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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 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...

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 silhouette of a puppet with a long nose walking through an open gate with a bright ray of light shining through it.

Review: Stop-motion animation in ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ emotionally captures life’s transience

Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson’s adaptation of the classic fairytale reaffirms why animation matters with a profound, heartful and incredibly moving narrative. The film is now playing at the IFC Center and available to stream on Netflix.
Yezen Saadah, Deputy News Editor December 12, 2022

“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” is one of the most prolific animated films since 2014’s “The Lego Movie.” Directors Mark Gustafson — who is best known for his work...

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....

Miklós Jancsó reimagines an ancient Greek myth in his 1974 film currently playing at the Metrograph. “Electra, My Love” uses an ancient narrative as a statement on contemporary politics. (Image courtesy of Metrograph and Kino Lorber)

Review: ‘Electra, My Love’ embodies the limits of revolution myths

Miklós Jancsó’s revolutionary 1974 reimagining of the ancient Greek myth of Electra is currently playing at Metrograph as part of a retrospective on the Hungarian director.
Katherine Williams, Contributing Writer January 26, 2022

In 1974, Hungarian director and screenwriter Miklós Jancsó said, “I used to think that humanity could be saved.”  But “Electra, My Love,” his film from the same year,...

“Wuhan Driver,” a short film directed by Tiger Ji, a Gallatin junior, follows a Chinese Uber driver experiencing racist interactions with several passengers in New York City during the pandemic. (Image courtesy of Tiger Ji)

Review: ‘Wuhan Driver’ loses its call to action, and itself, in vapid storytelling

“Wuhan Driver” is the latest short film by Tiger Ji, a Gallatin junior. The film follows a Chinese Uber driver dealing with a series of terrible riders at the onset of the pandemic in New York City.
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Arts Editor January 25, 2022

Depicting an abysmal — and, perhaps, heartbreakingly recurring — night in the life of a Chinese Uber driver, Zhang (Wayne Chang), “Wuhan Driver” condenses a series of racist...

Billie Eilish’s second album “Happier Than Ever” and its accompanying concert film mark a shift in the singer’s sound and tone. The film is dedicated to Los Angeles, where Eilish grew up, and features songs of varying genres. (Staff Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)

Review: Billie Eilish’s ‘Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles’ is comfortably intimate

The alternative teen pop star is sultry, quirky and introspective in her new Disney+ concert experience.
Candace Patrick, Staff Writer September 20, 2021

In her Disney+ debut, singer-songwriter and alternative pop star Billie Eilish brings her latest album to her home city. Staged at the Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl, Eilish performs...

Movies like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro will transport you to new places without leaving the comfort of your bedroom. As the nights get colder and longer, the Washington Square News staff wants to make sure you have great movies to watch. (Staff Illustration by Chandler Littleford)

Staff Recs: Comfort Movies

Sometimes when the outside world becomes too much, a good movie is the best form of escapism.

“Fiddler on the Roof” by Norman Jewison Sasha Cohen, Arts Editor My grandma and I sing “If I Were a Rich Man” a lot. What can I say? We just love practicing our “biddy...

The AMC movie theater on 3rd and East 11th used to have people lined up around the block for movie premieres. Now, after many long months, the question of whether or not to reopen movie theaters in New York is still uncertain. (Staff Photo by Manasa Gudavalli)

The Uncertain Return of Movie Theaters

As big budget films like “Tenet” premiere across the world, many question how much longer New York movie theaters can survive while closed.
Mas Bouzidi, Staff Writer September 23, 2020

After seven long and excruciating months, I finally stepped foot inside a movie theater again. I ventured to the AMC Clifton Commons 16 in New Jersey and watched Christopher Nolan’s...

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 9, 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...

Bill and Ted seek to return peace and good vibes to the future with the help of their daughters. This film marks the third collaboration between Alex Winter, Keanu Reeves, Chris Matheson, and Ed Solomon. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)

‘Bill & Ted Face the Music,’ A Most Excellent Exercise in Pure Entertainment

20 years after their venture to Heaven and Hell, Bill and Ted prove they’ve still got it as they showcase an immense bout of cheesy charisma.
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Film Editor September 2, 2020

“Bill & Ted Face the Music” might be the only film in history that can boast about the fact that it contains a duet between Jimi Hendrix (DazMann Still) and Wolfgang Amadeus...