Review
‘Emilia Pérez’ is subpar slam poetry disguised as a musical
By Manav Musunuru | January 24The film has compelling characters but suffers from horrendous music and terrible representation.
Review
Review
‘Gladiator II’ is an entertaining watch despite an emotional letdown from the original
By Gabriella Wrighten | December 5Within minutes, the plot of ‘Gladiator II” is clear to those who remember the film’s prequel, or are familiar with the action genre.
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‘Small Things Like These’ is an emotional call to action
By Alyssia Ouhocine | November 20For moviegoers looking for both tension and inspiration, “Small Things Like These” is a perfect choice. Starring Cillian Murphy, the historical drama explores the age-old question of moral responsibility through the lens of the controversial Magdalene Laundries of Ireland.
Review
‘Wicked’ is sure to be popular with audiences and at box office
By Manav Musunuru | November 19When “Wicked” — the musical adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” — premiered on Broadway at the Gershwin Theater in 2003, it was met with mixed reactions. Critics lauded the show’s production and the performances of Idina ...
Review
Tyler, the Creator takes his mask off on ‘CHROMAKOPIA’
By Campbell Loi | November 19Tyler, The Creator has long been known for his creative use of alter egos throughout his discography. In addition to carefully crafting aesthetics for each altar ego during his album rollouts, Tyler also alternates his tone of voice between characters during his songs to express his own thoughts and ...
Review
‘We Live in Time’ portrays simplistic yet bittersweet love story with star actors
By Ayana Ahuja | November 11It has long been a tradition of American cinema to cast the hot stars of the time to play out timeless and familiar romantic tropes, and “We Live in Time” is no different. At its core, the film, released Oct. 11, is a classic doomed romance featuring two of Hollywood’s brightest actors, Florence ...
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‘A Real Pain’ puts a lighthearted twist on touching family story
By Manav Musunuru | November 7Jesse Eisenberg returns to filmmaking with his recent dramedy film “A Real Pain,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January. The deeply moving story explores the importance of family with a lighthearted twist.
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Sold out Student production of ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead’ opens over weekend
By Rose Farman-Farma | November 5“Audiences know what to expect, and that is all they are prepared to believe in” is a central proposition of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead,” but I certainly didn’t know what to expect when I arrived at the theater this past weekend. All brushed up on my Shakespeare quotes, I took ...
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Marvel mini-series ‘Agatha All Along’ skillfully expands upon popular character lore
By Manav Musunuru | October 31Stories focused on the experience of villains, rather than heroes, have become increasingly prevalent in Hollywood. The recently completed TV mini-series “Agatha All Along” is no exception to this trend.
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'Heartstopper' authentically portrays the qualms of teenage love
By Manav Musunuru | October 14On Oct. 3, Netflix released the third season of the critically acclaimed series “Heartstopper,” based on Alice Oseman’s webcomic and graphic novel series of the same name. The new season adds a more serious and emotional element to the show’s narrative.
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Coppola’s 'Megalopolis' is another disappointment on screen and at the box office
By Manav Musunuru | September 29Since its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May, Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” has divided critics and audiences alike. A renowned director well-known for “The Godfather” trilogy, Coppola delivers yet another disappointment on the screens and at the box office.
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‘A Different Man’ offers twisted commentary on societal expectations
By Gabriella Wrighten | September 24At its core, “A Different Man,” written and directed by Aaron Schimberg, is a children’s story. From the first day of school, students learn some basic tenets to live by: Treat others the way you want to be treated, use your words to solve a problem, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. ...
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'The Seed of the Sacred Fig': the non-banality of evil
By Daniel Zheng | September 19Upon hearing the setup of Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof’s latest film, one might be forgiven if they immediately begin hearing the echoes of Hannah Arendt’s famous “banality of evil” that permeated the film world amidst the buzz of “The Zone of Interest” around a year ago.
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‘Anora’: overstimulated alienation in Sean Baker’s sex-work romp
By Daniel Zheng | September 15The synopsis of Sean Baker’s “Anora,” winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year, describes one more spin on the “Cinderella story” — this time as a sex-work dramedy. But underneath the film’s fantasy is a hard-hitting commentary on the intractable gaps between different social classes. ...
Review
Sabrina Carpenter may be 'Short n’ Sweet,' but she’s got big star power
By Campbell Loi | September 9After dominating the charts and radio with singles “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” — deemed “songs of the summer” — Sabrina Carpenter has finally released her highly anticipated album “Short n’ Sweet.”
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Ravyn Lenae suffers, reflects and moves on from love in “Bird’s Eye”
By Manav Musunuru | September 4On Aug. 9, rising R&B star Ravyn Lenae released her long-awaited sophomore album “Bird’s Eye.” The record delves into Lenae’s experiences in past relationships, while showcasing the singer’s versatility. Complete with her distinctive and delicate soprano vocals, the new album explores ...
Review
girl in red declares hopeful, confident return to music on sophomore album “I’M DOING IT AGAIN BABY”
By Campbell Loi | April 22Professionally known as girl in red, Norwegian singer-songwriter Marie Ulven first arrived on the indie-pop scene with “i wanna be your girlfriend,” a single she released on SoundCloud in 2016. When songs “we fell in love in october” and “girls” went viral on TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic, ...
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In ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ Taylor Swift loses steam
By John Sexton | April 22On April 19 at midnight, Taylor Swift released 16 new songs. Two hours later, she released 15 more. Such astonishing productivity has become synonymous with Swift in recent years, with it seeming like that at any moment she could announce a brand new project on a whim.
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‘Perfect Days’ captures the beauty in nature and mundane
By Gabriella Wrighten | April 21Not much happens in Wim Wenders’s “Perfect Days.” The film follows Hirayama (Kōji Yakusho), a toilet cleaner in Tokyo living a largely solitary life. Hirayama does very few things each day. All of them are simple, but that’s not to say they’re not important. Running only on Hirayama’s relaxed ...
Review
‘Bright Future’ is the latest piece of Lenker brilliance
By Dennis Carey | April 16As winter turns to spring, Adrianne Lenker’s new album “Bright Future” is the perfect accompaniment to the changing weather.
