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Photographed by Thaler Bishop Design by Alex Pucillo-Dunphy Modeled by Liza Kaminski
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THE FILM STUDENT HAVENS OF BOSTON
by Karenna Umscheid
Boston is a city of distinct areas, specific niches, and characters to pass on the T and on the streets. A large part of the population at Emerson College inhabits the cinematic niche of Boston. The movie theaters of the area, large and small, blockbuster and independent, allow film-obsessed residents to live deliciously.
The film scene of the metropolis at large mainly encompasses two places: The Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline, and the Brattle Theater in Cambridge. The Coolidge, which was originally built as a church in 1906, was renovated to be an Art Deco movie palace in 1933 and has remained that way ever since. They host monthly midnight screenings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and various midnight film show Boston is a city of distinct areas, specific niches, and characters to pass on the T and on the streets. A large part of the population at Emerson College inhabits the cinematic niche of Boston. The movie theaters of the area, large and small, blockbuster and independent, allow film-obsessed residents to live deliciously.
The film scene of the metropolis at large mainly encompasses two places: The Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline, and the Brattle Theater in Cambridge. The Coolidge, which was originally built as a church in 1906, was renovated to be an Art Deco movie palace in 1933 and has remained that way ever since. They host monthly midnight screenings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and various midnight film showings in general. The Brattle Theater has been showing movies since 1953 specializing in classic, cutting-edge, foreign, and arthouse films. They host the Independent Film Festival of Boston, which hosts new festival films before their theatrical runs.
A convenient two-minute walk from campus is the AMC Boston Common. Rife with every blockbuster release in IMAX, the theater also premieres strange and independent movies. Owen Larkin, a senior visual media arts major who relocated to Emerson Los Angeles, reflects on the AMC and says that an AMC A-List subscription should be included in Emerson’s tuition.
Larkin says that, in Boston, the film scene is composed of a “very small, very passionate group of people.” If you routinely attend special screenings at either or both the Coolidge and Brattle, you’ll likely start to see the same faces over and over again. Matt Pifko, a recent Emerson graduate, explains that visits to these two theaters were just as much a part of his film school education as attending Emerson film classes.
Pifko reminisces on the midnight screenings at the Coolidge. He recalls seeing “Audition” there after leaving a party because of his overwhelming desire to see the movie. “I felt like I had been punched in the face in the best way possible.” He also recalls attending a soldout screening of “Lost in Translation” on Valentine’s Day in 2019 and calls it one of the best experiences of his life.
Meanwhile, Larkin recalls attending the 12-hour Halloween horror film marathon at the Coolidge Corner Theater. He was surprised by the number of people in attendance, impressed by everyone who was able to stay awake for the entire thing. The Coolidge hosts various niche film events, such as monthly screenings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” where they invite attendants and provide space to dance in the aisles as well as near the stage. Pifko recalls seeing a midnight screening of “Eraserhead,” describing the sound as enveloping and immersive in the large theater. He emphasized that midnight film screenings felt like a form of worship to him, an experience verging on religious. He says, “my defenses are lowered, I’m a little tired and willing to totally succumb to the theatrical experience.”
The Brattle Theater, though smaller in space than the Coolidge, offers a more niche array of films and events. Pifko talks about the square screen on top of a stage, and how the Brattle often feels like it wasn’t meant to be a movie theater. Yet, he says, the atmosphere of the audience and people who work there really bring you into the movie, creating a very “focused and intense experience.” They also host Boston’s Independent Film Festival. Larkin recalls a fond memory at the Boston showing of the acclaimed film “Portrait of a Lady on Fire.” He describes a reveal at the end of the film that caused the whole crowd to gasp collectively. He recalls the moment saying “anyone who was there will remember it, it was an ‘oh my god’ moment, really something special.”
The accessibility of the city allows for film students to explore, expand their tastes and dive into the niche. Though Boston is quite big, its cinematic subgroups are small and wildly passionate. It’s no Los Angeles or New York City for filmmakers, but it is lovely in its uniqueness. ings in general. The Brattle Theater has been showing movies since 1953 specializing in classic, cutting-edge, foreign, and arthouse films. They host the Independent Film Festival of Boston, which hosts new festival films before their theatrical runs.
A convenient two-minute walk from campus is the AMC Boston Common. Rife with every blockbuster release in IMAX, the theater also premieres strange and independent movies. Owen Larkin, a senior VMA major who has relocated to Emerson Los Angeles, reflects on the AMC and says that an AMC A-List subscription should be included in Emerson’s tuition.
