Arts and Entertainment
An Apocalyptic Mix: A Review of X-Men ‘97
By Sally Zeng
Season Two of X-Men ‘97 is solid because of the animations, character development, and decent storyline, but it is weakened by the show’s rushed pacing and script.
On Love and Loss: Phoebe Bridgers’s Lost Weekend
Phoebe Bridgers returns with an album that combines the best of her past music and the maturity she gained during her hiatus in Lost Weekend.
Art Beyond Representation
A look into notable works at the Art Institute of Chicago’s Beyond Form: Abstraction at Midcentury and the shift away from realism in response to global political change.
PlayAsia #7: Back-to-School Season
By Glynnis Gravador, Rachel Hong
Listen to these albums by Asian artists for back-to-school season!
Chaos and Intrigue Abound in Mitski’s Latest Album
By Kaity So
Mitski explores uncomfortable topics in her new, chaotic, and controversial album
You Can’t Take It With You Was a Blast!
STC’s spring comedy, You Can’t Take it With You, stunned audiences with amazing comedic rapport, heartfelt human connection, and stunning sets.
The Missing Piece
Manon’s mysterious hiatus from the hit global group KATSEYE has highlighted concerns about the mistreatment of Black women in the entertainment industry.
Why Smallville Works Better Now Than It Did Then
By James Lu
The current revival of Smallville says a lot more about how audiences today value character-driven, earnest television than just empty nostalgia.
Parsons Brings it Back in Backrooms (2026)
Backrooms, directed by Kane Parsons, is a masterpiece despite overwhelming public dissatisfaction.
Impressions on Impressionism
By Maggie Miao
Impressionism was a revolutionary artistic movement that originated in the late 19th century and left behind a vibrant cultural legacy.Impressionism was a revolutionary artistic movement that originated in the late 19th century and left behind a vibrant cultural legacy.
GameOVerse: A Pilot That Redefines Indie Animation
GameOVerse’s pilot proves to be an exemplary model of indie animation, from its ambitious animation to innovative story and worldbuilding. While it isn’t a perfect pilot, it has a lot of potential if it gets greenlit for a full series.
The Mei Lanfang Connection
The Mei Lanfang exhibit showcases the Chinese-American cultural connections of Peking opera.
Olivia Rodrigo New Album: Will it live up to the hype?
Olivia Rodrigo is exploring new territory with her third studio release, and continuing to navigate the music industry.
Lord of the Flies (2026): A Look into Human Nature
By Molly Gupta
Netflix’s adaptation of Lord of the Flies features stunning visuals and strong acting to create an immersive and compelling series, though it is held back by uneven tttttrrryrrtretrrrrrpacing.
The Devil Still Wears Prada
The Devil Wears Prada 2 debuts as an unnecessary, narratively confusing legacy sequel, with acting that did not stand the test of time.
The Cost of Craze: How Trends Exploit Cultural Ingredients
Viral food trends like matcha, ube, and Dubai chocolate may capture global attention, but their rapid rise comes at the expense of cultural authenticity, shortages, and strain on the supply chains that sustain the communities behind these ingredients.
The Met’s Musical Bodies Exhibition Brings Refreshing Diversity to Music History
By Maggie Miao
Musical Bodies explores themes of gender, sex, family, and death through art of diverse mediums and origins.
The Odyssey (2026): Oddly Archetypal
The Odyssey attempts to take its place in cinema history; is it a diamond in the rough or a Trojan horse?
One of a Hundred Kills: The Punisher: One Last Kill
By Sally Zeng
The Punisher: One Last Kill was a perfect continuation of Frank Castle’s story, with its new addition of character development, violence, and emotional impact.
Project Hail Mary (2026) Reaches for the Stars
Project Hail Mary serves its purpose well as a hard Sci-Fi adaptation, even as some emotional depth is sacrificed for efficiency.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie: Too Many Stars, Not Enough Story
By Kimberly Chen, Sara Bhuiyan
A review of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie with emphasis on its storytelling, character development, and its effectiveness as a sequel.
Food is my one true love
By The Arts & Entertainment Department
The A&E department shares their best bites of the issue. The food that melted in their mouths, the one that satiated their insatiable desires, the one where every bite told a story, teasing their taste buds, leaving them craving the next mouthful long after the plate was empty.
Aesthetic Authoritarianism bores me: The Secret Agent
The Secret Agent is authoritarianism on a slow, slow summer’s day.
The Sound of Spring: How Popular Music Reimagines the Season Across Decades
By Mira Anant
A playlist-like analysis of how popular music across decades has redefined the idea of the “spring song,” transforming spring from a symbol of simple renewal into a more complex emotional and cultural metaphor.
Making Our Domestic Relics
At the Saatchi Gallery, Domestic Relics—and most notably the works of Jennifer Jones—poignantly reveals how the objects of our domestic lives embody and shape the lives that pass through them.
