“Here We Are Now” is a new young adult contemporary novel that, while touching and well done in some aspects, is overwhelmed by other less savory elements that crowd the rest of the story.

“Murder on the Orient Express” is one of the best movies released in 2017, and it’s the murder mystery film we all needed.

Discussing topics such as love, trauma and abuse, “Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur has become an increasingly popular book over the last two years and has earned the title of a #1 New York Times Bestseller.

The old Taylor is dead, and we’re all invited to the funeral.

What does the Valparaiso University Theatre’s most recent play, “Rose and the Rime,” have in common with “Frozen” and the “Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?” Winter just won’t stop.

“Thor: Ragnarok” is probably one of the better Marvel movies out there, with a plot that wasn’t created with a cookie cutter and a greater depth to character development and plot line than what has been seen in the past.

“Who do I think I would’ve been if I hadn’t been Princess Leia? Am I Princess Leia, or is she me? Split the difference and you’d be closer to the truth.”

It has been five years since P!nk’s last album, “The Truth about Love,” was released in 2012. This past Friday, P!nk’s seventh album “Beautiful Trauma” came into the world, and it’s a perfect show of the artist’s talent and mastery of music.

Five years after his last release, John Green’s newest novel “Turtles All the Way Down” isn’t only one of his most emotional pieces, but also his most personal.

The finale of season one left “Riverdale” fans with many unanswered questions and some endings that seemed a little too perfect. The addicting plotline, mysterious characters and undeniable intrigue stuck with me months after finishing the season. Now, with the premiere of season two, I thin…

Demoralizing!

The most common complaint for any film sequel is that it just doesn’t hold up to the original. When Matthew Vaughn’s tongue-in-cheek spy thriller, “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” debuted in 2014, it was an unexpected breath of fresh air in a genre dominated by Daniel Craig’s uber-serious Bon…

Every Disney star has to grow up at some point, and I think Demi Lovato has been at that stage for a while. But I’m just now realizing it. I wanted to remember Lovato as the “Here We Go Again” and “La La La” singer, so I just neglected to listen to her new albums “Demi” and “Confident.”

“The Color Purple” by Alice Walker has been banned in schools all over the country since 1984, due to its graphic sexual content and situations of violence and abuse. While “The Color Purple” contains a lot of controversial content, it’s necessary to the story and is what makes the book so r…

It’s been five long years since the last Killers album was released, but the drought finally ended on Sept. 22 when their fifth studio album “Wonderful Wonderful” was delivered into the world. Many tears of joy have been shed over this beauty that humanity can now hold in their hands and flo…

The Homecoming Choral and Symphony Orchestra Concerts, which highlighted the Reformation, were great contributions to the success of Valpo Homecoming 2017.

The beginning of the school year can be extremely stressful, with loads of notes to take, homework to finish and densely written texts to decipher. However, it’s good to remember that every now and then you can take a break and relax. While there’s the option to watch a TV show or a movie, a…

When Ke$ha appeared on the scene in 2009 as the “Tik Tok” girl, everything from the dollar sign in her name to the glitter and ripped clothes screamed party-girl-gone-pop-star.

If you are looking for energetic indie pop music to brighten your stressful days, smallpools is the perfect group for you. The band will open for Jon Bellion at the University Programming Council’s annual spring concert in the Athletics and Recreation Center at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 5.

“A Court of Wings and Ruin,” the third book in Sarah J. Maas’s “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series, was released on Tuesday, May 2. From the first page in the prologue, I was not able to put it down.

Jon Bellion will be performing on campus at this year’s Spring Concert, hosted by the University Programming Council. Bellion’s most popular song, “All Time Low,” is currently on Billboard’s Top 100 and has been for 22 weeks now.

Delightfully packed with easy-to-pick-up symbolism about relationships, instinct, choice and love, “Sylvia” is both an entertaining and heavy play.

With blockbuster musicals like “Hamilton” gracing the stage each night, it’s pretty hard for unknown musicals to break through to Broadway.

Since the summer of 2010, I have had this crazy obsession with a particular television show. Although some people have fallen out of love with it, these last 10 episodes are for sure the current key to my heart.

Netflix recently released a television series based on Jay Asher’s bestselling novel “13 Reasons Why,” which follows high school student Clay Jensen as he tries to figure out why classmate Hannah Baker committed suicide.

Full disclosure, in my senior year of high school, my locker was decorated with a plethora of the best pictures of One Direction.

