“Gentleman Jack,” a new HBO series, tells the little-known story of Anne Lister, a woman who lived in the early 1800s and kept a coded diary recounting her travels, business ventures and — most strikingly — numerous affairs with other women. The series follows Lister as she revitalizes her family estate and pursues a wealthy heiress named Ann Walker.

Suranne Jones (“Doctor Foster”) embodies Lister perfectly. Her every movement, from the way she walks to the way she sits, reflects the masculine air of her historical counterpart. We see her character in a wide range of roles, from hard-nosed negotiator to jilted lover to calculating seductress. My favorite moments of acting feature Lister breaking the fourth wall, whether through conversational monologues or well-timed glances at the camera. It is a brilliant way to translate Lister’s diaries to the screen, and Jones handles these moments with subtlety and humor.

I was equally delighted with Sophie Rundle (“Peaky Blinders”) as the timid Miss Walker. While her character is more reserved, her every emotion plays out on her face, giving us a sense of just how unprepared Miss Walker is to combat Lister’s charms. As the show progresses, we begin to see Miss Walker emerge as a multidimensional character who is more than a passive love interest — perhaps my favorite surprise the show has had so far.

Other notable performances include Gemma Whelan (“Game of Thrones”) in the comedic role of Lister’s put-upon younger sister and Gemma Jones (“Sense and Sensibility”) as Lister’s warm and wise aunt who openly accepts her niece’s sexuality.

Lister is the type of female character we rarely see in television, much less in the role of the protagonist. It is rare to see lesbian characters on the screen, and even rarer to see gay women who do not conform to traditional gender roles. Furthermore, Lister is an incredibly complex lead and one who is not always likable. From the beginning, she makes it clear to the audience that her interest in Miss Walker stems mostly from  Walker’s independent wealth. She is a ruthless businesswoman and an unforgiving landlord, yet she is also clever, kind and charming enough that we, like Miss Walker, are more than happy to look past her many flaws.

It plays out a bit like a Jane Austen novel turned TV-MA rated HBO show: full of quick dialogue, decadent clothing and enough sexuality that you would be hesitant to watch it with your parents. It does require a reasonable attention span and a tolerance for in-depth discussions about coal mining, but the viewer is rewarded with a compelling protagonist and a fascinating romance.

It would be impossible to talk about “Gentleman Jack” without talking about the show’s aesthetic. I tend to be wary of costume design in historical dramas, which often seems more concerned with being visually appealing than historically accurate. The minds behind “Gentleman Jack” have no such problem. The 1830s, during which the show is set, were not great years for fashion — think enormous sleeves, gaudy pastels and hair done up with the face framed by unflattering sausage curls. The costuming leans into the extravagance of the era to great effect. There is a striking contrast between the masculine fashions worn by Lister, who was known to dress only in black, and the ultra-feminine fashions surrounding her. Equally effective is the imagery of shy, reclusive Miss Walker being practically swallowed whole by her frivolous garments. Through costuming alone, we see how alienated our two protagonists are from society.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of the show is just this — the careful balance between historical accuracy and modern sensibilities. While undoubtedly modern in its unflinching portrayal of a lesbian protagonist, “Gentleman Jack” does not hide from the fact that it takes place almost 200 years ago. It embraces the 1830s, from the way people spoke and acted to the way they thought and dressed. The result is a gripping show that appeals to an audience looking for something more fresh and progressive than the average historical drama but still remains familiar to fans of the genre.

“Gentleman Jack” airs Monday nights at 10 p.m. on HBO.

What do you get when you take the raunchy, over the top high school hijinks of “Superbad” with the sincerity and coming-of-age nuances of “Love, Simon”? It appears you get Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut, “Booksmart.” Though Wilde has spent years in the spotlight, acting in a variety of blockbuster films, she has decided now to try her hand at directing motion pictures, and the result is nothing less than brilliant.

The charming story follows two best friends, Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein), at the end of their senior year of high school. As they prepare to head off to  prestigious Ivy League universities, they come to the realization that they have spent the last four years sacrificing any semblance of a personal life in the pursuit of getting into a good school. Upon Molly discovering that her classmates whom she always considered less-than were all going to great schools as well, she decides that she and Amy need to go out to a party the night before they graduate.

The similarities in the plot synopsis sounds a lot like that of “Superbad,” but what plays out couldn’t be more different.

