“Red One,” released Nov. 15, is Hollywood’s marketing dream. Two of the biggest stars, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Chris Evans, travel around the world with name-brand toys like Hot Wheels. Their mission is to save Santa, who is codenamed RED ONE, and played by another one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, J.K. Simmons. Callum Drift (Johnson) is a member of the North Pole’s Enforcement, Logistics and Fortification team and Santa’s right-hand man. Callum teams up with heartthrob Jack O’Malley (Evans), a deadbeat dad trickster who happens to be a master thief and hacker. 

Kevin Conover, a senior cinema and photography major at Ithaca College, embarked on the filming of an especially bloody scene for his senior film thesis titled “What Simon Said.” Numerous fake, blood-covered props were discarded in dumpsters across Ithaca, which spurred a serial killer investigation by the Ithaca Police Department. 

Starting Nov. 14, the Rotunda Gallery in the Handwerker Gallery will be covered with an innovative and diverse selection of artwork created by the seniors majoring in art at Ithaca College. The exhibit, titled Prelude 13, will open with a reception on the evening of Nov. 14 and be available to viewers through Dec. 12.  For over 10 years, seniors in both the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts programs have taken the course Theories and Practices: Professional Practices at the college that allowed them to explore professional life as an artist beyond graduation.

“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.

Ryan Bieber ’22 proves that a degree is not a binding contract for a career path after college. Bieber got his Bachelor of Arts in journalism with minors in environmental studies and Spanish at Ithaca College. After graduation, he decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue a music career. Originally having picked the college for its journalism program, Bieber said he benefited from the former School of Music by taking every class available for students who did not have a major or minor in the Department of Music Performance.

“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.

“Here” was released by SONY Pictures on Nov. 1 to resounding indifference. This film marks the return of Robert Zemeckis, director of “Forrest Gump” and “Back to the Future.” It also serves as the long-awaited on-screen reunion of Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. “Here” had all the makings to be great, yet fails in all the places that count. The film’s concept is simple. The camera never moves. This concept, while interesting, proved difficult in execution for a feature-length film. Despite this, the film has its merits and utilizes its premise to the fullest –– albeit quite dragged out –– potential.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “Agatha All Along” skillfully balances both blockbuster and comic expectations, featuring jaw-dropping character reveals, seamless execution of nonlinear storytelling...

“Venom: The Last Dance” was released Thursday, Oct. 24 by Sony Pictures. Serving as director Kelly Marcel’s final installment in the Venom franchise, “The Last Dance” was tasked with saying goodbye to audiences’ favorite symbiotic alien duo crisply and satisfyingly, while still keeping the pure ridiculousness the franchise is known for at its core. In this department, “Venom: The Last Dance” succeeds. While this movie does not particularly innovate or change the game, Tom Hardy delivers a fun final performance as both reporter Eddie Brock and Venom, an evil alien turned Eddie’s soulmate.

Surviving through the pandemic, Cinemapolis has stood as a town staple rooted in Ithaca’s rich film heritage. Despite the theater’s resilience, it became increasingly difficult for the theater to maintain its business as its space’s rent continuously increased. As of Oct. 1, Cinemapolis was at risk of shutting down completely because of rising rent. In order to preserve its existence, the theater took the step of buying up the space.

Tavern on The Commons is a new bar that opened Oct. 2. It is still in its opening phase, but with its team’s vast experience with bars and nightlife entertainment, they hope to bring a new bar experience to The Commons for the different demographics of downtown Ithaca. The bar took over the space on Seneca Street previously occupied by Kilpatrick’s Publick House.