Entertainment

Dragon Age: Inquisition, the latest title in Bioware’s Dragon Age series, is an outstanding game, every bit deserving of the numerous “Game of the Year” rewards it has received. I’ve completed both prior Dragon Age titles, and loved both almost without reservation, even the extremely divisive Dragon Age 2. However, while Dragon Age: Inquisition may very well be the most well-designed title yet, I find myself partially dissatisfied, despite having played it all the way through and enjoyed it thoroughly.

It’s the end of an era not only at The Daily Show, but also for satire news in general. After 15 years of skewering politics, the media, and more, Jon Stewart announced his retirement from The Daily Show on Feb. 10. 

Valentine’s Day is known for chocolate, candlelit dinners, Hallmark cards, flowers, and lovers exchanging gifts. This year, the holiday was also marked by the February installment of the Red Bank River Read series, which included Suzanne Parker and Monmouth’s own Melissa Febos, assistant professor of English. The Manhattan Bagel was packed to near capacity as people of all ages joined together to hear the writers read.

It is no false claim to say that many college students spend a lot of free time streaming movies and television shows on Netflix. The service provides a great alternative to venturing to the movie theater and spending almost $30 by the time the tickets and concessions are paid for. With Valentine’s Day approaching, couples all over the country will be planning some variation of the classic “dinner and a movie” outing. Instead of spending a fortune on seeing a movie in a theater, here are some great selections available on Netflix for couples to enjoy a more intimate and cost-effective night in.

　Artists from around the world gathered at The Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA, for the 57^th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 8. Airing live on CBS at 8 pm, the show opened with two AC/DC songs that got the crowd ready to go.

L.A. Theatre Works performed In the Heat of the Night at Monmouth University’s Pollak Theatre on Thursday, Feb. 5.

　In a sea of dramas and biopics this Oscar season, one film stands out so obviously that it cannot be missed. The Grand Budapest Hotel, directed by Wes Anderson and starring Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, and many more, is truly a comedy, drama, mystery, and thriller wrapped in one package. But despite what sounds like a wild tone, The Grand Budapest Hotel is completely entertaining and incredibly fun to watch.

It’s a familiar storyline: a one-night stand becomes a dangerous obsession. The most prominent film to feature this plot is Fatal Attraction, the 1987 film starring Michael Douglas about a man that gives into a one-night stand with a woman (Glenn Close) who “will not be ignored.” Hollywood has since then attempted to create successful copycats with a twist. For example, Obsessed in 2009 starred Beyoncé as a cheating wife, but the affair wasn’t actually real—it was a figment of the imagination of Idris Elba’s temp secretary played by Ali Larter. Obsessed did not see the same success as Fatal Attraction, but, then, the characters were not as believable, the acting was not at the same level, and the story was predictable. That hasn’t stopped Hollywood from repeating this story.

“There are no two words in the English language more harmful than ‘good job,’” Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) declares in the feverish indie flick Whiplash, about the toxic relationship between a tyrannical jazz band conductor and his collegiate drummer. Helmed by up-and-coming director Damien Chazelle, Whiplash enlists an electrifying soundtrack and gripping performances to give a new meaning to the phrase ‘blood, sweat, and tears.’