Last week, for the Opinion section, I wrote an article in defense of playlist-making as a form of art. While writing this, I figured that if something is a skill or art— it ought to be able to be taught. So, this week, I take it upon myself to talk about the process of deciding what kinds of playlists you might need, conceptualizing said playlist, and creating the finished product.

The Criterion Challenge is a yearly movie challenge held by movie fans and Letterboxd users, where you watch 52 films housed by the Criterion Collection to fulfill 52 different weekly categories, all in one calendar year. I am participating this year, and last week, I watched my first silent film, Master of the House (1925), for week seven: the 1920s.

Sunday, Feb. 23, award-winning actor Kristen Bell hosted the thirty-first Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG). During this event, accolades were given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) to recognize actors and their outstanding performances in movies and television. 

I cannot, in good faith, state that I don't watch reality television regularly, though I am slow to admit this. I say this because when I think of reality television, I think of infamous reality shows such as Keeping Up With the Kardashians (2007-2021) or Jersey Shore (2009-2012). While I by no means shame those who enjoy programs like these— I, for one, have spent many a night watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians (2007-2021) after a long day in high school —I find myself more impressed by the competition in reality television.

The first season of Yellowjackets (2021- ), originally released four years ago, is now currently airing its third season. This show has been growing exponentially in popularity among teenage girls, and I think there are many reasons why. When I say teenage girls, I am referring to those on the older end of the spectrum— about 16 to 19 years old. This is because, at times, the show has a bit of gore that is unsuitable for younger viewers. 

Sequels are thriving at the box office, with Inside Out 2 (2024) being the highest-grossing movie of that year. Given their assured success, we can expect to see many more sequels in the upcoming years, including Zootopia 2 (2025), Toy Story 5 (2026), and Frozen 3 (2027). 

Regardless of your political affiliation or optimistic outlook on life’s daily happenings, things have felt off lately. When I say off, I do not mean irregular or, in a metaphysical sense, out of alignment. I mean, there is this uncanny aspect of the monotony of everyday life— one that you can’t find the source of but feels familiar, almost known. Maybe life has felt like the prelude to a dystopian novella or a ticking bomb, counting down on an unknown, unseeable timer.

The Criterion Challenge is a yearly challenge hosted by Letterboxd users and movie fans. The challenge is put together by Letterboxd user @benvsthemovies, and the goal is to watch a different movie in the Criterion Collection to fulfill 52 weekly challenges. I am participating this year for the first time, and I previously watched Divorce Italian Style (1961) for week six’s challenge. 

Netflix, a household-known streaming service with countless television shows and movies, has also brought something new to the media scene: limited series. These Netflix original limited series are just a few episodes long and deliver a self-contained plot.

Opening acts are a time-honored tradition for live entertainment and have become a standard in the music industry for touring artists. These acts aim to help warm the crowd up, give people time to settle in, and get familiar with artists they are likely less familiar with. As a smaller artist, becoming the opening act for a well-known artist or band can be a life-changing opportunity that can potentially skyrocket artists into fame and provide increased publicity.  

Gatekeeping refers to the act of controlling or limiting access to something, particularly in specific contexts where it involves guarding certain media and preventing others from engaging with it. With the rise of social media, fans have a big platform to share their favorite books and movies, receive recommendations, and grow fandoms. Unfortunately, many people use social media to allude to media they like with the intention of withholding the source's name from curious commenters. 

On Feb. 2, 2025, Beyoncé Carter Knowles made history when her eighth album, Cowboy Carter (2024), won Album Of The Year (AOTY)— her first time winning this award in her entire iconic singing career. Beyoncé’s Grammy win polarized the internet as fans celebrated the long-deserved win, while others believed that other artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Charlie XCX were “snubbed.” I understand the frustration of your favorite artists not winning a Grammy when they put their heart on their sleeve, but Beyoncé’s win was long overdue.

There are endless movies surrounding romance and love, which are perfect themes for the Valentine’s Day season. With so many choices, it can be hard to decipher which ones are worth watching. If you are looking for some recommendations, here are just a few of my favorite movies about love.

The Criterion Challenge is an annual film challenge hosted by Letterboxd users. It features 52 weekly categories, and the goal is to watch a different movie from the Criterion Collection— a collection of over 1700 films— to fill each weekly slot. I am participating in this year’s challenge and most recently watched Moonage Daydream (2022) for week five, which I covered in last week’s article.

“Everything is simply a shape, a form, an identifier to let others recognize me as me! But then, what am I? Is this me? My true self? My fake self? What is it that I am?...” Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995), Shinji Ikari, the protagonist of the Neon Genesis Evangelion (NGE) franchise. 

Being a film lover can come in many shapes and sizes in modern society. Whether someone watches one to two movies a month or around one to two movies daily, the term “film lover” is self-proclaimed by both. The two ends of this spectrum should receive the same respect, but often, this is not the case. 

On Sunday, Feb. 2, the Annual Grammy Awards honored the top artists between Sept. 16, 2023, and Aug. 30, 2024. This era of music is noted as one of the biggest for female pop artists, including numerous groundbreaking works from artists. Nearly everyone there deserved a victory, making the sixty-seventh year of the Grammys a nail-biting experience filled with amazing performances. 

On the night of Jan. 19, millions of Americans were under the impression that TikTok—a social media app that allows users to create and share short videos—would be banned in their country. This was a scary prospect for many: those reliant on the app for income, those who prioritized it to spread awareness of real-world issues, and to a lesser degree, doomscrollers— those who spend excessive time scrolling due to Tiktok’s addictiveness— and at times negative nature.

On January 8 of this year, Hayden Anhedönia, better known by the stage name Ethel Cain, released her sophomore album titled Perverts (2025). The album consists of nine tracks with a run time of 90 minutes. It was a massive diversion from Anhedönia’s debut album, Preacher’s Daughter (2022), which had a decidedly narrative structure propelled by storytelling, lyrical aspects, and musical mood shifts over its 13 tracks. Perverts (2025) is an album full of ambiance, drone, and sparse yet selective lyricism. 

The Criterion Collection is an American film distributing company since 1984 that has produced and distributed over 1200 films. Although it is an American company, the collection holds many foreign movies. Not only does the Criterion Collection house 1726 movies, spanning decades, genres, and directors, but it also restores films, some even over 100 years old.