Nicole Kidman for her role as Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos, and Andrew Garfield for his role of Jonathon Larson in Tick, Tick… Boom! An awards season frontrunner since its release, Tick, Tick… Boom! sees Garfield bring Larson, writer of the Broadway show RENT, back to life and celebrate his incredible impact on musical theater. The film is directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
With regard to the future of the Golden Globes, NBC has expressed that it wants to give the HFPA time to resolve its problems and hopes that it will be possible to broadcast the event in 2023. Hopefully, this boycott will push the HFPA to make further, more meaningful internal changes and facilitate the advancement of inclusion in the entertainment industry.
The Andrew Garfield Renaissance
by John Downey '23 on January 29, 2022
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
The Andrew Garfield Renaissance
The Actor’s Recent Resurgence in Popularity
Kate Picone ’22
Note: This article contains potential spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home
Until his intense performance as Eduardo Saverin in The Social Network, Andrew Garfield’s career was not recognized by the mainstream media. After viewers watched his iconic speech at the end of the film, however, he began to receive much more recognition for his authentic acting onscreen and charisma on the red carpet. He is currently experiencing a particular surge in popularity.
After The Social Network, Garfield was cast as Peter Parker in Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man, and even though he is one of three actors who have played a live-action version of the superhero in the past two decades, his portrayal of Spider-Man remains unique and beloved.
Indeed, Garfield brought to the role the boyish charm that Peter Parker is supposed to have, while also incorporating Spider-Man’s wit and sarcasm into his interpretation of the character. In The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel, Garfield compels the audience with his adorable nerdiness, fumbling over his words when talking to Gwen Stacy, his love interest, — and his strength when saving the people of New York.
This role remains Garfield’s most iconic to date. As a result, even though the actor has maintained a lower profile in recent years, fans of Spider-Man were quick to hope that he would make an appearance in the latest installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man series, Spider-Man: No Way Home. To fans’ delight, Garfield appeared in the film alongside Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man Tom Holland and Tobey Maguire, who starred as the web-slinger in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, prompting many to revisit the charming actor’s career.
While Garfield will perhaps always best be known as the “amazing Spider-Man,” he is certainly not limited to that role or the superhero genre of movie. Aside from his career-changing turn in The Social Network, he is featured in more dramatic pieces. Recently, he starred alongside Jessica Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye and in the critically-acclaimed Lin-Manuel Miranda movie musical Tick, Tick…Boom! in which he portrayed RENT composer Jonathan Larson.
Although he is only now experiencing a resurgence in popularity, Garfield has proven time and time again that he excels in any role he is given and deserves his reputation as one of today’s most talented actors.
Film Review: House of Gucci
by The Cowl Editor on December 11, 2021
Arts & Entertainment
Film Review: House of Gucci
Lady Gaga Brings Infamous Saga to Life
Kate Picone ’22
After months of anticipation, the thrilling film House of Gucci was released in theaters on Nov. 24. The movie stars Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani, the ex-wife of Maurizio Gucci, played by Adam Driver. Based on the 2001 book, The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed, the film follows Reggiani and Gucci’s marriage from a promising beginning to a horrific end as they and other members of their family build the Gucci empire. While this description suggests that the movie is a documentary, it is much more of a mysterious thriller drama, featuring betrayal, greed, revenge, and even murder.
However, some critics and moviegoers have criticized the message that Gaga seems to send with her portrayal of the scorned ex-wife. She said in an interview with NPR that she wanted to tell a story about women and survival, rather than focusing on the violence of Reggiani’s actions. However, the actress did admit that Reggiani ultimately did turn into a monster. Indeed, in real life, Reggiani was convicted of having her husband killed after he had many affairs and treated her poorly when all she had done was support him. She came from humble beginnings, and once she married into the Gucci family, her ambition began to grow. Reggiani had a good head for business, but the Gucci family did not take her seriously because of their own sexism. Although she came up with many ideas to grow the brand and shape it into what it is today, time and time again, she was not credited for her efforts. This lack of recognition, combined with how Reggiani’s husband treated her, informed Gaga’s performance.
Another critique of the film is the actors’ accents, especially Gaga’s, with many noting how it changes throughout the film. However, Gaga spent nine months with a vocal coach in order to perfect her Italian accent and has expressed in multiple interviews that she altered her accent throughout the movie on purpose. She wanted to make it specific to Reggiani’s progression in life, beginning the movie with a higher pitch in her voice, and as the film goes on, making her voice lower and stronger, to reflect how Reggiani was innocent when she first entered the Gucci family and how the brand and her marriage changed her.
Despite these critiques, the film has become an immediate hit, with people rushing to theaters when it came out and continuing to do so. It has grossed 21.4 million dollars at the box office, scored a 62% on Rotten Tomatoes, and received a 7/10 rating on IMDb. For those who have not seen House of Gucci yet, it’s definitely worth checking out over the winter break.
