The Seahawk

BOOK CLUB: Savor ‘Black Cake’ with The Seahawk

Abigail Celoria, Culture Editor • March 3, 2022

The Seahawk welcomes the warmer weather of March with another book club pick! This month’s selection is “Black Cake,” Italy-based writer Charmaine Wilkerson’s debut novel. Named one of the most...

BOOK CLUB: ‘The Christie Affair’ is a twisty, tragic mystery that Agatha Christie herself would devour

Abigail Celoria, Culture Editor • March 2, 2022

The Seahawk’s February book club pick “The Christie Affair” is a mystery that will keep you pushing off work for one more page. If you are an Agatha Christie fan, this is the perfect novel for you. Besides the famous author playing a titular role in the plot, the web Nina de Gramont spins in this fictionalized account of Christie’s disappearance is something Christie herself would applaud.

RECAP: ‘Euphoria’ finishes up the season with a mixed bag that may take time to unwrap

Boyce Rucker, Staff Writer • March 1, 2022

“Euphoria” season two is an ambitious return to the deeply flawed characters that we can’t help but love to watch. After a long absence, we are reminded of the series’ allure and the artistry that goes into crafting each episode. Season three may seem like a long time from now, but, like the characters, we can always dream of what it entails until then.

RECAP: A night at the theater offers the ‘Euphoria’ characters a look in the mirror

Boyce Rucker, Staff Writer • February 23, 2022

Season two’s first episode quickly gave us plenty to look forward to for several weeks. Elements such as Rue’s (Zendaya) relapse, Nate (Jacob Elordi) and Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) faulty entanglement and Cal’s (Eric Dane) self-realization drove us to speculation every week. “The Theater and It’s Double'' gives us our best look at Lexi yet. If Nate & Cassie’s relationship is the MVP subplot of the season, then Lexi’s (Maude Apatow) play is like a stealth plane that surprises us and elicits so many emotions within the hour. While this episode does not have much plot progression until the end, it offers a lot to analyze as the characters see themselves through Lexi’s play.

REVIEW: UNCW’s ‘The Tempest’ is a modern commentary on Shakespeare’s timelessness

Kiley Woods, Photography Editor • February 19, 2022

This play was brought to life with modern costumes that relate heavily to each character’s personality and a simple set that depicts trees and vines in a way that makes them appear to be right out of a nightmare. The plot is hard to follow, and the dialogue is beyond comprehension, unless Shakespeare's language comes easily to you. This show ponders what it is like to be taken by fear itself. It is a commentary on the connections that are built between characters who have nothing in common other than their proximity to one another while stranded on an island, or perhaps they are just under the mystical island's control.

Professor Deepak Rauniyar on short film ‘Four Nights’ showing at the Berlin International Film Festival

Abigail Celoria, Assistant Culture Editor • February 17, 2022

Rauniyar’s career in film is built on a life-long pursuit. Through first visits to the theatre in his teenage years, he became interested in film as a means of expression. “I grew up in a society that was very racist,” said Rauniyar. “At the time, Nepal was run by a lighter skinned group. At my school, I was alone; I didn’t speak the local language; my classmates and teachers would bully me. I found that even in local films, lighter skinned actors would wear blackface to portray us on screen. No one like me was making these films. I wanted to change that.”

RECAP: ‘Euphoria’ showcases a calm before the storm in ‘A Thousand Little Trees of Blood’

Boyce Rucker, Staff Writer • February 16, 2022

Last week’s tumultuous episode is easily the show’s most chaotic chapter yet as we saw Rue’s (Zendaya) self-destructive antics come to a head before she returned home. This week, we retreat to a slightly more stable episode as we shift focus back to the other main characters in “A Thousand Little Trees of Blood.” Though this aftermath is one of the quieter and less eventful episodes of the season, it does not mean the characters get to relax now. As the season finale approaches, this episode is more akin to a calm before the inevitable storm.

REVIEW: ‘Bel-Air’ is a fresh take on the Will Smith classic, but is it necessary?

Boyce Rucker, Staff Writer • February 15, 2022

Peacock’s newest original series “Bel Air” reboots “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” for the modern day. At a time where reboots are frequent and subjected to comparisons to predecessors, “Bel-Air” has a lot to live up to for “Fresh Prince” fans. Rather than being a straight recreation, or a sitcom like the original, “Bel-Air” is a grounded and dramatic reimagining that does away with the more comedic aspects. Given the original’s iconic status in pop culture, many may question if this reboot is necessary. The three-episode premiere makes the premise timely and adds more depth than before, but it also makes questionable decisions along the way.

UNCW Theatre Department to present ‘The Tempest’

Kiley Woods, Photography Editor • February 15, 2022

UNCW plans to present a modern rendition of “The Tempest” which adheres to William Shakespeare’s original story with costumes reminiscent of modern fashion. The show will take place at the Mainstage Theatre in the Cultural Arts Building from Feb. 17 to Feb. 20 and from Feb. 24 to Feb. 27. The shows will be at 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sundays.

REVIEW: Alt-J returns with raw emotion and darkly intimate lyrics that strike with nostalgia in ‘The Dream’

Boyce Rucker, Staff Writer • February 13, 2022

English indie rock band Alt-J returns with their latest album “The Dream,” releasing nearly five years after its last studio album. Despite having released only four studio albums over the course of ten years, Alt-J generates a distinctiveness in themselves that places them as one of the most deeply creative bands working today. Lyrically and vocally, most of their songs are layered with meanings that lean into meta-commentary and psychological elements. There are times when their songs require multiple listens to fully understand, especially the lyrics, but they nonetheless have a piercing impact on listeners. “The Dream” is a welcome return for the band that communicates raw emotion through its intimate lyrics and soothing sounds.

RECAP: ‘Euphoria’ presents its most restless and harrowing episode yet in ‘Stand Still Like the Hummingbird’

Boyce Rucker, Staff Writer • February 8, 2022

This episode is a seminal one in the season, maybe even the series, that takes us on a chaotic ride that strengthens the importance for Rue to get clean. It may be hard to love Rue at this point, but this installment emphasizes the importance of hope and care in bleak circumstances.

REVIEW: ‘Moonfall’ is a disaster movie in more ways than one

Abigail Celoria, Assistant Culture Editor • February 6, 2022

The opening of “Moonfall” seems to offer a movie that isn’t great, but something worth the watch before reality sets in midway through. It is at least entertaining in the sense that it is something to laugh at, but even this is not enough to move past the antsy boredom audiences are likely to feel by the end.