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

“The Devil All The Time” is a new epic drama from director Antonio Campos.The film takes a few style cues from the Southern Gothic genre. The storyline is mostly linear with different groups of characters as their arcs intersect. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)

‘The Devil All the Time’: A Meditation on American Violence

Antonio Campos’s latest film, “The Devil All the Time” meditates on violence in America. Starring everyone from Tom Holland to Robert Pattinson, Campos’s film kicks off Netflix’s fall lineup.
Sam Gray, Contributing Writer September 18, 2020

Content Warning: this article contains spoilers. No one leaves unscathed or unstained from “The Devil All The Time,” a new epic drama from director Antonio Campos. The film...

The New York Film Festival (NYFF) is an annual film festival held every autumn in New York City, presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. This year, it will kick off with virtual accessibility for all and this guide should be your companion in deciding which film to check out. (Staff Illustration by Deborah Alalade)

NYFF: A Digital Celebration of Cinema

With New York Film Festival 58 offering unprecedented accessibility, WSN Film Editor Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer has created a guide to understand the festival’s many titles and lineups.
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Film Editor September 18, 2020

As New York Film Festival 58 kicks off with virtual accessibility for all, this guide might aid you in deciding what films are worth checking out. Due to the ongoing effects of...

This past Monday night, Chance the Rapper partnered with Ralph Lauren in an attempt to create an engaging pre-show and concert experience virtually. The night started off with a snapchat filter that allowed the user to explore the flagship Ralph Lauren store and ended with an entertaining YouTube concert. (Staff Illustration by Chelsea Li)

The Ralph Lauren X Chance the Rapper Performance Reimagines Virtual Concerts

The best part of the Ralph Lauren x Chance the Rapper performance was, surprisingly, waiting for the show to start.
Holly Grace Jamili, Contributing Writer September 17, 2020

This past Monday, Chance the Rapper partnered with luxury designer Ralph Lauren to invite his fans for a free online performance in his hometown of Chicago. It was no typical live...

“The Mole Agent” is a new non-fiction documentary by writer-director Maite Alberdi. The movie follows the protagonist who is hired by a private investigator to act as a mole in a retirement home. (Staff Illustration by Deborah Alalade)

‘The Mole Agent’ Is a Clever and Endearing Snapshot of Life in a Nursing Home

Beautiful and deceptively complex, this documentary film is an emotional examination of what it means to grow old.
Nicholas Pabon, Staff Writer September 16, 2020

“The Mole Agent,” directed by Chilean director Maite Alberdi, is one of those documentaries that makes you wonder whether it really is a documentary because of its dramatic...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)

Weekly Radio Roundup: Sept. 7 – Sept. 14

Read about our favorite singles that were released this week.
Isabella Armus, Ana Cubas, Lexi Wolf and Claire Jones September 15, 2020

Welcome to a new semester of our Weekly Radio Roundups. A lot has changed since last May but thankfully, we had some great new music releases to get us through the summer. This...

Kaufman’s latest film “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” centers around a young woman visiting her boyfriend’s parents. While there, time seems to shift around her as the storyline becomes increasingly confusing and less linear. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)

‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things’ Will Leave You Confounded

This movie will have you scouring Reddit for hidden meanings as soon as the credits roll.
Ashley Wu, Editor-at-Large September 14, 2020

In true Charlie Kaufman fashion, the director’s newest film, “I’m Thinking of Ending Things,” crafts a brilliant and rich narrative that makes very little sense. With a...

COVID-19 and quarantining provided time for many people to pick up new skills like learning to play an instrument or producing music. However, musicians who rely on touring and festivals to make their income are having a hard time making ends meet from streaming services alone. (Staff Photo by Alexandra Chan)

The Time To Support Independent Musicians Is Now

COVID-19 has impacted independent musicians and music venues severely. They are finally receiving the help they deserve.
Anastasia D. S. Johnson, Contributing Writer September 14, 2020

When COVID-19 first hit, people found themselves with substantially more time on their hands. As numerous people have turned to music as an escape, the percentage of streaming...

Zeros is Declan McKennas second studio album. Burst with youthfulness, the release grounds itself in stellar guitar solos accompanied by reflections on depression and growing up. (Staff Illustration by Chelsea Li)

‘Zeros’ Soars from Optimism to Bitter Observation

Declan McKenna’s second album bursts with youthfulness and grounds itself in stellar guitar solos accompanied by reflections on depression and growing up.
Izzy Salas, Staff Writer September 11, 2020

Both bubbly and gritty, Declan McKenna’s new album “Zeros” is thoughtful, self-aware and a total jam. While his first album was catchy, sweet and rooted in the growing pains...

Claire Denis’ re-write of a classic Herman Melville novel comes to life in ‘Beau Travail’ - a film about a South African troop stationed in Djibouti. The LGBT Drama showcases the love and jealousy between men in the group and how far they will go for the one they love. (Image Courtesy of Nico Chapin)

‘Beau Travail’s’ Restoration Re-animates the Beauty of Denis’s Cinematic Gem

Janus Films’ restoration of Claire Denis’s “Beau Travail” relivens the film for a new generation. Agnès Godard’s cinematography has never looked better and Denis’s style remains as remarkable as it did at the brink of the millennium.
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Film Editor September 10, 2020

Sunbaked bodies bustle under the African Sun in Claire Denis’s loose re-telling of Herman Melville’s “Billy Budd.” Under Officer Galoup’s (Denis Lavant) eyes, the aptly...

“Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President,” a new documentary from director Mary Wharton, explores Carter’s friendships with some of the great musicians of the 1970s. The movie begins against the backdrop of Vietnam and Watergate, twin disasters that contributed to the largest drop in the public’s trust in government in the history of polling. (Staff Illustration by Chelsea Li)

Rock and Roll With President Carter in Mary Wharton’s Feature Debut

The new documentary “Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President” tracks Carter’s lifelong friendships with the best musicians of his era.
Sam Gray, Contributing Writer September 9, 2020

Less than five minutes into the new documentary “Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President,” former President Jimmy Carter corrects the well-known story of Willie Nelson smoking...

MTV’s Video Music Awards ran on August 30th without an audience. Though a year of many firsts, the 37th VMAs viewership continues to drop despite an increased effort in attempting to make the show interesting and engaging. (Staff Illustration by Chelsea Li)

The 2020 VMAs Prove The Traditional Awards Show Model Is Dead

The 2020 MTV VMAs had many firsts, but while it was unorthodox in several ways, nothing can bring the show back to what it used to be.
Samaa Khullar, Contributing Writer September 8, 2020

MTV held the 37th annual Video Music Awards on Aug. 30, the first show in the history of the program to be held without an in-person audience due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic....

Chadwick Boseman passed away at the end of August after a long and silent battle with colon cancer. Boseman will be remembered not only as an actor, but also as an activist who championed Black stories. (Staff Illustration by Debbie Alalade)

Remembering the Late, Great Chadwick Boseman

On August 28, 2020, Chadwick Boseman passed away after a silent battle with cancer. He left behind a legacy of leadership with a filmography that included the likes of Black Panther, Thurgood Marshall, Jackie Robinson and James Brown.
Dylan Thomas Kalaydijan, Contributing Writer September 8, 2020

I believe Chadwick Boseman was and always will be an extremely rare kind of actor — one of the true, real-deal movie stars. He was a man of high class and charisma, noticeably...