Skip to Main Content
New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

Arts

Many pink and yellow books stacked on top of each other, with “MMXXIV” written on one side of the book in the middle and “STAFF LIST!” written on the other.

Staff Recs: The best books we read this year

The staff of WSN shares their favorite reads from 2024.
WSN Staff December 13, 2024

As the year comes to a close, the WSN staff is reflecting on the best books we read in 2024. From old classics to new releases to academic texts, we all read a lot. Alexa Donovan,...

Two women sit on a bright turquoise couch in a cozy, artfully decorated living room with artworks on the wall and a coffee table in the foreground decorated with books and mugs.

Review: ‘The Room Next Door’ closely examines death

In Pedro Almodovár’s full-length English-language debut, the end is the least important part.
Eleanor Jacobs, Music Editor December 13, 2024

Content warning: This article contains mentions of suicide. “The Room Next Door” paints a sensitive portrait of two women with differing existential outlooks that are otherwise...

An illustration of four colorful Christmas stockings hanging above a fireplace. From left to right are purple, turquoise, green and red stockings that contain vinyl albums.

8 pop Christmas albums to broaden your holiday horizons

A collection of pop music’s best holiday albums based on nostalgia, sentiment and spirit.
Bella Simonte, Contributing Writer December 12, 2024

Every winter, pop stars, actors and even comedians take on the same monumental task: creating a bestselling Christmas album. Some recreate the melodies of classic Christmas tunes,...

A group of four people smiling at a camera in a red room.

The Radio Relics on indie rock, Clive Davis and pissing off the neighbors

This band of NYU students is a decade in the making.
Caia Cupolo, Contributing Writer December 12, 2024

As The Radio Relics greet each other outside of Astor Place Hairstylists ahead of headlining a charity show, high-fiving and lugging guitars and gear into the venue, it’s easy...

A screen with the words “Fork n’ Film” projected onto it, with an image of a fork and a film reel below it.

Sipping and savoring cinema

Fork n’ Film combines two of life’s greatest pleasures: food and film. My experience at the “Home Alone” showing was no less than exceptional.
Andrea Lui, Culture Editor December 11, 2024

Every time I doomscroll on TikTok, my algorithm is chock full of videos of the hottest restaurants, cafes, bars and pop-ups in New York City. It’s almost overwhelming — sometimes...

A woman standing in a long, white dress in front of a building with a carousel behind her.

Q&A: Rising artist Zoe Tan on new single and her time at NYU

Ahead of the Dec. 13 release of her newest single “Distance,” singer-songwriter Zoe Tan spoke with WSN about storytelling and her musical goals.
Eva Mundo, Contributing Writer December 11, 2024

From the beginning of her songwriting journey during her childhood years in Malaysia, Zoe Tan has aspired to connect with listeners through intimate storytelling. Now a junior...

An illustration of a light blue retro television, with colorful statics and “Staff Recs Nostalgia Edition” written in the middle.

Staff Recs: Childhood holiday nostalgia

The holidays never fail to make us miss our own childhood whimsy.

As the snow falls — but certainly does not stick — and holiday decor pops up along the streets of New York City, our lives feel a little bit more magical. As we all get older,...

Three balconies spiraling up with various art pieces on the walls and people perusing them.

Review: The Guggenheim’s new exhibition teaches a history lesson about a fleeting art movement

Visit “Harmony and Dissonance: Orphism in Paris, 1910–1930” for Orphism’s enchanting color, and leave with a newfound understanding of the cultural and technological innovations that captivated early 20th-century Paris.
Sydney Chan, Staff Writer December 10, 2024

Geometric shards and sweeping streaks in chromatic hues adorn The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum’s walls. Upon first glance, the artworks feature no discernible subject for interpretation....

An illustration of a Christmas wreath wrapped in shiny gold ribbon and an ornament, with red and green sections showing different film posters. In the middle is the Netflix logo wearing a red santa hat.

Ranked: Every 2024 Netflix Christmas rom-com

This year, Netflix put out four new holiday romantic comedies, ranging from trashy to genuinely fun.
Ella Sabrina Malabanan, Staff Writer December 9, 2024

Every holiday season, you can find a ton of new, usually low-budget, Christmas romantic comedies on Netflix. While the streaming giant that gave us three “The Princess Switch”...

An illustration of a hand holding a nutcracker on a blue background scattered with snowflakes.

Let out of the doll box: My retirement from ‘The Nutcracker’

After 10 years of shows, this is my first year not performing, and I have countless memories and emotions to reflect on.
Siobhán Minerva, Deputy Arts Editor December 9, 2024

I found myself in the dark enclosure of a life-sized present box. The light bulb inside had gone out. Wheeled onstage, the party-scene music entered my ears. Tapping my toes in...

Two men sit next to each other on a beach, a yellow blanket wrapped around their shoulders.

Review: ‘Queer’ is full of psychedelics and painful pining

Luca Guadagnino’s latest drama — an adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ eponymous novella — honors its source material in its suspension between drugs and relationships.
Dani Biondi, Film & TV Editor December 9, 2024

Warning: This review contains spoilers. On Sep. 6, 1951, Beat Generation author William S. Burroughs drunkenly shot and killed his wife Joan Vollmer. In the introduction to...

A woman wearing a blindfold holding a piece of paperwork over her head.

Review: ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ distills national tensions into a suspenseful family drama

Director Mohammad Rasoulof crafted a masterful reflection on the Iranian “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement entirely in secret.
Sawyer Gouw Ranzetta, Staff Writer December 6, 2024

A man drops bullets on a table, one by one. In the opening scene of “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” Iman (Missagh Zareh) receives a gun as part of a promotion to investigative...