WHITE PICKET FENCE
by Erin Norton
Igrew up in a home that had a white picket fence in the front yard. It matched nicely with the lush greenness of Vermont, but I always thought about its irony. My family was so far from what a “white picket fence” symbolizes. The white picket fence has always been the golden example of what a perfect life should look like. It’s plastered all over the media. When I think of a white picket fence, I think of the old black and white movies with the perfect portrait of a nuclear family standing behind it. They wave at the camera with their big smiles flashing, but there is something behind their grins and bright eyes that is a bit darker. There is clearly something much bigger going on behind the scenes.
The white picket fence symbol can be derived from the idea of the American Dream. The term was coined in 1931 by historian James Truslow Adams in his bestselling book “Epic of America.” He describes the American dream as “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” However, the idea has been in existence for much longer than that. Our understanding of American history is so heavily based on and influenced by the concept of the American dream. Even before its fabrication, America — essentially the idea of a free country — enthralled people so much that they decided to come live in this country because opportunities, happiness, and freedom were promised upon arrival. The US acted as the shining beacon of hope in the eyes of people looking to better their lives in a multitude of ways, whether it be through a permanent home, a well-paying job, or a place to be free of harsh dictation. But sadly, these dreams were taken advantage of. Suddenly there was no white picket fence in sight anymore.
There is a disconnect between the idea of the American dream and how it actually works. The American dream survives on the exploitation of anyone who isn’t a person in power. It silences the stories of largely BIPOC and amplifies only the stories of those who are the model of the American dream. This is especially true today due to border tensions at the U.S.-Mexico border, a massive spike in xenophobia, and blantant racism. Those customs and beliefs upheld by the American dream negatively affect the people who have legitimate dreams they want to follow. They further isolate and marginalize those who come to America in search of a better life. Furthermore, the ideology behind the American dream makes simply living difficult since this concept and capitalism are intrinsically linked. Due to these values perpetuated by bigots, especially those with access to power, these dreams have become nearly impossible to obtain in the modern era. Over the past decades, those with authority have scrambled to super glue the pieces back together — but we can see through the cracks. Even though all the king’s horsemen and all the king’s men couldn’t put the American dream back together again, it still remains a very prominent part of our culture. Luckily, the toxic idea of the American dream is beginning to phase out. This is an important realization because people have the power to break out of this narrative — and they have before. While taking the massive leap to not follow in the footprints outlined by ideas of the White Picket Fence and the American dream in its entirety was not something that was done often in the past, we’re now at a point in time where breaking out of the confines of the American dream is seen as possible and acceptable. This is thanks to the people in newer generations who realize the issues that the American dream poses to people, particularly working class individuals. They understand how the idea of the white picket fence encourages conformity. It has become a literal yet metaphorical fence with the ability to contain, limit, and trap. But that notion no longer has a place in our culture, especially as our generation grows older. This is how the American dream can change.
I had the ability to share a conversation with those close to me on this topic. This is actually a topic we discuss often as “A FUTURE a group of friends, as we are all college students who are trying to make a future for ourselves. Libby Wilkins, Marissa CAN BE UNIQUE Villanova, and I discussed specifically the American dream, what it is, and how it impacted us growing up and continues to do so while we are in higher education. We were all on WHILE STILL the same page about how we felt about this belief system, particularly when it came to the attainability of the Amer- ALSO BEING ican dream. Both of them agreed that the American dream that “we learn in school is not obtainable.” While it once was for a very specific group of people, it’s slowly becoming an SUCESSFUL” idea that is slowly rotting away. They talked about why this might be for a couple of reasons. One being that it “goes by the standard of 1940s contemporary society” and that it simply is “not realistic.” One of the most important points brought up in the discussion was that the idea of the American dream no longer fits the careers that this generation and new ones strive for. Wilkins acknowledged that “society is becoming a lot more open to the thought of people going after things that don’t seem obtainable back in the time of when the American dream was very present,” which especially relates to the fact that lots of people at Emerson are actively pursuing art related careers. If one thing can be gleaned from this conversation, it would be that the best possible way to fight back against the American dream is to embrace the idea that it is purely individual and that our dreams shouldn’t be governed by those in power.
