When I came across the trailers for “American Gangster” while watching TV, I figured that it would be just another pointless action movie with no substantial plot. However after being persuaded to see it by Dan and Joanna, I was pleasantly surprised. I found this movie to be a work of art in that it depicted the intense, criminal culture of 1970′s Harlem. The film mainly tells the story of Frank Lucas, a self- made millionaire whose cocaine business reached the peak of its success in the 1970′s and also saw its downfall soon after. However, unlike most action/mobster films with repetitive fist fights and annoying gun shots, this film was perfectly planned and choreographed from beginning to end. It immerses the audience into the world of the drug trafficking, and it was extremely realistic because the majority took place in New York City. I was also very impressed by Denzel Washington’s portrayal of Lucas. At the end of the movie, I forgot who Denzel Washington was and was only able to think of him as a ruthless drug gangster. There was some intense visual imagery in the film which I felt was very effective in allowing the audience to see through the eyes of the people experiencing this crazy lifestyle. I definitely recommend this film to anyone who has not seen it yet.

I will admit that although I love watching plays and Broadway shows, I do not get too excited about the newer, or more unknown shows. If given the choice between a popular Broadway show such as “Wicked”, or a less popular one called, “The Farnsworth Invention”, I would shyly prefer to see the first. It also upsets me when a performance doesn’t contain any music or songs because I feel that music plays a large part in telling the story of most Broadway shows. However, I was proven very wrong this past weekend after seeing a less popular Broadway show called the “Farnsworth Invention”. A friend of mine surprised me with tickets to this performance and after telling me its title, I wasn’t too eager to watch it. However, during the show I quickly learned that just because it wasn’t advertised on subways and buses everywhere and just because it wasn’t a musical, doesn’t mean that “The Farnsworth Invention” was an amateur show to be taken lightly. This performance exceeded my expectations and has motivated me to check out other Broadway and off- Broadway shows that are not so common on the streets.
“The Farnsworth Invention” is set in the early 1900’s and tells a very inspirational story about a young man, Philo Farnsworth who has scientifically developed a crazy invention, television. From his youth, Farnsworth has created plans to build some sort of a television set, and to make it work. However, the conflict in the story arises as the leaders of the media company, RCA are also trying to invent the same device, at a faster pace. However the audience is quickly pushed to feel sympathetic toward Farnsworth because he represents the everyday struggling worker, trying to make something of himself and live his dream. As the play progresses Farnsworth gets older and starts a family, however his first born son quickly dies of cancer which throws him off from his inventions. The play then shows us an excellent portrayal of the Great Depression as well as the stock market crash of 1929. I won’t reveal who actually claimed the patent for inventing the television but I will say that the show’s ending was surprising and very powerful.
Although “The Farnsworth Invention: does not have the most exciting storyline on Broadway, I felt that the actors did an amazing job portraying their characters. Usually when I see a Broadway show, I feel as if I’m in the audience and completely separate from the play and its plot. However, during this show, I really felt as if the characters were real people and the narrator especially did an excellent job in connecting with the audience in unique side conversations. The drama in this performance is amazingly realistic and I was shocked at how closely connected I felt with the characters’ struggles.
“The Farnsworth Invention” really brings the audience into the world of the play, and it was very difficult to leave that world, even after stepping out of the theater.

What could be more enjoyable than some Beatles music, crazy 1960’s artwork, and a love story all fused together into a film? After seeing “Across the Universe” at the movies, I’m personally having a hard time thinking of a better way to spend ten dollars. This film is unlike any other movie I have seen before and it can be considered a work of art in many different ways. “Across the Universe” was released in mid-September and by the looks of the full theater on a Saturday afternoon, it will probably stay in theaters for as long as possible. The movie revolves around a fictional love story between two teenagers who come from completely opposite lifestyles. Jude is a young man from Liverpool, England who comes to Princeton University not for an education, but in search of his father. At the university he befriends a group of “badasses” who quickly become his close friends and encourage him to stay in America without a visa. Jude soon meets Lucy, who is the sister of his close friend, Max. Jude and Lucy quickly develop a powerful romance, however each of the three main characters experiences their own ups and downs due to the Vietnam War’s effects on their lives.

