That’s politics, I guess
Perhaps it is naïve to think that high schoolers in Texas could solve the largest questions our nation is facing today, but ‘Boys State’ shows that they may not be too far from it. In a world where politics often feels hopeless, this documentary’s ironic pitfall is that it is too focused on a heroic storyline. Even so, it is true that in these young men, some future heroes exist.
An edge-of-the-seat cat and mouse chase
A wrongfully accused man is on the run and determined to find the killer of his wife. A relentless U.S. Marshal is hell-bent on apprehending this fugitive. The suspenseful chase that ensues is sure to get your heart racing and adrenaline pumping.
It’s Troye Sivan’s dream and we’re just living in it
Amidst a pandemic, Troye Sivan’s still got some bops he needs to drop. He released his latest EP, “In a Dream”, six years after his first EP and the start of his music career.
War never ends
Four Vietnam War veterans return to Vietnam to honor the life of their leader and retrieve the gold they buried back during the war. They dig up more than they ever intended to, and there’s no turning back.
The story of a math genius, overly dramatized
While the movie has some brilliant sequences to showcase Shakuntala’s math wizardry, it comes off more as a story filled with a daughter’s resentment towards her mom rather than the story of Shakuntala Devi herself.
The Chicks discover liberation in divorce
‘Gaslighter’ feels lived through with its consistently strong and moving vocals and instrumentals.
‘folklore’: a melodic anthology of quarantine musings
‘folklore’ is the third in a string of albums of drastically different aesthetics, following revenge-fueled ‘Reputation’ and bubblegum-pop ‘Lover.’
‘Looking for Alaska,’ a sweet fantasy that transcends the adaptation
‘Looking for Alaska’ follows bookish teen Miles “Pudge” Halter as he transfers from Miami to a boarding school in Alabama in order to find, in the words of French poet François Rabelais, his “Great Perhaps.”
‘Feel the Beat’ didn’t suck
The Hallmark-esque romcom industry consistently churns out the same storylines dressed up in different costumes. Netflix’s Feel the Beat is no exception to this classic formula.
‘These Two Windows’ successfully lights a match in the rain
Overall the album is very cohesive, with each song having Benjamin’s trademark minimalist vocals and extremely well-written lyrics.
There’s somethin’ in the sky!
‘The Vast of Night’ is an ambitious and relevant sci-fi tale focusing on ignored voices of the 1950s, with the flavor of radio plays and ‘Twilight Zone’ episodes that could just as well be a spine-chilling rumor heard through the short grapevines of middle-America.
Not your traditional love story
Yes, there’s Asian and LGBTQ representation(!), and in a way that feels organic, showing refreshing, imperfect experiences of love.
‘Tigertail’ is a flawed portrait of an immigrant family
While the film attempts to explore the complexities of a family fragmented by cultural and geographic barriers, its unconvincing character development makes the plot seem forced and the protagonist unsympathetic.
A first look at ‘Kami no Tou’
The long wait is over; ‘Tower of God’ finally has an anime, and even if it is not all what I hoped, I am still finding it enjoyable. We are thrown into a world with little explanation, and the sheer novelty and expanse of the Tower compels me to keep climbing.
An epic adventure from the comforts of my bed
If you are prone to exploring every nook and cranny in an open-world game, Hyper Light Drifter is the game for you.
Ashley McBryde rocks in ‘Never Will’
McBryde continues to be one of the best songwriters in the country music scene.
‘Itaewon Class’ is a Sweet Night of youth, friendship, and reaching for stars
‘Itaewon Class’ is a tour de force David versus Goliath showdown in the ebullient Itaewon tourism district: a cliche plotline rescued by an intriguing setting, colorful characters, and plenty of heart.
The album to make you ‘Love Again’
This is my track-by-track take on Dua Lipa’s ‘Future Nostalgia.’
Murder, prostitutes, and fishing
‘Blow the Man Down’ is a smartly written and directed black comedy thriller about the women who pull the strings in a northern Maine fishing village, and whose old secrets threaten to come to light when two young sisters cover up a murder.
‘The Burnt Orange Heresy’: not everybody’s a critic
Sizzling romance. Lavish estates. European backdrop. Default British people for an English movie that is set in Europe.