Father John Misty’s album “Pure Comedy” is thirteen tracks of nonstop irony, social critique and folk/blues guitar playing.

The highly anticipated podcast series “S-Town” is about many things, a man, clocks, death, tattoos, mazes, love and loneliness. But it’s exactly not what it advertises itself to be: a murder mystery.  

One of eight students who participated in the sophomore art critiques on Wednesday Gabby Lenihan, a digital media major, shared her work with her fellow students and professors. The art critiques allowed students to have an open forum with their peers to discuss and share unbiased opinions o…

I’ve been getting back into reality television lately, and the one show I cannot stay away from is Spike’s “Ink Master.”

One of the lesser known ensembles on Valparaiso University’s campus is the Jazz Ensemble. Directed by Jeffrey C. Brown, the Valparaiso University Jazz Ensemble performs professional-level repertoire in concert and at outreach performances at schools, community events and numerous alumni gath…

Nothing made me more excited than holding a physical, shrink-wrapped, perfect copy of Ed Sheeran’s third studio album, “Divide.”

From the moment “Get Out” started rolling, audience members knew they were in for a thriller they have never seen before. The movie gives viewers a new take on racial profiling and how one race portrays another, while giving jump scares and incorporating subtle racial stereotypes throughout …

A tale as old as time has made its way back to the big screens, as part of Disney’s streak of live action remakes. “Beauty and the Beast” is the latest one to make its debut. For anyone who loved the original animated version, which came out in 1991, you may have been skeptical when first he…

“Daily Show” host Trevor Noah makes a shocking admission in his most recent comedy special: he’s afraid of the dark.

It has been over a year since I performed in my last orchestra concert. I greatly miss playing my violin, often reminiscing about my favorite pieces, but due to classes and other time commitments, I had to quit. One of my favorite concerts of the year was the concerto concert. It was truly a…

As chamber-ensemble-in-residence, Civitas Ensemble gives Valpo students the opportunity to engage with top-level musicians.

Six-year-old me should have kept dancing,” I kept thinking to myself as I watched this year’s Dance Ensemble. The evening of ballet, lyrical, ballroom, modern, tap and hip-hop performances had me wishing I could move as gracefully as the dancers onstage. But instead, I deeply enjoyed “watchi…

Valpo’s fourth annual Shakespeare week starts on Tuesday, Feb. 14. The week, sponsored by Christ College and the English and theatre departments, will feature the Actors From The London Stage who are on their spring U.S. tour. Throughout the week, the classically trained actors will visit cl…

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (EPCC) performed at Valparaiso University last week as part of their North American tour.

From the posters and advertisements, “The Full Monty” looks to be a fun comedy about a group of ragtag men putting together a homemade strip tease to make some easy money.

Dancers from around the country are coming to campus next weekend to compete against the Valparaiso University Ballroom team, performing a variety of dances from the classic waltz, to the tango, to upbeat 1920s swing and jive.

The Lighter, Wordfest and Sigma Tau Delta, the English honors society, are joining forces to reboot an evening of performances and desserts.

Have you ever felt like you understand dogs better than people? Do you like looking up at the stars? Does food taste better when it’s in your favorite color? If you said yes to any of these, then you have something in common with a boy named Christopher.

If you are like me, you enjoy finding fun and cheap experiences to occupy the time when you are not studying, sleeping or watching Netflix. As college students, we also relish opportunities to fantasize ourselves as classy intellects presiding in the higher echelons of society. Well I believ…

“Manchester by the Sea” doesn’t pander to American audiences with its raw portrayal of misery, instead it gives the viewer a realistic look at how life plays out after a tragedy.

An independent Birkenstock-wearing Dorothea Fields tries to raise her teenage son in 1979. The Punk movement is on the rise, President Carter bums the nation out with his ‘crisis of confidence’ speech and feminism becomes mainstream. “20th Century Women” is a film that feels lived in, the ch…

Reviews of four recent releases: "Fences," "La La Land," "Hidden Figures" and "Moana"

The program given out during the Christmas Concert: A Carol Festival requested that the audience save their applause for the beginning and end of the show, but the audience couldn’t seem to help themselves. Each song was met with much applause as the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Concert Band,…

A mixture of students came together to perform in the annual Director’s Showcase in order to help fellow seniors Rachel Borgo, Frank Caputo and Christopher Gierymski with their one acts.