Issuu

FILM ‘Ink’ is imperfect and overly ambitious but wildly entertaining, says Brad Derfner (CAS ’27). B2

MUSIC Wesley Sreter (CAS ’29) revels in the musical theater sound of Ashe's new album. B4

FILM ‘Clayface’ excels in body horror but fails in pacing and ambiance, says Francis Rienzo (CAS ’27). B6

NOVEMBER 13, 2026

‘La Bola Negra’ Is Heartbreaking Yet Hopeful “La Bola Negra” explores three Hispanic queer love stories across generations and places. B3

ILLUSTRATION BY ANNIEK VOETEN/THE HOYA

NETFLIX/IMDB

Despite controversies over AI use, “Ink” is an enjoyable and unapologetically over-thetop critique of sensationalist media, says Brad Derfner (CAS ’27).

FILM

With ‘Ink,’ Director Danny Boyle Writes a Story in Bold Print 

Brad Derfner Guide Columnist

Danny Boyle has never been a director interested in playing it safe. From the frenetic energy of “Trainspotting” to the highly experimental camerawork of last year’s “28 Years Later,” Boyle continually experiments with varying genres and styles, always pushing the boundaries of what audiences expect. His latest film, “Ink,” opened the 83rd Venice International Film Festival and is no exception to this trend. Adapting James Graham’s acclaimed 2017 stage play of the same name, Boyle delivers a wildly entertaining, slightly dramatized examination of modern tabloid journalism in the United Kingdom, following conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s (Guy Pearce) purchase of The Sun. In “Ink,” Boyle employs nearly every trick in his cinematic arsenal to tell a story with harsh morals that is as energetic as it is damning. In many ways, “Ink” is just as brash, excessive and unapologetically blunt as the tabloid at its center, and Boyle makes little effort to disguise his contempt for today’s sensationalist media culture. While Graham’s screenplay struggles to match the inventiveness of Boyle’s direction and chaotic editing style, the audience is still treated to an exhilarating experience.

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Opening in London in 1969, the film focuses on Larry Lamb (Jack O’Connell), a working-class journalist from the Daily Mirror whom Murdoch recruits to help revive The Sun, a struggling British publication. Although the end goal is to transform the paper into a commercial powerhouse, it is much more personal for Lamb: His dream has always been to run his own paper. After Lamb assembles an unconventional newsroom in a sequence reminiscent of “Ocean’s Eleven,” he experiments with every strategy from simply placing a greater emphasis on sports to sensational headlines and provocative photographs. Gradually, Lamb and his team find themselves so obsessed with sales — shown to the audience through a physical sales chart in Lamb’s office — that they abandon all traditional journalistic principles. Boyle’s decision to place the viewer alongside the group of journalists, rather than simply condemning Lamb and Murdoch, allows the audience to experience the thrill of an underdog’s rise to glory. My favorite sequence comes early on, when Lamb and the staff discuss what readers actually want, rather than what papers generally provide. Eventually, they land on a phrase, encapsulating three simple ideas: “Win Free Love.” O’Connell’s performance is as tremendous as Lamb’s storyline. He plays the editor as an ambitious figure whose resentment as an exploit-

ed member of the working class fuels both his determination and gradual moral deterioration. Watching Lamb discover how successful he can make The Sun is quite compelling, especially when compared to Pearce’s Murdoch. In contrast to what I expected coming into the film, Pearce portrays a restrained businessman, whose quiet ambition juxtaposes Lamb’s more explosive tendencies. While Lamb openly sacrifices journalistic integrity in pursuit of sales, as we know, in real life, it is ultimately the more reserved Murdoch who builds a sprawling media empire, eventually discarding Lamb once he has served his purpose in the final scene of the film. Boyle’s lack of subtlety becomes especially apparent in the film’s closing montage, which connects the birth of The Sun’s sensationalist journalism to the current state of social media. Stitching together clips from TikTok and controversial online figures, including Andrew Tate and Bonnie Blue, Boyle makes his argument about modern media’s degradation almost impossibly explicit. Many viewers will rightly find the sequence heavy-handed, but I still found myself appreciating just how completely Boyle commits to his message. Much like The Sun itself, “Ink” has little interest in restraint, and there is something admirable about a film willing to embrace that quality so wholeheartedly.

One negative that is hard to overlook, though, is Boyle’s decision to use generative artificial intelligence (AI) in making the film. As reported by Deadline, Boyle admitted that “Ink” features approximately 30 seconds of AI-generated imagery, which includes animating archival photographs and inserting mice running through the newsroom. At the Toronto International Film Festival, Boyle defended his decision and largely sidestepped larger concerns around the future of AI in the film industry. To me, the most frustrating aspect of this controversy is simply how unnecessary the decision was. Not only are these moments truly blink-and-you’ll-miss-it, but they are also in a film that features several genuinely inventive visual techniques. It is difficult to understand why Boyle felt the need to use generative AI for such minor effects. In the end, however, this is a review of the film itself. “Ink” is certainly imperfect, but it is also always entertaining in a way that reminded me why Boyle remains one of current cinema’s most exciting directors. The screenplay may not match the film’s ambition, and the use of AI deserves loud criticism, but neither issue is enough to derail the experience for me. For a film about a newspaper that revolutionized the industry by abandoning restraint, it seems only appropriate that Boyle delivers his message in the boldest print possible.

THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

NETFLIX/IMDB

Eliana Kut (CAS ’29) praises “La Bola Negra” for its sheer emotional depth and excellent execution of thematic darkness.

FILM

Filled With Tragedy, Optimism, ‘La Bola Negra’ Is a Sweeping, Stunning, Striking Masterpiece  Eliana Kut

Deputy Guide Editor

Three narratives are interwoven with tragic optimism in “La Bola Negra,” a queer epic released Oct. 16 in the U.S. Based on an unfinished play by Federico García Lorca and Alberto Conejero’s “La Piedra Oscura,” which follows events during the Spanish Civil War, “La Bola Negra” questions what it means to truly live and love as an individual while maintaining a strong sense of identity. The first narrative we are introduced to begins in 1937, following Sebastián (Álvaro Lafuente Calvo, better known by his stage name Guitarricadelafuente), a musician forced to join the Spanish Nationalist forces. Sebastián is ordered to watch over a Republican prisoner of war, Rafael Rodríguez Rapún (Miguel Bernardeau), with whom he soon forms a close bond. After Rafael entrusts him with preserving an unfinished play by García Lorca, Sebastián attempts to follow his instructions while dealing with the harsh realities of the war, its aftermath and what is expected of him as a soldier.

The second narrative, set in 2017, follows Alberto (Carlos González), an openly gay playwright and historian who receives a surprise inheritance from his grandfather, Sebastián. Alberto knows nothing about his estranged grandfather, but after being left a manuscript seemingly written in García Lorca’s handwriting, he begins to investigate and is consequently forced to come to terms with his family history. A third story, set in 1932, entwines the first two. Though it initially seems like another historical aspect of either Sebastián or Alberto’s story, the strange intermittent story of Carlos (Milo Quifes), a wealthy young man from Granada, turns out to be the inspiration for the protagonist of García Lorca’s missing play. As enticing as the stories of the film are, Gris Jordana’s cinematography is captivating to the point of unblinking rapture. The artistic direction and cinematography turn every frame into a spectacular work of art, focusing in detail on the Spanish landscape and the people within it. Appealing but not

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026 | THEHOYA.COM

annoyingly bright, the surreal tones of the sea, the hospital Rafael is stationed in and many other landscapes felt reminiscent of the Technicolor films of the 1950s. Minutes into the film, Sebastián climbs the rubble of what was once the statue of Saint Sebastian, an homage to the fall of artistic liberty during an authoritarian struggle. The beautiful scene stayed engraved in my memory for the rest of the film and set up everything to come. Dreamlike sequences — such as Carlos dancing and stumbling through a bar — and the occasional removal from reality — with scenes set in imagined snowy mountains — adapt the surrealist symbolism of García Lorca’s poetry into visual form. These scenes become symbolic, magnetic metaphors of the characters’ hidden desires and fears. In the end, Alberto reconnects with his family history by giving the manuscript to a scholar of García Lorca, played by Glenn Close. We see Sebastián commit to carrying out Rafael’s wishes and, by doing so, continuing a legacy of love. While Carlos dies, his final regret that he was not transparent about his

identity haunts the final scenes of the film and serves as a message against passivity. Focusing on the themes of love, loss, acceptance and queerness, the focus on the three storylines allows for history to be viewed from different angles. Sebastián’s heartbreaking life story, delicately emulated by Lafuente, was set against his grandson’s story. Most notably, it sharply juxtaposes his grandson’s ability to publicly have a boyfriend without the fear of persecution. Meanwhile, Carlos’ brief life illustrated the devastating reality that many queer individuals are not able to truly live the way they want. As Alberto uncovers more about his grandfather, Sebastián’s story in 1937 and Carlos’ story in 1932 unfold chronologically, with the film creating a fictionalized ending for Carlos and the play’s lost ending. This worked particularly well, and though some of the film’s revelations felt slightly premature, they did not diminish the cathartic moments that so beautifully encapsulated the film as a whole. While much of “La Bola Negra” feels devoid of consolation because of how thematically dark it is, its final scenes leave us with hope for the future. Through the sacrifice of poets, artists and people of previous generations, there is optimism for our time and a future where no one needs to live a hidden life, like Carlos, and sometimes Sebastián, through a denial of themselves. “La Bola Negra” begs us to continue loving and caring in memory and recognition of those who could not.

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MUSIC

Ashe’s ‘The Girl of Your Dreams’ Belongs on Broadway

 Wesley Sreter Hoya Staff Writer

From the moment the curtains open on a wedding that needs to be stopped until they close on a funeral celebrating a lifetime of love, Ashe puts on an incredible show. On her fourth solo album, “The Girl of Your Dreams,” the 33-year-old indie pop singersongwriter combines sharp lyricism with vivacious strings and infectious melodies that sound like they belong in a Broadway musical. Ashlyn Rae “Ashe” Wilson has always been a theatrical songwriter, but this is the first album on which her songwriting, production and artistic identity feel fully aligned. Musicality and melodrama have always been a part of Ashe’s musical canon — her 2019 breakout hit, “Moral of the Story,” proves that an album this theatrical has always been in the cards for her. Written during her divorce, the song’s poignant lyrics about regretting getting married in the first place are emblematic of a musical’s closing monologue. When she remarried to John Clark Canada in October 2025, she experienced something completely different. “I felt like I could run if I needed to, and I didn’t want to,” she told Glamour Magazine in November 2026.

