The Seahawk

UNCW student podcast ‘Trauma Tuesdays’ is for the girls

Emma Geiszler, Staff Writer • March 10, 2022

College is an especially hard time period to make friends, made worse recently by a pandemic that limits socialization. It is a time period when students can feel like they don’t know anything. “Trauma Tuesdays” doesn’t try to know more but rather learns and moves alongside their audience like a group of friends would. The learning curve is different for everyone in college, and friends, whether present personally or through a podcast, help the journey along.

REVIEW: Toni Collette leads a scattered thriller in Netflix’s ‘Pieces of Her’

Boyce Rucker, Staff Writer • March 6, 2022

Netflix’s specialty generally lies in creating a marketable series that pulls viewers in with compelling leads and a great premise, though there is the occasional misfire. Based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Karin Slaughter, “Pieces of Her” is an eight-episode series released to Netflix on March 4, 2022, starring Toni Collette as a mother whose past catches up with her. There is a strong presence in Collette, along with an intriguing, albeit overdone, premise. These elements are enough to generate excitement for the series. However, the show’s convoluted plot and a slow buildup prevent it from being an eventful watch.

REVIEW: ‘The Batman’ displays ‘the world’s greatest detective’ in his element

Boyce Rucker, Staff Writer • March 3, 2022

“The Batman” is not just one of the best Batman movies in years, but one of the best noir stories in recent memory. With due respect to what came before, Reeves adapts elements of the Batman mythos with sleek precision and care. Pattinson is riveting as the world’s greatest detective, portraying him as a broken man beneath a hard-boiled shell. If one were to watch “The Batman” without seeing its predecessors, they might think this is the first Batman film ever made, as it gives a deeper understanding of the character than ever before.

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.