VoiceMale gets in the V-Day groove

by Emily Blumenthal | 02/13/2018

 As Valentine’s Day comes around every February, we all look for songs to get us into a romantic mood. Often the songs are classical tunes — wordless, sometimes corny melodies replete with string sections. Very rarely, though, are Valentine’s Day songs lacking instruments. Brandeis’ all-male a cappella group VoiceMale sought to change that with its annual variety show “Lovapalooza,” which took place this past Saturday. “Lovapalooza,” however, delivered performances as diverse as the selection of discount candy after the holiday. 

Comedians challenge ’Deis PC culture

by Hannah Kressel and Mariah Manter | 02/06/2018

 This past Thursday evening, WBRS hosted its second comedy night this semester. Hosted by Josh Day, the event garnered a small, but lively audience.  Dim lighting, as per request of Day — who spent time fussing over the Goldilocks “just right” setting for lighting — set the tone of the evening. A larger-than-life poster of a somber-looking pup against the wall behind the stage added to this facetiously melancholy set. To start off the evening, Day joked that this was his dog, who he recently put down, and that a reminder of one’s dead childhood dog is a necessary component for laughter at a comedy show. The morbid, edging on macabre, theme of the first joke would continue throughout the night. 

Keaton reminds us to revisit the silent film era

by Kent Dinlenc | 02/06/2018

 The screening of the 1924 film “Sherlock Jr.” was hosted by the History of Ideas program. The organizer, academic administrator Julie Seeger (PHIL), invited students and faculty to “A Night at the Movies,” one in a series of three movie nights throughout the semester. This first one was, in part, also a celebration of Prof. John Plotz’s (ENG) new book, “Semi-Detached: The Aesthetics of Virtual Experience since Dickens.”  

TBA is a must-see this semester

by Jen Geller | 02/06/2018

 On Wednesday evening, the TBA Improv and Sketch Comedy group put on its first show of the semester. From start to finish, the show was full of laughs; the audience, about 40 students, was drawn in for the entirety of the two hours.  

Coffeehouse spotlights Jews of color

by Isabelle Truong | 02/06/2018

SEPHARDIC SISTERS: Twins Selen and Deniz Amado ’18 wowed the audience with their acoustic cover of three songs.

Interview: Karina Wen '20 and Haia Bchiri '20

by Hannah Kressel | 01/30/2018

Who doesn’t love a good ‘Quickie’?

by Lizzie Grossman | 01/30/2018

 Anyone who has seen theater at Brandeis knows the hard work that theater students put into their performances, with several hours of rehearsal culminating in an elaborate performance. At the beginning of the spring semester, however, students perform plays that have only been rehearsed two or three times — and while they are very impressive, they have the unique element of being performed in under 10 minutes. 

Hamilton Morris on high (quality) filmmaking

by Isabelle Truong | 01/30/2018

  The speaker for the event was journalist and filmmaker Hamilton Morris, who shared season two, episode six of his show, “Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia on Vice.” The episode was titled, “A Clandestine Chemist’s Tale.” In his show he explores the history and process of making various psychedelic drugs, from mushrooms to hallucinogenic frog venom. 

Margot Robbie shines as Tonya Harding

by Mendel Weintraub | 01/30/2018

 The biopic is a Hollywood hallmark, and like all hallmarks, it is rife with clichés: the lovable protagonist with whom you side, the uplifting ending and the agreeable supporting characters. A biopic lacking these elements is hard to find, and those without them are rarely successful. But “I, Tonya,” Craig Gillespie’s unorthodox portrayal of the life of American figure skater Tonya Harding, is a biopic that leaves all the typical boxes unchecked, making for a deliciously dark comedy. 

Interview: Caroline Kriesen '20

by Hannah Kressel | 01/23/2018

WBRS comedy night proves entertaining and fun

by Maya Zanger-Nadis | 01/23/2018

 There was a full house at Cholmondeley’s Coffee House last Wednesday night for WBRS’ Fresh Comedy Night. The host — Josh Day, a man with more hair than head — opened with a painfully unoriginal joke about not having a joke and followed it with a lowbrow pun. 

Interview: Samantha Shepherd '18

by Lizzie Grossman | 01/16/2018

2017 holds many underrated albums

by Isabelle Truong | 01/16/2018

 Plenty of our favorite artists released instantly iconic albums in 2017. From Jay-Z’s “44:44” to Taylor Swift’s “Reputation,” we were blessed with new music. Most “Best of 2017” pieces released from music websites and blogs across the internet praise the big and obvious choices: Kendrick Lamar, Sza and Tyler the Creator. While those albums were certainly defining sounds of the past year, here are three underrated albums released in 2017 which deserve some attention and hype as well. 

‘Call Me By Your Name’: a tale d’amore

by Mendel Weintraub | 12/05/2017

 There is an effervescent joy that arises in the body when one witnesses a masterpiece of cinema unfold before their very eyes. It is an almost overwhelming sensation. Luca Guadagnino’s “Call Me By Your Name,” an adaptation of  André Aciman’s debut novel of the same title, is a rare gem that evokes such emotions.