That realization inspired the album’s opening track and lead single, “Stop the Wedding!” With a new perspective on her first marriage, Ashe transforms a painful experience into a playful and humorous warning to her younger self and women everywhere. It makes sense, then, that for her fourth album, Ashe reunited with Noah Conrad, who helped write and produce “Moral of the Story.” Now a more assured songwriter with a clearer artistic vision, Ashe’s return to her original collaborators marked a full-circle moment. Drawing inspiration from Nat King Cole, ABBA, Queen, Elton John and the aesthetics of 1950s Hollywood, the result is her most sonically cohesive album yet. “Stop the Wedding!” opens with a soft guitar that quickly builds into an explosive chorus. Ashe sets the scene with a secret note and voices in her head. Strings, synths, percussion and gradually intensifying instrumentation create suspense as she reminds listeners that running is always an option: “Even though the table’s set, the guests are waiting / You can burn the dress and run away.” I found myself drawing a comparison to Taylor Swift’s “Speak Now,” but Ashe reverses the perspective: She is the bride, not the wedding interrupter. Ashe continues this theatricality on “Lasso the Moon,” combining jubilant

trumpets, flutes and strings that evoke a jazz performance in a 1920s speakeasy. She jokes about how hard she is to please: “Lasso me the moon / Not asking for much, it’s up to you.” “Swan Lake,” on the other hand, is ominous. The melancholy verses transform into an explosive chorus, where she uses the lake as a metaphor for trapping her lover in a relationship. In both songs, the album’s biggest strength is clearly its production. The arrangements remain distinct while sounding cohesive, adding a dimension of motion and dynamism to each track. In a pop landscape dominated by synths and electronic production, the emphasis on live instrumentation on this record is incredibly refreshing. That is not to say her songwriting is not just as sharp. “Lasso the Moon” features incredible wordplay — “I’m so easygoing, always going with the flow / As long as you’re giving me what I want exactly” — while “Love Bomb” turns a contemporary dating term into a statement of self-worth. The most promising moments, however, come from stripped-down tracks. On “Sunburn,” she describes a partner who sees the worst in everything: “I think of the sun / You think of the burn.” Her songwriting is consistently witty without sacrificing emotional depth.

In a storytelling and production sense, the album truly becomes a musical on “Always September,” which Ashe has described as a Barbra Streisand-inspired ballad. As she enters the second verse, the percussion picks up into a memory of a Chicago heatwave, mint chocolate chip ice cream and an iced latte, almost as if the listener was reliving the memory themselves. Even “Sunburn” could belong on the soundtrack of a classic musical like “The Sound of Music” or “Mary Poppins” with its wistful string outro. The final curtain call comes with “Funeral,” where Ashe imagines her partner delivering the last speech at her funeral. Triumphant trumpets give way to an emotionally resonant finale: “The best thing I ever did was loving you, loving you.” The song, inspired by her husband’s wedding vows, brings the record full circle. Ashe has always had the songwriting prowess and theatrical ambition to create a record like “The Girl of Your Dreams.” Although it took until her fourth goaround, she has finally brought that vision to life with live instrumentation, masterful production and some of her sharpest lyricism to date. As the curtain falls, Ashe has more than earned a standing ovation.

TELEVISION

‘Minimum Wage’ Serves a Fresh, Promising Slice of Pizza 

Sophie Erlinger Hoya Staff Writer

There is nothing quite like your first minimum-wage job. Odd characters, many who would otherwise never meet, find themselves in typical teenage shenanigans and, in the process, create unforgettable memories. In American High’s new Netflix series “Minimum Wage,” this formative time is accurately displayed through a charming and unique comedic spectacle. Founded in 2014 by Jeremy Garelick, American High is a Liverpool, New Yorkbased social media production company that supports young adult comedians. In April 2026, Netflix ordered 28 episodes of “Minimum Wage,” inspired by American High’s web series of the same name. The first 14 episodes were released Oct. 26, with no date announced for the second half of the season. The series follows a group of minimumwage workers, played by American High cast members, as they attempt to save the failing location of their local pizza chain. All of my favorite members from the group made the cut, including brothers Ryan and Aidan Micho, Julia DiCesare and Hyde Healy. Smartly, each actor played an alternate version of themselves, allowing the focus to be on their comedy rather than their underdeveloped acting skills. The star of the show, as I could have predicted, is “Saturday Night Live” rookie

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Grace Reiter. Reiter plays the 14-year-old manager of the pizza store with commitment and absurdity. Even when not the sole focus of an episode, Reiter shines in her background work. I found myself laughing out loud at her facial expressions alone. What I also appreciate about this series is that the core group not only acts, but writes and directs. In fact, 12 of the 14 episodes were written and directed by the main cast, which they did very well. Many episodes include parallel storylines that intertwine to create comedic situations, which takes a certain level of craftsmanship. Beyond this layered craftsmanship, there are individual jokes that were so well done that I can’t get them out of my mind, such as Aidan trying to surprise Grace for her birthday and getting trapped in a giant cake. The fact that these young professionals were able to have such a big say in their own work is incredibly inspiring for the up-andcoming talent in the entertainment industry. For a newer company with a comparatively small budget, American High is supporting their creative team and allowing them to thrive. The result is incredibly promising. The final cast member and founder of the pizza company is “Fresh Off the Boat” star Randall Park, who you may also recognize as Asian Jim in “The Office.” Park is the perfect celebrity pick, matching the comedy style of the cast. Despite this, his presence was not utilized as much as I wanted. He appears as a punchline rather than fully integrating