Film Review: 14 Peaks
by The Cowl Editor on December 11, 2021
Arts & Entertainment
Film Review: 14 Peaks
The Possibility of the Impossible
Grace O’Connor ’22
The Netflix documentary 14 Peaks explores courageous mountaineer Nirmal Purja’s journey as he climbs the 14 highest peaks in the world in the span of seven months. The previous record for the amount of time taken to climb all of these mountains was seven years, so Purja and his team’s accomplishment is quite astounding. The Nepalese climber named this adventure “Project Possible.”
According to The Los Angeles Times, Nirmal was “a former Nepali Gurkha soldier and member of the U.K. Special Forces. He’s a charming, exuberant leader out not only to achieve an incredible physical — at times even metaphysical — feat but also to help bring Nepal and his nation’s uber-climbers into the international spotlight.”
Purja’s background clearly gave him the necessary skills to prepare for “Project Possible.” Indeed, the many factors that a mountaineer must take into account are daunting, especially those concerning the “Death Zone.” As Salon explains, this “is the elevation above 8,000 meters, where cold, wind, and avalanches can kill, and oxygen is scarce.”
Purja’s journey certainly had many setbacks, including his life-threatening struggle with High Altitude Cerebral Edema. Purja described this experience to Yahoo News, saying, “I needed to get down the mountain quickly…It was a matter of life and death.”
Nirmal attributed his success in overcoming this frightening obstacle to his ambition, which is one of the qualities that stands out the most about him to his family. His wife, for instance, describes him as “very driven” in multiple interviews.
While Purja’s achievement is incredible, he remains humble. He described the project to Yahoo Canada as a “story that needs to be told to the rest of the world,” expressing that “It’s not about me, but [rather about] somebody else who believed in the vision to change the world for a better perspective, better reason.” Purja’s desire to share his experience and motivate others to achieve whatever they put their minds to is inspirational. Indeed, although Purja’s journey certainly was tough, his resilience awes the rest of the world.
Film Preview: Dune
by The Cowl Editor on November 4, 2021
Arts & Entertainment
Film Preview: Dune
The Anticipated Film’s Release
Kate Picone ’22
After much anticipation, the sci-fi epic Dune starring Zendaya, Timotheé Chalamet, and Jason Momoa debuted on Oct. 22, 2021 on HBO Max. The film has gained much attention because of its notable cast and the intriguing themes of its source material.
Dune was adapted from a novel of the same name written in 1965 by Frank Herbert. The book was revolutionary for its time because it deals with anti-corporatism, pro-eco radicalism, and Islamophilicism. Directors and producers have wanted to transform this book into a movie for quite some time, but have been hesitant because of the content and Herbert’s reluctance to allow them to use his ideas. However, there was one previous film based on the book prior to the 2021 adaptation. This one was released in 1984, but it was less than a success despite boasting a strong cast.
The 2021 version seems to be doing much better. Reaching a rating of 8.3/10 on IMDb and 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, it is safe to say the public is enjoying the newest adaptation of Dune. Critics have expressed that it is a must-see for sci-fi fans due to the cinematography and, of course, the plot itself.
Dune follows many different characters whose stories intertwine into a cohesive narrative, but the main character is Paul Atreides, played by Chalamet. He is an intellectually gifted young man challenged with the task of rising to power while reckoning with his father’s failure to lead well. His development from the picture of helpless youth into a true leader is a focal point of the film. Indeed, Atreides foresees a crusade coming to his planet and has a vision that he must be the one to lead his people through it in order for them to prevail. There is no shortage of action throughout the story, with everything from giant sand worms to bloody battles.
Notably, some fans have critiqued Zendaya’s lack of presence in the film. The trailer suggests that viewers will be seeing a lot of the popular actress in the movie, but audience members have complained that she appears minimally. This has been disappointing to fans of the Dune novel, as Zendaya’s character is a prominent symbol of commentary on anti-colonialism throughout the book.
However, director Denis Villeneuve has explained that there will be a sequel to Dune that deals more extensively with the latter half of its source material. He promised that Zendaya will be a bigger part of this second, upcoming installment.
While quite long – a whopping two hours and 35 minutes – audience and critics have agreed that Dune does a great job at drawing the audience into the story and making the time fly by. Dune is currently showing in theaters and on streaming service HBO Max.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
by The Cowl Editor on October 28, 2021
Arts & Entertainment
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Hocus Pocus 2 Begins Filming in Rhode Island
Olivia Riportella ’25
Get ready, Friartown, because spooky season is here. While Rhode Island always offers a number of eerie festivities to get people in the Halloween spirit, this year brings a unique way for locals to get in the spooky mood: the iconic 1993 film Hocus Pocus has begun filming a sequel at La Salle Academy in Providence, RI.
According to the Providence Journal, shoots for the production began as recently as Monday, Oct. 18. Cameras could be seen rolling on the grounds of La Salle as well as inside the building, even during the school day. Many extras in the film are being played by Rhode Island locals.
