1000 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(07/01/25 4:43pm)
Pavements opens on an army of Santa Clauses hunting a rotisserie chicken with bows and arrows, and only gets more confusing from there. Viewers should expect no different from a hybrid documentary–biopic about Pavement, the messy, sardonic ‘90s rock group that is perhaps the California Central Valley’s most important export besides almonds. While the group’s explosive career only spanned about a decade, the depth of their impact on the modern indie scene is immeasurable. In one of the few moments where the band’s music is allowed to speak for itself, the film’s first few minutes simply showcase the music videos for the group’s songs “Gold Soundz” and “Cut Your Hair.” While on its surface a display of just how ridiculous Pavement can be, this opening section is also sincere in its appreciation for the band’s sonic and visual artistry, even as it appears outwardly absurd. If the experimental documentary can be said to have a “point,” it is precisely this—a celebration of both the enduring brilliance of Pavement’s music and the tongue–in–cheek spirit that made them the patron saints of a generation of burnouts.
(06/13/25 1:05pm)
After ten grueling, celibate months without the crown jewel of televised delusion, Love Island USA—the reality–TV equivalent of Daylight Savings—made its way back to our screens on June 3. Following an agonizing 40 minute delay, the season seven premier aired on Peacock at 9 p.m. EST, and goodness, did it not disappoint. I watched with the sort of fervor usually reserved for breaking news or sports finals. So, in case you’ve been too busy to devote an hour of precious time each night to watch emotionally unavailable strangers rank each other by kiss quality, here’s what you missed on week one.
(07/10/25 5:16pm)
I still remember when I first sat down to play The Last of Us Part I, not knowing that it would change the way I viewed video games as a storytelling medium. Created by developer Naughty Dog in 2013, the two–part game is set in a post–apocalyptic world where a fungus called Cordyceps has infected most of the population, leaving it a desolate, zombie–infested wasteland. What set the game apart, though, was the depth of its characters Ellie and Joel, whose bond forms the emotional core of the narrative.
(07/11/25 12:00pm)
It’s no secret that reality television is regarded as low–effort entertainment by internet critics; it's a guilty pleasure at best. Yet for the girls and the gays, it’s more than just a pastime … it's a ritual. From RuPaul’s Drag Race to Love Island to Survivor, these shows offer a heightened world of drama and personality–driven narratives, inviting fans to participate in stan culture and examine the broader, internet–amplified social commentary they generate. Reality television creates a space where big personalities thrive, morally gray areas are explored, and ridiculous, if not reflective, social dynamics are assessed.
(06/11/25 8:36pm)
In the film industry’s roughly 100–year history, Hollywood has thrived as one of its dominant hubs. Whether it is the apocryphal tale of Cecil DeMille’s The Squaw Man or the bog–standard Intro to Film class, it is generally acknowledged that for most of the industry’s existence, Hollywood has played a major role in its development, both in America and abroad.
(06/16/25 7:00pm)
If there’s a defining genre of television and film for women in their late teens and 20s today, it’s what might be called “girl TV.” The term refers to pieces of media that center on messy, self–aware, and often self–destructive female protagonists who narrate their own lives with a blend of brutal honesty and ironic detachment. These are characters who oscillate between shame and self–celebration, who live in small apartments and make bad decisions in good lighting, and who seem to exist in a world where the line between therapy and spectacle is intentionally blurred. The genre’s canon includes Fleabag, Lady Bird, and Barbie, and while each film or series has its own flavor, together they reflect a deeper cultural fixation: a collective fascination with women behaving badly and taking control of their own stories.
(06/07/25 5:15pm)
The following article contains minor spoilers for Thunderbolts*
For six months, I was cautiously obsessed with Thunderbolts*, the Marvel movie I desperately wanted to believe in. Marvel’s track record post–Endgame had been shaky at best, and I was torn between anticipation and dread, afraid this would be another corporate Frankenstein’s Monster, stitched together from nostalgia bait, Easter eggs, and half–hearted subplots.
(06/03/25 8:51pm)
Among United States cinephiles, no time of year bears greater importance than summer. As temperatures peak, film enthusiasts foresee an influx of dramatic, enthralling blockbusters. Hollywood has traditionally packed this season’s releases with catharsis—maximizing action and tear–jerking suspense. From Jaws to E.T. to Jurassic Park, these productions have sustained in popularity across generations, with producers even issuing anniversary editions of the original screenplay. Although the once–thrilling ritual of starting summer at one’s local drive–in or movie theatre has largely faded, this year’s lineup reflects directors’ continued push for spectacle.
