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

Four women looking scared on a subway platform. One of them is holding a skateboard.

Review: ‘Madame Web’ is somehow worse than you thought

He was in the Amazon with her mom when she was researching spiders right before she died, and I was asleep in my seat. Also, the line wasn’t even in the movie.
Holden Lay, Staff Writer February 23, 2024

“Madame Web” is an indefensibly bad film. Such poorly made and agonizingly dull schlock can only be the result of a complete lack of inspiration. “Madame Web” is the...

A man with dreads plays the guitar while singing into a microphone.

Review: ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ is only pleasing to the ear

While the recently released biopic recreates some of the magic from Bob Marley’s music, it fails to thoughtfully explore the reggae superstar’s legacy.
Tony Jaeyeong Jeong, Staff Writer February 22, 2024

Renowned Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley was a multidimensional cultural icon. Dubbed the “King of Reggae,” he was a pioneer in the Reggae music scene who constantly...

An illustration of the “Poor Things” protagonist, Bella Baxter, with a light purple film strip in the background. Bella is cut into pieces, with her brain outside of her body, and is running.

‘Poor Things’ argues to be human is to be monstrous

Subverting genre and reflecting the classics prior, “Poor Things” proposes what a modern monster movie should look like.
Liv Steinhardt, Contributing Writer February 16, 2024

In the popular discourse regarding “Poor Things,” audiences have repeatedly tried to categorize this label-rejecting film. A quick Google search finds “Poor Things” labeled...

A red mug and a laptop with a blue-toned image of a woman applying lipstick to another woman.

Off the Radar: Feminism, race and gender in ‘The Big City’

Off the Radar is a weekly column surveying overlooked films available to students for free via NYU’s streaming partnerships. “The Big City” is available to stream on Kanopy and Max.
Yezen Saadah, Deputy Managing Editor February 16, 2024

The conflict between the old and new is a recurring theme in most, if not all, of Bengali filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s films. Since the start of his filmography with the 1955 classic...

A blonde woman wearing a white dress stands outside a restaurant at night.

Review: ‘How to Have Sex’ is not a tutorial, sadly

Molly Manning Walker’s directorial debut is a raw examination of our youth’s troubling sexual culture.
Stephanie Wong, Arts Editor February 14, 2024

Content warning: This article contains discussions of sexual assault. Asking your friends if they’d want to come see “How to Have Sex” with you is a surefire way to get...

A man wearing protective goggles looks through a small circular window that is emitting bright light.

The case against ‘Oppenheimer’

Leading the pack with 13 Oscar nominations, including best picture, it’s time to ruffle some Nolan-heads and reassess the biopic.
Dani Biondi, Staff Writer February 13, 2024

Content warning: This article contains mentions of suicide and suicidal ideation. It’s hard to ignore Christopher Nolan’s success as a filmmaker. With eight Academy Award...

A teenage boy wearing leather armor over a t-shirt and jeans is standing on the edge of a cliff holding a shield. His back is facing the camera and there is a forest in the background.

Review: ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ is an ode to loyal fans

The long-awaited adaptation of a childhood classic seems to have matured with its enthusiasts, while making room for the appreciation of a larger audience — still, some question if it has matured too quickly.
Eleanor Jacobs, Staff Writer February 12, 2024

I met up with hometown friends over winter break to watch the premiere of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” the same peers I had spent middle school rehashing its source material...

A red mug and a laptop with an image of a young girl looking over a fence drawn on a purple background.

Off the Radar: Redefining national images in ‘The Scent of Green Papaya’

Off the Radar is a weekly column surveying overlooked films available to students for free via NYU’s streaming partnerships. “The Scent of Green Papaya” is available to stream on Kanopy.
Mick Gaw, Film & TV Editor February 9, 2024

Having fled Vietnam and immigrated to France at the age of 12, Trần Anh Hung has established himself as a singular filmmaker in world cinema — a master in producing fleeting...

A man wearing a black, striped T-shirt across from a blonde woman and a man wearing a gray shirt and a watch in a diner booth.

The lasting genius of ‘The Sopranos’ on its 25th anniversary

Even 25 years on, “waste management” has never been so entertaining.
Joseph Paladino, Staff Writer February 6, 2024

In January of 1999, America was introduced to a staple of Sunday night television for the next eight years as New Jersey mob boss — sorry, “waste management consultant” —...

A garden with green grass, chairs and stone paths, surrounds a shallow pool that children are playing in while adults watch. Behind the garden, there is a wall with barbed wire, guard towers and a large red-shingle roofed building.

Review: Why ‘The Zone of Interest’ asks you not to watch, but listen

“The Zone of Interest” is an experimental audiovisual portrait of Auschwitz that questions the nature of violence.
Tony Jaeyeong Jeong, Staff Writer February 6, 2024

The lights dim in the theater as “The Zone of Interest” is about to play. The audience puts away their phones, expecting an opening shot that might give them a hint of what's...

Harry and Adam, played by Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott, stand in an elevator.

Review: ‘All of Us Strangers’ is a hauntingly bleak tale of grief and trauma

Featuring stellar performances and cinematography, Andrew Haigh’s latest film is a spiritual romance meant to be experienced, not enjoyed. “All of Us Strangers” is now showing in select theaters.
Juliana Guarracino, Culture Editor February 5, 2024

Spoiler warning: This article includes spoilers for “All of Us Strangers.” I am an avid believer that one of the best ways to watch a movie is to go in blind. Ideally, that...

An illustration of a laptop and a mug on a purple background. On the laptop is a child sitting in a car leaning outside the window. The foreground is a grassy field with a city background and above the car is the red title: “24 City.”

Off the Radar: ‘24 City’ and building over the ashes of industry

Off the Radar is a weekly column surveying overlooked films available to students for free via NYU’s streaming partnerships. “24 City” is available to stream on Kanopy.
Mick Gaw, Film & TV Editor February 2, 2024

Living in a metropolis like New York City means constantly witnessing a ceaseless commercial drive toward prosperity — a process defined by both creation and displacement. Structures...