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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

Film

Review: Hasan Minhaj’s ‘Off With His Head’ perfectly balances satire and sincerity

Review: Hasan Minhaj’s ‘Off With His Head’ perfectly balances satire and sincerity

The comedian’s latest special is a hilarious — and slightly harrowing — look at the South Asian American experience.
Anjali Mehta, Deputy Copy Chief November 1, 2024

I still remember when comedian Hasan Minhaj released his first comedy special, “Homecoming King,” in 2017. I watched it with my family in our living room, and it was the first...

A close-up shot of a woman and a monster holding onto each other in an intimate dance dip.

Review: ‘Your Monster’ is the perfect monster-romance story

Caroline Lindy’s debut feature film understands why it’s so easy to fall in love with a creature of the night.
Max Vetter, Staff Writer October 31, 2024

Why would anyone want to fall in love with a monster? From “Beauty and the Beast” to “The Twilight Saga,” there’s no shortage of films that play with this trope. One...

Three people surrounded by trees are illuminated by a blue light.

Review: In ‘Rumours,’ the medium is the message

Guy Maddin’s latest film is a funny but bloated critique of the relationship between leaders and those who are led.
Omar Drissi, Contributing Writer October 31, 2024

A narcoleptic American who, inexplicably, has a thick British accent. A sensitive Canadian with a ridiculous man bun and an exaggerated libido. A chubby, rambling Frenchman writing...

A group of men in suits and khakis stand at the top of a staircase, holding drinks.

Review: ‘The Line’ illustrates the consequences of tradition

Ethan Berger’s feature-length directorial debut provides a vivid and unsettling look into the cruel and often conditional camaraderie of fraternity hazing culture.
Eleanor Jacobs, Music Editor October 31, 2024

Spoiler warning: This review contains spoilers. There’s something unrelentingly disturbing about a film that can strip an already controversial institution naked and leave...

A man with a gray sweater and blue shirt stands with his back to a wall, facing away from a smiling blonde woman with her back to the other side of the wall.

Review: ‘We Live in Time’ is defined by love, not loss

The romance offers a refreshingly realistic portrayal of choosing joy during tragedy — a choice I watched my own family make.
Rory Lustberg, Deputy News Editor October 30, 2024

I have never audibly sobbed in a movie theater before, but there’s a first time for everything.  I haven’t seen my mom since she died from cancer almost 10 years ago —...

Photographed from behind hanging stage lights is an orange, white and pink stage set with the words “THE DATING GAME.” On one side of a partition is a standing man holding a microphone and a woman in an orange armchair. On the other side are three men sitting on stools.

Review: Anna Kendrick’s ‘Woman of the Hour’ teaches viewers to trust their instincts

Based on NYU alum and serial killer Rodney Alcala, the film advises audiences to be more careful in their dating lives.
Jason Alpert-Wisnia, Senior Staff Photographer October 30, 2024

Cheryl Bradshaw won a date with Rodney Alcala on “The Dating Game” — the TV show equivalent of a blind Tinder date — and thought she had finally escaped the nightmare that...

A man wearing a white poncho stands in a hallway. People behind him hold “no guns” signs and are also dressed in white.

Review: ‘English Teacher’ is in on the joke

Brian Jordan Alvarez’s new series broaches the serious topic of homophobia in schools with refreshing irreverence.
Sawyer Gouw Ranzetta, Contributing Writer October 29, 2024

The new FX show “English Teacher” follows a gay Latino teacher in a Texas suburb who has to navigate a changing social landscape. In a country where schools are a cultural...

A movie ticket booth with popcorn and 3-D glasses on the roof. Above it hangs a neon sign that reads “INSIDE THE BOXD” and a star that reads “WSN”.

Inside the Boxd: ‘After,’ ‘Trap,’ ‘Cuckoo’ and more

Inside the Boxd is a column documenting WSN staffers’ recent film reviews on Letterboxd. Grab some popcorn and get that watchlist ready!

With roughly 10 million site-wide users in 2023, including the likes of NYU alumni Martin Scorsese and Ayo Edebiri, Letterboxd has become the premier social media platform for...

A woman with short blonde hair with vibrant blue eye makeup looks directly at the camera with a surprised and scared expression.

Review: ‘Smile 2’ gives stage fright a whole new meaning

The new horror franchise finally released its long-awaited sequel with bigger stakes, scares and screams.
Amelia Knust, Staff Writer October 28, 2024

Content warning: This review contains discussions of suicide. Spoiler warning: This review contains spoilers. In an age where it seems that every horror trope has been done,...

An illustration of a purple lego figure in front of a purple and dark blue cityscape.

Review: ‘Piece by Piece’ is a playful yet shallow dive into a cultural icon

Pharrell Williams takes audiences on an amusing yet underwhelming journey through his life and career in animated Lego form.
Chloe Haack, Staff Writer October 25, 2024

Content warning: This review contains mentions of sexual assault. Award-winning musician Pharrell Williams has produced some of the greatest songs of the 21st century — “Blurred...

Two men in suits sit in a car. The man on the right is on the phone.

Review: ‘The Apprentice’ exposes the twisted mythology of Donald Trump

The origin story of America’s most infamous proves he was once the puppet too.
Maggie Turner, Staff Writer October 25, 2024

Content warning: This review contains mentions of sexual assault. It seems impossible to think of Donald Trump as a young, somewhat reserved and shy-to-ambition businessman...

Two people run in tall grass, smiling at each other.

Review: ‘Plastic’ has as much soul and personality as its titular material

Daisuke Miyazaki’s music-based film lacks any of the passion or vision of the rock and roll that inspired it.
Max Vetter, Staff Writer October 24, 2024

Director Daisuke Miyazaki’s “Plastic” opens with a peculiar scene. In a documentary-style talking head interview, an older man and a middle-aged woman — soon revealed as...