Off the bat, while “Superbad” leans heavily into its one-dimensional characters and their obsession with sex, “Booksmart” instead focuses on the journey of friendship and self-discovery. Sure, both Amy and Molly are pursuing people, Ryan (Victoria Ruesga) and Nick (Mason Gooding) respectively, but the focus is on the dynamic between the two friends. This is one of the many places in which this film thrives. The chemistry between the leads and the heartwarming bond the characters share is not only believable but loveable. It brought me back to days spent with my best friends in high school, sharing stupid jokes that no one but us cared about. All of the performances in this movie were impressive, whether they were in serious or comedic moments. Every member of the cast brought their A-game, and Wilde knew how to channel it.

Additionally, all of the teenage characters in this film have their moments to shine and manage to not fall into the trap of being one-dimensional. There’s the try-hard, Jared (Skyler Gisondo), a kid who rolls around in a flame-painted car and shares a weird but fascinatingly funny bond with Gigi (Billie Lourd), who exists as a mystical, confusing presence who seems to hop around the universe of the movie to confusingly push the characters in the right direction.

Then there’s Triple A (Molly Gordon) and Hope (Diana Silvers), who also poke and prod the protagonists to move the plot along, but manage to have some depth as the story unfolds. It feels as though every character in the film returns and has some bigger part to play in the journey of our two heroes.

Technically, the film is very impressive. John McCormick’s cinematography blends perfectly with Wilde’s directing style. The lighting is warm and the comedy is all shot well. Often, the serious moments are punctuated by interesting filming techniques like a series of long shots as Amy swims through a pool or a longer single shot that rotates around the protagonists in an intense scene that stands out.

The script is honest and sincere while still being bitingly clever and ridiculous in all the right moments. It’s always refreshing to see high schoolers written like high schoolers, especially when they’re girls. Girls in high school movies tend to take back seats or be reduced to stereotypes, so seeing these characters so fully fleshed out and realized is impactful. It reminds me of last year’s film “Blockers,” which I loved, but  “Booksmart” manages to surpass it in all of the places that it needed to.

On top of being beautifully shot and wonderfully written, it was just a blast to watch. Every aspect of this film takes the audience on a journey through this seminal, life-changing moment that so many of us go through. This is strongly underscored by the amazing soundtrack. Featuring tracks by Anderson .Paak, Cautious Clay, Lizzo, Run the Jewels, Death Grips, LCD Soundsystem and Alanis Morissette. It’s eclectic but in an era where music is supremely accessible to young people, it feels appropriate to have such a diverse, energetic and fun soundtrack.

This film is like a buddy-cop version of “Lady Bird,” and it’s obvious that every person who worked on it put in an immense amount of love and care into the project. I can’t recommend seeing this film enough. In 2019, this is the kind of film that is important to see succeed, and I think it will.

While comic book movies are big critical and box office hits today, that was not always the case. It began in 1998 with the release of “Blade,” a movie that was flawed but still fun and enjoyable. “Blade” gave comic books their first step towards major success. Two years later, the first X-Men film was released to both critical and box office acclaim, expanding on the foundation set by “Blade.”

Similar to comic book movies in the ’90s, video game adaptations have always been critical and box office failures, usually due to lack of understanding and respect from the filmmakers adapting the property. But I feel that last year’s Tomb Raider reboot had the potential to pave the way for good video game movies, like “Blade” did with comic book adaptations. And now video game movies finally have their X-Men.

“Pokemon: Detective Pikachu” is an urban fantasy detective film based on Nintendo’s series of Pokemon games, specifically the “Detective Pikachu” game that was made for the Nintendo 3DS back in 2016. It tells the story of a young man named Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) who lives in a world populated with creatures called Pokemon that humans use to do tasks and fight other Pokemon. When Tim’s detective father is reported dead, he goes to his father’s apartment where he finds a lightning-type Pokemon called Pikachu  (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) who he is able to talk to. The two of them then decide to team up to find out what really happened to Tim’s father along with what he was investigating when he went missing.

If you are a huge Pokemon fan, you are going to love this movie. Just the fact that they were able to create a live action version of the world shown in the games and the shows is worth the price of admission. The production designers and special effects team took full advantage of the setting and really made the world come alive. It almost  feels like a reboot of “Who Framed Rodger Rabbit” with Pokemon instead of the Looney Toons.

The biggest complaint I could see diehard fans having about the film is that there are no cameos or even Easter eggs for characters from the rest of the franchise, not even during the credits. There are no cameos of icons like Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny, and there aren’t any Easter eggs hinting at Ash or Red. There is a plot device involving the letter R that I thought could have been teasing an appearance from Team Rocket, but it ended up being unrelated. The only character that technically crossed over from the other mediums was Mewtwo.

