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"Captain America: Brave New World" and the politics of power in 2025

With “Captain America: Brave New World” hitting theaters in early 2025, the Marvel Cinematic Universe once again places politics at the heart of its traditional “superhero” narrative. This latest installment is more than just an action-packed blockbuster — it serves as a reflection of contemporary anxieties about leadership, nationalism, media influence and the struggle for power in modern America.

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Hold Thy Peace's "Argonautika"

This past weekend, Hold Thy Peace, the Brandeis Shakespeare and classics theater group, performed their spring semester show “Argonautika” by Mary Zimmerman. “Argonautika” is a modern adaptation of the Greek epic poem “Argonautica” written in the third century before the common era by Apollonius Rhodius. The story follows that of Jason and the Argonauts on their quest to retrieve the legendary golden fleece from Colchis and bring it back to Iolcus, Jason’s home. Set before the Trojan War, the Argonauts feature a star-studded cast of familiar heroes including Hercules, who joins the voyage in between his famous labors. 

The Debutante: dual depictions

If you’ve visited the Rose Art Museum this past semester, you may have encountered the beautifully abstract artworks of British-Mexican artist, Leonora Carrington. From her sketches to her paintings, Carrington’s surrealistic pieces transport viewers to new realms, constructing alternate realities where our world is blended with the unimaginable. 

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Watch out! Art is Everywhere!

Currently on exhibition at the “Musée d’Orsay” of Paris is a collection of late  19th and early 20th century posters, advertisements and music all centering around the works of art found in the street. Art in the street is one of the most important art forms to our public consciousness. It is an art exhibited to the public with no separation from our quotidian lives. It is a part of our lives in support of what we experience, media that increasingly coalesces with our steps, our work, our commute, and places itself in our community. The Orsay Museum has taken the opportunity to revisit such advertisements to show certain mutable aspects of street art.

The Russian Club talent show: A celebration of culture and heritage

On March 12 the Brandeis Russian Club and Russian Studies program performed their annual Student Talent Show as part of Brandeis’ Russian Language & Culture Week of 2025. The Student Talent Show is a tradition dating back to 2008 and all students are encouraged to participate, not just students in the Russian Club or Russian Studies Program. Before the celebrations began there was an acknowledgment of those affected by war and an explanation of the significance of International Women’s Day in post-soviet countries. International Women’s Day takes place on March 8 and after Russian women gained suffrage in 1917 the country adopted it as a national holiday. Later the date was also adopted by the United Nations in 1975. 

Brandeis' post-baccalaureate exhibition opens

On March 12, I attended the opening of the post-baccalaureate art exhibition in Dreitzer Gallery. This exhibition features four incredible artists. I was lucky enough to chat with them about their work to gain some inspiration and insight on their process and to ask them each about my favorite piece of theirs. 

The enchanting performance of "La Belle au Bois Dormant"

Withstanding rain, hail and wind, spectators stood before the National Opera of Paris, excitedly anticipating this season’s “La Belle au Bois Dormant” choreographed and directed by Rudolph Noureev. I had the fortunate opportunity to attend this spectacle with a group of other students on March 11. Among the neoclassical mise en scene, costume design and spectacular engaging lighting, dancers spun, twisted and leaped in petit pas pattering across the stage. A symphony to honor Tchaikovsky, led by the brilliant composer Vello Pähn, masterfully presented the Russian ballet that the audience awarded a standing ovation.

A weekend of laughter with Boris' Kitchen

This weekend, sketch comedy group Boris’ Kitchen performed their spring semester, or rather “New Shit Show,” in the Merrick Theater. The room was full and buzzing as BK President Josh Kiel ’25 and Vice President Trisha Roy ’26 welcomed Brandeis’ very own improv group False Advertising to open the show. At the Friday viewing, they presented the audience with a short Broadway musical “Ghosts of Radio” where two storylines connected into a beautifully sung ballad “Ghost Foursome.” The absurdity continued as Kiel and Roy returned to the stage to introduce the headlining actors. Kiel whipped open a bottle of Pepsi and began to gulp down the soda. Encouraging the stunt, the audience began to chant “chug, chug, chug!” as Kiel did his best to down the beverage. The ridiculous, though energizing, moment prepared the audience for more oddities to come. 

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Discussing Anna Politkovskaya and censorship in journalism

Following Saturday’s performance of “Intractable Woman” the Department of Theater Arts hosted a talk between investigative reporter Matthew Kupfer ’12 and Russian journalist Elena Kostyuchenko titled “The Legacy of Anna Politkovskaya and Journalism Today.” It would be remiss not to mention that Kupfer has extensive experience covering stories in Eastern Europe and the United States at the global and local levels. Both Kostyuchenko and Kupfer asked each other questions and answered inquiries from the audience.

Centre Georges Pompidou shutters its doors

In March of this year, the permanent collection of the Musée National d’art Moderne — the National Modern Art Museum — of Paris closed its doors for five years. Consecrated as the Centre Georges Pompidou, this modern art museum has housed a large collection of avant-garde art from the early 20th century since 1977. The Pompidou center represents the history of the avant-garde in Paris and the promulgation of modern art as a national art form. Such a closing of a historic collection has been disheartening to say the least. Despite the varied personal opinions of modern art, there is no denying the historical impact of this art style as a social movement.

Showering the babies in song

On Friday March 7, Rather Be Giraffes held their Baby Shower, welcoming three new students to their all gender a capella group. The night began with a mesmerizing cover of “Winner” by Conan Gray, lead by Nicole Benton ’26. While the song itself evokes a somber and deeply emotional mood, the atmosphere of the night was anything but. Following Benton’s solo, Kaila Silber ’25, dazzled the audience with a soulful rendition of Olivia Dean’s “Dive.” In the same romantic sultry tone, the last of the love songs came with Adele’s “All I Ask” featuring Sydney Duncan ’25. With a shift in tempo and a spotlight on the next generation of talent, the night concluded with a lively Beach Boys medley, featuring the 'baby giraffes' — Sarah Jafary ’28, Sara Hyde-Touissant ’28 and Mia Warshaviak ’27.

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Never Severing My Relationship with ‘Severance’: A Review

 “Severance” is currently airing its second season on Apple TV+. So far, the first seven episodes have met the high expectations set by the show’s first season, which aired in 2022. The show is a science fiction thriller which, as the name suggests, involves severing oneself into two different consciousnesses colloquially referred to as ‘innies’ and ‘outies.’ The ‘innie’ version of an individual exists solely at work, conscious only after they clock in and until they clock out. The ‘outie’ is the version of the individual which lives every other aspect of their life. Crucially, memories are not shared between the two. Innies are created with somewhat of a blank slate as they retain rudimentary knowledge of the world, but need to be informed of their first name and first initial of their last name to acquire any aspect of a personal identity. Essentially all an innie knows is their work at Lumon Industries, the company that invented the severance procedure.