December is ‘learn a language month,’ so why not use music? “THE SNAKE” by Lana Lubany & Ben Thomson This song features beautiful Arabic lyrics while enthralling you with a serpent-like rhythm. When listening to this, I suggest focusing more on the beat and rhythm...
Best holiday movies
The holidays can always be a busy time for us all, but what better way to unwind after a long day of buying presents than to cuddle up by a fire and watch some Christmas movies? Growing up this was always one of my favorite activities to do. It’s fun to see how other...
Metalhead reviews “Midnights”
For years, enjoyment of hard rocking, brain-bashing metal music was a daily occurrence in my life. But over time, it got repetitive. I needed something new. After losing my metal mojo, I got deep into rap and rock. Being a fan of N.W.A, Eminem, Baby Keem and...
The Shuffle: Trans-ENBY musicians
November is Transgender Awareness month. As such, I want to bring awareness to some music by people who are transgender or gender non-conforming, so here’s a list of artists who fit under the non-binary umbrella. Plastic Hearts by Miley Cyrus (gender fluid; any...
Ghost vs. ghost: A review of “Sadako vs. Kayako”
An onryō is a vengeful spirit from Japanese folklore. Onryō seek revenge against the ones who killed them, but they often continue killing long after they’ve achieved their vengeance. Both Sadako (the villain from the Japanese franchise “The Ring”) and Kayako (the...
From Fantasy to Reality: How to Play Quidditch
If you are anything like me, you knew about Quidditch long before you knew about most regular sports. Watching Harry and Malfoy speed after the golden snitch in the first movie had me fantasizing about having the same experience, something the video games could...
Slipknot’s “The End, So Far” proves spirit of heavy metal is still alive
I’ve been a rock fan my entire life, inheriting my taste in music from long childhood road trips with my father at the wheel. Naturally, this meant he had control of the stereo too. But even my father would admit that Slipknot is too heavy for his tastes. That’s why...
20 years of terror pt. 2: A retrospective on “The Grudge”
October 18th, 2002 saw the release of the Japanese horror film Ju-On: The Grudge. This was the third film in a four-part saga created by Takashi Shimizu. Soon after the film's release, producer Sam Raimi (Evil Dead) contacted Shimizu with an offer. The two soon began...
20 years of terror: A retrospective on “The Ring”
22-years-ago, filmmaker Gore Verbinski received an unmarked VHS tape from a colleague. This tape contained a subtitled copy of a Japanese film called Ringu. Describing the 1998 film as “intriguing,” “pulp,” and “avant-garde,” Verbinski set out to adapt it for the...
The Shuffle: Halloween Hits
As the temperature (sadly) starts to drop and we start to approach the spooky month of October, let's look at the top songs to listen to and get in the Halloween mood. Happy listening and stay spooky! “Monster Mash” By Bobby “Boris” Pickett, The Crypt-Kickers Do I...