While I know many people who thought his appearance in the trailer was a spoiler, he’s introduced in the first five minutes of the movie. However, the reason Mewtwo is in the movie is very much a spoiler.

If you love Pokemon and grew up with the franchise, you’ll love the movie. But what if you didn’t?

If you were a kid that wasn’t the biggest fan but still were somewhat familiar with the franchise, you’ll probably still love the movie. I’m not the biggest Pokemon fan in the world, either. There were a few Pokemon in the background that I didn’t know, but I still really had a fun time with the movie.

If you know absolutely nothing about Pokemon then you’re probably not going to have such a good of a time. If you take away the nostalgia goggles, you start to notice some of the movie’s core problems.

The film takes place in the fictional Ryme City, which is unapologetically a carbon copy of London from the double-decker buses, signs for the underground, driving on the left side of the road and The Gherkin. I wouldn’t make a big deal about this, but they put all this effort into creating a fictional world that has a building that is very clearly a replica of a famous skyscraper. It’s especially weird in a city where most people still have American accents.

The movie’s villain is intended to be a surprise at the start of the third act, but the moment the character is introduced, your mind goes, “yup that guy is the villain.” The evil plan that is revealed in the third act also feels a little bizarre.

Justice Smith does a good job acting against Pikachu and really sells the comedy. The one thing I felt was odd, though, was the character’s age. The character of Tim is established at the beginning of the film as being an accountant. Despite this, he’s played by a 23-year old that looks and acts as a teenager would. It almost feels like he was supposed to be a kid or a teenager, but somewhere down the line, they decided to make him an adult with an accounting job. Tim’s age doesn’t have much of an impact on the plot, but almost every other piece of Pokemon media is lead by a kid, so this choice felt weird to me.

Tim has a female friend, Lucy Stevens (Kathryn Newton) with a Psyduck who appears throughout the film. I didn’t mind her character, but I felt they didn’t give her enough to do. She kind of felt like a character that was added in a second draft after a producer told the screenwriters to add in a female character.

When it comes to Pikachu himself, Ryan Reynolds does a good job in the role. I was afraid that he would just be playing a watered-down Deadpool, but he was able to pull off a similar but still original performance.

So do you have to catch it? No, but you’ll have a good time if you decide to.

1961. John Chapel Jr. first enrolled in the Drexel Institute of Technology in 1961. Now, his work, “A Photographic Voyage” is displayed here on Drexel’s campus in the Paul Peck Alumni Center Gallery. The photography exhibited in the gallery reflects the well-traveled life and experiences of a Drexel alumnus.

Chapel is known at Drexel for having given several large-sum donations to the university. According to DrexelNow, his donations exceeded $3.5 million to the LeBow College of Business between 2008-2014. Additionally, a $1 million donation was made to name R. John Chapel Jr. Dean’s Suite in the LeBow College of Business in 2014 and also established the John and Jinnie Chapel ACHIEVE Center & Dragon Lounge in 2017. This impressive group of donations reflects Chapel’s generosity and success as a Drexel Alumnus.

The photography is arranged on three walls in the main gallery room. One wall displays vibrantly colored pictures featuring a myriad of subjects, including nature, architecture, wedding pictures, animals and boats. These pictures were taken in an array of locations, including Canada, Russia, Greece and France.

Another wall features three large pieces, one of St. Petersburg Cathedral, another of a carousal in France and the third of graffiti on a large door in Spain. These are among the more abstract and eye-catching pieces in the exhibit, given their size and creative intent.

The third wall takes on a more subtle look with almost entirely black and white photography. This group of photos is the most compelling, as the decision to lessen the vibrancy of color allows the texture of the subjects to be appreciated by the viewer. An image of a knot on a tree, roots and water all feature texture or reflection that the black and white coloring highlights unique components of.

A personal favorite is a picture of a tuba that captures a reflection on the brass, revealing depth and masterfully capturing a specific angle and space. Reflections allow the viewer to consider the greater context of a photo, in a sense, breaking the forth wall of the singular frame of context in the photo itself.Chapel uses innovative lighting techniques to catch the eye in many pieces of his work in the Paul Peck Alumni Gallery exhibit.

Chapel’s personal story may be more relatable than many students might expect. Chapel originally planned to pursue Drexel Institute of Technology for a degree in mechanical engineering. However, in 1963, he left the university due to financial difficulties. During his break from school, Chapel had a variety of part-time jobs before returning to Drexel to study business, graduating in 1967. The story of this Drexel alumnus might inspire, especially as we barrel toward the end of spring term. Someone who at one point struggled with finances and finishing a degree has been able to feature and donate photography of clearly successful and well-traveled explorations through adulthood.

Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays, the exhibit is a pocket away from the work and challenges the second portion of spring term often presents. If you have extra time on campus, take a look at these works that will take you away from the everyday stresses of school.

I was not sure what to expect from “Civil War Voices” —  an innovative new musical that promised to bring to life the true stories of five individuals living during the American Civil War  — but I left the Walnut Street Theatre impressed. The musical, written by James R. Harris, is based on real diaries, letters and memoirs, while the soundtrack consists of modern arrangements of popular songs from the era by composer Mark Hayes, including “Aura Lee,” “Amazing Grace” and “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” It is a fresh look at a familiar period of history that showcases the talent of its small cast.

The characters represent the diverse viewpoints present in America during the Civil War. Joe Harris, played by Ben Sheppard, is a slaveholder with conflicted feelings about the war. Elizabeth Keckley, played by the phenomenal Jessica Johnson, is a woman who earns her freedom from slavery and works as a seamstress for the Lincolns. Theo Perry, played by Matthew Mastronardi, is a young man from Texas who leaves his wife, Harriet, played by Laura Giknis, behind when he joins the Confederate army. Damon Bonetti plays Joshua Chamberlain, a professor from Maine who becomes a Union war hero. Nicholas L. Parker acts as the narrator and brings his charismatic presence and powerful baritone voice to a variety of minor roles.

The musical is performed in the Independence Studio on the third floor, an intimate venue seating about 80. Even seated in the back row, I was no more than 20 to 30 feet away from the actors for the duration of the play. One of the benefits of this smaller venue is the level of audience interaction — the actors encourage the audience to clap their hands during some of the more upbeat musical numbers, pass out recruitment fliers during one scene and even join them in a rendition of “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

Adding to the immersion is the set design, which encompasses not just the stage itself but all four walls and the seating. Unfinished wood beams, wood flooring and embroidered, period-accurate chairs add a rustic feeling to the venue. The stage is cluttered with antique-looking props and furniture that the actors rearrange between scenes to transform the set from a tavern to a battlefield to the White House.

The whole production has an air of barely-restrained chaos. With only six actors and a multitude of small roles — anonymous soldiers, Elizabeth Keckley’s upper-class clients and even Abraham Lincoln — the actors change identities rapidly as they move through the scenes. It might come across unclear in the wrong hands, but due to the clever use of props, costuming and acting choices, I was never lost. Not only do the actors play a wide range of characters, but they also show off their talent as instrumentalists. Mastronardi accompanies many of the musical numbers on the piano, while Sheppard and Bonetti show off their talent on the bass and guitar. Another song features Bonetti on the harmonica. Other actors play the drums, cymbals and even a slide whistle. While the musical is clearly demanding to perform, I could tell how much the actors were enjoying themselves throughout.

Not every joke lands, but there is a surprising amount of humor as well as several comedic performances interspersed with scenes that reflect the brutal reality of the Civil War. The musical just barely avoids giving the audience whiplash as it alternates between powerhouse numbers like “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” and “Battle Cry of Freedom” that reflect the tragedy of the characters’ lives and raucous, foot-stomping songs that add a much-needed sense of levity. In the end, the show manages to strike a balance between joy and despair.

While this musical is relatively unknown, it has the makings of something great. I was impressed by the unique subject matter, the energy brought by the actors and the brilliant musical arrangements. It felt fresh and exciting without compromising historical accuracy; it was quirky but still something I can see having widespread appeal. “Civil War Voices” is an excellent tribute to the past that feels modern nonetheless.

“Civil War Voices” will be playing at the Walnut Street Theatre through May 26.

Tessa Thompson is taking the world by storm. She broke into the mainstream in 2014 when she appeared in the Oscar-nominated “Selma” and then quickly began to make more of a name for herself, starring in Ryan Coogler’s “Rocky” spinoff “Creed” the following year. She has gone on to star in “Sorry to Bother You,” “Annihilation,” HBO’s “Westworld” and “Thor: Ragnarok.” After taking on film after film that seem to be rooted in common progressive themes, Thompson has quickly become an icon online. She has become a prominent role model and figure for queer women of color in pop culture.

On top of her raw acting ability, Thompson seems to have an eye for picking solid projects and working closely with big names who are  bucking many of the norms in Hollywood like Boots Riley and Coogler. Now, she has taken her talents to Nia DaCosta’s directorial debut, “Little Woods,” starring alongside Lily James (“Baby Driver,” “Mama Mia”) as two sisters attempting to reconcile their mother’s death and financial woes.

