As foreshadowed by its title, “Shawn” — released Nov. 15 — allows listeners to get close and personal with the Canadian singer-songwriter as he shares the battles he’s been fighting since the release of “Wonder” in 2020. After canceling his 2022 world tour to take care of his mental health and going through a somewhat public breakup with Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes shares part of his journey in this album full of rootsy folk-rock lullabies. 

As the majority of students prepare their bus tickets, check over their boarding passes and fill up the gas tanks of their family cars, Ithaca College prepares to close down campus for Thanksgiving break. The college’s classrooms will go dark, and with them, any major presence of a student body for the week. Despite most students returning home for the interim, some students are here to stay. The remaining students will find there is very little to do on campus once the break begins. With Dining Services and academic buildings closed, the minuscule numbers of students and staff result in a low amount of entertaining and community-bonding events. 

“Heretic” was released by A24 on Nov. 8, marking directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ latest terrifying contribution to the horror scene following “A Quiet Place” and other lesser-known horror films. The film stars Hugh Grant as the endlessly captivating yet bone chilling Mr. Reed, Sophie Thatcher as Sister Barnes, and Chloe East as Sister Paxton. From start to finish, “Heretic” proves itself a gem amidst the slew of horror movies already released this year. While this year has heralded some truly great horror films, this film takes it a step further through its unique blend of horror, intrigue and questions it poses to the audience. “Heretic” takes place in one house and follows three characters, yet it never gets old. Whether through its extremely clever use of tension or the genuinely thought-provoking questions Mr. Reed forces you to ponder, “Heretic” remains a captivating film through and through.

“Anora” is part comedy, part drama and all heart. The runtime of nearly two-and-a-half hours flies by thanks to writer-director Sean Baker’s emotionally riveting and hilarious narrative. It follows Anora (Mikey Madison), a young Brooklyn sex worker of Russian descent whose Cinderella fairytale might actually be a nightmare. At work, Anora — who goes by Ani — is self-assured, leading men to the ATM to withdraw cash, or slowly inching closer to them the longer they talk. Vanya (Mark Eidelstein) is no Prince Charming. He’s the 21-year-old son of a Russian oligarch who shows up at a strip club looking for a lap dance, preferably from someone who speaks Russian.

Tyler, the Creator dropped his most personal album to date Oct. 28. “CHROMAKOPIA” explores themes about Tyler’s struggles with love, sexuality and the idea of fatherhood. To get a full week of Billboard chart tracking, artists typically release new music on Fridays at midnight, but Tyler chose to release his album on a Monday at 6 a.m. instead. He said he wanted his fans to be able to listen to the album with their full attention. He also made the creative decision to hide his features upon release, so they do not distract fans from listening to the full album.

Pixies has come back to haunt October with their spooky spectacular ninth studio album “The Night the Zombies Came.” The album holds a theme of horror with stories of zombies, hypnosis and being chased from the perspective of a decapitated chicken. The band has been long known for its imprint on rock music in the 1980s and early 1990s, but as of March this year, its bassist Paz Lenchantin left the group and fans have been eager to hear what the band’s new sound will be. Emma Richardson, the new bassist, pulls through with her smooth vocals on various tracks in the new album. Bass lines are the glue to any song and Richardson proves her ability to keep up with the large shoes left for her to fill, while also adding her own style.

The Academic Quad outside of the Ithaca College Library is a bustle of activities in the warmer days leading up to winter. This fall, however, a new face has emerged as a frequent patron of the outdoors. Almost every day — weather accommodating — first-year student Ashton Spinale sets up on the quad with his yo-yo and a pair of AirPods. Spinale said he listens mostly to pop, some rap and whatever his favorite songs are at the time. The music is essential because happy, upbeat songs get him ready to yo-yo to the rhythm.

While a night out at the movies only takes a few hours, it can take anywhere from one to three years for a movie to advance from the first drafts of a script to post-production and eventually the silver screen. History has proven that this production timeline is subject to unprecedented delays with uncertain effects, whether that be as a result of a global pandemic or a movement of unionized strikes.

Leon Bridges’ “Leon”, released Oct. 4  is a smooth, relaxing and mellow album that aims to imitate the most peaceful times and places in a person’s life. In 13 tracks, Bridges manages to astoundingly capture what it’s like to truly be in a peaceful place. That very notion is exemplified in his songs, “Peaceful Place” and “Simplify”, which are both dedicated to that feeling, as they talk about his experiences in his own special places. A slow and tranquil array of sounds accompanies Leon’s journey through life. The mellow vocals convey who Leon is at heart, his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, and the girls he has fallen in love with. 

Taughannock Falls room was packed with students murmuring amongst themselves Sept. 28. It was a gray and cloudy Saturday, but inside there was a spectrum of bright, eye-catching colors. A wide variety of hairstyles populated the conference room, including braids, twists, afros, straight hair and wigs, all with different colors and adorned with charms and accessories.

Released in theaters Sept. 27, Megan Park’s sophomore movie, “My Old Ass,” is about an 18-year-old girl named Elliott (Maisy Stella) who is about to move away from her small town to Toronto for college. A funny script with solid performances, My Old Ass stumbles a bit on the path to delivering its message. But just like Park’s previous work, it’s a movie with a passionate lead seeking answers to their struggles as a teenager.  Elliott is a classic angsty teen character who can’t wait to leave her hometown life behind. She decides to celebrate her 18th birthday by taking mushrooms with her best friends in the woods, which, of course, leads to her coming face-to-face with her older self, played by Aubrey Plaza.

For nearly a century, Disney films have captured the hearts of children and adults alike through their animated retellings of classic fairy tales. Through an increase in acquisitions like Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios and National Geographic, Disney has expanded its empire to a variety of genres and projects.