Six Pieces of Musical Advice from Musicians in my Life
By Maggie Miao
I reached out to six of the most influential musicians on my own musical journey and asked them: What is one piece of advice you have for young musicians?
PopUp Bagels: The Freshest Bagel Store in Tribeca
By The Arts & Entertainment Department
The Spectator reviews PopUp Bagels, a new bagel place near Stuyvesant that offers a unique eating experience with fresh bagels and unusual schmears.
Blackpink’s Deadline Marks a Long-Awaited yet Uneven Comeback
By Noah Choi
Nearly a decade into their reign as global icons, Blackpink returns with Deadline, which struggles to justify the group’s three-year hiatus due to uneven production quality.
Heathcliff Gets a Glow-Up: The Loss of Subtext in Wuthering Heights (2026)
“Wuthering Heights” imposes a glossy, nostalgic vision that sacrifices subtext and tragedy for hollow spectacle.
Heartbreak, Resilience, Love: Taylor Swift Enters a New Era with her music video Opalite
Analyzing the lyrics, script, and visuals of Taylor Swift’s latest music video, Opalite.
Spectator’s Arts and Entertainment department shares their thoughts about this year's Oscars.
By The Arts & Entertainment Department
Spectator’s Arts and Entertainment department shares their thoughts about this year's Oscars.
Let’s Cha Cha Chat About The Romantic!
A review of Bruno Mars’ The Romantic with emphasis on the Latin influences of the album.
Don Toliver’s High-Speed Experiment
Don Toliver’s Octane pushes his signature vocal experimentation to new heights across a disjointed but high-production landscape exploring modern belonging.
Bad Bunny’s Definition of America: Super Bowl LX Halftime
By Molly Gupta
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show redefined the borders of what it means to be American while successfully representing Puerto Rican culture through its music and staging.
One Punch Man S3: Profit over Passion
One Punch Man’s third season is underwhelming in several ways, from the animation errors to the lack of animation altogether. This article dives into the ways in which the season falls short, as well as an explanation of how the season was doomed from the start.
A New Day, But a Classic Spider-Man
By Mira Anant
With Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Destin Daniel Cretton brings Spider-Man back to his roots, giving Tom Holland’s Peter Parker his most personal and classic story yet.
Chaos and Intrigue Abound in Mitski’s Latest Album
By Kaity So
Mitski explores uncomfortable topics in her new, chaotic, and controversial album
You Can’t Take It With You Was a Blast!
STC’s spring comedy, You Can’t Take it With You, stunned audiences with amazing comedic rapport, heartfelt human connection, and stunning sets.
The Missing Piece
Manon’s mysterious hiatus from the hit global group KATSEYE has highlighted concerns about the mistreatment of Black women in the entertainment industry.
Why Smallville Works Better Now Than It Did Then
By James Lu
The current revival of Smallville says a lot more about how audiences today value character-driven, earnest television than just empty nostalgia.
Parsons Brings it Back in Backrooms (2026)
Backrooms, directed by Kane Parsons, is a masterpiece despite overwhelming public dissatisfaction.
Impressions on Impressionism
By Maggie Miao
Impressionism was a revolutionary artistic movement that originated in the late 19th century and left behind a vibrant cultural legacy.Impressionism was a revolutionary artistic movement that originated in the late 19th century and left behind a vibrant cultural legacy.
GameOVerse: A Pilot That Redefines Indie Animation
GameOVerse’s pilot proves to be an exemplary model of indie animation, from its ambitious animation to innovative story and worldbuilding. While it isn’t a perfect pilot, it has a lot of potential if it gets greenlit for a full series.
One of a Hundred Kills: The Punisher: One Last Kill
By Sally Zeng
The Punisher: One Last Kill was a perfect continuation of Frank Castle’s story, with its new addition of character development, violence, and emotional impact.
The Mei Lanfang Connection
The Mei Lanfang exhibit showcases the Chinese-American cultural connections of Peking opera.
Olivia Rodrigo New Album: Will it live up to the hype?
Olivia Rodrigo is exploring new territory with her third studio release, and continuing to navigate the music industry.
Lord of the Flies (2026): A Look into Human Nature
By Molly Gupta
Netflix’s adaptation of Lord of the Flies features stunning visuals and strong acting to create an immersive and compelling series, though it is held back by uneven tttttrrryrrtretrrrrrpacing.
The Devil Still Wears Prada
The Devil Wears Prada 2 debuts as an unnecessary, narratively confusing legacy sequel, with acting that did not stand the test of time.
The Cost of Craze: How Trends Exploit Cultural Ingredients
Viral food trends like matcha, ube, and Dubai chocolate may capture global attention, but their rapid rise comes at the expense of cultural authenticity, shortages, and strain on the supply chains that sustain the communities behind these ingredients.
Art? Science? History? What is Art Conservation?
Stuyvesant alumna Sara Levin, objects conservator for the African and Oceanic art department at the Met shares insights into the art conservation profession.
