RECESS  |  CULTURE

A history of murder in American media

By Kerry Rork | August 30, 2021

The United States has an obsession with murder.

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CULTURE  |  MUSIC

'Solar Power' is Lorde’s radiant, defiant reinvention

By Lily Zhu | August 30, 2021

In a live stream preceding the premiere of the second promotional single off her new album “Solar Power,” Lorde answered the question on everyone’s mind: “Why do you take such a long break from music [between albums]?” She said simply, “Because I have things to do,” before clarifying — “Because I need to really miss it when I come back.” 

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CULTURE  |  MUSIC

How 16-year-old Glaive is taking over the hyperpop world

By Brooks Finby | August 30, 2021

The lanky 6’4 teen hails from Hendersonville, a small town in western North Carolina right outside of Asheville. It’s certainly not the first place you’d expect to find the next big pop star. But that’s exactly what Glaive, named after a weapon from "Dark Souls III", will be. 

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Finding an online community on the 'Panic' Discord server

By Tess Redman | August 30, 2021

My time in the “Panic” Discord has been hands-down the best fandom experience I have ever had. There is something so gratifying about connecting to strangers over your love of story – something I have only found on Discord. 

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CULTURE  |  MUSIC

Silk Sonic's second single 'Skate' is the perfect summer roller rink jam

By Devinne Moses | August 20, 2021

This single is a clear indication of where Silk Sonic is heading: worldwide success.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Maggie O’Farrell’s “Hamnet” shines a necessary light on Shakespeare's early career

By Bates Crawford | August 19, 2021

Even now, with such a famous individual in the family, Shakespeare’s wife and children remain comparatively tucked away in the fringes of popular culture. Their oversight has become acceptable, with much of Shakespearian education emphasizing his singularity. In the novel, though, O’Farrell shakes things up.

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RECESS  |  LOCAL

Simons Says Dip This is downtown Durham's newest treat

By Meredith Cohen | August 9, 2021

If you’re looking for something new to satisfy your sweet tooth this fall, Simons Says Dip This certainly has you covered. With 24 dipped cone flavors and endless topping choices, you could go back a hundred times and still have more to try.

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CULTURE  |  TV

‘Loki’ was great — until it wasn’t

By Jonathan Pertile | July 26, 2021

For a good five hours, I was captivated — between the spectacular worldbuilding and attention-grabbing fight scenes that have come to define Marvel, “Loki” dramatically expanded the scope of its cinematic universe. That was, until the last episode, where the show suddenly fumbled the ball entirely. 

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CULTURE  |  TV

An inconvenient truth: How 'Kim's Convenience' became a cautionary tale for Asian representation

By Megan Liu | July 5, 2021

Claims of a racist writers' room — by the stars of the show themselves — quickly extinguished the glowing reviews of “Kim’s Convenience,” and perhaps the warm comfort of the sitcom itself.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Bo Burnham's 'Inside' and the funny feeling of growing up online

By Skyler Graham | June 28, 2021

Bo Burnham was always funny, smart, self-aware and slightly cynical. He still is. But the growing demands of the internet, and the world, for that matter, may require that more of his content involves “just me and my camera, and you and your screen, the way that the lord intended.” 

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Every game you need to know about from E3 2021

By Devinne Moses | June 21, 2021

Now more than ever, there is a game out there for everyone’s tastes. Whether you’re into cozy, cinematic or challenging games, the next few months will allow audiences to finally play highly-anticipated releases while hopefully making delightful discoveries along the way.

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CULTURE  |  MOVIES

Finding neurodiversity acceptance in ‘Finding Nemo’

By Skyler Graham | June 7, 2021

Even if we can’t find a diagnosis for ourselves, we could always use a gentle reminder to support one another on all of our own adventures.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE POP CULTURE

Eight video games to help you make the most of your free time this summer

By Devinne Moses | June 7, 2021

Whether you’re hard at work this summer and looking for ways to relax or have more down time since the semester ended, video games can bring fun and relaxation to your home. 

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CULTURE  |  MOVIES

‘Mortal Kombat’ is a surprisingly decent video game film

By Devinne Moses | June 7, 2021

In the traditional sense, it is not a good movie, but its thrilling moments are well worth watching from the comfort of your home. 

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CULTURE  |  MUSIC

Olivia Rodrigo's 'Sour' is a delightfully messy debut

By Jonathan Pertile | June 7, 2021

As long as she isn’t parallel parking, there probably isn’t anything that Olivia Rodrigo could do wrong.

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CULTURE  |  MUSIC

A love letter to the Beatles, who built my love for music

By Kerry Rork | June 7, 2021

At one point in my childhood, my dad could play five seconds of any Beatles song on his guitar and I would proudly identify it with ease. While my abilities have since subsided in that department, my passion has remained. 

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RECESS  |  LOCAL

Hillsborough's newly-opened Critter Swamp Tattoo seeks to model inclusivity for the industry

By Tessa Delgo | June 7, 2021

Artists Ayden Love, Terin J.D. and J. Avery co-own and collectively operate Critter Swamp Tattoo, a Black, trans and queer owned studio with the intention of making the owners’ communities feel welcome and safe in an industry that is predominantly white male dominated

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RECESS  |  LOCAL

Meet the Cary-based hosts of 'The Whole Food Plant Based Cooking Show'

By Mia Meier | June 7, 2021

Welcome to plant-based cooking. Jill and Jeffrey Dalton of “The Whole Food Plant Based Cooking Show” are happy to be your guide.

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RECESS  |  CULTURE

Elle Cosimano’s ‘Finlay Donovan Is Killing It: A Mystery’ is a perfectly clever summer read

By Bates Crawford | May 31, 2021

If you, like me, are looking to enjoy a season of reading, or perhaps are interested in picking up a few books here and there, I would recommend starting your summer days on this adventure with Finn. 

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CULTURE  |  MOVIES

Q&A: Duke alum Prashanth Kamalakanthan on creating his first feature film

By Tessa Delgo | May 22, 2021

After graduating from Duke, Prashanth Kamalakanthan, Trinity ‘14, went on to pursue a career as a journalist and filmmaker. Over the past few years, he has been working on his first feature film “Have a Nice Life,” of which he is writer, director and editor. It will premiere for North American audiences at the 2021 Maryland Film Festival on May 23 at 4 p.m. EST.