The reason why this movie is so powerful is due to the various artistic media that help tell its story. “Across the Universe” can be considered a dramatic musical because every scene contains a perfectly selected Beatles song which was redone by the actors. The songs completely tie into the movie’s story line; for example, Jude sings “Revolution” when he notices all of the anti-war protests going on around him in New York City. Also, a very powerful scene in the film is when Jude sings “Strawberry Fields”. When I first heard the original Beatles version of the song, I thought that since it had a mellow and pleasant melody, it must have referred to something positive. However, Jude sings this song while simultaneously throwing strawberries onto an empty canvas in order to signify the bloody battles and wounded soldiers in the Vietnam war. Each song contains its own special meaning in the film and also helps reveal the inner emotions of the characters.
“Across the Universe” is very unique in that it contains abstract and colorful artwork and graphics that were very typical of the 1960’s. During some parts of the film, the scenes are edited and it appears as if the whole scene was just dyed a different color. Also, some scenes contain flowing movement of color which really gives the audience a feel of 1960’s hippie art. The distorted images and graphics are very effective in that they really put you in the atmosphere that the people of the 60’s experienced. Almost every time the characters sing a song, the intense visuals on the screen match the song which helps get its message across to the audience. While listening to the music and looking at the artwork on the screen, I felt like I was completely in the world of the film.
I consider “Across the Universe” as a whole to be an incredible work of art especially due to its musical and aesthetic elements. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who wants to watch a movie that will actually keep them awake and engaged for over two hours.

The Arts in New York City- Review # 1

Hippies, drugs, sex, music, flashing lights and bright, neon colors basically define the Whitney museum’s exhibition entitled, “Summer of Love- Art of the Psychedelic Era”. After visiting this exhibition I was left with feelings of satisfaction, awe, and especially dizziness. “Summer of Love” which runs until September 16^th is an enormous collection of various artwork from 1965-1970 or, “The Psychedelic Era” The artwork ranges from photographs of Woodstock and celebrities of the time such as The Beatles and Mick Jagger to CD covers and concert posters. A very popular theme throughout the exhibit is the anti-war movement which was the basis of most of the artwork and music made throughout the era. Although the Vietnam War brought upon grief for many Americans at the time, they chose to turn grief into pacifism and happiness, hence the popular usage of drugs and colorful designs found in the artwork.

You think you really know how the American 1960’s were, but unless you have experienced them, you really haven’t the slightest idea. That is why visiting “Summer of Love is probably the closest thing that can give younger generations a taste of what their life could have been like forty years ago. Besides typical artwork and films, this exhibition offers a little something different for museum-goers. The interactive features of the exhibition make the trip worthwhile. A highlight of the exhibition is a room where visitors stand still while blinding colorful lights flash around and make it hard to see anything, however be prepared for a headache upon exiting the room. Another interesting feature of the exhibition is a colorful 1960’s playhouse. It is a structure which contains colorful walls which are transformed into seats for the visitors. The dim lighting inside the structure brings about a relaxed “hippie” vibe. Unique features like these really cannot be experienced anywhere else.

“Summer of Love” offers something for everyone in its unique presentation of 1960’s culture and lifestyle. It will most likely inspire younger generations to look back on older artwork, music, and fashion, and perhaps revive it in the twenty first century. However, adults 40+ will benefit most from this exhibition simply because they lived through the real thing and will be able to relate to music and artwork as well as look back on their own lives and memories of the “psychedelic era”.

Overall “Summer of Love” was put together beautifully and will definitely not disappoint its audience. Anything and everything that has made a mark on the world from 1965-1970 is represented in the exhibition. Bands, concerts, political rallies, anti-war movements, are all depicted on the walls of the museum. My only suggestion is that there could have been more interactive features in the exhibition such as those which I have mentioned above. Not only is it interesting to see something, but experiencing it is the key to understanding it. At fifteen dollars for an entrance fee, the Whitney museum of Art succeeds at bringing together the culture of an unforgettable era.