Thompson plays Ollie, a woman who is about to finish parole following her arrest for being caught illegally crossing the US-Canadian border to smuggle cheap pharmaceutical drugs for her adoptive mother and other people struggling to pay medical bills in their small town of Little Woods, North Dakota. James stars as Deb, Ollie’s sister and mother to a son, Johnny, played by Charlie Ray Reid. Deb is struggling with her past and her complicated relationship with Johnny’s father, Ian, played by James Badge Dale (“24,” “13 Hours”). Things go awry when Ollie comes under threat of eviction from her deceased mother’s home and Deb finds out she’s pregnant. Ollie must now decide whether or not to risk her own potential for a new life to make some money to help Deb before she leaves to start her new life.

Thompson and Lily’s performances are the standouts of the film. The narrative centers on their dynamic and relationship, and over the course of the film, I found myself deeply believing  that relationship. Despite a few infrequent shortcomings of the script, their performances brought the struggles that their characters faced to life . Though the writing was generally solid throughout, a few moments of dialogue seemed to feel off in their delivery. That being said, I was often so gripped by the narrative that these moments didn’t distract too much.

The film does an excellent job of building up the two protagonists as these resilient but somewhat isolated and struggling characters. The dark color palette and close-up camera work gave a feeling of intimacy, loneliness and loss that permeated the film. It was gripping, dark and intense exactly when it needed to be but had moments of sincerity and warmth when needed. The story accurately depicted the intensity and fear that women forced into these positions while dealing with harmful and intimidating men can feel. These white-knuckled moments stood out, and I found my eyes glued to the screen, unable to look away and anxious that these characters would be forced to sink even lower.

Though the themes and script are dower and dreary, much of the soundtrack felt somewhat out of place. It was as if it were trying to evoke western tones but didn’t commit enough tonally to really warrant the use of random slivers of rock and country. The story was solid, but the pacing felt slightly off at times, and if it weren’t for the stellar performances and chemistry from Thompson and Lily, it could have taken a negative turn. Luckily, both did an excellent job bringing this story to life. I’m excited to see what Thompson, Lily and DaCosta have in store in the future.

“High Life” would appear to be, at first glance, your typical space thriller — a bunch of people get sent up to space, slowly start going mad, begin to kill each other and there may be an alien threat. Under the hand of renowned director Claire Denis, we’re instead treated to a dense, bold sci-fi film in the category of “Solaris” or “Annihilation.” The director of “Beau Travail,” “35 Shots of Rum” and “White Material” makes her first English-language feature, and the result is nothing short of masterful.

Robert Pattinson, continuing his run as an arthouse darling, stars as Monte, a death row inmate sent to live in a space station traveling towards a black hole. Our first introduction to him is as he’s fixing the station on the outside, desperately trying to calm the crying baby that’s his only companion on the shuttle. We learn soon after that the rest of the crew is dead, their bodies jettisoned out of the shuttle as the title splashes across the screen. Who are they, and what happened to them forms a fractured, anachronistic narrative that can feel a bit confusing at first.

The two most prominent characters of the crew are Boyse and Tcherny, played by Mia Goth and Andre Benjamin (better known as Andre 3000,) respectively. Along with them, there’s Juliette Binoche, playing Dibs, a doctor obsessed with reproduction. She effectively runs the entire ship, soliciting samples from the male crew to try and impregnate the female members. Monte notably refuses, which only makes her more fascinated with him. The crew gives great performances, Pattison underplaying to great effect while Binoche lets her freak flag fly, so to speak.

The real star is Denis, whose steady command as a director can be felt over every minute of the runtime. She keeps the tone foreboding, infusing it with a heavy aura of sex that’s drained of any titillation. One particular scene involving Binoche in what’s become known as the F—box is the most erotically terrifying thing you’ll ever see.

To these prisoners, sex is animalistic, nearly compulsive, reduced to the barest of states. “High Life” is fascinated by fluids: blood, urine, semen, the things that signify life, but it never feels puerile so much as deeply analytical.

At times, it can feel too analytical, as if she has so much to say and wants you to figure it all out. Moment to moment, however, there’s nothing like it; it’s a film that begs to be analyzed and slowly unraveled. To some, it may be too slow. There’s a lot of scenes that feel like nothing’s happening. To those willing to get on its wavelength, you won’t find another “adult” sci-fi film this year that feels like such a visceral experience. More than anything, “High Life” feels like watching a master at work.