BY ERIN CARBERRY ’19
Given the Academy’s history of favoritism toward period dramas, it may not come as a surprise to even a casual filmgoer that “The Favourite,” a historical dramedy set in early eighteenth-century England, holds this year’s crown for most Academy Award nominations with a whopping ten potential trophies.
CASEY ROEPKE ’21
A series full of archival footage and investigative information, “Wild Wild Country” tackles the documentary genre with amazing care and effort. The series follows the infamous and controversial Bhagwan Rajneesh, a guru from India who amassed a tremendous following with his teachings on meditation, religion, advocacy for sexual liberation and a break from traditional Indian values. The show focuses on Rajneesh, his personal assistant Ma Anand Sheela and other pivotal players in the controversial criminal activity that followed the movement’s relocation to the U.S., including the Rajneesh community’s takeover of Wasco County, Oregon. Throughout the whole, the directors, Maclain and Chapman Way, did their best to keep their own opinions out of the documentary, which leaves the fundamental question — who the bad guys are —unanswered. With a gripping narrative style, detailed historical recreations and incredible interviews, “Wild Wild Country” was popular among true crime fans and historians. It’s worth a watch and a rewatch. (Netflix)
There is no better premise for a show: lovable, fluffy and heartwarming, the dogs in this six-part documentary series will steal your heart a million times over. From a service animal for a girl with epilepsy to the refugee willing to do anything to get his dog out of Syria, the series features stories illustrating the unbreakable bond between dogs and humans. It’s impossible to enjoy this television series without a box of tissues in hand, but it’s the emotional catharsis the world so desperately needs right now. (Netflix)
ERIN CARBERRY ’19
Released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch in July, “Octopath Traveler” is an unconventional version of the sprawling adventure and turn-based monster-fighting games that have earned a place in every gamer’s heart. The game was developed by Nintendo and Square Enix, known for the “Final Fantasy” and “Life is Strange” series. Rather than a single protagonist, “Octopath” follows eight different adventurers, each with different personalities, abilities and stories. Players select their main traveler at the beginning of the game and can choose to cross paths with as many of the other seven as they want, gaining allies in battle and another piece of the intertwined narrative world. What makes “Octopath” stand out is its cast of compelling characters and its distinctive aesthetic — 16-bit avatars travel a refined landscape full of glistening oceans, rocky ravines and countless types of monsters. The world is immersive, the graphics beautiful and the storylines engaging.
ERIN CARBERRY ’19
The single greatest film in the decade-long Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Black Panther” is an outstanding achievement in every way. Following the favorite newcomer from 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War” home to the rich and vibrant kingdom of Wakanda, “Black Panther” tells the story of King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman, “42”) as he struggles with his newfound royal responsibility and a challenger who threatens to change Wakanda forever. The film’s villain, Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan, “Creed”) shines, thanks to both excellent writing and Jordan’s performance. Killmonger’s depth elevates the film as both T’Challa and the audience are faced with the reality that the world is not always as simple as good guys and bad guys. In a world where Hollywood white washes role after role and puts on a rather pitiful show of ‘diversity’ when it bothers to attempt it, “Black Panther”’s social importance cannot be understated. The movie’s success shows definitively that it is far past time to change that broken system.
NADIA BABAR ’19
If ever there was a tough act to follow, it was the Arctic Monkeys’ 2013 LP, AM. But Alex Turner proves his boundless potential for musical innovation with “Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino,” a fearless experiment that demonstrates Turner’s lyrical genius. With songs about a taqueria on the moon and subdued notes from Harpsichords and vintage keyboards, the album is a true experiment that definitely disgruntled some hardcore fans of one of Britain’s most popular indie rock bands. Songs such as “Four Stars Out of Five” and “Batphone” make obscure references to consumerism, set to the background of Turner’s suave, velvety vocals. “Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino” is an amalgamation of hubris, a desperate search for meaning and surrealist narrative, but at the same time it bleeds authenticity and creativity. Either way, the experiment pays off.
SABRYNA COPPOLA ’22
Hozier’s newest album features his signature ethereal ballads, but with underlying themes of activism and hidden strength. The album’s titular song is a bluesy anthem that pays homage to artists of the civil rights movement, including Nina Simone and Billie Holiday. It is the most raw and energetic of his songs so far, celebrating music as a form of protest and the voices of change-makers. The songs on “Nina Cried Power” feel more structured and directed than some of Hozier’s earlier works, while still employing the same heavy rhythms, emphasis on folk-style guitar and cryptic messages of nature, pain, broken love and strength as his 2014 self-titled album. This is my favorite album of 2018 because it empowers protest and the poetry of the planet we live on.
TESS TUITOEK ’21
Ariana Grande’s new single “thank u, next” was the anthem we needed to end 2018 with a bang. Her music video paid homage to all our favorite rom-coms from the early 2000s like “Mean Girls,” “Legally Blonde,” “Bring It On” and “13 Going on 30.” The video broke a record for YouTube’s most watched video in 24 Hours. We can’t wait to see what Ariana has in store for 2019.