with the group’s dynamic, which would likely have been even more hilarious. Additionally, each episode has an internet figure guest star. It was nostalgic to see YouTube icon Teala Dunn and “Never Have I Ever” cast member Tyler Alvarez as drama club members. The best additions, however, were Chelsea Matkins as a woman getting broken up with and Lydia Hynes as a pizza delivery girl for a rival company, also members of the American High group. Bigger names may have brought more attention, but episodes with cast from the established group, such as “Breakup” and “Sleepover,” felt more cohesive. While generally strong in both comedy and casting, the show has structural flaws that I hope are just growing pains. Each episode is about 15 minutes long with its own unique story. This structure works well at first, complementing the group’s sketch background — bits stay punchy, and each character gets their time to shine. However, the length left each episode as an individual entity rather than part of a larger series. Overarching plot points, such as the financial failures of the location and the romantic relationship of Luke (Luke Burke) and Julia’s mom, appeared sporadically rather than developing over time. Some of the blame goes to the writers, but making the show in a more traditional sitcom format of 22 minutes would have created space for these improvements. This is especially obvious when it comes to other running “jokes” that are cliche and a

half-effort attempt to provide continuity. It brings some humor for Julia to be a clueless homeschooler and for Tommy (Tommy Armstrong) to date a girl named John (Kalissa Persaud). However, they didn’t fully land, so I got tired of their repetitiveness after a while. Similarly, almost all of the background information we get about the main characters is only used as comedic ammunition. Aiden, for example, has two dads, which he shares after making a string of religious references. While each worker’s identity was touched on a bit in a couple of episodes, I would have loved some more information about who they are outside of the workplace. The finale, “New Year’s Eve,” also skimped on background information, focusing on a plot in which Julia got her first kiss at midnight. It made me even more deeply invested in the characters and set up a cliffhanger to be explored in the next drop. However, I also found it to be the least funny, wandering too far into a basic fiction genre. It felt as though a script was written and then turned into a sketch rather than the other way around. If the contextual details and comedic skits were separate, both themes would come across. “Minimum Wage” successfully displays the talents of its strong comedic cast, but also has some drawbacks from its unorthodox format. This show is definitely not for everyone, but I’ll be ordering another slice.

THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

MUSIC

‘Battle of the Bands’ Stuns With Musicians’ Energy, Talent  Juan Almanza Deputy Guide Editor

Student music has been the hallmark of my time at Georgetown, and nothing encapsulates its magic better than Battle of the Bands. This year, Georgetown Radio (WGTB) collaborated with George Washington University’s District Radio (WRGW) and American University Radio (WVAU) to host the Battle of the Bands on Copley Lawn, using orange and purple stage lights to transform the steps of White-Gravenor Hall into a stage with a stunning backdrop. Part of this crowd was Elliot Anderson (CAS ’28), another Georgetown student musician, who said student music and performance are a vital part of campus culture. “I’m here to support some awesome musicians and have a fun Saturday night,” Anderson said at the event. “Student music has changed my life as a Georgetown student; it’s made me feel accepted and make change in a real way.”

Indeed, it was sure to be a fun Saturday night as Rumspringa, the student band representing Georgetown, took the stage. Rumspringa has been on my radar for their consistent dedication to working outside of the box of traditional rock stylings. Whether it’s experimenting with quick drum patterns or stop-and-start guitar toward the end of their original “You Should Have Known,” their sound is wholly their own. Rumspringa’s setlist was chock-full of their original songs, and their stage presence has only improved since their last performance. Both Jack Griffin (CAS ’29) and Jack Barklow (SOH ’29) shredded on their guitars, with each bent note letting their instruments truly sing. Anthony Orphanos (CAS ’29) on drums brought his A-game, especially during his solo. There’s an art to moving gracefully around a drum kit, and clearly Orphanos has mastered it. Ben Fang (SFS ’29) on bass further laid down the crucial vibes for the rest of the band to shine on, especially Nina Ambro (CAS ’29), whose high notes reminded me of Ann Wilson of Heart. As Rumspringa concluded their set, Chandler Paulk (CAS ’28), the general

ON YOUR RADAR

manager of WGTB, said Battle of the Bands is a great community builder and fulfills the role of music in forming connections with other students in the Washington, D.C. area. “We reached out not only to American and GW, but a lot of other schools in the area, so hopefully this grows into something even bigger,” Paulk said at the event. After the killer set Rumspringa had put on, I doubted anyone would be able to follow it up. However, when George Washington University’s student band, Public Servants, took the stage dressed in sharp black suits and ties, I knew we were in for a treat. With the swagger of Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner, the moves of Elvis in his prime and a style that oozes The Dare, Public Servants owned that stage and they knew it. With a nice mix of funky originals and classic covers, there wasn’t a single dull moment throughout their set. Special props are owed to the lead singer, whose range channeled the emotion of a British rockstar with the tenderness of a reincarnated Jeff Buckley. Public Servants also had a strong fanbase, with George Washington students Mueez

