Written by: Erika Echegoyen I’m sure most of you have at least heard of Transformers — giant alien robots from outer space that have the ability to turn into cars, planes, tanks, space shuttles, et cetera. Maybe you’ve even seen the films (but we won’t be talking too much about…
Month: April 2026
Technology as an Existential Threat in George Lucas’ Star Wars
Written by: Aidan Srb Star Wars has always been more “space fantasy” than “science fiction,” so it makes sense that it isn’t often interpreted as an explicit “warning” about the future of technology like many of its sci-fi contemporaries were — indeed, George Lucas seemed more interested in the past…
Gnomeo, Oh Gnomeo… Where Art Thou? Gnomeo: In Defense of “Gnomeo & Juliet” and the Message Behind the Film
Written by: Noa Climor On February 11th, 2011, the world was introduced to yet another rendition of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, which I vividly recall watching at our local movie theater with my mom. But it was not just another play or movie with the same exact script; this…
The Meaning of “Worth” in Gachiakuta
Written by: Hannah Dang DISCLAIMER: The following blog post contains spoilers for Kei Urana’s Gachiakuta manga series and the anime series. I caution you to read at your own risk. Materialism. Commercialism. Consumerism. Capitalism. Pollution. We’re all guilty of it. Translated to mean “Legit Trash,” Kei Urana’s manga, Gachiakuta, is…
On Maggie O’Farrell
Written by: Margaret Devlin Several times over the last year, Maggie O’Farrell’s writing was recommended to me quite emphatically by three of the most important people in my life. My grandmother, uncle, and best friend raved about her award-winning Hamnet, calling it a “must-read.” Unfortunately, in spite of them insisting…
Preacher’s Daughter: A Recommendation of Ethel Cain’s Haunting Narrative
Written by: Samantha Hass I don’t really consider myself an album-listener. Rather than listening to whole albums in order, I normally just gravitate towards listening to songs that fit my mood at the time, paying little mind to the through line between song choices. Preacher’s Daughter, however, is my one…
A Nontraditional Take on Horror: Midsommar Review
Written by: Tori Grooms This is the second Ari Aster film I’ve watched, and part of me wonders why I opted to watch Midsommar in the first place. Hereditary left me mentally disturbed by repulsive imagery, and I spent the last twenty minutes of the film watching with my eyes…
Experiences at AWP: Representing Long River Review
Written by: Ryan Krishna Earlier this month, my friends and fellow LRR staff embarked on a six hour drive to Baltimore MD. Together we were to attend the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) Conference and Bookfair. Despite the weather forecast in Baltimore predicting a thoroughly rainy stay, the…
No-Skip Albums: Experiencing Songwriting and Musicality
Written by: Chengli Payton Over the years, I have come to realize that my music-listening process may be a bit unorthodox: I like to listen to specific albums and artists, rarely shuffling except when listening to music while studying. Yes, I mainly use Apple Music. Yes, I prefer the Spotify…
Finally Getting That ADHD Diagnosis
Written by: Zoe Yoo If you said to me ten years ago that I’d be diagnosed with ADHD, I would’ve told you, “Yeah, that makes sense.” At the ripe old age of 20, I finally got the professional confirmation that my friends, family, and I knew all along — that I…