Since the movie came out in 1990, “Home Alone” has been a classic holiday movie for many families over the past three decades. Directed by Chris Columbus and scored by John Williams, it has been a timeless Christmas movie sparkled with magic and comedy throughout. The film stars Macaulay Cau…

After nearly four years, the sequel to “Black Panther” was released in theaters on Nov. 11, 2022. Having been almost two years since the sudden and unexpected passing of the original Black Panther actor, Chadwick Boseman,  “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” had extremely large shoes to fill. …

As a flute performer with strong faith-based values and pursuits, Genevieve Brown is a senior flute performance major at Valpo and a Dec. 2022 graduate. As part of her B.A. of Music in Performance, Brown not only is involved with playing in bands but is also in the process of learning to conduct.

Looking for a break from sappy Hallmark movies and the classics you’ve watched a thousand times before? Looking for a film that blends horror and Christmas films together? Look no further than Michael Doughtery’s “Krampus”. 

After almost 30 years since the first “Santa Clause” was released, the movie has spawned two sequels and now a TV mini-series streaming exclusively on Disney+. Still starring Tim Allen as Scott Calvin (Santa Claus), the series follows a new clause on the contract he agreed to the moment he p…

You will surely have a newfound appreciation for miniature donkeys after viewing “The Banshees of Inisherin,” the latest dark comedy from acclaimed British-Irish filmmaker, Martin McDonagh (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”)

“Triangle of Sadness,” the provocative, dense, pitiless social satire from acclaimed Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund (“Force Majeure”) has taken home the prestigious Palme d’or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and is sure to make a splash at the upcoming Academy Awards. Despite the accolades…

A firm believer that a good costume can come from everyday items around one’s house, Sarah Brase is a junior digital media and communications double major with a minor in music. The performing arts of cosplay, theatre and music surround her life. As an avid cosplayer here at Valpo, Brase is …

I’ll be the first to say I had incredibly low expectations for “My Policeman.” My roommates and I hunkered down in the living room to watch this, giggling and watching clips of Harry Styles’ acting from “Don’t Worry Darling” that can only be described as questionable, at best. To say we were…

Australian pop star, Dean Lewis, released his sophomore album, “The Hardest Love.” After seeing huge success in 2016 and 2018 with smash hits such as “Waves” and “Be Alright”, Lewis hasn’t had as much chart success in the last few years. Frankly, I don’t see “The Hardest Love” helping Lewis …

After a seemingly endless amount of delays, the supernatural horror film “Prey for the Devil” has finally been released. Originally slated for a February 2021 release, the film was pushed back to February 2022 due to the pandemic. It was pushed back once again to release on Halloween weekend…

“The Stranger” is an Australian thriller based on an actual kidnapping and murder investigation from the late 2000s. The narrative follows an undercover agent striking up a friendship with the main suspect in the investigation while an interesting character study between the two develops. Wr…

Cavetown’s new three-song compilation “frog” is a blissful escape from reality. Preserving his usual minimalistic-style sound production and lyrical melodies doused in nature metaphors, Cavetown’s silky voice makes listeners feel like they’re on a cloud. One song a folktale, another an aside…

If you attend a church service or choir performance at the Chapel of the Resurrection, chances are you will encounter Carolina Bowen. She is heavily involved with music, from serving as Head Sacristan for the Chapel and working as a music tutor, to being a member of both the University Chora…

Amidst a slew of seemingly unceasing allegations in a post “#MeToo” world, renowned writer and director, Todd Field (“In the Bedroom”), crafts an intricate, tempestuous film that both challenges and provokes. “Tár” is quite possibly the most relevant, timely picture to have come out in recen…

Released in 1982, “Halloween III: Season of the Witch” is a fascinating, all too alluring film within not only the “Halloween” franchise but horror in general. It’s this bizarre marriage of technology and witchcraft. Grotesque, macabre body horror accompanied by an undoubtedly bleak, nihilis…

Fifteen years after the casting of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the titular character, “Black Adam” has finally been released. After a seemingly never-ending cycle of appearances being canceled and/or postponed, Johnson finally suits up as Black Adam. The film serves as another entry in the …

