On November 22nd, 2025, Cape Fear Community College staged Let the Right One In  at the Wilson Center Studio Theater in Wilmington, North Carolina. Jack Thorne’s adaptation of John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel merges adolescent coming-of-age with horror, which felt especially immediate in the small black box setting. Since this production leaned heavily on a tight ensemble and flexible staging, the choices made by the cast and designers carried a lot of weight. Overall, I believe

Clash Royale has been a staple mobile game in schools all around the world for quite some time. When Clash launched in March 2016, it became one of the most influential mobile games ever released. People have loved the strategic and logical aspects as well as the streamers that promote it. Former Rainbow 6 Siege streamer Jynxi has recently been playing it and raising awareness for the beloved game. However, recent updates to the game have been decreasing player counts and lea

Every year, more than 700 million users of Spotify anxiously await its Spotify Wrapped service. It is usually released around the last few days of November or during the first week of December. This year's released on December 3rd. The service, launched in 2016, typically features each listener’s top artists, songs, and genres of the year. In years prior, Spotify seemed to heavily rely on the usage of Artificial Intelligence to make the summaries feel more interactive and uni

Christmas is the best time of year: hot chocolate steaming, snuggled under blankets, and matching pjs galore. It’s time to hang out with family and friends. And what makes the perfect hangout? A good movie! Christmas movies are the highlight of the season. Whether it be a cheesy Hallmark movie or a nostalgic classic, there’s a little something for everyone! Recently, I watched The Holiday  for the first time, and it is the perfect holiday film. Here’s why you should immediate

As we approach the end of fall and transition into early winter, our playlists and song choices shift too. With dropping temperatures and shorter days, nothing’s better than curling up indoors with a blanket, a warm drink, and the perfect music ambiance. Some albums seem like they were made to capture these moments. Whether it’s acoustic harmonies that pair ideally with fireside conversations, or mellow jazz that hums softly in the background, cozy albums hold the power of tr

If you’ve ever wondered what a Mexican New Wave film might look like, Güeros  is a near-perfect example. Directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios, this black-and-white indie blends humor, politics, and sharp self-awareness to explore growing up, identity, and the search for meaning in contemporary Mexico. The story follows Tomás, a rebellious teenager sent from Veracruz to live with his older brother Sombra and Sombra’s roommate, Santos, in Mexico City. The two college students are t

There’s nothing quite like the spirit of Halloween. The terrors, the candy, and of course, the costumes. The opportunity to dress up as someone you’re not—someone you’ve been itching to be—only comes around once a year. However, with so many potential costume competitors, it’s no easy task to select the perfect look. Personal interests, comfort, budget, and weather are all notable factors that come into play. Whether you’re dressing up with friends or on your own, there are h

Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl , released October 3, 2025, marks an aggressive tonal pivot from her last two albums of gray-scale confessionalism in The Tortured Poets Department , and the dreamy, nocturnal solitude of Midnights . Where those albums lingered in melancholy and self-analysis, Showgirl explodes in technicolor. It’s theatrical, knowingly campy, and full of unrestrained joy. The result is a glittering, uneven, but compelling exploration of fame, femininity,

This school year, fashion is defined by an effortless but intentional look. The goal? Outfits that are uncomplicated to assemble, but...

Although his work was barely acknowledged in his own time, today Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories are hailed as definitive of the gothic...

Chances are you’ve heard of Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo . Published as part of a serial from 1844 to 1846, this book has...

Since its premiere in 2021, Arcane: League of Legends  has been ranked the No.1 TV show in 85 countries by Netflix . It’s won four Emmy...

Moana is a household name at this point. A movie with songs kids will sing for generations, hit songs like “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re...

Very rarely does one come across a book quite like Alasdair Gray’s Poor Things . The novel, which has been described as a “booby-trapped...

More likely than not, you’re in some way familiar with either Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratchett. We have Neil Gaiman to thank for the...

Whether you use wired or bluetooth, Beats or Airpods - you listen to music! We all listen to music - when we're doing independent work in...

Over the summer, I was finally able to sit down and make a reading list. It quickly grew (and grew and grew) as I had fallen behind in my...

By Issy Gee Over the course of the year, I’ve recommended a plethora of different books - everything from the classic horror of The...

“I chose this cyclone with you” is the end of the first stanza of the new Taylor Swift album’s titular song, The Tortured Poets...