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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

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”...

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...

A sword hangs in mid-air between two men fighting in black and gold gladiator armor. Spectators watch from raised seats behind them.

Review: ‘Gladiator II’ is the world’s new Roman Empire

Ridley Scott’s latest proves that sequels are worth it, even after 24 years.
Isabella D’Erasmo, Deputy Copy Chief December 4, 2024

Spoiler warning: This review contains spoilers for “Gladiator II.” When I think of Paul Mescal’s filmography, one word sticks out to me more than anything: sadness. From...

A woman with an enlarged head.

6 of 2024’s most overlooked movies

Before “Anora” and “Wicked” become the unbridled talk of the town, take a look at a few of 2024’s most underrated gems.
Leo Field, Staff Writer December 3, 2024

The 2025 Academy Awards are approaching, and with them come the inevitability that most people will only be talking about a handful of movies released in 2024. However, it’s...

Four different illustrations of people in offices representing different fictional presidents.

Ranked: Presidents in film & TV

Instead of focusing on our current presidency, get lost in these fictional presidents, ranging from all-American to wholly unpolitical.
Maggie Turner, Staff Writer December 3, 2024

American politics can be tedious, boring and depressing to keep up with. So why not turn to Hollywood and indulge in their interpretations of different commanders in chief? From...

An illustration of a family watching a horror movie on a couch with scared expressions on their faces. The person on the right spills a bowl of popcorn in shock.

3 dysfunctional family movies to prepare you for Thanksgiving dinner

These films will make you realize that whatever you’re walking into at home could always be worse.
Max Vetter, Staff Writer November 25, 2024

Content warning: This article contains mentions of suicide. Thanksgiving is a complicated holiday. Notwithstanding its ugly colonial past, the holiday as it exists today is...

A black-and-white picture of three people lying on a bed, one person sits up, looking at the camera.

How an NYU alum abandoned Hollywood to make their most honest film yet

WSN spoke with Jack Haven about their directorial debut, “October Crow,” and what it means to be punk in modern filmmaking.
Max Vetter, Staff Writer November 25, 2024

NYU alum Jack Haven is tired of dishonest art. They have been acting as long as they can remember, and their career has been on the rise since graduating from NYU Tisch School...

A man and a woman lean towards each other with a Christmas tree behind them.

Review: Everyone is sad and horny in Netflix’s ‘Hot Frosty’

Lacey Chabert and Dustin Milligan star in this sexy but underwhelming rendition of “Frosty the Snowman.”
Ellie Miller, Contributing Writer November 25, 2024

A woman grieving her dead husband searching for a shred of self-respect. A man on the run from the police, craving a sense of companionship from anyone who looks his way. An ambitious...

A still from an animated film depicting two characters sleeping under a kotatsu table. On top of the table are papers, rulers and half-eaten snacks.

Review: ‘Look Back’ finds art in adaptation

Outside of its beautifully moving story and technical prowess, the film seamlessly blends the characteristics of its original comic with the freedom of animation at neither’s expense.
Kaleo Zhu, Contributing Writer November 25, 2024

On the surface, a four-panel comic seems like it couldn’t be further apart from a feature-length film. After all, a comic’s limited space for a story and implied movements...

An illustration of a blonde woman wearing pink laying her head on the shoulder of a woman with green skin.

Review: ‘Wicked’ is a gift for theater kids everywhere

The new Universal Pictures movie musical proves, once and for all, that pink pairs perfectly with green.
Annie Emans, Beauty and Style Editor November 22, 2024

I was — and still am — a theater kid. So much so that when I was young, I begged my parents to take me to New York City from Washington state to bask in the lights of...

A close-up shot of two women, with one wearing a headscarf and holding an orange container, while the other is standing next to her staring at it.

Review: ‘All We Imagine as Light’ is a triumphant portrayal of multi-generational womanhood

Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s sophomore film is a poetic and moving examination of relationships and isolation in Mumbai.
Gabriel Murray, Contributing Writer November 21, 2024

Filmmaker Payal Kapadia begins her first narrative film, “All We Imagine as Light,” observing. Bringing in her documentary roots, she focuses on the streets of Mumbai through...