(04/30/25 6:04pm)
The third episode of the fantastic network slopfest that is 9–1–1 features one of its leads, Chimney (Kenneth Choi), getting what my roommate affectionately refers to as “Phineas Gage’d” and coming out of it pretty much unscathed. His wife Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) recently survived a brutal throat–slashing incident with little more than a line across her throat. This is a show that had shark attacks on the freeway in its second season and recently featured a subplot about a man cheating on his girlfriend with a woman who looks identical to his dead ex–wife (played by the same actress). So why did my over–the–top, feel–good firefighter show decide to get real sobering, real quick, decimating the plot armor that has always protected its leads without warning?
(04/24/25 7:26pm)
What makes a Hollywood comeback?
(04/29/25 8:58pm)
It’s Lesbian Visibility Week, which means two things: a) I’m posting a link to my Venmo on my Instagram story every day in the hopes that a few charitable souls take the bait (I got $8 last year, thank you very much), and b) I have been legally mandated to rectify one of the greatest oversights of my life—I’ve never seen the 1999 cult classic But I’m a Cheerleader. Complimentary cup of tea in hand, I made myself comfortable on the green couch in the Kelly Writers House and pressed play.
(05/22/25 7:22pm)
When pre–teens scratch their goals for their lives onto a piece of scrap paper, it is bound to be marked by green tea stains and develop creases from folding it onto itself multiple times. It is a well–loved document, collecting years of dust in a sacred desk drawer; only the owner of the document knows its location but never really expects it to be completed. Just the idea of creating the list is most compelling, because it reflects individuals’ aspirations for their future selves, while also demonstrating the kind of person you were at the time. A bucket list like this is not necessarily only for checking off all the things you want to accomplish; it can be used to reconnect with family members, fuel self–discovery, and even bring love in the most unexpected way.
(04/27/25 4:46pm)
Enchanting, eerie island–themed music plays over a stretch of ocean at golden hour as a luxury boat glides through the pristine water. A sheen of beauty, a bedrock of sin. Everything seems perfect, and nothing is as it seems.
(04/22/25 1:52am)
My relationship with Minecraft is, as I’ve gathered, a common one. Every so often, I remember I have it. I play it for ten hours a day, every day, for a week or two. And then classes pick up, or work gets busy, and I forget it exists for six to eight months—until the cycle starts all over again. The beauty of it? This cycle tends to repeat a few times per year, meaning the game has been a consistent part of my life since its release in 2011. Nearly 14 years of tirelessly collecting cubic supplies, venturing into the fiery depths of the Nether, and bringing entire cities to life later, and we’re still going strong. There’s something about the game’s endless possibility—the quiet stillness of the open world, the crisp lines of a perfectly constructed building—that keeps me coming back, after all this time.
(05/29/25 6:41pm)
What do bath salts, honey, popcorn, pasta, beeswax candles, honey lemon cake, and tea have in common? All of these goods were featured in the first episode of With Love, Meghan, a new Netflix cooking show that features Meghan Markle and her friends.
(04/20/25 6:21pm)
I have a question for you. What is the definitive movie about climate change? Take a moment to think about it. Does anything spring to mind? I’m going to be honest: It took me a while to come up with my answer. And that right there, that need for reflection, is absolutely fascinating.
(04/22/25 9:23pm)
Gen Z is uniquely interconnected compared to other generations, and our ever–evolving beliefs, ideologies and cultures are more widespread than ever due to the internet. Because of this, serious discussions have persisted as to the influence of the internet. The recent release of Netflix’s Adolescence has sparked a new conversation point within the current ongoing discourse about how the internet’s dangers and obstacles—such as toxic masculinity—affect how we raise our children in this new era.
(04/07/25 7:54pm)
I didn’t take any notes while watching this episode of Severance in my room with three friends, some on–brand snacks, and a whole lot of anxiety in my heart. I wanted the show to stick the landing so very badly, and I was glued to my screen, completely breathless the entire time I was watching.
(04/11/25 9:42pm)
Friendship breakups, though rarer than romantic ones, are nonetheless intense, dramatic—screaming matches, all without the satisfaction of breaking up with an ex. But growing apart from your best friends? Putting a career or romantic partner or new city first? Having them slip slowly down your contact list, until you see them twice a year at a baby shower or a wedding? In a world where platonic love is not given the same life–defining weight as romantic love, one could argue that this is normalized. But maybe it doesn’t have to be.
(04/07/25 7:34pm)
Returning to a place that holds a lot of meaning is one of the strongest triggers of nostalgia. As college students, we tend to look towards familiar places from our childhood to feel comfort. After a stressful semester and some time apart from our lives at home, our neighborhood’s flower gardens, our favorite restaurants, or the parks we used to play in after school bring us warmth and solace. With summer quickly approaching, Penn students get to return to these places; we leave campus to recharge and rest before a busy new school year. We go to these familiar places to relive memories, to create new ones, to feel at home. For Jason Hochburg (Fred Hechinger), this place is Camp Pineway.
