Elizabeth Gregory // The Observer

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‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’: fewer jump scares than ‘Hill House,’ more feelings

Elizabeth Gregory | Tuesday, October 20, 2020

“The Haunting of Bly Manor” succeeds in symbolism, mystery and emotional execution. However, it struggles with pacing, nuance and frights. The show is a sequel to “The Haunting of Hill House,” which captivated and spooked audiences with its unabashed jump scares, eerily well-developed Bent Neck lady ghost and authentic depiction of family dysfunction. Creator Mike

Scene

‘Beau Travail’ depicts the military through the female gaze

Elizabeth Gregory | Friday, September 11, 2020

A stunning remaster of Claire Denis’ “Beau Travail” was released to streaming services Sep. 4. On Tuesday, this incredible Blu-ray version will join the Criterion Collection. The 1999 triumph is an overdue addition to Criterion’s canon-setting cinematic collection. Amidst charges of tone deafness and curation driven by white men, the choice of “Beau Travail” for

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Grimes: Blurring the Lines Between Alternative and Pop

Elizabeth Gregory | Monday, February 24, 2020

If the 2010s were a time of blurring lines between alternative and pop music, Grimes was the goddess. Rising from underground Montreal fame to massive music stardom, with her release of “Visions” in 2012 and the highly acclaimed “Art Angels” in 2015, Grimes’s music is hard to define. She actively endorses and praises pop icons

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‘Orange World and Other Stories’ envelopes reader in neon sensations

Elizabeth Gregory | Friday, January 17, 2020

Karen Russell is an outstanding force in the modern literary scene. After spending undergraduate years at Northwestern, Russell received her MFA at Columbia University. Swamplandia!, her 2011 debut novel, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. In the years after this impressive debut, she received both a MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellowship. In May of 2019,

Scene

Scene’s Best Albums of 2019

Ryan Israel, Charlie Kenney, Matthew Kellenberg, Dessi Gomez, Hanna Kennedy, Jake Winningham, Ethan Utley, Mike Donovan, Sarah Kikel, Elizabeth Gregory, Willoughby Thom and Sara Schlecht | Thursday, December 12, 2019

It’s the grand finale: Scene’s official list of the top 20 albums of the year. Our writers have spent 2019 listening to countless hours of music, as our Spotify Wrappeds can confirm, and have taken this time before finals begin to reflect on the year in music by ranking our top albums. Each writer’s rankings

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King Princess is queen of queer on powerful pop debut

Elizabeth Gregory | Friday, November 8, 2019

Mikaela Straus, also known as King Princess, embraces duality and depth in all aspects of her music and persona. Even her stage name exudes unmistakable cheeky swagger and nonbinary energy. “Cheap Queen,” released Oct. 25, further reveals Straus’ ability to exist beyond one moment or label. Straus’ burgeoning status as both a queer and

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Jenny Hval practices love in ethereal new album

Elizabeth Gregory | Friday, November 1, 2019

Jenny Hval’s spooky new album “The Practice of Love” poetically analyzes otherness, intimacy and purpose to the sounds of ‘90s electronic trance music. Norwegian avant-garde musician and writer Hval released her seventh album Sept. 13. Hval’s last album “Blood Bitch,” which centered around vampires, menstruation, 1970s horror movies and femininity, demonstrated her humor and intellect.