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

All content by Alexandra Bentzien
A group of incarcerated men sit in an auditorium. All of them are wearing light blue denim collared shirts and dark blue jeans. Two of the men are smoking cigarettes.

Review: ‘Great Freedom’ exposes hope on trial in the face of institutionalized cruelty

Sebastian Meise’s film is a moving portrait of a gay man in a country that criminalized his identity. “Great Freedom” is playing in select theaters.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer March 7, 2022

Sebastian Meise’s “Great Freedom” unveils the shameful and barbarous past of Germany’s criminalization of homosexuality. While difficult to watch, the film also reveals...

Persian artist Shahzia Sikander’s work is on display at the Morgan Library. The exhibition will be available to view until September 26.
(Photo by Alexandra Christina Bentzien)

Sikander’s ‘Extraordinary Realities’ explores migration and identity formation

Pakistani artist Shahzia Sikander’s key works are on display at the Morgan Library until Sept. 26.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer September 24, 2021

Before entering the Morgan Library’s gallery, visitors are greeted by a brief selection of older, traditional miniature paintings. This introduction to Pakistani artist Shahzia...

Nomadland is a drama film written, edited, produced, and directed by Chloé Zhao. This best picture winner film follows a woman who leaves her hometown, after her husband dies and she loses her job, to be houseless and travel around the United States. (Staff Photo by Manasa Gudavalli, Staff Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)

‘Nomadland’s’ contemporary vision of the American dream

NYU alumna and best picture winner Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland” interrogates the nature of coming of age in modern America.
Alexandra Bentzien, Staff Writer April 26, 2021

“I’m not homeless, I’m just houseless. Not the same thing, right? Don’t worry about me; I’m okay,” Fern says to Makenzie in “Nomadland.” The distinction between...

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

Weekly Radio Roundup: Final Edition of the Semester

The most exciting tunes as you get ready to let loose in the summertime.

The end is near and the statement isn’t necessarily foreboding. The end suggests the completion of finals and the freedom to wander the streets freely for the first time in months....

Corpus Christi is a 2019 Polish drama film directed by Jan Komasa and written by Mateusz Pacewicz. While the film, nominated for Best International Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, is not a thriller, it is an intensely vigorous investigation of what true faith really means without pages of scripture or layers of uniform to hide behind. (Staff Photo by Alex Tran)

Reinventing the Face of Faith in ‘Corpus Christi’

Academy Award-nominated “Corpus Christi,” by Polish director Jan Komasa, examines the complicated boundaries of true faith in a story about an ex-convict masquerading as a parish priest.
Alexandra Bentzien, Staff Writer May 6, 2020

“It doesn’t matter where you’re from. All that matters is where you’re going.” This is one of the first sentences Daniel speaks after assuming the identity of Father...

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

Weekly Radio Roundup: April 10 – April 16

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

In the immortal words of ESG: “Dance!” With social distancing measures being extended throughout the world, the need for levity is imperative. As hysteria by way of isolation...

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

Weekly Radio Roundup: April 3 – April 9

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

Another week in isolation, another opportunity to explore great music. Here at the Music Desk, we’re celebrating the fact that this is the 10th edition of this column that hopes...

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

Weekly Radio Roundup: March 27 – April 2

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

The world’s halt has driven many creatives to fully involve themselves in their craft. Whether it be Arca taking over Twitch or Nick Hakim announcing a new album, the music world...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)

Weekly Radio Roundup: March 7 – March 13

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

It’s National Women’s History Month! But we’re also navigating a global pandemic and the constant presence of hovering parents at a time when we should be enjoying the blessedness...

Ai Weiwei’s piece, Two Figures, is a life-size work of a plaster-cast man and wife lying on a mattress, with a pile of red seeds surrounding the man’s head. This was used as a reference to the Tang Dynasty poem, Love Seeds, which inspired the title of the exhibit. (Photo by Alexandra Bentzien)

Faurschou Foundation Fosters Global Connection

The newest Faurschou expansion in New York features a fascinating new group exhibition.
Alexandra Bentzien, Staff Writer March 9, 2020

Nestled in a sidestreet of Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood is the sleek and modern Faurschou Foundation, an art gallery currently home to the group exhibition The Red Bean...

The lyrical styles of King Krule mix machinery with acoustic lyrics. King Krule’s third studio album, “Man Alive!” is an encapsulation of the range of his musical inspirations and talents.(Staff Photo by Alex Tran)

King Krule Falls Into Space on the Subway

King Krule’s “Man Alive!” searches for a cure to loneliness on an album simmering with agony and fantastical astrological vibes
Alexandra Bentzien, Staff Writer March 2, 2020

Why is King Krule screaming? That is, if he is screaming, what, when or for whom is he crying out? King Krule’s third studio album, “Man Alive!,” is the artist’s latest...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)

Weekly Radio Roundup: Feb. 22 – Feb. 28

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

A wave of lovely strangeness prevails in this week’s edition of Weekly Radio Roundup. From The Weeknd’s latest late-night atmospheric melody to the airy sounds of The 1975’s...

