Caleb Dukes

A&E 3/8/22 10:44pm

Review: ‘Euphoria’ season two redefines authentic storytelling

By Caleb Dukes

After years of delays, Sam Levinson’s Emmy-winning hit, “Euphoria,” returned to our screens in full force. Picking up right at the tail end of the winter break established in the special bridge episodes, viewers find the characters attending a New Year’s Eve party, where old habits die hard and new ones find their way into the fold.

A&E 11/10/21 12:10am

Review: ‘Spencer’ reimagines the Princess Diana biopic

By Caleb Dukes

It is hard for me to view “Spencer” as anything other than a pinnacle of Kristen Stewart’s acting abilities. Playing Princess Diana Spencer, one of the most famous, most photographed people in the entire world, is a daunting task — and not one that I ever expected to be taken on by Stewart. Considering all of the jokes over the years, whether they be about her stint in the “Twilight” series or her awkward, nervous demeanor in interviews, it was hard for me to imagine the actress taking on such an iconic biopic, especially one that has been done to both great laud and great mocking before. However, it is her performance precisely that makes “Spencer” shine.

A&E 9/14/21 10:57pm

Five stars across the board for ‘star-crossed’

By Caleb Dukes

There’s a discomfort in talking about breakups, divorce in particular, that Kacey Musgraves refuses to shy away from. After her last record, “Golden Hour,” which detailed the singer’s beautiful, dreamy, sunshine-filled marriage, won album of the year at the Grammys in 2019, it was shocking to hear Musgraves announce her divorce from husband Ruston Kelly in 2020. The album, and thus the relationship, had such a cultural impact that it was hard to believe it could break down. At the time, Musgraves spoke very little on the subject. However, with the release of the album and film “star-crossed,” Musgraves is finally letting us in. All the way in.

A&E 8/31/21 10:13pm

‘Solar Power’: Lorde finds some sort of light

By Caleb Dukes

The Lorde has returned, but is it with full force? The titular track and lead single, “Solar Power,” was released without any promotion or announcement on Lorde’s part and was received with somewhat mixed reviews that ranged from slight disappointment to adoration. However, the rest of the album usually makes up for that initial judgement and earns her universal acclaim. That might not exactly be the case this time.

A&E 3/30/21 10:14pm

Chemtrails and Controversy: Lana Del Rey’s newest album fails to impress

By Caleb Dukes

One would imagine that it would be hard to release a record that could top the monumental critical success of Lana Del Rey’s last album “Norman Fucking Rockwell!” They would be right. Her latest project, while a valiant effort to return to Del Rey’s roots and explore storytelling à la Taylor Swift’s “folklore” or “evermore,” fails to live up to its predecessor and doesn’t quite have that same social context to hit the cultural impact that Swift’s work had. And that isn’t even considering the mess of controversies Del Rey has entangled herself in since “NFR!” While Del Rey’s seventh studio album “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” satisfies fans of the singer’s more stripped down sound, the project doesn’t hold a candle to its Grammy - nominated predecessor and unfortunately can’t escape the shadow of Del Rey’s recent controversies. 

A&E 3/23/21 10:56pm

Predicting the 2021 Academy Awards

By Caleb Dukes

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released their nominations for the 2021 Oscars and for the first time in a long time, I am pleasantly surprised. While there’s always room to improve, this year’s list is actually both one of the most diverse ever — with several nominations making history — and one of the most quality, at least in my opinion. After seeing how my Golden Globes predictions shored up against the results,  I have an updated list of who I think will and should win, as well as who I think was snubbed and who maybe should have been, some of the biggest categories at the Oscars.

A&E 2/24/21 9:00am

Predicting the 2021 Golden Globe Awards

By Caleb Dukes

 The Golden Globes, often described as the precursor — and sometimes inferior sibling — to the Oscars and the Emmys, are happening this Sunday, Feb. 28 and I will be taking you through my predictions for the biggest categories in film and (some) television. Buckle up … because, once again, it is very beige.