From acting to stage managing to performing to directing to building sets, Trey Erny has done it all. The junior is a theatre major with minors in music and education. On campus, Erny is involved in Alpha Psi Omega, the VU Chorale and all of the theatre productions here at Valparaiso Univers…

After dedicating a significant portion of my adolescence and wallet to Miss Taylor Swift, you can bet I was counting down the days and minutes to “Midnights” midnight release (well, 11 p.m. here, thanks timezones). Upon first listen, I was really questioning where she was going with this one…

Found footage franchise, “V/H/S” returns for its fifth installment in the series with “V/H/S99.” The “V/H/S” franchise is an interesting one in today’s horror landscape, being that it is one of the only found footage-style series outside of “Blair Witch” and “Paranormal Activity.” What makes…

Recently, yours truly had the opportunity to talk with Chicagoan Karsten Runquist; a YouTuber, filmmaker, toast enthusiast and all-around nice guy. You may know him from his widely successful YouTube channel of the same name where he talks about film and television, or his podcast, The Karst…

Dayglow, an indie one-man-band from Texas, released his third studio album “People in Motion” on Oct. 7, 2022—an album that appears to be an ode to a special someone in the artist’s life. The music of his new album, while staying true to Dayglow’s iconic indie-pop style, seems to veer into t…

Greetings and salutations my fellow ghouls and goblins. As Halloween night frighteningly approaches, you may be seeking some thrills and chills. Whether it’s deeply macabre, grotesque creature features or blood-curdling paranormal endeavors, your trusty Arts & Entertainment Editor is her…

Michael Myers slashes his way onto the silver screen for the final entry in the newest string of “Halloween” films. “Halloween Ends” marks the third and final film in this new trilogy and the 13th in the franchise. The film marketed itself as the final entry in the franchise for horror legen…

In his new self-titled album, “CHARLIE,” singer-songwriter Charlie Puth acknowledges the hypocrisy of the human heart. Throughout his new collection of songs, Puth unpacks his experiences of finding out how he’s able to distance himself from some people while not others. A narrative of the h…

We all have that one film that forever changes us, and for me, it was David O. Russell’s 2013 magnum opus, “American Hustle”. I still vividly remember the day I saw the film with my mother. We went to an earlier matinee screening at Meadowview Theatre on a brisk, winter afternoon. It forever…

If you go to a concert around the greater Valparaiso area, odds are you’ll spot a familiar face: Ethan Decatur. With an extensive, ranging taste in musical genres, Decatur estimates that he’s attended roughly 60 concerts in his life thus far. Not only a fan of several artists and bands, Deca…

“Hellraiser” made its return to the screen this past weekend with the release of another franchise addition. “Hellraiser” is the second adaptation of the 1986 novella, “The Hellbound Heart”, from the mind of Clive Barker as well as the 11th installment to the series overall. The film was dir…

Art the Clown captivated the horror world with the release “Terrifier” in 2016. An iconic horror performance by David Howard Thorton as Art the Clown coupled with creative, gruesome kills had horror fans dying for more. Damien Leone returns once again as the writer, director, producer, edito…

The sequel to the original “Hocus Pocus,” “Hocus Pocus 2,” was released this past week exclusively on Disney+ after an almost 30 year gap. The three Sanderson Sisters are still cast the same (Bette Midler as Winifred, Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah and Kathy Najimy as Mary), but in this seque…

Joshua Bassett’s new EP titled “Sad Songs in a Hotel Room” is a tale of reemergence. Speaking of experiences spanning from heartbreak to health scares, Bassett interweaves a theme of wrestling with the past amidst the building of a new life into his songs. The EP, released Sept. 23, 2022, is…

What started as just an elementary school kid on a drumset with no guidance, gradually evolved into a lifelong passion. Timmy Abbott is a senior English major from Crown Point, Ind. Having never received any formal musical training, Abbott is a self-taught solo musician who produces, perform…

Impish or admirable? Netflix’s first (and presumably last) NC-17 film, “Blonde”, was released to appalling reviews (both critical and public) and has been unceasingly slammed for its excessive sexual imagery and blatant, repugnant disrespect for the deceased. Others, however, are quick to de…

Rob Zombie is an interesting figure in the filmmaking world. The metal musician and director is best known for having an eye for the macabre, grotesque and downright disturbing. Famous for his horror films, “House of 1000 Corpses”, “The Devil's Rejects” and his two “Halloween” remakes, “The …

This review contains spoilers.

