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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

Against a light purple background lie pink headphones, a yellow backpack, a pair of black boots, two books and a picture.

Staff Recs: Back to school

The Arts Desk spotlights some of their favorite artworks dealing with the highs and lows of college life.

School is back, the semester is anew. Perhaps you’re still not in the mood for four-hour lectures, bulky worksheets or reading theory. If that’s the case, we’ve got you covered...

A bearded man in a red shirt and teal jacket takes a call while sitting on a parked motorcycle.

Review: Mohammed Amer deconstructs the Palestinian American experience in Netflix’s ‘Mo’

Mohammed Amer stars in his own semi-autobiographical Netflix comedy about struggling to balance his Palestinian culture and traditions in America.
Yezen Saadah, Staff Writer September 9, 2022

Mohammed Mustafa Amer, most commonly known as Mo Amer, has been a prominent figure in mainstream Arab American media for years, with renowned stand-up specials including “Mo...

A silver and black laptop shows a scene in a desert with a man squatting. A white and blue cup of tea is in front of the laptop.

Off the Radar: ‘Breaker Morant’ shatters illusions of benevolent empires and noble wars

Off the Radar is a weekly column surveying overlooked films available to students for free via NYU’s streaming partnerships. “Breaker Morant” is available to stream on Kanopy.
Mick Gaw, Staff Writer September 8, 2022

“Breaker Morant” opens to an orchestra of men, all dressed in military khakis with their pith helmets, playing their brass instruments under the Union Jack. The film then cuts...

A close up of a boy wearing a blue jacket, with his right hand on the wheel of a car.

Review: ‘Funny Pages’ finds soul between silliness and seediness

Owen Kline’s directorial debut hurls into the madcap world of underground comics with gleeful crassness. “Funny Pages” is currently playing at Film at Lincoln Center and is available for rent on video on demand.
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Arts Editor September 7, 2022

From the studio that distributed contemporary coming-of-age classics like “Lady Bird” and “20th Century Women,” Owen Kline’s “Funny Pages” is A24’s latest spin...

Person holding a red-covered comic book is looking up, standing in front of a shelf of cartoon books.

Director & star of A24’s ‘Funny Pages’ talk comics, subversive mentors & trusting your voice

WSN spoke with director Owen Kline and actor Daniel Zolghadri about their recent raunchy comedy. “Funny Games” is currently playing at Film at Lincoln Center and is available for rent on video on demand.
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Arts Editor September 1, 2022

Spoiler warning: This article includes spoilers for “Funny Pages.” Several years in the making, Owen Kline’s directorial debut “Funny Pages” offers a laugh that’s...

A pixelated, pop-art-style illustration with the Marvel logo against comic-book onomatopoeia.

A guide to the serpentine madness of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Are you confused about what’s in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and what isn’t? So is (almost) everyone else. Let’s break it down.
Gillian Blum, Copy Chief May 4, 2022

Spoiler warning: This article may include spoilers for Marvel movies and series.  “The multiverse is a concept about which we know frighteningly little.” This line, said...

A portrait of a smiling Gaspar Noé wearing all black in front of a gray background.

Q&A: Filmmaker Gaspar Noé knows he won’t be remembered and doesn’t care

WSN spoke with Gaspar Noé about posterity, Andrei Tarkovsky’s “Solaris,” and how the film industry has changed since the pandemic.
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Arts Editor May 2, 2022

Spoiler warning: This article includes spoilers for “Vortex.” Everyone dies. Nothing will be remembered. These are the ideas circulating in Gaspar Noé’s head two...

An illustration of a computer on a bed covered with a blue blanket. The computer’s screen displays light blue mountains. Next to the computer is a small teacup.

Off the Radar: ‘Woman in the Dunes,’ a twinge of horror in the eyes of monotony

Off the Radar is a weekly column surveying overlooked films available to students for free via NYU’s streaming partnerships. “Woman in the Dunes” is available to stream on Kanopy.
Amira Aboudallah, Contributing Writer April 29, 2022

“Woman in the Dunes” (1964), directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara, is a tale confined to a pit in a sand dune. Amateur entomologist Niki Junpei (Eiji Okada) is on the hunt for a...

An elderly couple holding hands sitting at the opposite end of a table accompanied by a middle-age male and an infant in a family living room.

Review: ‘Vortex’, a reminder that death is destiny

Gaspar Noé’s latest, “Vortex,” offers a simple, albeit heavy, meditation on death. “Vortex” opens in select theaters this weekend.
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Arts Editor April 29, 2022

“Vortex,” the latest film from Paris-based Argentinian provocateur Gaspar Noé, is a poignant reflection on the material insignificance of dying. As is to be expected from...

A woman with orange hair and a black headband wears a pensive expression. She has one hand next to her mouth and appears to be biting a bit of her nail. Behind her there is a window that looks out to green trees and grass.

Review: Post-grad panic personified in ‘The African Desperate’

Anxiety, memes and art school cliches coalesce in Martine Syms’ hazy directorial debut. The film played as part of New Directors/New Films 2022 at Film at Lincoln Center.
Isabella Armus, Deputy Arts Editor April 29, 2022

Graduation is absurd. Although it’s regarded as a fundamental rite of growth and transition, the ceremony — or, rather, the awkward procedure — is never quite as climactic...

A man with a long beard and hair stares straight ahead, his eyes downcast. He’s wearing a plain white shirt and is against a background of painted sideways flames.

Review: ‘Los Conductos,’ a woozy ride through the sunken corridors of Medellín

Camilo Restrepo’s debut feature, “Los Conductos,” offers a wild ride through Medellín’s criminal underworld. “Los Conductos” opens at Film at Lincoln Center on April 29.
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Arts Editor April 27, 2022

Camilo Restrepo announces himself to cinema in a blaze of glory with his feature film debut “Los Conductos.” Following Pinky’s (Luis Felipe Lozano) aimless parade across...

A still from the film of two women looking to the side and laughing. They are surrounded by metal bars on the side and are wearing saris.

Review: ‘Shorts Program II’ muses on death, memory and the fear of looming ecological disaster

New Directors/New Films 2022’s second program of short films collects a strong string of strange films concerned with humanity’s sense of impending death. “Shorts Program II” plays on Wednesday, April 27, at Film at Lincoln Center.
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Arts Editor April 26, 2022

The New Directors/New Films Festival continues its showcase of innovative short-form filmmaking with “Shorts Program II.” The second and final installment of ND/NF’s short...