Yoshiwara was an infamous red-light district of Edo (today’s Tokyo) that flourished between the 17th and 19th-centuries, extending for around 16 acres during its heyday. A place of extreme extravagance and decadence, the samurai of the Edo period frequented this area seeking romance that was, to quote a contemporaneous expression, “fleeting as a bubble.” Read moreA…
Musher Tabetha Kopta could hear the cheers and shouts as she neared the finish line. After a weekend of races, she and her team of sled dogs were about to place third overall in the New York State Dryland Challenge—for the dogs, however, it was all about the thrill of the run. Pawn and Lilian,…
This longest-ever Oscar season has been blessed with an abundance of female newcomers in front of the camera. In fact, I have seen comments saying that the actresses who are likely to compete for a spot on the ballot have outshined many of the actors who are deemed to be in contention. Read moreA Guide to…
I’m an advocate of great cinematic art, but particularly cinema created by women. Women have a sense of storytelling that is unpretentious and unwavering with a sensitivity that sometimes lacks from our male counterparts. Alice Guy-Blaché is a name I’m sure was mentioned during my studies at Howard University, but somehow it escaped me. Guy-Blaché,…
Rain Beau’s End is a film released this year about misunderstandings and acceptance. A lesbian couple adopt a son, Beau, and struggle with his diagnosis of an XYY chromosomal mutation which supposedly leads to violence in men. Beau’s mothers struggle with this diagnosis, which deeply impacts their relationships — both with each other and with…
There are several ways to wreck a moss ball. You might not want to, at first, because they’re quite charming, as far as aquarium accessories go—vivid green and damply hairy, like a Muppet that’s been through the wash. But if you choose to be merciless, you can pick from several modes of attack. You could…
When photographer Dawoud Bey stood with his camera, overlooking the waters of Lake Erie in northeastern Ohio, he felt something unexpected. The acclaimed artist had been working on a project to reimagine the history of the Underground Railroad through shooting the imaginary point of view of a fugitive enslaved person moving through the landscape. Due…
One of the funnier, and more overlooked, things about art is how much timing plays a part in our enjoyment of it. Depending on where we are at the moment — from specific moods, phases of our lives, or even a time as trivial as what time in the day it is — we can…
★★★ Directed by: #IvoVanAart Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonWritten by: #DaanWindhorst Starring: #GenieDeGroot, #KatjaHerbers, #ReinHofman, #BramVanDerKelen, #AchrafKoutet Read moreRobert Stack Finally Solves a Mystery in ‘The Strange and Deadly Occurrence’Film Review by Taryll Baker Columnist and author Femke is flooded with anonymous nasty messages and death threats on social media. One…
“It’s new, but it’s good…” IFC has released the first official trailer for a suy romantic drama from Greece titled Monday, arriving this spring on both VOD + in theaters. “A spark on a Friday can lead to a sizzling weekend fling, but what happens when you get to the inevitable Monday?” The film follows…
According to the records, the first temple in Prambanan was built around the year 850. It is believed that Rakai Pikatan, king of the Sanjaya dynasty Medang Kingdom, had it built partly as a Hindu response to the nearby Buddhist Borobudur, and partly as a marker to commemorate the return of the Sanjaya dynasty to…
Nearly 300 acres of forest and wetlands make up this peaceful nature preserve on the outskirts of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The calm forests and open meadows are perfect for a fun family hike or picnic. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonMarshes and swamps border a dune that developed more than 10,000 years…
Andrew Klavan got the oddest looks whenever he’d warn friends and strangers about the looming culture wars. “We’ve lost this country at the movies,” Klavan recalls saying to bemused reactions, at best. “I had to laugh so I wouldn’t cry. They were looking at me like I was cute. What on earth was I talking…
In an interview with Deadline, director Andrei Konchalovsky spoke about how his main actress in Dear Comrades!, Julia Vysotskaya, was born in Novocherkassk a decade after the movie’s central massacre took place, giving her an indirectly personal relationship to the material. Konchalovsky prides himself on authentic historical representation and this was but one example of his…
The Terrorium Shop is a quaint hidden gem tucked away in Denver, Colorado. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonWhat started out as a strange little hobby, blossomed into a business after owner Amber Hage-Ali gifted her partner Ian Johnson with one of her “terroriums,” a glass vessel showcasing a skull with living…
On the outskirts of Sheffield is the Rivelin Valley Trail, where beautiful riverside walks provide a mixture of nature and the industrial, lined as it is by ruins and remnants of various water wheels’ used to pump water to the mills and steelworks of the city in a bygone age. Read moreA Guide to The…
In 1865, an enterprising local farmer, Upton Darby, began raising funds to build a schoolhouse for the children of local farmers, which inspired neighbors to pitch in with cash and labor to bring his vision to life. This beautiful one-room schoolhouse was up and running the following year, using distinctive red sandstone from nearby Seneca…
It’s a night of The Smiths in Shoplifters of the World, the latest from director Stephen Kijak. The young, bored characters of this movie could be found at any time in history, but there are only a few moments when they could mourn the breakup of a truly great band. One of those came in 1987…
These small, Small strange-looking buildings can be found along the seafront of Brighton & Hove. These little shelters actually date back to the Victorian era. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonThere are seven, elegant matching cast iron shelters along the seafront. They have provided residents and tourists with a place to rest…
Latinas are supposed to be quiet—or at least, that’s what you might have heard. Historically, we’ve attempted to silence our own with “advice” like “calladita te ves más bonita” (which loosely translates to “you’d be prettier if you talked less”). It’s not exactly a feminist sentiment and it’s reinforced externally by Hollywood’s portrayal of Latinas—we’re…
The Canadian fishing village of Glover’s Harbour, Newfoundland (formerly known as Thimble Tickle) claims to be the “Home of the Giant Squid.” It earned this distinction in 1878, when a living giant squid (Architeuthis dux) was discovered stranded offshore. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho Marathon According to contemporary documents, on the morning of…