Forest of Love: Maximalism Done Right

by Taylor Thornburg Shakespeare, suicide pacts, and a tube top that says simply “Seinfeld and Chill”—this is just the tip of the iceberg for those brave enough to stream Japanese filmmaker Sion Sono’s latest feature Forest of Love (2019) on Netflix. Forest of Love stars Japanese screen favorites Kippei Shiina, Kyoko Hinami, and Shinnosuke Mitsushima. Like much of Sion Sono’s earlier works, a succinct summary … Continue reading Forest of Love: Maximalism Done Right

When Stars Align: A materialist perspective on astrology

By MC Raterman What does the science of Marxism tell us about astrology? For some communists, Marxism was the endpoint on a journey through New Atheism, skepticism, and vulgar materialism, with an accompanying summary dismissal of astrology. Whether truth or fiction, astrology is doubtless all around us; many find it meaningful to varying degrees, regardless of how much they ‘buy into it’. We ought to … Continue reading When Stars Align: A materialist perspective on astrology

The more things change … : Looking back at Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle

By MC Raterman Last month, as I was selling back issues of The Triumph to raise funds for Feed the People, I found myself cautiously explaining our projects to a patron of the Gifford Park Neighborhood Market. I prudently described the “anti-capitalist” politics of FTP and labeled The Triumph as a “working class publication”. Suddenly, the word “Socialist” slipped out of my mouth, and the … Continue reading The more things change … : Looking back at Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle

Ode to Joy: Artist finds inspiration, fulfillment in community, trans experience

by Phil Gillen “Sometimes I just have an idea of something that’s like, super dumb, and I want to go do it in real life. And then because I have an art degree, I call that Art. And they let me have a gallery space to do stupid things in.” Michael Johnson doesn’t take themselves too seriously. Self-deprecating and approachable to a fault, the Omaha-based … Continue reading Ode to Joy: Artist finds inspiration, fulfillment in community, trans experience

The Top 5 Films of 2019 (So Far)

by Taylor Thornburg We’re halfway through 2019, and that means we’re about to be between summer blockbuster season and the end of the year awards season. There’s plenty to catch up on during this lull at the movie theaters. Some of the best films of the year either passed in and out of theaters without fanfare or aren’t at all from this country. In case … Continue reading The Top 5 Films of 2019 (So Far)

“Knock them down. Refuse their bargain.”

The Mustang (2019), dir. Rupert Wyatt Film Review By Taylor Thornburg In this year’s release The Mustang, an incarcerated convict participates in a rehabilitation program in which he breaks wild horses to be sold at auction. In doing so, he explores the meaning of freedom from the perspective of someone imprisoned behind literal and figurative walls. The Mustang stars Matthias Schoenhaerts (A Bigger Splash, The … Continue reading “Knock them down. Refuse their bargain.”

A Conversation with Chef Egypt

The local chef’s mission is to bring healing to the community through food, music. Interview by Phil Gillen Egypt McKizia, better known as Chef Egypt, is an Omaha-based chef and musician who does various pop-ups and events around town serving delicious vegan cuisine. After tasting Chef Egypt’s work at a pop-up in North Omaha a couple of months ago, I was impressed. I wanted to … Continue reading A Conversation with Chef Egypt

“Strike a Match, Burn Your House Down”

Captive State (2019), dir. Rupert Wyatt By Taylor Thornburg In 2019’s Captive State, rebels lead an insurgency on Earth after an alien species invades the planet and wrests control of the human race from the world’s governments.  Captive State stars the ubiquitous John Goodman playing against the protagonist Ashton Sanders, principally known for his role in 2016’s Moonlight.  Rupert Wyatt directs following 2014’s The Gambler … Continue reading “Strike a Match, Burn Your House Down”

Queerniverse Burlesque shakes it up on stage

By Arlo Wyatt Queerniverse Burlesque is a local burlesque troupe formed in Omaha. They’re POC-centered, body positive, LGBTQIA+ inclusive, and they’re taking the local performance art scene by storm. “It became a living organism, and it’s been growing and changing, and now our focus is specifically POC, queer, trans, non-binary individuals who want to perform in different mediums – whether that’s performance art, dancing, singing, … Continue reading Queerniverse Burlesque shakes it up on stage

March Madness, For Better or for Worse

A season review with reflection, and a post-season preview for the local basketball programs. By Phil Gillen It happens every year, right after February Fever. Millions of people who paid little to no attention to college basketball for the previous four months suddenly become heavily invested, setting up bracket pools, betting untold amounts of money on game outcomes, and searching hungrily for underdog narratives and … Continue reading March Madness, For Better or for Worse