TheArchive: Reviewing the Rare, Retro, and Restored

(Chalinee Thirasupa - Reuters) The 2025 Lunar New Year is here! Rooted in over 3,500 years of history, the Chinese New Year is one of the most significant festivals in Chinese culture. The Lunar New Year is also celebrated in Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore, among other countries . It follows the lunar calendar, with celebrations lasting for fifteen days, ending with the Lantern Festival. Traditionally, the holiday represents a time to honor ancestors, welcome prosperity, and embrace fresh beginnings. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which is based on the sun, the lunar calendar follows the moon's cycles to determine days, weeks, and months. The Year of the Snake in 2025 begins on January 29 and will conclude on February 16, 2026. The snake is the sixth sign in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, appearing once every dozen years.  According to Chinese mythology, the order of the zodiac animals was determined by a big race where creatures race...

The 2025 Oscar nominations are finally here ! During a live broadcast, Comedians Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott revealed the 2025 Academy Award nominees. In this week’s blog, we wanted to talk about the various films that stole the spotlight this year, with a focus on the category of Best Documentary Feature. Blockbusters, dramas, and movies with well-known actors often get the most attention during award season, with good reason. But, we wanted to give some extra love to the documentary features that are educational, raw, and eye-opening.  Leading the pack is Netflix's Emilia Pérez , a musical about a trans drug lord in Mexico, which earned 13 nominations, including Best Picture , Best Actress for Karla Sofía Gascón, Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldaña , and Best Director for Jacques Audiard. Wicked and The Brutalist were close behind, each securing 10 nominations . Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande received acting nods for their roles in Wicked . At the same time, Adrien Brody...

(Jae C. Hong, Associated Press) Last week, the world saw terrifying images and videos of the hillsides of Los Angeles scorched in flames. The fires took 25 lives , and over 12,000 homes and structures were destroyed. Every year, the Southern California fire season gets worse, and this year, we witnessed one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, and the cause is still being investigated . Amidst the chaos, destruction, and flames, we have seen the unwavering resilience of our first responders . And continue to do so as the fires rage into their second week, with no end in sight. The fires that rage across Los Angeles don’t just cause physical damage to generational family homes and community structures. However, they also destroy wildlife habitats, displace families and communities, and ruin the air quality for everyone in the city . But even in these dire circumstances, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers have answered the call without hesitation. (Robert...