Ahmad, Dylan Nichols and Emily Chao all coming out and raving over the band. “I think it was better than Radiohead,” Ahmad noted, with Chao then adding, “I rocked with them so hard. That was beautiful.” To slow things down after the stage-stopping Public Servants came the final band of the night, The Shutouts from American University. With an impish bounce and indie-rock flair, I felt transported back to my middle school days, when this type of sound was all I had on my MP3 player. The songwriting felt wholesome, allowing the songs to revel in their simple and direct nature and making for an overall enjoyable set. It was hard to pick a favorite once the poll opened up to decide who was to be crowned winner of Battle of the Bands, but Rumspringa’s all-original setlist combined with their dedication to constantly work outside the box earned them the crown in my eyes. The judges and audience, however, awarded Public Servants the honor for the night and deservedly so. The awards ceremony closed out another wonderful night of connection, music and joy for all three universities and student music writ large.

By Penelope Snoep

THIS WEEK’S THEME: Here Come the Holidays

DC HOLIDAY MARKET

GU FILM FESTIVAL

The DC Holiday Market at Dupont Circle opens Thursday, Nov. 12, and will remain open until Dec. 23. Open Monday to Friday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., as well as Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., the market will feature more than 35 small businesses. Find unique gifts for your friends and family from local artists, crafters and boutiques while enjoying a variety of sweet treats.

The annual Georgetown University Film Festival will take place Nov. 19 and 20 in the Healey Family Social Center (HFSC) Film Screening Room. Beginning with a breakfast of coffee and bagels, the festival will move into a program of serious short films, a screening of Poh Si Teng’s “American Doctor,” an interview with Teng, a more fun short film program, a graduate panel and, finally, a networking reception. Admission is free.

@DCHOLIDAYMARKET/INSTAGRAM

@GUFILMFESTIVAL/INSTAGRAM

ICE SKATING

‘THE ODYSSEY’

Georgetown’s Washington Harbour ice skating rink will reopen Nov. 19 until Feb. 28, 2027. The ice rink, next to the Potomac River, has beautiful views and is surrounded by amazing restaurants. The rink offers skate rentals for $8 and open skate sessions in 90-minute increments. Adults skate for $12.

Georgetown’s department of performing arts will host a free screening of Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” at the Gonda Theater on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 6 p.m. The screening will be in 4K and surround sound.

@WASHINGTONHARBOUR/INSTAGRAM

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026 | THEHOYA.COM

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS/IMDB

| B5

FILM

While Not a Perfect Film, ‘Clayface’ Is Still Worth a Watch 

Francis Rienzo Deputy Guide Editor

The introduction of one of DC Comics’ most famous villains, “Clayface,” delivers an enjoyable two hours and welcomes a solid antihero. However, the film struggles to do much more than that, trying and failing to juggle being a horror film, villain origin story and romance all at once. It also only minimally references the bigger DC universe, with no post-credit scene and a boring showcase of Gotham City. Tom Rhys Harries stars as Matt Hagen, a Gotham street kid turned Hollywood star. After his face is disfigured during an encounter with the mob, he loses his acting job and becomes the target of a smear campaign that frames him for assault. He begins his descent toward evil, becoming the eponymous villain and shapeshifter Clayface. The film explores highly relevant themes like artificial intelligence, medical malpractice and Hollywood’s obsession with beauty. While the thematic content never becomes too preachy or corny, the dialogue is, at times, poorly written. Harries successfully embodied a character that I wanted to see win, but whose journey down such a dark path was also believable. It is easy to feel for Matt for much of the first two acts, as he loses his job and friends, struggling to reckon with his injuries. His friends sell him out for acting opportunities, and the media frames him as a criminal. He carries the film, with his bold acting choices — such as his panic and anxiety on a very turbulent flight

scene — pushing me to want to see more. The chemistry between love interest Dr. Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie) and Matt is palpable, singlehandedly bolstering scenes that are otherwise bogged down by mediocre dialogue. The film’s other performances are also strong, including Joshua James as Matt’s slimy best friend Corey and Eddie Marsan as unhelpful manager Frank Fitzpatrick. Both characters betray Matt after his face is disfigured, pushing Matt to shapeshift into both of them. Fitzpatrick and James both have to portray their characters as being impersonated by Matt, which is both intriguing and impressive for its acting. The strongest part of the film, however, is its committed use of body horror, reminiscent of Sam Raimi’s horrific creations or Coralie Fargeat’s skin-crawling prosthetics in “The Substance.” There are some jump scares and stomach-churning prosthetic work that made me jump out of my seat. Numerous surgeries and invasive procedures constantly change Matt’s face, forcing the squeamish to look away. It was great to see a superhero film lean in so heavily to these horror elements, especially in an era of monotonous action films. That being said, the setting and production design could have been better adapted to the Gotham City universe. Shots of the city bathed in daylight made it seem more like New York City or Philadelphia than the usual dark and grimy Gotham. In comparison, Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” offered viewers a highly stylized, dark aesthetic. “Clayface” could have benefited from a happy medium of the two, situating Gotham as a dark, cool city where a Hollywood actor like Matt could still live and be famous.

