Rich Monetti

Hereditary contains the mostly profoundly startling death I have ever seen in a movie. So much so, my recoiling almost made me turn off the DVD player. But just because I’m squeamish, doesn’t mean I won’t give a movie a proper hearing. I can definitely appreciate the creativity—especially since the resounding shudder abruptly shifted the second act, and the mystery into gear. So the set up firmly in place, an obvious question follows: Would writer/director Ari Aster complete a story arc that was commensurate with the unforgettable moment (and a horror I can never un-see).

I love a good conspiracy, and YouTube is littered with documentaries that would make Oliver Stone weep. I should know, I swallowed up the 1991 Oscar nominated film like an apostle to scripture. But while my proclivities to be initially peaked hasn’t been diminished, I’ve become more discerning. Case Closed by Gerald Posner took care of the rest of my irrational leanings, and closed the book on JFK by simply presenting the known facts.

Who are the Koch Brothers? What do they and their ilk want, and what drives them for more? It’s a question that perplexes me.

With a 7-6 victory over second seeded South Orangetown on June 2, Somers 11U Red Storm won the Greater Hudson Valley Baseball League Championship. The success came on the heels of a season long “Spartan” mantra that demanded team first and always sticking together, according to Head Coach John Barbagallo. But no matter the level of team cohesion, adversity can cause a breakdown, and Somers faced such a moment in the fourth inning of the semifinal game versus Briarcliff.

Twenty years ago before Facebook and Twitter drew us all closer together (or further apart), David Bowie sat down with Jeremy Paxman of the the BBC to discuss the future we know now. He recounted Rock ‘n’ Roll, rebellion and how the internet would not only change music, but clue us in on a world that was far more stratified than we had believed.

Jillette Johnson began writing songs when she was eight years old—imagining the melodies and words as she pranced around the house. But at some point Jillette realized she had the power to someday have her own sound come from the speakers where Carol King, Billy Joel and Paul Simon echoed. By 12, she had developed enough to throw herself into the singer/songwriting New York City Club scene. Home schooled in suburban Pound Ridge, the lower east side would serve as the educational model that nurtured her songwriting passion. At the same time, the hour commute and real life immersion sufficed more than adequately in comparison to the classrooms of her peers. The foundation soon had her showcased by a number of labels and signed at 17. As such, she was successful enough academically and professionally to attend NYU and continue as an actual New Yorker. This has had Johnson never looking back—except when she needs a fresh air respite back home. Her debut album Water in a Whale certainly reflects that. It has also received critical acclaim for song writing and vocals that are wise beyond her 24 years. Still, she is far from a household name. But that's actually by choice.