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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Saturday, December 21, 2024

Odessa Gaines


Odessa Gaines is a senior studying psychology and film and media studies. Odessa can be reached at kgaine01@tufts.edu.

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Arts

‘A Man on the Inside’ explores community, aging with humor and love

Netflix dropped all eight episodes of their new original series “A Man on the Inside,” starring Ted Danson, on Nov. 21. The show follows Charles, played by Danson, a year after the death of his wife. Now a retired engineering professor with a grown daughter, Charles spends most of his time alone. However, when he finds an ad from a private investigator looking for a spy, he soon finds himself undercover at the Pacific View Retirement Community home looking to expose a thief among the staff and residents.

Adventures of an A-Lister
Arts

Adventures of an A-Lister: Letterboxd, green witches, midnight rats

At the start of the summer, several of my film friends discovered that not only did I not have Letterboxd, but I also did not have an AMC Theatres A-List membership. I tried to explain to them that I had no clue what Letterboxd was and I did not see enough movies to merit an A-List pass, but my explanations fell on deaf ears. Instead, here I am several months later, with a column about AMC and a Letterboxd account finally made. So, with the end of the semester approaching, I have to ask myself: Was it worth it?

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Arts

‘Wicked’ is reimagined on the big screen

On Nov. 22, the long-awaited film adaptation of “Wicked” finally hit theaters. After holding space for “Defying Gravity” and basking in the musical theater glow, “Wicked” is sure to become one of the most memorable movie musicals of the modern day. Complete with fan-favorite cameos, massive ensemble dances and colors that burst out of the screen, paired with a packed cast, impressive vocals and stunning cinematography, “Wicked” is a film for the books.

Best Movies
Arts

Best movies of 2024

This year has been nothing less than insane. Every hour there seems to be new breaking news, another exposed politician and, of course, a new movie hitting AMC theaters. From good to bad, scary to heartbreaking and completely ridiculous to hilarious, 2024 was a packed year for movies. So, in no particular order, here are the top movies of 2024.

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Arts

‘Mindplay’ is a mixed bag of mentalism

Note: Nate and Odessa have been writing theater reviews together for four semesters. This is their 16th co-written article. For the first time ever, their opinions on this production were so different that they decided to split this article up into two separate reviews. One of the final productions ...

Adventures of an A-Lister
Columns

Adventures of an A-Lister: Your new holiday favorite

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for “Red One.”What do you get when you have an evil Christmas witch kidnap Santa Claus (nicknamed ‘Red One’) on Christmas Eve so that a Santa Claus Enforcement Logistics and Fortification operative and a hacker have to save Christmas? Movie magic.

Adventures of an A-Lister
Arts

Adventures of an A-Lister: Go see ‘Anora’

When I walked into the theaters to watch “Anora,” I honestly had no clue what I was in for. I did not look at the plot, the themes or even the movie runtime. Instead, I went in with rave reviews from my harshest film friends, a bag of over-buttered popcorn and some old-fashioned faith. Two hours and 20 minutes later, I left the theater with a new front-runner for Best Picture at the Oscars.

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Arts

Boston theater community begins an ambitious project with ‘Sojourners’

On Nov. 6, the Huntington Theatre celebrated the opening night of “Sojourners,” written by Nigerian-American playwright Mfoniso Udofia. However, this was more than just the opening of a single show: In partnership with more than 30 theater companies, arts organizations, universities, and non-profits, the Huntington is staging nine of Udofia’s plays throughout Greater Boston over the next two years. Collectively, these nine plays make up the Ufot Family Cycle, an epic story that chronicles the life of one Nigerian immigrant family across three generations as they navigate their lives in America. “Sojourners,” which serves as the origin story of the cycle, is a remarkable tale of perseverance in the face of adversity.

Adventures of an A-Lister
Columns

Adventures of an A-Lister: Guide to theater etiquette

With all the movies I see, I am constantly bombarded with just how much the theater scene has changed over the past several years. Much like live theater, it’s almost as if society returned from our unprecedented times and immediately decided to throw out all the rules. So for those who have forgotten or were maybe never taught, here’s an idiot’s guide to movie theater etiquette.

Adventures of an A-Lister
Arts

Adventures of an A-Lister: Bring back Nicole Kidman

If I am being completely honest, the main reason I pitched this column was for this article right here — the one about Nicole Kidman and her legendary speech that has been cut short for a reason I cannot fully comprehend. In case you’ve been living under a rock — or just don’t go to the theaters — I am, of course, referring to the AMC Theaters commercial starring Kidman that runs before the start of every AMC movie. 

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