The film’s pacing is also quite weak. It takes a long time before the audience starts seeing the true effects of Matt’s condition and his evolution into Clayface. While the film’s first two acts move slowly, its third act finally gets the film going, though only to make the first two acts feel even more like a slow burn. Meanwhile, “Clayface” does little to expand the DC universe. There are minimal references to the larger franchise, completely steering clear of any Batman references and avoiding expanding on any other elements of Gotham City, such as Matt’s childhood growing up on the streets. There are valid reasons for this — the film was already trying to balance Clayface’s origin story with a compelling narrative, and DC-universe

references might have muddled the packed plot. But a post-credit scene would have been a welcome addition to clue the audience in to what’s next in the DC cinematic universe. I am interested in seeing where Clayface’s character goes in future films. The ending is ambiguous, and it is unclear how he fits into the new DC universe. I would love to see Harries as Clayface on my screen again, in a cooler, more stylized environment and interacting with other characters. Making this the third film in the DC Universe reboot was a gamble because it does not advance the franchise beyond just introducing Clayface. Hopefully this gamble is one that will pay off, and Clayface will become a major villain in the franchise.

DC STUDIOS/IMDB

Francis Rienzo (CAS ’27) thinks “Clayface” makes for a compelling villain origin story but fails the larger DC Studios cinematic universe.

FILM

‘Behemoth!’ Is a Soaring Symphony Filled With Ambition 

Grace Ko

Deputy Guide Editor

Written and directed by Tony Gilroy, “Behemoth!” follows Alex Serian (Pedro Pascal), a cello prodigy, as he returns to Los Angeles after floating between different orchestras. After working in Dallas, Chicago and Boston for the past 20 years, Alex carries a lot more baggage than one would expect. It is a premise filled with possibility and, while not perfectly executed, the film experiments with that opportunity in harmonious ways. “Behemoth!” uniquely operates in flashbacks from three distinct parts of his life: his present everyday life in Los Angeles, his past in different orchestras and his life in the LA recording studios. In particular, his time recording in LA essentially produces the score for the film, as the music played in these sessions bleeds into these flashbacks. In this manner, music is a lively character in the film. The score essentially colors the mood and tone of each moment of Alex’s

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life, resulting in a fascinatingly diverse score. An intense action theme plays as he escapes from a jilted lover in Chicago, while a gorgeous love piece is then introduced in flashbacks where he falls in love with fellow violinist Nadia (Eva Victor). Most beautiful is the tragically bittersweet melody that underscores his hunt in LA, where he discovers an entirely new part of himself. The film’s incorporation of the score into these flashbacks is an incredibly innovative and beautiful way of highlighting music’s centrality to this character’s life. Building on this foundation, the film is quite ambitious in its portrayal of memory. The film organizes its flashbacks non-linearly, such that one moment the audience would be viewing Alex in Chicago, then suddenly he appears in Dallas, seven years ago. At best, it is an intriguing way to show how Alex experiences his memories. At worst, however, it is a confusing and even disorienting look into this character’s life. While confusion is not always a flaw, with Gilroy at the helm, viewers cannot help but hope for a more coherent vision. As the showrunner of “Andor,” arguably one of the best

“Star Wars” pieces of media out there, Gilroy has shown his unique capabilities in pushing stories’ boundaries and writing from novel perspectives. Yet, there is a distinct lack of cohesion to the story in “Behemoth!” — at least until the film’s incredibly riveting third act — which begs the question of whether Gilroy did enough to set up the story’s basic pillars. Though he is the film’s central subject, Alex suffers from a lack of personality. Conceptually, Alex is a complicated man. He constantly runs away from his complicated past, has a messy history of failed romances and continuously has to deal with his family’s dysfunction. These details build an intriguing foundation for the character, which the film barely builds upon, resulting in a character who only appears to be complicated. This is further emphasized by Pascal’s somewhat bare performance. Throughout the film’s first half, Pascal feels detached and uninterested in his surroundings. Alex is too blase, so much so that he feels sorely out of place. He barely reacts to anything, and while that could be an interesting portrayal of processing family trauma, the lack of development makes such a portrayal feel confusing rather than purposeful.

However, whatever weaknesses plague the film’s first and second act, the third act is simply breathtaking. “Behemoth!” hinges on a secret. Throughout the film, Alex uncovers this secret, and the third act is when the film lays all its cards on the table, revealing a heartbreaking truth that makes the whole story click into place. The muddling memories form into a clear insight into Alex’s motivations to return to LA. Pascal becomes a powerhouse as he delivers a harrowing and heartwrenching performance of a man who realizes there is still some good left in his life. The third act is the film’s emotional lynchpin and what makes the entire experience of puzzling out the film’s true intentions truly worth it. Yet, while the film’s final act was enough for me to fall completely head over heels, the film’s inconsistent character-building and lack of clarity may make the story fall flat for others, regardless of its standalone success. “Behemoth!” is ambitious, gorgeous and everything in between. The piece has its flaws, unlike a classic from Mozart or Beethoven, but it is still a wonderfully emotional exploration of a single man’s pain, especially in how his music captures his traumas and joy in one bittersweet harmony.

THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

FILM

‘How to Rob a Bank’ Fails to Cash In, Sparks Zero Interest  Brad Derfner Guide Columnist

David Leitch is easily one of my favorite action directors working today. His previous two films, 2022’s “Bullet Train” and 2024’s “The Fall Guy,” are two of my all-time favorite popcorn flicks, combining charismatic lead performances, an infectiously humorous tone and inventive action sequences, likely thanks to Leitch’s stunt experience. So when I learned that his newest film, “How to Rob a Bank,” would center on a group of bank robbers who utilize social media to their benefit, I was seated. I have always loved a good heist movie, and combining what I already adored about Leitch’s films with a premise clearly aimed at Generation Z, the film seemed tailor-made for me. Unfortunately, “How to Rob a Bank” is an unrecognizable step down from Leitch’s prior work, completely devoid of his trademark charm. It features painfully unnatural dialogue, a thinly written cast of characters and several vain attempts to appeal to younger audiences. Quite often, I found myself laughing out loud at the screenplay, though only sometimes for the reasons that the filmmakers intended. For a director who had seemingly found a groove, this is one of the year’s more notable disappointments. The film follows an eccentric crew, led by Ryan (Nicholas Hoult), that executes and documents precise bank robberies with over-the-top social media posts. Inspired by the high-energy content that TikTok has made so popular, the robbers gradually build a large and devoted online following. Importantly, these criminals are not interested in just personal wealth: At the start of the film, they already have more than enough money to retire overseas. This is a fact that

veteran FBI agent West (John C. Reilly) makes sure to explain to the audience several times, just in case we ever manage to forget it. But the crew sees it differently. They position themselves as modern-day Robin Hoods, fighting against what they see as an exploitative financial system. For example, Ryan and his partner Emi (Anna Sawai) lost their son Ren after they could not pay the bills needed for his life-saving medical treatment, while Army veteran Vince (Pete Davidson) developed lung cancer during his service and felt scorned by the system upon returning home. As the group’s online popularity surges, West enlists the reluctant help of Reagan Gardner (Zoë Kravitz), a disillusioned software engineer who agrees only because West promises to get her sentence commuted. This premise, though full of cliches, still allows room for Leitch to explore various themes of social media fame, economic inequality and the growing distrust of financial institutions. But writer Mark Bianculli’s screenplay offers little beyond the most basic implications of these ideas. Each robber receives a tragic backstory that could ostensibly explain their turn to criminality, but the film simply fails to build layered characters around these one-line explanations. This failure is especially frustrating given how many characters compete for attention throughout the film’s 122-minute runtime. Ryan and Emi should, in my opinion, have been the focus of the plot to give it an emotional foundation. Instead, their relationship is completely underdeveloped, leaving the audience with no one to root for. This dialogue only exacerbates the structural issues of the script — Bianculli repeatedly attempts to force the humor that characterized Leitch’s previous films, delivering jokes that frequently feel AI-generated. The problem is not necessarily that the humor is juvenile — it’s not like “Bullet Train” was high-brow

art house cinema — but just that the film lacks the personality to make such an approach work. Part of the problem may also lie in the absence of the magnetic performances that have anchored Leitch’s previous films. Hoult is certainly a talented actor, but he lacks the same larger-than-life presence and crowd draw in this particular role, and the screenplay offers him little opportunity to compensate. Without a compelling central character, Leitch’s familiar mixture of action and comedy becomes considerably harder to sustain. Nowhere is the film’s desire to court younger audiences more apparent than in its soundtrack. The opening scene is set against Fred Again’s “Victory Lap,” loudly and immediately announcing the demographic it hopes to attract. From here, the film features a seemingly endless and constantly obnoxious procession of needle drops, including

music from Billie Eilish and Childish Gambino. One particularly jarring moment abruptly shifts from a serious exchange between Ryan and Emi into an extended make-out sequence set to Eilish’s music. The scene just felt “made for streaming,” fully encapsulating my issues with the film overall. Rather than using songs to complement storytelling, the film, especially in the first half, resembles a playlist searching for a narrative. In the end, “How to Rob a Bank” is a highly disappointing production from a filmmaker whom I would consider myself a huge fan of. Importantly, this effort lacks the charisma, humor or emotional investment necessary to work, even with some solid action sequences. Overall, for a movie so concerned with how to cultivate an online following, “How to Rob a Bank” seems to have forgotten the importance of giving audiences something worth caring about.

AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC./IMDB

Brad Derfner (CAS ’27) was disappointed in director David Leitch for the plot underdevelopment and lackluster dialogue in heist film “How to Rob a Bank.”

MUSIC

The Experimentation in ‘marroW’ Is a Double-Edged Sword 

Juan Almanza Guide Deputy Editor

“marroW,” the newest album from singersongwriter brakence, sheds the emo rap and glitchpop stylings of his 2022 album for the stankiest sounds of R&B, funk and art pop. However, abrasive sampling and production are a double-edged sword — both raising the bar on just how innovative brakence’s sound can be while revealing its hard limits when the album missteps. First, it’s hard not to contextualize the vast swamp that is “marroW” without first looking at its predecessor, “hypochondriac.” The erratic and slimy production in “hypochondriac” takes time to get used to, but its self-deprecating and emotional songwriting makes for a project that instantly plucks at the listener’s heartstrings. “marroW” keeps the melancholic low tones that have permeated brakence’s music since his debut, but this time, it replaces bright synths with waltzing pianos, distorted vocal chops and funky guitars. Nothing about this combo should work as well as it does, which is brakence’s greatest magic trick.

