Rap music dominates new releases


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Welcome to the first edition of New Noise, which will examine the top tracks released in the previous week. Each week, this column will discuss the songs that are making news either on the charts or on the streets. The spotlighted genres will rotate each week, so no worries — there’s no music discrimination here. […]

Mama to see strong weekend sales


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Though the box office can be pretty unpredictable, there are some basic elements that go into anticipating how well a film is going to do.   Some factors include: how other films have done recently, what weekend a film is coming out and what competition it faces. This column will look at these elements to […]

New media redefines the art of journaling


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As the so-called Digital Age begins to pick up speed, the private art of putting pen to paper seems almost antiquated. Sharing your thoughts on the latest political development is as easy as sending out a mass tweet, and real-time Facebook status updates add a dimension of unparalleled accuracy to the chronicling of daily events. […]

Style commandments to start the new year


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I don’t understand a variety of things. I don’t understand people who choose — without being physically threatened — to major in economics. I don’t understand why tourists flock to Times Square on New Year’s Eve to see a completely unsatisfying ball drop. And I don’t understand people who put ketchup on their eggs. But though […]

Singles will be rewarded eventually


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Why am I still single?” How many times have you asked yourself that question? How many times have you found yourself sitting on your bed watching an old episode of Bones while stuffing Oreos into your mouth and wondering why you’re alone? Oh, is that just me? OK, then. Or, how about when you’re sitting […]

Film involves both art and leisure


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Film is an art form, but many often perceive it — first and foremost — as a leisure activity. Just look at the disparities between the potential awards contenders. This year, some of the most likely awards contenders  span all of genres and audiences: Skyfall (action-adventure), Lincoln (biopic), Beasts of the Southern Wild (fantasy), Flight […]

Interactive works lead art frontier


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The norm for a gallery visit is to stand back with your drink and admire the art on display — no touching allowed. No matter the type of art, the piece must remain pristine for its eventual buyer and can be viewed only from a distance. Yet that accepted convention didn’t hold true at a […]

Winter break provides time for self-reflection


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Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or even Festivus, winter break is always the much-anticipated halfway point of the academic year. If Thanksgiving is considered an appetizer, then winter break is the main course. Reaching this point isn’t an easy feat, so even if you bombed all your finals, all isn’t completely lost. You have […]

Fans bring success to The Room, awful films


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Every month at the Regent Landmark Theater in Los Angeles, a very dedicated group of fans gathers to pay homage to a film unlike any other. It’s not a seminal work from a respected auteur or renowned cult classic — the sort of movies that usually deserve such treatment. No, these people are here to […]

Texting proves key to starting relationships


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Every time my mother asks me if I’m seeing someone, I almost have the same exact answer. Besides cringing at the thought of talking about boys with her, I have to try and explain the act of “talking.” “No, Mom, I’m not official with someone yet, we’re just talking.” “Well, obviously you’re talking to the […]