‘Suzume no Tojinari’ anime comments on stresses of Japanese society
Rating: 4/5 stars “Suzume no Tojinari” was recently released in theaters on April 14. It has been a long wait for Makoto Shinkai (“Tenki no Ko”) fans with the initial release being in November of 2022. The movie explores the…
New Trish Doller romance ‘Off the Map’ more adventurous than emotional
Rating: 3/5 stars “Off the Map” by Trish Doller (“The Float Plan”) is the third book in her “Beck Sisters” series. This book follows the story of Carla Black who is an honorary Beck sister. Carla lands in Ireland for…
Netflix’s ‘BEEF’ balances sincerity with comedy, offers Asian American representation
Rating: 5/5 stars Have you ever had those days? Someone steals your parking spot, a bad driver does a hit-and-run on your car or maybe you have things stolen from you. Those days when one bad experience with a stranger…
Ellie Goulding returns with upbeat pop on ‘Higher Than Heaven’
Rating: 5/5 stars Ellie Goulding (“Brightest Blue”) released “Higher Than Heaven” on April 7 through Polydor Records. The album was originally announced in October 2022. It is her first album in three years, since “Brightest Blue” (2020), Goulding has been…
Frost Children reinvent indie rave in post-hyperpop world on new album ‘SPEED RUN’
Rating: 3/5 stars What actually is hyperpop? The dynamic genre has been the subject of debate amongst both middle-aged music critics and teenagers in TikTok comments. Some say it is the future of pop; some say it died with SOPHIE…
Abby Jimenez’s ‘Yours Truly:’ Breathtakingly profound story that will leave a mark
Rating: 5/5 stars “Yours Truly” by Abby Jimenez (“Life’s Too Short”) is the second book in her “Part of Your World” series. This book follows Briana, whose life seems to be spiraling out of control. Her divorce is days away…
Metallica resurrects itself with themes of head-banging hope amid darkness
Rating: 5/5 stars Thrash metal is reborn and fresh out of therapy with Metallica’s (“Hardwired … to Self-Destruct”) latest album “72 Seasons” released on April 14. The band has a pat- tern of releasing a new album only every five to…
‘MLB The Show 23’ does not live up to gamer expectations
Rating: 3.5/5 stars Fair-weather fans of Major League Baseball’s The Show franchise may be disappointed with the new game San Diego Studios (SDS) released on March 28. Although the company released essentially the same game for the tenth year in…
‘Not Here To Stay Friends’ channels suspense of game shows in romantic novel
Rating: 4/5 stars “Not Here to Stay Friends” by Kaitlyn Hill (“Love From Scratch”) is the perfect book if you want to know the inner workings of a reality TV show. Liam’s dad is the executive producer on a new…
Indie-rockers Wednesday put noise in country on ‘Rat Saw God’
Rating: 3.5/5 stars The indie world has an inconsistent relationship with country. The trademark hipster rejects country pop as a successful bourgeois attempt at convincing rural farmers that they can find representation in a rhinestone cowboy; they also listen to…