Governor Dan McKee has weighed in on the film, saying that he is “proud and honored” that “our beautiful state, with its unique scenery, landscapes, and local talent, will be the backdrop for a major motion picture.” The production of the sequel is expected to help boost Rhode Island’s economy, which suffered a hard hit during the pandemic.
The Executive Director of the Rhode Island Film & TV Office, Steven Feinberg, also spoke enthusiastically about the production, stating: “We are very excited to welcome Disney and their talented team to the Ocean State to create the next chapter of the popular and highly anticipated sequel, Hocus Pocus 2.”
He added, “We are particularly grateful to Walt Disney Productions for providing good paying jobs for many local artists and hard-working technicians from across Rhode Island. Collaboration is key to the art of cinema and we look forward to helping the Hocus Pocus 2 team produce movie magic here in the Ocean State!”
News of a sequel to the beloved movie has created much anticipation among fans and the public at large. Indeed, with iconic actresses Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy returning to the big screen in their havoc-wreaking roles of the witchy Sanderson sisters, the expectations for Hocus Pocus 2 are incredibly high.
This time around, the Sanderson witches are accidentally brought back into present-day Salem by three young women. The movie will portray the girls attempting to stop the child-hungry sisters and their mayhem. The director of the new film is Anne Fletcher, who announced that she is “so grateful to be able to play a part in bringing these witches back to life.” She explained, “Now more than ever, people need to laugh. We should be laughing every day, and there is so much fun to be had with these three unbelievable women playing delicious characters from such a beloved film.”
Details about the film are still being kept under wraps, but fans hope to find out more as production continues. Hocus Pocus 2 will continue filming in RI at locations in Providence and Lincoln until the end of the year, and is expected to make its much-anticipated debut on Disney+ in the fall of 2022.
Spider-Man: No Way Home Trailer Released
by The Cowl Editor on September 3, 2021
Arts & Entertainment
Spider-Man: No Way Home Trailer Released
Teaser Confirms Ties to Other Spider-Man Franchises
By Madison Palmieri ’22
After months of anticipation following leaked set photos and rumors regarding plot, casting, and other aspects of the production, the first official trailer for Marvel’s long-awaited upcoming film, Spider-Man: No Way Home, has arrived.
The exciting first look at the film shows Tom Holland’s Peter Parker dealing with the aftermath of the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home, in which his identity is revealed. Struggling to cope, he asks Doctor Strange to cast a spell so that everyone forgets that he is Spider-Man. However, as the trailer suggests, things do not go according to plan.
The movie is the third Spider-Man film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It has been in the works as early as 2017, when Far From Home, the second movie in the franchise, was released; however, development of the project stalled due to negotiations between Marvel and Sony over the rights to the beloved comic book character. The two companies ultimately reached a compromise in September 2019 that allowed Spiderman to remain in the MCU.
Rumors about the potential plot of the film began to swirl in October 2020, beginning with the news that Benedict Cumberbatch would be reprising his Marvel Cinematic Universe role of Dr. Stephen Strange. Fans were quick to point out that the character’s next appearance after the then-untitled Spider-Man movie would be in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Given the potential for multiple universes and, consequently, multiple versions of the same character, fans began to theorize that the new film might tie into Sony’s two live-action Spider-Man franchises. The first was a trilogy directed by Sam Raimi that starred Tobey Maguire in the titular role. The second was a duology featuring Andrew Garfield as the lead.
Speculation intensified in late 2020, when it was revealed that Jamie Foxx would be reprising his role as Electro from Sony’s 2014 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Alfred Molina would be reprising his role as Doctor Octopus from Sony’s 2004 Spider-Man 2. Fans quickly grew convinced that Maguire and Garfield would similarly return, featuring as Spider-Men from other universes alongside Tom Holland’s MCU Spider-Man.
Although it remains unclear whether fans will see all three Spider-Men together on the big screen, Marvel has already paved the way for such coexistence of different versions of the same character—on the small screen.
Throughout 2021, the MCU has released original series on Disney+ that tie into its films. These live-action shows each have fewer than 10 episodes and amount to several hours of screen time. The most recent series, Loki, directly featured or hinted at nearly a dozen versions, or variants, of the titular character in addition to the “main” version played by Tom Hiddleston. Notably, Loki’s finale also confirmed the existence of the MCU multiverse.
While this does not guarantee that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will similarly appear as Spider-Man “variants” in No Way Home, the fact that other cast members and characters from their franchises will be appearing in the film makes it a real and exciting possibility.
Indeed, the trailer gives fans confirmation of the appearance of the multiverse, with flashes of lightning signaling Electro’s return and the actual appearance of Doctor Octopus. The brief clip also hints at the return of Green Goblin, another villain from the Sam Raimi trilogy.
However, Marvel fans wondering what this means for the MCU’s Spider-Man, and the future of the franchise as a whole, will have to wait until the film’s premiere on Dec. 17 to find out.