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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

A girl dancing at a party with purple lights.

WSN’s guide to the 62nd New York Film Festival

In anticipation of this year’s New York Film Festival, WSN has put together a list of must-see movie premieres that you will want to secure tickets for before they sell out.
Dani Biondi, Film & TV Editor September 9, 2024

This year, the New York Film Festival — which runs from Sept. 27 to Oct. 14 — will celebrate its 62nd anniversary. With the festival’s Main Slate featuring films from 24...

A man puts his head on a woman's lap in a car.

Review: ‘Expats’ stumbles upon modern Hong Kong

The high anticipation for A24 director Lulu Wang’s portrayal of the Asian metropolis doesn’t seem to be given enough air time — but her efforts shine through.
Kaitlyn Sze Tu, Contributing Writer March 11, 2024

“Expats,” a new Amazon Prime Video series, follows the stories of three dispirited American women living in Hong Kong. Based on the novel “The Expatriates” by Korean American...

An illustration of a young boy and girl in a courtyard, looking at each other. The girl, colored red, stands on a staircase and the boy, colored blue, stands on the sidewalk. Both the boy and the girl have yellow bubbles around them.

Why Celine Song should win best screenplay at the Oscars

Though it’s worth recognizing the visual and technical merits behind the success of “Past Lives,” Celine Song’s genre-defying screenplay is the star of the film.
Bella Simonte, Contributing Writer March 8, 2024

Most romantic comedies with so-called happy endings are perfect guilty pleasures, but they set unrealistic expectations that leave viewers vulnerable to heartbreak. Korean Canadian...

Two people standing outside. The person on the left is holding a large canvas with an egg painted on it.

Review: ‘Problemista’ and the laughable absurdity of the immigrant experience

Salvadoran comedian Julio Torres’s promising directorial debut humanizes the immigrant identity in a wonderfully surreal and innovative tale.
Lulu Chatterjee, Contributing Writer March 5, 2024

It’s no secret that obtaining a visa in the United States is a bureaucratic nightmare. The entire process is often recounted as a strenuous uphill battle where all odds are against...

A man wearing glasses, a plaid shirt, and black blazer is sitting and looking to the side. He has a gray beard and a scaly metal hand that is clutching a brown chair.

Review: Nicolas Cage is everybody’s nightmare in ‘Dream Scenario’

Director Kristoffer Borgli considers the subconscious and fame in his thrilling third feature.
Ethan Beck, Staff Writer November 29, 2023

It’s no secret that Nicolas Cage knows how to handle a boisterous role. Be it a father attempting to kill his kids in “Mom and Dad,” the legendary baker of “Moonstruck,”...

A bride and groom, both with dark brown hair, are standing behind a wedding cake, with bride and groom figures on top. There are white candles and white flowers on two sides of the cake, as well as a wreath with white flowers behind them.

Review: On the perils of premature womanhood in ‘Priscilla’

Sofia Coppola’s newest film paints a vulnerable and overdue portrait of Elvis’ enigmatic wife.
Maggie Turner, Contributing Writer November 3, 2023

Based on Priscilla Presley’s autobiography, “Elvis and Me,” acclaimed director Sofia Coppola’s latest film “Priscilla” arrived in theaters Nov. 3. In a cultural climate...

An illustration of a silver and black laptop with an image of a prisoner wearing a mask in a dimly lit room.

Off the Radar: 6 minutes of masks and fascism in ‘The Fall’

Off the Radar is a weekly column surveying overlooked films available to students for free via NYU’s streaming partnerships. “The Fall” is available to stream on Kanopy.
Mick Gaw, Staff Writer April 28, 2023

Jonathan Glazer’s short film “The Fall” depicts a spiraling descent into a macabre dimension of human barbarism and fascistic mob violence. Released in 2019, six years after...

Actress Michelle Williams as the character Lizzy in the film “Showing Up.” She is working on a sculpture inside a studio with a bookshelf in the background.

Review: ‘Showing Up’ continues Kelly Reichardt’s soft-spoken hot streak

The Oregon-based director focuses on the studio art world in her latest film for A24. “Showing Up” is currently showing at select theaters in New York City.
Ethan Beck, Contributing Writer April 13, 2023

Kelly Reichardt may be the most consistent, empathetic director working in the United States today. Reichardt has regularly put together steady, simple films that reward patient...

A teenager wearing a green jacket and a burnt orange beanie is standing, holding a guitar case on his back. A woman stands to the right of the teenager, wearing wire-frame glasses and black clothes. They are looking at one another.

Review: ‘When You Finish Saving the World’ doesn’t know what to do with itself

Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial debut flounders — much like its two main characters.
Colleen Secaur, Contributing Writer February 7, 2023

A “Jesse Eisenberg character” is an archetype easily constructed in the moviegoing public’s mind. He’s awkward, pretentious and neurotic — and maybe a bit moneyed and...

A man with a short beard, wearing a gray T-shirt and a black hat, lies on a bed with gray sheets. His arm rests above his head.

Review: ‘There There’ shoots for real emotions, despite its fake portrayal of them

American auteur Andrew Bujalski’s latest tests its viewers’ faiths by pairing scenes from actors who were never in the same room. “There There” opens in select New York City theaters on Nov. 18.
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Arts Editor November 15, 2022

A memory returns to me of my mother frustrated and crying after a Sunday trip to the movies. Such melodrama is to be expected of my family, but here, the source was of extreme...

Filmmaker Charlotte Wells wears a red shirt and a pair of black headphones under a colourful umbrella. She stands against a wall with blue patterns.

Q&A: Scottish filmmaker Charlotte Wells is one of the most promising voices in British cinema

NYU alum Charlotte Wells speaks to WSN on directing her first feature film, working with actors Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio, and her cinematic influences.
Stephanie Wong, Film & TV Editor October 19, 2022

Charlotte Wells’ subtle yet mesmerizing debut feature film, “Aftersun,” is an introspective exploration of one girl’s relationship with her late father. Wells’ filmography...

Mia Goth, who plays Pearl, is dressed in a red dress and swings a hatchet.

Review: ‘Pearl’ sees Mia Goth play an atypical homicidal heroine

A slasher-film fanatic’s dream, A24’s second installment in the “X” franchise, “Pearl,” is one not to miss, currently playing in theaters.
Samantha Burge and Shreya Wankhade September 19, 2022

A prequel to last spring’s raw twist on horror “X,” “Pearl” gives audiences the disturbing backstory of excruciatingly horny anti-hero Pearl. This past Tuesday, Sept....