BY ERIN CARBERRY ’19
Originally premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2018 before landing in box offices this August, “Searching” is a dramatic thriller that follows David Kim (John Cho, “Star Trek”) through his increasingly desperate search for his missing 16-year-old daughter Margot (Michelle La, “Mom”). Aiding him in his search are his lazy younger brother, Peter (Joseph Lee, “Miracle That We Met”), and Detective Rosemary Vick (Debra Messing, “Will & Grace”).
BY ERIN CARBERRY ’19
Based on the debut thriller novel of the same name by Darcey Bell, “A Simple Favor” follows widow and single mom Stephanie (Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air”) as she befriends the enigmatic Emily (Blake Lively, “The Age of Adaline”). When Emily disappears, Stephanie becomes obsessed with finding her friend and is quickly drawn into the tangled web of Emily’s secrets. As the story unfolds and more stones are overturned, the audience discovers that no one — not even wholesome, mommy-vlogger Stephanie — is as innocent as they seem. But how far can a story like this go before it becomes too far-fetched to follow?
BY ERIN CARBERRY ’19
Released on April 13, Netflix’s “Lost in Space” is a reimagining of the 1960s sci-fi classic television show of the same name. When the project was first announced, audiences had their reservations: some feared another gritty sci-fi reboot while others had flashbacks to the series’ last attempt at a reboot, the universally panned 1998 film. Overall, hesitant audiences have nothing to fear: the series has heart, wit and cleverness in equal measure.
BY ERIN CARBERRY '19
The newest entry in an expanding catalogue of Netflix original films, “The Titan” examines issues of humanity, survival and hope. The futuristic thriller follows Abi Janssen (Taylor Schilling, “Orange is the New Black”) as she travels to a remote base with her family so that her husband, Rick (Sam Worthington, “Avatar”), can participate in a risky military experiment in genetic evolution and space exploration.
BY ERIN CARBERRY ’19
One of the most anticipated films of the year, “Ready Player One,” is directed by industry giant Steven Spielberg (“Jurassic Park”) and based on the 2011 debut novel of the same name by Ernest Cline. The film follows Wade Wyatt, or Parzival (Tye Sheridan, “X-Men: Apocalypse”), through the fantastical multiplayer virtual world of “the Oasis.” There, he and his friends battle for control of the virtual wonderland against a heartless corporation, Innovative Online Industries, and its head honcho, Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn, “Rogue One”). In the real world, Wade battles the realities of a rundown futuristic Columbus, Ohio.
BY ERIN CARBERRY ’19
It’s more than likely that not one person on the Mount Holyoke campus — save for myself — watched this recent Netflix release, helmed by the creative team and cast of “Workaholics,” a sitcom about college dropouts starring Adam DeVine (“Pitch Perfect”), Anders Holm (“The Mindy Project”) and Blake Anderson (“Dope”). Following in the footsteps of “Jackass” and “Harold & Kumar,” “Game Over, Man!” takes its niche genre — brainless, vulgar and hyper-masculine gross-out humor — to a startling new extreme.
BY ERIN CARBERRY ’19
Following the Five College Film Festival, the Mount Holyoke Film Society and Mount Holyoke Broadcasting Channel (MHBC) hosted their own festival on March 2. The Mount Holyoke Film Festival aimed to showcase the works of students who were not accepted to the larger festival or did not submit entries.
BY ERIN CARBERRY ’19
Drizzling rain and cold breezes ushered students, faculty and parents into Gamble Auditorium on Friday night for the 24th annual Five College Film Festival. The program consisted of 22 films, all made entirely by students in the community. As attendees arrived, jurors and volunteers had to hurry to print additional voting ballots. “I printed 125 programs and I had to go back and print 50 more,” said Bernadine Mellis, professor of digital media and production at Mount Holyoke and Smith. “It’s Mount Holyoke, it’s hard to get to [and] it’s raining, but there wasn’t an empty seat in the house. It was amazing.”
BY ERIN CARBERRY ’19
Netflix released the third installment in the science fiction “Cloverfield” series following two short ads during the Super Bowl. In the 10 years since the first “Cloverfield” film and two years since its sequel, “10 Cloverfield Lane,” the seemingly rushed production of “The Cloverfield Paradox” is obvious. Set in the year 2028, when humanity has nearly depleted their energy supply and now rely on a particle accelerator called “the Shepard” for survival, “The Cloverfield Paradox” is a haphazard mash of other, more critically-acclaimed works. The film starts with the atmosphere of a lazily-crafted episode of “Black Mirror” but by the time the narrative shifts to the Cloverfield space station, it becomes a weaker version of “Alien” (complete with several recreations of its most iconic moments). Relying on jump-scares and on-screen violence, the film becomes entirely predictable and brings nothing new to the series or the genre.
