Before cancel culture had its torches and pitchforks out for anyone at the center of controversy, there were scandals. Fueled by tabloids and morbid curiosities, nothing made national news quite like an appalling figure that raised uncomfortable questions about what it means to be human. “May December,” the new film directed by Todd Haynes, seeks to scrutinize scandal for all its melodramatic, unholy glory through a pitch-perfect script by Samy Burch. Led by career-best performances from Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, “May December” initially appears …
‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ has the guts to change the story
Two decades ago in Toronto, Canada Scott Pilgrim was dating a high schooler and it was more problematic than my 16-year-old brain could comprehend. Recently, Netflix has released its anime adaptation ‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ and by the end of the first episode the plot literally takes off, leaving the original storyline behind. It is possibly the boldest and smartest move any adaptation has ever done. The 2010 film ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’ is considered by fans a perfect adaptation of the original source …
Local snobs roast your favorite coffee
There is nothing hinting that you may have entered suburbia than when you check how many coffee shops are in your surrounding area. Pasadena may call itself a city, but a good espresso shot may be a misspour unless you know where to look for it. Coffee snobbery might come across like this fish, but that fish is probably the type to recommend you try Republik for its awful TJ-Maxx-art-esque interior. Copa Vida Okay, Copa Vida and its fanbase take it too seriously. But you …
‘Hunger Games’ prequel relights the franchise flame
Frances Lawrence’s latest addition to “The Hunger Games” franchise is reigniting passion amongst Hunger Games fans, and rightfully so. “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” was released on Nov 17, and since its release, it has received high praise from its fans. In this prequel to “The Hunger Games,” viewers are sent back 64 years before the events of the first book and can finally see Panem in the days before the Hunger Games and only 10 years after the “dark days” …
The Courier celebrates Thanksgiving the only way we know how… in writing!
The napkins are folded. The candles are lit. The staff of the Courier have brought their favorite dishes to the table. Cheers. Let’s start with reporter Machu Suh’s tomatillo soup. “It’s a dish my family always makes when it gets colder,” he said. “It brings me home with its fragrance.” While I definitely have aspirations to learn to harvest and process acorns, I recently impulse-bought a bag of acorn flour at a Korean grocery store, and so I’m going to make these acorn shortbread cookies. …
Interest in Black Friday sales wanes as holidays draw near
Considering the consumerist society we live in, what’s there to look forward to as November rolls in each year? If I can tell you one thing, it’s not Thanksgiving. As soon as the clock strikes 12 a.m. on the night of Thanksgiving, Black Friday makes its yearly debut. This Americanized holiday awaits as the family-gathered dinners finish up, and those eager to score good deals go as far as to even push aside Thanksgiving dinner and wait in lines in hopes of getting their hands …
Latest literary listens included in your Spotify subscription
For those with Spotify premium, the holidays have arrived early with the release of over 150,000 audiobooks included in your membership, allowing up to 15 hours a month of listening. With the long weekend fast approaching and the temperature dropping, here are some cozy, heartbreaking, and transportive audiobook recommendations available on Spotify. And if none of these are your cup of tea, know that Spotify has made a deal to include the entire audio catalog of publishers HarperCollins and Penguin Random House for premium listeners. …
Strike a pose: Internet aesthetics abound at PCC
On the internet, aesthetics is an online subcultural phenomenon that blends various artistic styles, including fashion, music, photography, and more. Whether your closet consists of cottage-core, seapunk, or dark academia, expressing one’s identity through the variety of aesthetics trending on social media has become a part of an everyday trend that today’s youth, especially Gen Z, eat up. Serena Brito is a freshman studying art and fashion at Pasadena City College. She sat in the cafeteria with a bouquet of flowers and a mannequin head …
Travis Scott at Sofi: Comparing the floor vs. stands experience
Waiting almost an hour and a half in Travis Scott’s merch line, fans were getting rowdy as Scott’s opener, Teezo Touchdown had finished his set. Anticipation was running through every fan in line out of the fear of missing Scott’s entrance. Three minutes after finding my seat, Scott made his grand entrance and the energy from the fans went from 0-100, filling throughout the velodrome. But depending where you were seated, that affected the overall enjoyment spectators had with the show. This piece is going …
Kendrick, Tyler, and SZA ignite a fire at Camp Flog Gnaw
While Baseball season may have just ended, Dodger Stadium was once again the place to be this Veterans Day weekend. For the first time this decade, Camp Flog Gnaw has returned to Elysian Park and it seemed like every performer on the lineup showed up with a mission to make up for lost time. Camp Flog Gnaw is a music festival founded by artist Tyler, The Creator over a decade ago, in 2012. With every passing year the attendance and popularity has grown, making it …