Taylor Swift’s newest album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” features shallow lyrics but delivers some catchy tunes for those hoping to expand a “songs to sing in the car” playlist. Swift’s 12th album comes on the heels of her Eras Tour, the highest-grossing tour of all time, and her engagement to tight end Travis Kelce...
‘The Smashing Machine’ fails
Show, not tell, is the basic rule of high school creative writing. Unfortunately for A24’s latest drama, it also applies to cinema. Posters for “The Smashing Machine,” directed by Benny Safdie, sell the movie as an emotionally powerful and unforgettable story. The biopic follows the career of Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson), a mixed martial arts...
Charlie Cheng: life asks the questions, film gives the answers
When senior Charlie Cheng made the homecoming video for his team, the Bloc, in 2023, he developed a love for film that would one day lead him to produce a short film in China. While Cheng was visiting his family in China this past summer, he produced a three-minute film called “Stain.” The film uses...
Angel Studios’ ‘The Senior’ is just an old trope
Don’t waste your time on Angel Studio’s new movie “The Senior.” You’ll have more fun watching the Tennessee Titans play the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. These mediocrities of the NFL will put on a better show than this feel-good sports story. “The Senior” is meant to be filled with healthy messages and second chances, but...
‘Slow Horses’ season 5 gets off to a fast start
The Emmy-winning British series “Slow Horses” has begun its fifth season with a bang. In this series, a team of disgraced MI5 agents are assigned to Slough House, an administrative purgatory, under the supervision of Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). There, while drowning in paperwork, the agents dreamed of reentering the field, until season one’s hostage...



