CULTURE  |  TV

The awkward perfection of Netflix’s ‘Derry Girls’

By Kerry Rork | August 30, 2019

When “Derry Girls” first came out in 2018, I immediately binged the first season, enthralled by awkward and absurd lead actors finding themselves in the most ridiculous situations. To me, each half-hour episode captured a unique part of the teenage experience, particularly one wrought with the background violence of war and division. 

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CULTURE  |  MOVIES

An alternative guide to the summer blockbuster season

By Sydny Long | August 29, 2019

This summer’s Disney domination appears to only be the beginning of a perilous drop into media homogeneity precipitated by the massive company’s preoccupation with keeping its products family-friendly and inoffensive.

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CULTURE  |  MUSIC

Bon Iver’s “i,i” concludes Justin Vernon’s journey of self-discovery

By Aaron Paskin | August 23, 2019

The cycles of nature and ego are one and the same in the world of Bon Iver. So when the trailer for “i,i” likens the record to the arrival of autumn, we can just as well interpret the album as the completion of a long personal journey.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Patrick Cowley: The man behind the machine

By Will Atkinson | August 17, 2019

For a record producer, underappreciation comes with the territory. Yet even by these standards, the recognition of Patrick Cowley, the producer who pioneered disco through the early 1980s, has been long overdue.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' reimagines Hollywood at the close of the '60s

By Nina Wilder and Kerry Rork | August 7, 2019

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” the latest film from writer and director Quentin Tarantino, premiered in July. The movie follows Rick Dalton (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) as he navigates the ups and downs of a Hollywood career in 1969, as well as the looming presence of the Manson Family cult in Los Angeles. Editor Nina Wilder and Campus Arts Editor Kerry Rork chatted about their thoughts on Tarantino’s new film and the events that inspired it. Warning: spoilers below.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Paul McCartney transforms Dodger Stadium for last performance of Freshen Up Tour

By Kerry Rork | August 4, 2019

On July 13, Paul McCartney took the stage once again, wearing his classic white button down and black jacket (later removed  as McCartney joked, “This is the one costume change of the night”), for the last performance of the 2019 Freshen Up Tour.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Submit a question to Recess' new advice column, Tea Time

By Nina Wilder and Alice Dai | July 31, 2019

For our first column, we're taking questions related to the transition between summer and school, like your lingering doubts about an office affair or the anxieties driven by your return to Durham. Sounds like a problem you could use help with? Use the submission form below, and ask Alice.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Thom Yorke takes a rare look into his past on new album ‘Anima’

By Aaron Paskin | July 9, 2019

What’s most shocking about “Anima,” Thom Yorke’s third solo album, is that it really doesn’t try anything new.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Western Stars’ is a triumph of songwriting and arrangement

By Aaron Slutkin | June 24, 2019

Bruce Springsteen has always been a journeyman, but these last five years have been different.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Bastille’s ‘Doom Days’ reveals a band stuck on autopilot

By Aaron Paskin | June 22, 2019

The problem with “Doom Days” is that Bastille seems to have forgotten that playing to your strengths and taking risks are not mutually exclusive, and the result is a collection of almost entirely uninteresting songs.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

A walk through The Met's ‘Camp: Notes on Fashion’

By Sarah Derris | June 6, 2019

Each spring, the Metropolitan Museum’s annual Met Gala showcases some of the most noteworthy and daring looks in fashion, and the theme typically aligns with the Costume Institute’s annual exhibition. Accordingly, this year’s theme was camp.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

How ‘Psycho’ transformed both the film industry and the horror genre

By Kerry Rork | June 5, 2019

Imagine the date is June 16, 1960 — the premiere of Alfred Hitchcock’s newest  film, “Psycho.” 

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Marvel closes out an iconic era of filmmaking with ‘Avengers: Endgame’

By Eva Hong | June 4, 2019

Yep, I went to see “Avengers: Endgame,” despite my feigned disdain whenever my friends — some of them film-school movie buffs, like me — express their love for Marvel movies.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

The National shines on new album 'I Am Easy To Find'

By Jack Rubenstein | June 3, 2019

Orchestral arrangements, addictive riffs, needed guest performances and thunderous performances by Berninger make the band’s eighth album, “I Am Easy To Find,” its most daring record to date, proving The National can make interesting music that appeals to a wider audience.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

'Booksmart' is a heartfelt teen comedy for a generation of dreamers

By Alizeh Sheikh | June 2, 2019

“Booksmart” sounds like any other teen movie, but its Damien Chazelle-esque visual ambition (including one fantasy musical scene) and its all-encompassing commitment to character are what strip it from tradition. 

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

The second season of 'Reel to Reel' is here

By Will Atkinson and Nina Wilder | May 25, 2019

After a long break, we're back with the newest episode of “Reel to Reel,” Recess’s pop culture podcast.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Vampire Weekend makes a satisfying return with the sprawling ‘Father of the Bride’

By Will Atkinson | May 10, 2019

It’s been a busy six years for Ezra Koenig. The one thing missing? Another Vampire Weekend album.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

'The religious heart of France': Duke professors react to Notre-Dame burning

By Kerry Rork | April 24, 2019

Built in a French Gothic style and consecrated to the Virgin Mary, the Notre-Dame Cathedral was completed in 1345. This cathedral has survived the scenes of battles like during the French Revolution, inspired novels like Victor Hugo’s "Hunchback of Notre-Dame" and galvanized religious individuals for centuries. 

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Full Frame 2019: 'Mossville: When Great Trees Fall' tackles environmental racism

By Eva Hong | April 23, 2019

“Welcome to beautiful downtown Mossville. Population: one.”

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Weekly roundup: Lil Tracy, 'The Good Place' and more

By Recess Staff | April 17, 2019

Need any pop culture recommendations? Recess’s weekly roundup is a new series in which our writers and editors discuss what they are listening to, reading, eating or watching in a given week.