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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

An angry-looking black bear growls against a red background.

Review: ‘Cocaine Bear’ is at its best when it’s just about a bear on cocaine

Colleen Secaur, Contributing Writer March 7, 2023

In 1985, a black bear ate 75 pounds of cocaine in a forest in Georgia, and died of an overdose almost immediately. It’s a weird story for sure, the type of story you could tell...

A couple, one person wearing an orange dress and the other wearing a light tan suit, dance on a black-and-white tile floor.

Review: ‘Dancing the Twist in Bamako’ is a tale of star-crossed lovers in a postcolonial world

Set in a nation freshly liberated from French colonial rule, director Robert Guédiguian tells the story of two lovers fighting to be together against all odds. The film opened on Feb. 24 at the Film Forum.
Sanam Estakhrian, Contributing Writer March 6, 2023

“Dancing the Twist in Bamako” by French director Robert Guédiguian is set in 1962 Bamako, Mali, and features the country’s history just after gaining independence from French...

An illustration of four people walking into the distance in a village. The image is tinted with a teal color.

Review: New doc on Sarah Lawrence cult tells the harrowing truth of survivors

The docuseries follows a group of nine students at Sarah Lawrence College who fell victim to manipulation. It serves as a harrowing realization that cults are not things of the past, but closer than we know.
Julia Diorio, Contributing Writer February 28, 2023

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault. Sarah Lawrence College sits in the small village of Bronxville, New York, an affluent Westchester County...

A black and white photograph of people on the right side holding their hands up. They are surrounded by men in uniform.

Review: ‘The Sorrow and the Pity’: Once illegal, now in theaters

The film returned to theaters on Feb. 24, 50 years after director Marcel Ophuls exposed how the French Vichy government secretly collaborated with the Nazis during World War II.
Ashley Simons, Contributing Writer February 27, 2023

“The Sorrow and the Pity,” a landmark documentary from 1969, is now in theaters with a breathtaking 4K restoration after years of being banned. The film immerses viewers in...

An illustration of the Washington Square Arch. Behind the arch sits gray and brown alternating high-rises. On the top right are the words “The Daybook” in an arched shape.

What to do this week: Women’s History Month, Italian fashion and more

The Daybook is WSN’s weekly column listing in-person and online events at NYU and across New York City. This week: Feb. 27-March 5.
Adrianna Nehme, Deputy News Editor February 26, 2023

A dark blue bedsheet with a laptop on it showing a man’s face hidden between leaves on the screen. A white teacup with blue details and a tea bag draped over its side sits in front of the computer.

Off the Radar: Jungles, love and phantoms in ‘Tropical Malady’

Off the Radar is a weekly column surveying overlooked films available to students for free via NYU’s streaming partnerships. “Tropical Malady” available to stream on Kanopy and NYU Stream.
Mick Gaw, Staff Writer February 24, 2023

A sweltering labyrinth of flora and fauna, the jungle has often symbolized the hostile unknown in modern cinema. In the last 50 years, films centered on the American experience...

Chinese actress Zhou Xun, who plays the dual role of Moudan and Meimei in the film Suzhou River. She has long, blonde hair with bangs, blue eyeshadow and red lipstick.

Review: The 4K restoration of ‘Suzhou River’ enhances a fleeting urban fairy tale

Strand Releasing’s 4K restoration of Lou Ye’s arthouse romance “Suzhou River” gives new life to a modern classic, while retaining the film's gritty essence. ‘Suzhou River’ began its theatrical run at Film Forum this Friday, Feb. 17.
Mick Gaw, Staff Writer February 22, 2023

Director Lou Ye’s urban fairy tale “Suzhou River” (2000) captures a short-lived love affair amid the thick smog of ‘90s Shanghai. Neon-lit debauchery, underworld criminal...

A man with black hair winces in the dark.

The case against ‘Whiplash’

We made a huge mistake giving this guy an Oscar.
Andre Garcia, Contributing Writer February 20, 2023

Nowadays, film discourse exists in a precarious space. From the film discussion side of Twitter, to YouTube video essays, to Letterboxd discussions, people tend to get evangelical...

An illustration of the Washington Square Arch. Behind the arch sits gray and brown alternating high-rises. On the top right are the words “The Daybook” in an arched shape.

What to do this week: Flower exhibit, mural painting and more

The Daybook is WSN’s weekly column listing in-person and online events at NYU and across New York City. This week: Feb. 20-26.
Cora Snow, Deputy News Editor February 19, 2023

A woman wearing a pink silk robe while holding a sword in her right hand pointing towards the left with her left hand high in the air.

Review: ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ restoration immortalizes a masterpiece

The 4K restoration of Ang Lee’s monumental martial arts classic “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” by Sony Pictures Classics further cements the film’s indelible legacy. The film will be playing in select theaters starting Feb. 17.
Mick Gaw, Staff Writer February 17, 2023

Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000), revitalized by a new 4K restoration, remains one of the most timeless and transformative entries into the canon of martial...

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 cup of coffee and a laptop screening a monochrome image of building compounds on fire in a desert on top of a gray blanket.

Off the Radar: ‘Lessons of Darkness’ in the chaos of the Gulf War

Off the Radar is a weekly column surveying overlooked films available to students for free via NYU’s streaming partnerships. “Lessons of Darkness” is available to stream on Kanopy.
Mick Gaw, Staff Writer February 3, 2023

Werner Herzog’s 1992 film, “Lessons of Darkness,” is a blazing symphony of destruction and trauma in the aftermath of human conflict. Over the course of 54 minutes, the documentary...