For a fleeting moment, I was happy once again. “The Grand Tour: A Scandi Flick” dropped on Amazon Prime on Sept. 16, reuniting fans with the three all-time favorite car show presenters.

Ashley Vernon is a junior digital media arts major hoping to use her artistic talent and love of history to one day be an art museum curator. After switching her major from history to digital media arts fairly early on in her college career, Vernon is now fully immersed in the arts here at V…

Amid a seemingly endless amount of drama during the production and press run, “Don’t Worry Darling” was finally released. Whether it was reported controversies between director, Olivia Wilde, and Florence Pugh or the red carpet drama between actors, Chris Pine and Harry Styles, the film felt…

During the unprecedented COVID-19 lockdown, veteran Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, with the enlisted help of drummer Tom Skinner, orchestrated a new and exciting alternative English rock band, The Smile. The band went on to produce their debut album, “A Light For Attractin…

Elaina Miller is a senior from Blue Island, Ill. majoring in theater and minoring in communications and the humanities. On campus, Miller is heavily involved in the arts and Christ College (CC). In relation to the arts, Miller has had two acting roles on the stage here at Valpo, stage manage…

Six months after the release of “X”, director Ti West, and production company A24, decided to double dip in the “X” universe with “Pearl”. The film serves as a prequel to “X” and expands the story of the titular character of Pearl. “Pearl” continues the hot streak that the horror genre has b…

If you were to take anything away from the latest David Bowie documentary, “Moonage Daydream”, it would be a greater appreciation of life and the moments we so carelessly take for granted.

Fresh off of his controversial performance at Valpo Vibes on Sept. 4, 2022, Tai Verdes released his sophomore album, “HDTV”. It serves as a follow-up to his 2021 debut album, “TV”, chalked full of viral hits such as “A-O-K” and “Stuck in the Middle”. Verdes flexes some versatility on “HDTV”,…

A spin-off based on the murder mysteries of the classic writer Agatha Christie, “See How They Run'' takes a play on her precedence. Starting with a knock on the classic “whodunnit” subgenre, our narrator, Leo Köpernick (Adrien Brody), describes one of Agatha Chrstie’s works turned into a pla…

Kayla Sleeper is a theology and ministry major from Westmont, Ill. Minoring in music, Sleeper has been in both the Valpo Chorale and the Kantorei Chapel Choir. Sleeper is also a Peer Minister in Brandt Hall, the praise music coordinator for all praise bands, a member of the Kappa Delta soror…

Just in time for the transition between summertime and fall, “Barbarian” kicks off the countdown to Halloween with an absolute bang. Written and directed by Zach Cregger, “Barbarian” is a horror film with a simple premise and setup that is elevated by incredibly bold turns throughout the run…

Grammy, Academy, Tony and Emmy-award winner, John Legend, is a man of many talents. Known for his crooning vocals on the 13-time platinum hit, “All of Me”, Legend is no stranger to creating soulful ballads in the R&B and soul genre. “LEGEND” is part of an ever-growing trend in the music …

A Brooklyn-based trivia aficionado’s desire to come clean to a close friend about a long-held lie. An Oregon woman’s yearning for motherhood. A brother’s longing to reconcile. To maneuver such delicate, potentially life-altering situations; series creator, writer, producer and star, Nathan F…

Billy Pouch is a senior finance major with minors in business analytics and supply chain and logistics management. Pouch is heavily involved in music, whether it be his involvement on campus, in local bands, playing shows or serving as the music director at the WVUR radio station. Pouch has …