Food is my one true love
By The Arts & Entertainment Department
The A&E department shares their best bites of the issue. The food that melted in their mouths, the one that satiated their insatiable desires, the one where every bite told a story, teasing their taste buds, leaving them craving the next mouthful long after the plate was empty.
Aesthetic Authoritarianism bores me: The Secret Agent
The Secret Agent is authoritarianism on a slow, slow summer’s day.
The Sound of Spring: How Popular Music Reimagines the Season Across Decades
By Mira Anant
A playlist-like analysis of how popular music across decades has redefined the idea of the “spring song,” transforming spring from a symbol of simple renewal into a more complex emotional and cultural metaphor.
Project Hail Mary (2026) Reaches for the Stars
Project Hail Mary serves its purpose well as a hard Sci-Fi adaptation, even as some emotional depth is sacrificed for efficiency.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie: Too Many Stars, Not Enough Story
By Kimberly Chen, Sara Bhuiyan
A review of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie with emphasis on its storytelling, character development, and its effectiveness as a sequel.
Making Our Domestic Relics
At the Saatchi Gallery, Domestic Relics—and most notably the works of Jennifer Jones—poignantly reveals how the objects of our domestic lives embody and shape the lives that pass through them.
Six Pieces of Musical Advice from Musicians in my Life
By Maggie Miao
I reached out to six of the most influential musicians on my own musical journey and asked them: What is one piece of advice you have for young musicians?
PopUp Bagels: The Freshest Bagel Store in Tribeca
By The Arts & Entertainment Department
The Spectator reviews PopUp Bagels, a new bagel place near Stuyvesant that offers a unique eating experience with fresh bagels and unusual schmears.
Blackpink’s Deadline Marks a Long-Awaited yet Uneven Comeback
By Noah Choi
Nearly a decade into their reign as global icons, Blackpink returns with Deadline, which struggles to justify the group’s three-year hiatus due to uneven production quality.
Heathcliff Gets a Glow-Up: The Loss of Subtext in Wuthering Heights (2026)
“Wuthering Heights” imposes a glossy, nostalgic vision that sacrifices subtext and tragedy for hollow spectacle.
Heartbreak, Resilience, Love: Taylor Swift Enters a New Era with her music video Opalite
Analyzing the lyrics, script, and visuals of Taylor Swift’s latest music video, Opalite.
Spectator’s Arts and Entertainment department shares their thoughts about this year's Oscars.
By The Arts & Entertainment Department
Spectator’s Arts and Entertainment department shares their thoughts about this year's Oscars.
Let’s Cha Cha Chat About The Romantic!
A review of Bruno Mars’ The Romantic with emphasis on the Latin influences of the album.
Don Toliver’s High-Speed Experiment
Don Toliver’s Octane pushes his signature vocal experimentation to new heights across a disjointed but high-production landscape exploring modern belonging.
Bad Bunny’s Definition of America: Super Bowl LX Halftime
By Molly Gupta
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show redefined the borders of what it means to be American while successfully representing Puerto Rican culture through its music and staging.
SophFrosh SING!: Boy Bands, Breakups, and Plenty of Drama
By Ashley Maung, Dinara Gargu, Gavin Cheng, Max Schwartz, Nina Benson, Oscar Scribner, Stella Krajka, Yuma Kono
Diving deep into SophFrosh SING! 2026.
One Punch Man S3: Profit over Passion
One Punch Man’s third season is underwhelming in several ways, from the animation errors to the lack of animation altogether. This article dives into the ways in which the season falls short, as well as an explanation of how the season was doomed from the start.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (2025): For the Fans
By Sara Bhuiyan
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (2025), while not exactly like the games, is thrilling and suspenseful, making it a fun watch for die-hard fans.
Youth, Rage, and Responsibility
By Kabir Madan
By exploring dark subject matter through the teenage psyche, Adolescence became one of the most gripping shows of the year—uncomfortable yet undeniable.
A Very Mardi Gras Junior SING!
By Emily Johnson, Paloma Wilkinson, Rano Safarova, Tiffany Wang
Diving deep into Junior SING! 2026.
An Apocalyptic Mix: A Review of X-Men ‘97
By Sally Zeng
Season Two of X-Men ‘97 is solid because of the animations, character development, and decent storyline, but it is weakened by the show’s rushed pacing and script.
The Met’s Musical Bodies Exhibition Brings Refreshing Diversity to Music History
By Maggie Miao
Musical Bodies explores themes of gender, sex, family, and death through art of diverse mediums and origins.
On Love and Loss: Phoebe Bridgers’s Lost Weekend
Phoebe Bridgers returns with an album that combines the best of her past music and the maturity she gained during her hiatus in Lost Weekend.
The Odyssey (2026): Oddly Archetypal
The Odyssey attempts to take its place in cinema history; is it a diamond in the rough or a Trojan horse?
Art Beyond Representation
A look into notable works at the Art Institute of Chicago’s Beyond Form: Abstraction at Midcentury and the shift away from realism in response to global political change.