Songs like “wishing well” and “Problem Child,” especially with their sauntering basslines, are arrogant but vulnerable, exploring complicated parental relationships and documenting cries for help, respectively. Each song has its own psychology, with dissonant funk progressions hiding the deep fear that peeps through parts of the songwriting: on “body,” brakence croons “I don’t wanna be free / Keep my body from me.” This all comes to a head with “crystallized” later in the album, featuring the stankiest guitars and what could only be a slap bass, as brakence sings about how “cheeks go red as a garnet” for his intimidatingly gorgeous lover. When “marroW” reaches its heights, it tops brakence’s discography. The aforementioned funk and R&B are far from the only sounds explored on this album — they are matched with aggressive glitch pop tracks like the album’s lead single, “ready or noT.” Creepy keyboard passages meld with crunching samples and stomping 808 percussion in a harrowing symphony. The song is effectively brakence’s magnum opus, fusing his moodiness with new clean guitar tones. Upon the single’s release, I was under

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026 | THEHOYA.COM

the impression that “marroW” would be exactly this: brakence finding that harmonious balance between preserving what made him so iconic and continuing to push his sound’s boundaries. I suppose he succeeded on a technical level. The sampling work is magnificent — already technically challenging to pull off — and his vocal work, too, has been elevated. The bar has been raised — but not all the tracks meet the mark. It’s a thin line to walk; no song on “marroW” is necessarily bad. Each track could stand well on its own. An album, however, is a group project. “sinkflY,” the 10th track, features trudging walls of guitars on the chorus and a creepy walk down the fretboard, but is painfully slow and dull. Coming off the heels of “body,” whose falsetto passages soothe and better utilize its guitars, “sinkflY” feels out of place. “hypochondriac” understood how to inject slow songs with the same sound palette from its heavier songs while still keeping their intimate nature. “marroW,” on the other hand, hesitates here. Instead of repurposing its sounds, it strips them back, making them feel hollow compared to the album’s highlights. It veils emotional moments with grittier sounds, creating a confusing mix of effects.

This obfuscation extends to the songwriting. The yearning in “crystallized” harkens back to the work on “hypochondriac” that, while critiqued as egotistical, displayed an authenticity that “marroW” unnecessarily complicates. The surrender seen on “venus fly trap,” a single from “hypochondriac,” is clear when he sings, “Leave a scar on my soul ‘cause it’s smarter to fold / I take it better when she don’t even ask me.” There is no question that he feels he has given up on resisting this other party and their advances, and it’s harrowing. “marroW,” on the other hand, doesn’t hit that same high. Songs like “jesteR,” which discusses a male figure that’s “corrupting the kids” and “spinning the wheel,” could have been understood as a commentary on the contemporary manosphere. But the song is confused by nonsensical additions. This is furthered by the layers of lore, characters and endless metaphors. The lyrics feel pretty, but ring hollow. “marroW” is one of my favorite albums this year, but it’s hard to ignore its faults. Its peaks are accompanied by a series of confusing decisions, though it’s undeniable that it delivers a strong return to the scene for brakence.

| B7

CROSSWORD

By Luke Landegger

This Week’s Theme: Nighty Night 1

20 23

49 53

56 63

65 68

DOWN 1. All-rounder of trades 2. Sunburn soother 3. Response to a relatable meme 4. Putting a track length between you and your competitor 5. Literary castaway Robinson 6. SNAP payment system 7. “Stay (I Missed You)” singer Lisa 8. The only one in the song “Tequila” is “tequila”

50 54

B8 |

44 47

9. Place a Persian gets pampered 10. Pirate’s outburst 11. Bluff, say 12. Fruity chip dip 13. Support permanently 14. Synthetic silk 21. Sticky label that helps with introductions 24. Language of Pakistan 26. Wyatt of the Old West 27. “I don’t want to know!” 28. Dunces

29. Go down, like stock 30. “Hellooo..? Is this place empty?” 31. Like some music and lights 35. Enero, por ejemplo 37. Make advances? 38. Location 40. Cuisine with green and red curry 41. Wilson of “The Internship” 44. ___ Talks 46. Opposite of burst 48. One of two evils 50. Judges a cooking contest

ACROSS 1. Prisoner’s room 9. More tranquil 15. Morally pure man, figuratively 16. Grande of “Wicked” 17. Clerical job made redundant by machines of the same name 18. Hip 19. Hangs on to 20. Thrifting containers 22. Slimy substance 23. Debtor’s letters 25. One of South Africa’s three capital cities 28. Symbolic for its time 32. Sirs’ counterparts 33. “Avatar: The Last Airbender” protagonist 34. “hmu privately” 36. Tehran dough 39. Soar 40. Shirt that exposes the midriff and shoulders 42. Hula hoop? 43. Laziest of the deadly sins 45. Part of Caesar’s famous phrase 46. “___ She Lovely” 47. Author Zora ___ Hurston 49. Be caught by the cops 51. Like a child who adheres to a curfew 54. Take a quick rest 55. “Umbrella” singer, to fans 56. Octagonal red sign 58. Lineup 62. Makes king 65. Shut down, as a rumor ... or a literal clue to this puzzle’s circled letters 67. Take charge? 68. Hindering 69. Michelle Obama’s pronoun pair 70. It may be ejected 51. Black-and-white predators 52. It brings out the kid in you 53. Subject under discussion 57. Usain Bolt’s shoe 59. Slightly 60. Piece of camping equipment 61. Brink 63. Skip the daily commute, for short 64. Maiden name preceder 66. “Decorates” with Charmin, for short

THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2026