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Culture

REVIEW: “Hustle” proves to be a safe but secure bucket

Spenser Willden | August 29

The sports movie is a surefire way to grab and hold an audience; take an underdog story and add unmatched athleticism, and you’ll wind up with something safe and satisfying that most audiences will have a great time with. Jeremiah Zagar’s 2022 feature “Hustle,” starring Adam Sandler and Juancho Hernangomez, is no exception to this rule, providing viewers with a heartfelt and impressive film, if from the free-throw line.

Culture

Spirit Marching Band marches into a new season

Elizabeth Secor | August 29

A week prior to the fall semester, members of the University of New Mexico Spirit Marching Band arrived on campus for band camp. Their practice kicked into high gear as the band began preparing their pregame and halftime shows for their upcoming season. The UNM Spirit Marching Band is one of UNM’s primary music ensembles, featuring about 110 members for this season, according to drum major Damon Hess. The band is open to both UNM and Central New Mexico Community College students and performs at all home football games throughout the season. In October, they will be hosting the 44th Zia Marching Band Fiesta for New Mexico high school bands.

Culture

IATSE Film & TV Expo invites New Mexicans to go behind the scenes

Spenser Willden | August 25

This Sunday, Aug. 28, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees is hosting its first-ever New Mexico Film and TV Expo at the training center for the Local 480 union chapter. This expo, which allows audiences to step behind the scenes and get to know the operations of a working set, serves to lower the barrier of entry into the film industry by educating New Mexicans on what goes into making a motion picture.

Culture

REVIEW: ‘Funny Pages’ colorfully subverts coming-of-age genre

John Scott | August 25

One could argue that established artistic rules and conventions only exist so that we may praise works that break or subvert them; in the opening scene to writer-director Owen Kline’s debut “Funny Pages,” we see our fresh-faced protagonist Robert (Daniel Zolghardi) receive this exact lesson from art teacher Mr. Katano (Stephen Adly Guirgis). It seems Kline was an astute student of his own fictional teacher’s teaching, presenting us with a delightfully subversive and dark take on the coming-of-age tale.

Culture

UNM senior comes on as newLoboTHON executive director

Spenser Willden | August 23

As the new school year kicks off, University of New Mexico senior Kasey Lenning is preparing for a year of fundraising and outreach as the new executive director of LoboTHON, UNM’s largest student-run philanthropy organization. Throughout the year,LoboTHON raises funds for UNM Children’s Hospital which culminates in a 31-hour dance marathon for students, patients and families to unwind and connect the year’s efforts in a final fundraising push.

Culture

UNM professor traverses borders through movement

Zara Roy | August 23

UNM instructor and alumnus Juli Hendren has recently returned to the United States after a trip to Krakow, Poland in which she worked with Ukrainian refugees to stage a performance telling stories of life in crisis and finding identity outside of home. Early in her theatrical career, Hendren made connections with experimental producers and directors involved with theater movements in Eastern Europe and Poland specifically, which first drew Hendren toward the community. Through this, she also became interested in physical theater, which prioritizes the use of movement to tell stories. She is especially drawn to the visceral and unknown nature of allowing the body to lead the performance.

Culture

New Mexico Shakespeare Festival presents free performances of canonical works

Spenser Willden | August 22

On Aug. 5, the New Mexico Shakespeare Festival opened its 2022 season at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial Park in collaboration with Vortex Theatre and the city of Albuquerque, bringing Shakespeare to New Mexico in an accessible fashion with free tickets and local talent. This season includes performances of “As You Like It” and “King Lear” and will run until Sept. 3.

Culture

SUB comes alive for Friday Night Live

John Scott | August 22

On Friday, Aug. 19, Lobos flooded the Student Union Building at the University of New Mexico for Friday Night Live, a one-night activity event kicking off Welcome Back Days. Laser tag, casino games and free food were just a few of the highlights from the late-night caper. This event was only the first in a series of events called Welcome Back Days, aimed at welcoming students back to campus after summer break — other planned events include the Class Crawl, Movie on the Field, President’s Ice Cream Social and UNM Communities Day.

Culture

REVIEW: ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’ stacks up the schlock in satirical slasher

Spenser Willden | August 22

This review contains spoilers A24’s new satirical slasher “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” directed by dutch actress Halina Reijn, seemed awful by the first trailer — a typical thriller told through the gimmick of influencer culture. To my pleasant surprise, the actual movie offered up a strong visual identity, intelligent humor and a passable story to tide audiences wary of hearing the same generational jokes we’ve heard thousands of times before. Though still gimmicky, and in many ways unoriginal, “Bodies Bodies Bodies” is an entertaining and aesthetic ride.

Culture

REVIEW: Florist brings unique and inviting melodies to Meow Wolf

Maddie Pukite and Katrina Estrada | August 18

Last Tuesday night, Brooklyn-based indie folk band Florist performed at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe. The band's mellow and peaceful sound, created by mixing collected ambient noises and music, made for a lovely and unique concert. The show's runtime, while short, did not disappoint in the slightest. The performance was cohesive, showing off the band’s collective strength as one entity, allowing the instrumentals, vocals and other sounds to support and aid one another rather than compete for prominence. The openers Marc Merza and Diatom Deli likewise put on captivating performances — especially Taos artist Deli, whose visuals corresponding with her performance were entrancing and gorgeous.