Living in a college town helps drive this point home. Most college students, especially those at Emerson, have their own specific dreams and the ability to be surrounded by those who always encourage them to continue following their aspirations. Here in Boston, there are so many talented and driven people who all see different and equally amazing lives for themselves. It’s important to embrace the fact that life can be so much more than the lies that the American dream poses. More and more people, especially those from Gen Z and later generations, are beginning to understand that a future can be unique while also still being successful. Not every future looks the same, nor should they. What’s the fun of life and adulthood if everyone’s lives mirrored each other? A quality life that brings unending joy comes from variety and it’s time to fully acknowledge that by actively stifling ideas that are an active threat to individuality! Living life to its fullest in our most unique and authentic ways is the perfect rebellion against the American dream. It’s about time that we tore down the white picket fences that are standing in our way.
BRANCHING OUT INTO THE BOSTON FOOD SCENE
by Lauren Pies
If you are a creature of habit, having a routine and sticking to the familiar feels great — until you realize that you are missing out on exploring the new city you get to live in while at college. It seems like everyone else has found those cool picture-worthy spots throughout Boston, but I keep going to the same few places: Panera, Bubor Cha Cha and El Jefe’s Taqueria.
No matter how much I love the food, eating the same things over and over again can get repetitive; I always want to branch out, but I never do. So, as any reasonable person does in a crisis, I turned to Instagram and asked people for their favorite “hidden gem” restaurant in or around Boston. I got some unique and interesting responses (including some awesome vegan options)!
My Thai Vegan Cafe
As the name suggests, this place serves Thai cuisine, but with veggie “chicken”, tofu, or plain veggie options instead of the more traditional meat options. Located in Chinatown, this cafe has over 150 menu items to choose from, which makes it kind of overwhelming to order, but this does mean there is something for almost everyone. They also have bubble tea here! I got the mango with tapioca pearls. It was very good, but had more of a smoothie consistency.
Veggie Galaxy
Sticking with the vegan theme, Cambridge has a vegan diner. According to their website, they have “traditional diner comfort food made from scratch” that is completely vegetarian and can be made vegan upon request. They have many things from omelets and french toast to nachos, poutine, cakes, and frappes — along with weekly specials. They also have an on-site bakery that is fully vegan. The diner and bakery are located at 450 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge.
New Republik Bar
This is a communist-themed bar restaurant located in Cambridge! This place is a revamping of People’s Republik Bar, which closed in early 2021 due to business complications from COVID-19. The owners of the restaurant had worked at People’s Republik Bar for several years and committed to keeping a similar vibe at the new location. Inside, the decorations are overwhelmingly red and yellow, complete with Soviet decor and dart games. On the menu, they have items like burgers, sandwiches, and quesadillas, along with veggie and vegan options. In terms of drinks, they have over 20 beers on tap in addition to cocktails and coffee.
Jonquils Café & Bakery
This place serves desserts and drinks that look like they jumped straight out of a Pinterest board. Jonquils, located at 125 Newbury Street, offers several artistic and geometric desserts such as mango and passion fruit flavored sphere cakes. With vibrantly colored desserts and luxurious floral teas, you will be amazed by the aesthetics of the café. The beauty radiates to the interior design, which includes a wall of luscious leaves. It is a wonderful place to both dine and document your experience with many photos perfect for your Instagram feed.
Zinneken’s
Last on the list, there is a build-your-own Belgian waffle café in Cambridge’s Harvard Square. This one was recommended to me by a fellow Emersonian and I have been thinking about it nonstop ever since. With toppings such as crumbled Oreos, berries, and cookie butter, there are several different ways to enjoy the “best waffles outside Belgium,” as said by the owners. If you’re indecisive, they also have a list of ten fan-favorite waffle combinations to choose from, including The Chocolate, The Whipped Cream, The Gourmand, and Strawberry Glamour.
There are countless restaurants in and around Boston to explore during our time here at Emerson, so why not start exploring sooner rather than later? Branching out to new places can feel overwhelming, but it is important to try things outside your comfort zone. When I get stuck in the same routine, I feel like I lose myself in the monotony. Trying new things, like going to a few cool restaurants, can be a fun experience with some friends or even by yourself. It is a powerful way to strengthen your friendships and practice self-care by finding new favorites after a stretch of mundane sameness. If you ever find yourself feeling out of place in Boston, venturing out and broadening your horizons can help you to build a stronger connection with the city and the beauty within it.
