Yes, I’m one of those people: the thirtysomethings who devoured the Divergent books and couldn’t get enough. But this isn’t the part where I critique the series. It *is* where I share my love for Shailene Woodley as a human being and as a beacon of hope for her generation.
By now, it’s no secret that I’m a complete film nerd — and completely obsessed with the Oscars. The one thing I struggle to do every year, however; especially in the years when I don’t make it to a film festival, is watch the nominated shorts.
Sunday marks the 85th telecast of the Academy Awards, and over 50 films are nominated across the 24 categories. No matter which end up bringing home the iconic Oscar, we scoped the list and came up with 8 movies worth watching, even after award season is over.
Call it Boston pride, but my favorite moments from last night’s Golden Globes had to be from Amy Poehler and Ben Affleck (and by extension, Jennifer Garner — also owed in part to my renewed obsession with her tough & buff agent alter ego Sydney Bristow, thanks to a recent
Last summer ended with hospital visits, lots of them, back to back. For two weeks straight, I flew back and forth between North and South, first with one parent in the hospital, then another — as soon as one was released, another was admitted. Thankfully, they’re both in the clear, but it was scary, exhausting, eye opening.
It may be sacrilege, as a die-hard Boston girl, to loathe St. Patrick’s Day, but there you have it. I’m not a big fan of any cultural holiday that’s taken hold in America and has lost its main focus as a celebration of true national identity, but I won’t get into that now.
The Oscars, while mostly a red carpet ogle-fest these days, are the time of year to celebrate films and movie-going as our favorite, democratizing form of entertainment — and this awards ceremony in particular is one that should be shared with friends, just like you once enjoyed those movies being honored.
I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m a huge film nerd. When it comes to movies, I’m particularly fond of the indies, as well as the humble, reluctant celebrities and talented artists who make them. I like to support the underdogs, and I like to see films that might not otherwise make it into theaters or get picked up for mass distribution.
Last night, my sister and I took my mom to see Black Swan for her birthday, and — unlike most of the reviews and reactions I’ve read of Darren Aronofsky’s new film so far — I really loved it and found it to be absolutely beautiful, visually and narratively.
Museums and cultural institutions have always offered free nights and pay-what-you-can discounts, even more so since the Great Recession, but some thought leaders in the art world are taking it a step further by providing free curated art for all, any time, anywhere, online.