‘E X I S T’ Is a Challenge, Even to Review

Theater probably isn’t the right word. Performance art might be closer. Something contrived or constructed is performed, at any rate. Whatever it is, it can’t really be reviewed, or at least not by me.

'Hail, Caesar!' Funny and Profound

What makes “Hail, Caesar!” more than a well-made tribute, however, is the underlying coherence of concept explored in the story: the obsession with the perfection of human circumstances.

Arts Vanity Issue: ‘How to Write’ Drivel

​How long is Jude D. “Jude D.” Russo going to wear us out with these cheeky but vapid diatribes? His most recent vanity piece, “How to Write a Jude D. Russo Review,” is the worst kind of self-fondling garbage and hopefully will mark an end of a justly uncelebrated career.

Inside Out Poster

From the Vaults: 'Wings of Desire'

Jude D. Russo has an existential meltdown over "Wings of Desire," Wim Wenders's masterwork.

From the Vaults: 'Fallen Angels'

In our occasional series of film retrospectives, Jude D. Russo looks at Wong Kar-Wai's 1995 "Fallen Angels."

From the Vaults: 'All That Jazz'

Jude D. Russo has a sentimental paroxysm over Bob Fosse's self-condemnation "All That Jazz." Watch the written expression of that paroxysm.

Salman Rushdie Talks Fiction and Reality

"Of course naturalism is one very important way to tell the truth, but it is only one way,” Rushdie says. “I guess I’m just encouraging people to be a little more radical in the way they read.”

‘Honeymoon’ A Creative Leap for Lana

In “Honeymoon,” the candy layer that coated “Born to Die” and was already thinning on “Ultraviolence” has ceded completely to something sadder, something darker, something more bitter—and something more coherent and compelling.

"Black Mass" photo.

Beirut Washes Ashore in Latest Offering

Arrangements are smaller than ever; so is the music’s charm. And with a play time sitting just under a half hour, one almost gets the impression that Condon could barely pull together enough material for a full album.

From the Vaults: 'Blade Runner'

Jude D. Russo loves "Blade Runner." Find out why in this installment of the semi-regular series "From the Vaults."

'Queen of Spades' Delivers a Royal Flush

It is rare to find a perfect production, and indeed many would argue that there is no such thing. Whatever the case, Lowell House Opera’s “Queen of Spades” came very close.

The Meaning Behind the Mask: Social Activism Through Theater

While there is much contemporary theater devoted to political and social topics, the approaches vary—as do the philosophical implications. Activist theater on college campuses provides interesting illustrations of these variations.

Hear Me Out: 'Should Have Known Better'

“Should Have Known Better,” the gorgeous second single off Sufjan Stevens’s upcoming album, “Carrie and Lowell,” is shrouded almost completely in autobiographical references.