Les Cinq Diables (The Five Devils) by Léa Mysius is a strange and cerebral yet devastatingly heartfelt exploration of love and loss, and a thrilling opportunity to practice your French listening.
Film Review: Les Cinq Diables (2022) by Léa Mysius
Reed Language Learning Q&A with Sierra Abbott, Reed alumni and Chinese major
Deciding to take a Reed language class may seem daunting for some students, but it’s very doable and rewarding, and you may even find yourself majoring in a language you picked up at Reed! We interviewed recent ’23 grad Sierra Abbott about her journey as a Chinese major beginning from scratch her first year:
What made you decide to start learning a language at Reed?
I had always loved learning foreign languages in school! I took Spanish and Latin in high school, and wanted to continue learning more languages in college. I started learning Chinese in the first semester of my freshman year!
Continue reading “Reed Language Learning Q&A with Sierra Abbott, Reed alumni and Chinese major”Spanish-Language Hip Hop
Hip Hop turned 50 in August of this year! The iconic music form originated in New York City, specifically the Bronx in predominantly Black and Brown communities. Puerto Rican New Yorkers, fondly known as Nuyoricans, were and still are immensely influential in the development of Hip Hop. Although the majority of old school and newer Hip Hop is a largely AAVE and English-based genre, Spanish language Hip Hop has been around for almost as long as the mother genre and has often included Spanglish influence. Via cassettes and bootlegs of songs recorded in NYC and other places around the US, the genre spread to Spain and Latin America throughout the 80s and 90s.
Continue reading “Spanish-Language Hip Hop”Kali Uchis Could Help You Learn Spanish!
Kali Uchis is a Colombian-American singer and songwriter with four albums and various EPs and singles in her discography. Uchi’s two earliest albums, Por Vida and Isolation, are primarily in English but are heavily influenced by Latin R&B, soul, psychedelic soul, and Latin American Boleros. For anyone learning Spanish, these earlier albums might improve your cultural fluency with modern Latin music and musicians. Likewise, for someone at a 200-400 level in Spanish, Uchis’ two most recent albums Sin Miedo (del amor y otros demonios) and Red Moon in Venus, are a great way to immerse yourself in gooey eclectic bilingual love-stricken bops that tease with verses flowing between Spanish, English, and Spanglish. If you’re struggling to understand the fast-paced lyrics of musicians such as Bad Bunny or even Rosalia, Kali Uchis might be the girl for you. Her slow hooks and unique take on reggaeton make you want to play her discography on repeat. Rumor has it that Uchis will be releasing her fourth studio album very soon so get ahead of the trend while you’re at it! Feel free to check out her socials if you need some more convincing 😉
Gracias y buena suerte!
Pain and Growth and Growing Pains in La vita bugiardi degli adulti
Lately I listen almost exclusively to Massive Attack. This is partly because they’re a great band and I love their music, but I’d be lying if it wasn’t also largely out of a burning desire to embody some of the coolness radiated by Giovanna, also known as Giovà or Giannina, the brooding and complex heroine of La vita bugiardi degli adulti (The Lying Lives of Adults), a recent Netflix interpretation of Elena Ferrante’s novel of the same name.
La Naissance du Hip Hop – MC Solaar’s Revolutionary Legacy
When most people think of Hip Hop as a genre or as a cultural movement, they (rightly) think of New York City. This subculture was born in the Black community of the South Bronx, and quickly spread to other parts of the city, then the country, and within a few years, Hip Hop was iterated in some form almost everywhere in the world.
In Time for Spring: Chinese Gardens
Spring is here! If you haven’t gotten your flower fix at Reed and want a change of scenery, you may want to check out the Lan Su Garden in Portland’s Chinatown.
Continue reading “In Time for Spring: Chinese Gardens”Language Bias in Artificial Intelligence: And What’s Being Done
Curious about how English bias in AI is being combated? This Vox video goes through a number of international projects to create open-source multi-language models.
The Blue Caftan: A Moving Arabic Film
Last month, I saw one of the most moving films. I went into it completely blind—my friends had asked if I wanted to come along to a film festival and I said yes, knowing nothing about what film we’d be watching. Before the show started, commentators talked a bit about Morocco, and the history of the film festival we were at, The Cascade Festival of African Films.
Continue reading “The Blue Caftan: A Moving Arabic Film”Rebelde: Battle of the Bands—but make it a telenovela.
Looking for a new trashy teen drama after Elite went off the rails? Don’t worry, I got you covered.
Continue reading “Rebelde: Battle of the Bands—but make it a telenovela.”