Askew Student Life Center

Editors note: this personal piece goes into the value of mundanity, control over ones environment in a digital plane and what the therapeutic nature of the format of farming simulators means for its fans.

When you think about David Frankel’s The Devil Wears Prada, perhaps you think of the star-studded cast. Maybe it’s the iconic fashion that comes to mind. If you’re me, you’re already three quotes and half a laugh deep into the sharp humor. Beyond being a classic 2000s underdog girl boss story, the film poses the world of Runway as a cult and Miranda Priestly as its infallible leader. And the main character, Andy, is only its next unassuming victim.

Vampires have been sinking their (not so metaphorical) fangs into the human imagination for centuries and show no signs of stopping anytime soon. They’ve been a part of our narratives as everything from sinister revenants haunting village sewers to immortal heartthrobs trying to pass highschool chemistry. They’re the ultimate survivors, reinvented again and again to fit each generation's fears, fantasies, and curiosities. But, what is it about vampires that’s so appealing?

When AstroBot’s first trailer dropped, I debated whether or not to purchase the game. I rarely play Playstation games, so buying a game that seemed to be a glorified ad for the franchise just didn’t seem worth the sixty dollars. I bought it because the game’s reception on the internet was phenomenal with consistently high player reviews. After playing the game, I can confidently agree with these reviews and say to anyone who might have the same doubts that the game is 100% worth the price. The game pays homage to the Playstation franchise with a stunning level design, complementary controller haptics, and graphics that truly test the limits of the PS5.

I had never heard of who Faye Webster was until mid-2020 when a friend from high school recommended me her breakout album, Atlanta Millionaires Club. Admittedly, I was initially Indifferent with the album, with one exception, which I’ll get to, but for the following weeks, I’d notice I couldn’t get the album out of my mind. Faye’s soft-spoken quality as a singer is not whispering the melody into your ear but speaking it to you. . However, there’s always a sense of tune to how she delivers her lyrics, never at the expense of the intimacy of the track or the sense it's a conversation directed at you, but she’s the only one saying all that needs to be said. This, paired with her repetitive songwriting, creates an earworm effect. I’d come to realize that this repetition isn’t a slight against her, but the answer to why her songs work in the first place. There’s nothing more you need to understand a sense of longing, than using and repeating the phrase “The right side of my neck still smells like you” or one of my favorites, “How did I fall in love with someone I don’t know.”

Lee Isaac Chung’s Legacy sequel to the 1996 disaster movie classic Twister, aptly named Twisters, represents an exception to blockbuster filmmaking that prioritizes in-camera effects and awe inspiring spectacle achieved through the actors tangible interaction with their carefully orchestrated enviroments. The pop country approach is never let up or compromised and is an aesthetic many audiences find refreshing for good reason, it’s not every day your 155 million dollar movie takes a country boy swing at things. It’s all helped especially by Glenn Powell and the soundtrack especially selling the hell out of it. I felt it, how hard did I ride it though? Or whatever Mr. Powell said.

“This isn’t how life is supposed to feel”. I Saw the TV Glow has received multiple reviews from those who thought it was “an odd little movie” to “a film with a voice so distinctly it's own”. There could be many reasons why this film didn't resonate with some audiences, with at its core being a transgender allegory and a connection to those who took refuge in shows to escape reality.

I’ve been a longtime Minecraft player, my earliest memories of the game are playing on Xbox 360 with my four sisters. To put how long I’ve been playing into perspective, I played before creative mode was released. So, when the Minecraft Movie trailer was released, I was really excited to see one of my childhood games, a game that I still play to this day, come to life. Minecraft is a beloved game, not just to me, so its movie has been one of the most anticipated for fans. Being released in 2011, Minecraft has expanded into being one of the most iconic games of all time, getting several different spin-offs. Its fanbase is also one of the biggest, being an influential sphere of gaming & streaming. The past year of film has been a monumental time for video game movie adaptations. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), The Five Nights at Freddy’s Movie (2023), Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s trailer (2024), and now the Minecraft Movie trailer.

editors note: this is the second half of an unfiltered, unedited rant about the scary Chuck E. Cheese computer game

editors note: It is of the opinion of I, Tony Molina, content director of the SLC’s beloved stargazer that to preserve the original intent and manic nature of this recap- that it be presented untampered from the original state that it was presented to me. Be aware this is merely the first half of this typed monolith.