Arts & Culture

A look into why miniseries work so well and some UC Davis students’ favorite iterations of the limited series format They go by many names: miniseries, limited series or anthologies—but are universally understood to be multiple-episode series with a set end right off the bat (they are not good TV shows that were canceled too […]

Zack Snyder’s cut of “Justice League” sparks more interest than the four-hour film itself WarnerMedia Studios CEO Ann Sarnoff confirmed it: Zack Snyder’s cut of “Justice League” is the end of the DC’s fealty to Snyder’s drab, slo-mo-drenched, narcoleptic versions of Batman and Superman. In her words, “With [‘Justice League’] comes the completion of his […]

The Arts Desk’s weekly pick of movies, TV shows, books and music Movie: “Crazy Stupid Love” dir. by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (2011) This 2011 classic comedy stars Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore and Emma Stone and is now streaming on Netflix. We are introduced to a dysfunctional family, who—despite being racked with […]

The innovator may be shaking up the tech industry, but controversy seems to follow The name Elon Musk has been associated with both infamy and innovation—a man who people often either love or hate; an innovator who has an ardent cult following and half as many critics. Yet, some say his problematic behavior dilutes his […]

The new term, coined to dismiss trans women, has been adopted by hateful groups Trigger warning: transphobia, nazism.  If you or anyone you know is experiencing transphobia or antisemitism, you can find resources at https://transequality.org/additional-help and https://www.shalomdc.org/resources-and-tools-addressing-anti-semitism/. Whether you witnessed it on Twitter, TikTok or Reddit, or you entirely missed it, “super straight” took the […]

The new Disney princess movie features a tale of trust Fans of “Moana” and “Big Hero 6” will fall in love with Disney’s first Southeast Asian princess, Raya. “Raya and the Last Dragon” tells her story with vibrant colors, spot-on voice acting and a storyline that has everyone wondering who the real “villain” is.  The […]

The Arts Desk’s weekly pick of movies, TV shows, books and music Movie: “The Wicker Man” dir. by Robin Hardy (1973) A strange, funny, brilliant movie. Part musical-horror-comedy, part reminiscence of free love and the set sun of the ‘60s counterculture, “The Wicker Man” manages to saturate the screen with morbidity without spilling a single […]

The Arts Desk’s weekly pick of movies, TV shows, books and music Album: “Fetch the Bolt Cutters” by Fiona Apple (2020) There are almost no words to convey how strongly I feel about Fiona Apple’s latest album. “Fetch the Bolt Cutters” came out almost exactly one month into the stay-at-home order last year (April 17 […]

Students say proctored exams make them feel uncomfortable and more stressed As the world scrambled to acclimate to life at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools and colleges turned to an online learning format: Zoom learning.  A major adjustment for students also has been online proctored exams, where students are watched by an individual […]

A piece of TV history, best left that way In the second most viewed episode of “Jersey Shore,” watched by nearly 9 million people during its first airing, couple Sammi Giancola and Ronnie Ortiz-Magro nearly tear one another apart. Giancola punches Ortiz-Magro in the face in retaliation for his newly formed friendship with another female […]

How one comment highlights recurring sexism in the media Taylor Swift fans made the Twitter hashtag #respecttaylorswift trend in the beginning of March after a character in the Netflix show “Ginny and Georgia” made a sexist joke aimed at the singer. The so-called joke referenced Swift’s dating history: “You go through men faster than Taylor […]

During a time when staying healthy is vital, it’s easiest for the upper class to stay fit while avoiding COVID-19 The term “pay for convenience” has never been more applicable than with the 2012 introduction of the Peloton bike: a stationary spin bike that combines the experience of instructor-led classes and the convenience of your […]