Culture

Navajo dub of Western classic ‘A Fistful of Dollars’ to premiere at KiMo Theatre

Spenser Willden | August 15

On Tuesday, Aug. 16, the newly produced Navajo language dub of “A Fistful of Dollars” will be screened for free at the KiMo Theatre in downtown Albuquerque. This dub, produced through a partnership between the Navajo Nation Museum and MGM Pictures, is part of an ongoing effort by the museum to bring awareness to Navajo language preservation efforts through classic films.

Culture

REVIEW: ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ is not your (craw)dad’s kind of movie

Natalie Jude | August 15

Released in the U.S. on July 15, 2022, “Where the Crawdads Sing” neatly repackages Delia Owens’ bestselling coming-of-age mystery of the same name. The film entices audiences from the start with skillful performances and fine contemplative visuals that compliment the nuanced story. From the outset, the film will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat, even if you know the ending well, which harbors a delightful twist. There’s no imbalance between the coming-of-age and murder mystery aspects of the film — these two sides of the story intertwine and firmly pose the question of if and when murder may be justified.

Culture

REVIEW: ‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’ is cause for ‘shell’ebration

Natalie Jude | August 15

“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” released nationwide July 15, 2022, has already racked up over $5 million nationally at the box office and garnered a score of 98% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. After having the pleasure of witnessing the famous shell-child in the titular role, this success is no surprise.

Culture

Anna Westfall’s ”Bright Field” places identity under the microscope

Sierra Martinez | August 15

On Monday, Aug. 1, artist and associate professor Anna Westfall’s “Bright Field” installation opened at the Spectra Gallery housed in the University of New Mexico Honors College. Westfall is an associate professor at Eastern Mennonite University, as well as a Master of Fine Arts recipient from the University of New Mexico. Prior to this, she has exhibited her work in Virginia, Georgia, Washington D.C., Massachusetts and New Mexico. “Bright Field” is a series of ceramic sculptures arranged in a radiating formation from the center wire piece. Each form was either thrown on a pottery wheel with added handmade additions or was entirely handmade, according to Westfall.

Culture

OPINION: Staying connected with friends and family while at school

Elizabeth Secor | August 15

As I enter my sophomore year at the University of New Mexico, I, like many others, am coming out of a summer filled with friends and family that I haven’t seen since January. Now that school is starting, I am getting ready to say goodbye to them for the next few months. However, if my first year taught me anything (it certainly didn’t teach me statistics), there are plenty of ways to keep in touch with those you aren’t going to see for a few months.

Culture

B.J. Novak’s ‘Vengeance’ showcases humorous, realistic view of rural Southwest

Spenser Willden | July 28

With the release of his first feature “Vengeance,” a comedy-thriller filmed in New Mexico and Texas, B.J. Novak got the rural southwest right. “Vengeance” is a passable yet promising first feature, showing a smart eye for dialogue, character and story that should only improve as the writer/director/actor continues his career. “Vengeance” follows shallow New Yorker Ben Manalowitz (Novak) as he attempts to turn the death of a former hookup into the next hit true crime podcast, following her family in their quest for vengeance in what seems like an open-and-shut case. In the process, he bonds with the family and Texas itself.

Culture

REVIEW: ‘Obvious Child’ brings abortion to the rom-com

Sierra Martinez | July 25

Gillian Robespierre’s 2014 romantic comedy “Obvious Child” seamlessly portrays the difficult realities of young adult life, complete with heartbreak, job instability and unplanned pregnancy. “Obvious Child,” with its frank discussion of abortion and reproductive rights, earns a solid place alongside other romantic comedies like Michael Showalter’s 2017 film “The Big Sick,” handling serious issues with heart, thought and care, while remaining funny and alive all the while.

Culture

REVIEW: ‘Unpregnant’ falls flat in its own Storyline

Elizabeth Secor | July 25

Rachel Lee Goldenberg’s “Unpregnant,” released in September 2020 on HBO Max, follows a newly pregnant 17-year-old Veronica (Haley Lu Richardson) and her ex-best friend Bailey (Barbie Ferreira), as they travel across the country from Missouri to Albuquerque, New Mexico. The duo’s aim is for Veronica to get an abortion without parental consent. The film entertains, but ultimately falls flat both in cohesion of storyline and in making a statement on abortion. This film could have benefited from being a miniseries — six episodes rather than a feature-length film. Perhaps an expanded version of the story could’ve better explored the emotional depths of Veronica's decision. The events in “Unpregnant,” however, unfold episodically instead of flowing into one another.

Culture

Local creatives meld tradition and modernity with independent magazine

Zara Roy | July 25

With their latest issue hot-off-the-presses —released this July — local magazine Iconica is set to continue on in their celebration of fashion, arts and culture. The magazine strives to blend modern art with the local culture of New Mexico while working to connect artists across the state with their next big opportunity. “My vision for Iconica is to be a hallmark of what it means to be New Mexican in a sense of, I think we’re really known for older traditions, and I would like it to be a balance of bringing that modern talent in with our history and it just being a focal point for all of the amazing talent we have here in a very high-end way,” Natassja Santistevan, creative director for Iconica, said.

Culture

New Conceptions editor-in-chief plans bold strides for prestigious magazine

Spenser Willden | July 25

On April 23, the University of New Mexico Student Publications Board selected senior Sierra Martinez as the new editor-in-chief of literary arts magazine Conceptions Southwest. Martinez brings editorial experience, refined taste and a bold vision for the future to the historic magazine. Beginning in 1978, Conceptions Southwest is UNM’s premiere annual fine arts and literature magazine that accepts submissions from all members of the UNM community, including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff and alumni. Conceptions takes submissions in poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction, visual art, photography and open media, an open-ended category that ranges from short films to sculptures — anything otherwise difficult to publish.