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)

Weekly Radio Roundup: Feb. 14 – Feb. 21

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

For a week leading up to the releases of the new music from King Krule and Arca, there was also a beautiful bouquet of singles ranging from the likes of Grimes to The Strokes....

The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)

Weekly Radio Roundup: Feb. 7 – Feb. 12

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

From Sufjan Stevens to Carly Rae Jepsen, this week’s slew of singles mostly consisted of soft-spoken reflections on living in modernity. Whether it’s King Krule shrieking about...

A student walks to school with a sinister plot against their teacher. The Dardenne brothers film “Young Ahmed” was the recipient of the Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival. (Staff Photo by Jake Capriotti)

Extremism Burns Slowly in the Mind of ‘Young Ahmed’

The Dardenne brothers’ “Young Ahmed” is a complex and unsettling portrait of radicalization.
Alexandra Bentzien, Staff Writer February 10, 2020

Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne’s “Young Ahmed” is deceptively bright. The first thing that comes to mind when reflecting on the film is the quality of the light. It barely...

Weekly Radio Roundup: Jan. 31 - Feb. 3

Weekly Radio Roundup: Jan. 31 – Feb. 3

The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.

In a week of wonders, Porter Robinson is back after a long hiatus and Elon Musk is now an aspiring artist? I guess if this edition of Weekly Radio Roundup proves anything, it’s...

Waves is a drama film released by A24 on November 15. (Via Twitter @wavesmovie)

‘Waves’ Verges on Cinematic Sensory Overload

“Waves” is a gripping family drama that captivates with experimental sound design and visual components.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer November 17, 2019

Don’t expect to watch “Waves” like a movie. That’s what it is, technically, but it is precisely “Waves’” technical elements that elevate it beyond all cinematic convention...

Marriage Story is a coming-of-age film about adults struggling to balance a relationship between their own ambitions. (Via Twitter)

‘Marriage Story’ Is Noah Baumbach in Top Form

Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson deliver enthralling performances as a couple fallen out of love.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer November 12, 2019

It’s a logline five words long: a couple goes through divorce. Crack all the jokes you want - “Shouldn’t it be called ‘Divorce Story?’” Plainly, no. Marriage encompasses...

Tokyo Twilight, a Japanese drama film, was originally released in 1957. (Via Wikimedia)

‘Tokyo Twilight’: Ozu’s Metaphorical Landscape of Heartbreak and Change

Master Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu illustrates a complex narrative of transformation through the breaking of a family and the evolution of Tokyo.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer October 28, 2019

Yasujiro Ozu’s “Tokyo Twilight” (1957), restored in 4K at Film Forum on Houston Street, documents the simultaneous evolution of the Sugiyama family and the eponymous Japanese...

Shura performed at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday Oct 23 for her “forevher” album tour. Her dynamic performance reflected both optimism and love through her personal story. (via Secretly Canadian)

Shura Celebrates All Kinds of Love at Music Hall of Williamsburg

The singer swapped between upbeat bops and slow romantic spells from her latest album.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer October 25, 2019

In a sea of flashing multicolor lights and vigorously dancing bodies, English singer-songwriter Shura fashioned a highly energetic and atmospheric concert experience for the last...

Wendell Pierce as a preacher Burning Cane (via Susan Norget Film Promotion)

‘Burning Cane’: NYU Sophomore’s Film to Premiere on Netflix

Phillip Youmans’s directorial debut captivates with breathtaking cinematography despite slow pacing.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer October 25, 2019

Tisch sophomore Phillip Youmans’s debut directorial feature “Burning Cane” showcases a unique and original cinematic perspective from a surprisingly young source. Youmans...

Parasite is a Korean movie that was released in the U.S. on October 11, 2019. 
(Via Twitter)

‘Parasite’: The Movie Experience of the Year

The Korean candidate for best foreign-language film and winner of the Palme d’Or is a landmark of cinematic achievement.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer October 15, 2019

Bong Joon-ho’s "Parasite" is not for the polite, the critic with folded hands or the reserved, well-postured movie-goer who blinks regularly. This year’s Palme d’Or winner...

Promotional poster for Zombi Child. (via Twitter)

‘Zombi Child’: Equal Parts Horror and Coming-of-Age Story

French director Bertrand Bonello’s experimental horror film dazzles through unconventional storytelling and an electrifying score.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer September 26, 2019

End credits roll, the lights come up and in the regular commotion of shuffling feet and long exhales, someone says aloud exactly what I’m thinking: “That was cool.” It’s...