Sundance Film Festival 2025: The Best and Worst of Fest

While 2025 marked one of the Sundance Festival’s final years in Park City, Utah, it was also my first time attending the festival. Sundance is in something of a transitional period, as organizers decide whether to make the move to Boulder, Colorado or Cincinnati. Alternatively, they may keep the festival nearby in Salt Lake City. Even in this state of limbo, Sundance still had plenty to offer, including 88 films, multiple episodic works and numerous talks and panels, all open to the public. 

Among the 15 films I was able to see during my week in Utah, a few stood out. First was Plainclothes, directed by Carmen Emmi, a romantic thriller starring Tom Blyth as a closeted undercover police officer tasked with arresting gay men.

Shakespeare in Love (Again)

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Hollywood once again intends to fill our screens with love stories that trace back through the centuries. Few influences loom as large as Shakespeare, whose explorations of romance — whether through star-crossed lovers or fiery enemy-to-lover dynamics — continue to shape modern storytelling. From teen rom-coms to lavish period dramas, his plays remain a blueprint for how love is brought to life in film. 

We all know the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare’s tale has been retold so many times that its themes remain relevant today. Directors constantly reinvent the story through diverse adaptations, each bringing a unique and creative vision to the timeless romance.

HATER FRIDAY | Everyone is Irritating and Antisocial: Start Shushing Them

We live in a terribly noisy world. Perhaps once upon a time, you could go outside and hear the sounds of children playing, couples laughing and strangers striking up a conversation. These noises, while loud, are also comforting, and I can even enjoy them. Nowadays, instead of hearing the sounds of people connecting with each other, you can oftentimes go to a largely quiet public space and what is the one sound you will hear? Someone playing grating TikTok songs out of their phone’s speaker.

TEST SPINS | Etta James: ‘At Last!’

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and there are countless albums and songs out there about love that get a few extra spins around this time of year, but to me, there is no song more romantic than Etta James’ “At Last.” However, despite being one of James’ most well-known songs and the title track of its record, it’s the only song in At Last! that sees James fulfilled in her love life. So while the Valentine’s Day atmosphere often besieges audiences with music extolling the cloud-nine feeling of being in love (which undoubtedly has its place), James’ At Last! offers a different perspective, exposing love for all its euphoric, messy glory. Let’s dive in.

New Year, New SZA: ‘SOS Deluxe: LANA’

Since SZA’s SOS Deluxe: LANA came out on Dec. 20, and fans have been raving. The album is an expansion of the SOS album, which came out on Dec. 9, 2022, with 15 new songs for listeners to enjoy. Since its drop, SZA’s fan base showed up and showed out, blowing up social media with comments including “Christmas came early,” “finally” and “I’ve been waiting.”

Unlike the original SOS release with features from Travis Scott, Phoebe Bridgers, Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Don Toliver, LANA only has one feature: Kendrick Lamar.

‘Balloonerism’ from a New Fan’s Perspective

I have to admit, I am not an avid follower of Mac Miller’s musical career. I know only two things about him: that from 2016-2018 he dated Ariana Grande, and that shortly after their breakup he tragically passed away. Which is why, last Friday, I was flabbergasted when a Spotify notification implored me to “stream Balloonerism: Mac Miller’s newest album.” This name that meant almost nothing to me two weeks ago all of a sudden occupied my thoughts 24/7, affecting every conversation I had with my loved ones and consuming my daily life. Picture me, a grizzled small-town detective slumped at my grimy desk with a cigarette dangling from my lips, desperately trying to crack how Mac Miller was operating in the music industry from beyond the grave. I felt like I was going mad (and my detective office burned down due to my indoor smoking habit).

Bye Bye BookTok: An Examination of the Pros and Cons

Walking into bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million, the average customer cannot help but notice the tables laid out with modern, sleek books under the sign “BookTok.” Coming onto the literary scene only recently, BookTok is a subsection of the larger platform TikTok; this subsection has become a haven for readers and writers alike wishing to engage with content geared toward books. BookTok typically features short videos detailing new book recommendations, reviews and memes, boasting a following of millions of word-lovers. However, with the recent ban passed through Congress and upheld by the Supreme Court, TikTok (and thus BookTok) could be nearing its final moments in the United States. Though Trump signed an executive order pausing the ban, TikTok’s situation is by no means secure, and thus neither is BookTok’s. As with almost all social media platforms, there are drawbacks and benefits to the potential loss of BookTok.