Halftime Leisure

The Voice’s takes on all things media and culture.

Halftime Leisure

From La La Land to Brexit: 10 things turning 10 in 2026

The (height of the) dab By Ryan Goodwin Although technically created and popularized in 2015—thanks to the Carolina Panthers’ Cam Newton—the dab reached its peak in 2016. From Musical.ly videos... Read more

By , , , , , , , , and 3:00 PM

Halftime Leisure

The five deadly sins of Stranger Things 5

The science fiction/thriller, global phenomenon TV series Stranger Things (2016-2025) has officially ended after almost 10 years of 1980s nostalgia, beloved characters, and, let’s just say, some pretty strange things.... Read more

By January 23, 2026

Halftime Leisure

Crossing the window in Mussolini: Son of the Century

Mussolini: Son of the Century (2025) should feel less familiar, given that World War II concluded eighty years ago. However, through grainy, real-world historical footage of parades and speeches, viewers... Read more

By January 11, 2026

Halftime Leisure

Heart vs. mind, soul vs. beat: Moving with Roberto Terrell Jr. in his debut

As we approach the end of the year, as a Dean collaborating with Roberto through our community health–focused intergenerational narrative project, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing him step into... Read more

By December 19, 2025

Halftime Leisure

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein comes with complementary Daddy Issues™

Every once in a while, some director or writer grabs a classic novel and thinks, “Step aside, Shelley/Orwell/Dickens/[Insert Important Person Here]. I’ve got this.” Sometimes it’s genius. Sometimes it’s hubris.... Read more

By November 19, 2025

Halftime Leisure

The best places to cry on campus

Midterms got you down? Situationship not texting back? Clubs rejecting you right and left? College life can get overwhelming and sometimes, you just need to find a secluded place to... Read more

By and November 18, 2025

Halftime Leisure

The Woman in Cabin 10: A surface-level dive into a glamorous crime

What happens when a reporting gig turns deadly? The Woman in Cabin 10 (2025), directed by Simon Stone and based on the novel by Ruth Ware, follows journalist Laura “Lo”... Read more

By November 11, 2025

Halftime Leisure

The Show Must Go On (And On): Saturday Night Live Kicks Off Season 51

Everyone’s favorite live comedy sketch show, featuring celebrity hosts and an award-winning cast, is back for another riveting season, with fans trying to figure out if 30 Rock will be... Read more

By November 5, 2025

Halftime Leisure

Trailer Takes: Wicked: For Good brings the promise of success through authenticity and reimagination

When I first saw the trailer for Wicked: For Good (2025), I quite literally screamed (into my jacket) and booked my GCal (a month in advance) for this November must-watch.... Read more

By November 2, 2025

Halftime Leisure

The Voice’s Halloweekend horrorscopes!

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) By Joaquin Martinez This October, Mercury is in Scorpio, meaning your thoughts will run deep and weigh on your conscience. In the wise words... Read more

By , , , , , , , and October 31, 2025

Halftime Leisure

With Bon Iver, Daniel Caesar reaches a new emotional “Moon”

Daniel Caesar’s “Moon” (feat. Bon Iver) doesn’t demand attention. Rather, the track unfolds like a slow confession. It weaves together themes of longing, faith, and self-doubt into a soundscape that... Read more

By October 27, 2025

Halftime Leisure

The summer I got hooked on mediocre television

The leaves’ colors are changing, midterms are upon us, and beach days feel long gone, but I’m still stuck on summer.  On September 17th, Prime Video released the concluding episode... Read more

By October 18, 2025

Halftime Leisure

It’s not the album cover that’s the problem—it’s our fear of female sexuality and the violence it contends with

This summer, I worked for Ms. Magazine and became a bit of their “unofficial official” Sabrina Carpenter Correspondent, as well as all things pop and sex. Naturally, the Man’s Best... Read more

By October 15, 2025

Halftime Leisure

The Voice’s Fall Playlist

I’m someone who has three or four huge playlists, not hundreds of thematic bundles of songs that depict the exact emotion I’m feeling. Frankly, it’s impressive to be able to... Read more

By October 9, 2025

Halftime Leisure

The 2025 VMAs: Is the Music Video on the Rise, or is it Destined to Fall?

Since the now-nostalgic days of Music Television (MTV), the music video scene is flooded with creativity, controversy, and the promise of a good time. After MTV’s first music video, “Video... Read more

By October 6, 2025

Halftime Leisure

An evening at an open mic night

At any given moment, millions of songs lie at our fingertips. Platforms like Spotify and Apple Music grant users convenient access to a massive inventory of music for a few... Read more

By October 3, 2025

Halftime Leisure

The allure of horror movies: Is it truly a misunderstood genre?

“We’re all mentally ill,” Stephen King writes in his essay Why We Crave Horror Movies. And while I once thought that this might be unique to all horror fans, I... Read more

By October 1, 2025

Halftime Leisure

A Case for the Classics: Halo 4

Being well into the 2020s, writing about the 2010s feels like travelling to a completely different era. Looking back at the video games of the past and picking up Halo... Read more

By September 26, 2025

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“Big Mama” and “People’s Princess” K.O. speculations of beef with new thunderous collaboration

Latto and Ice Spice have something to prove with their new single, and it’s not just that they were blessed in all the right places. “Gyatt” (2025) is a bass-heavy,... Read more

By September 25, 2025

Halftime Leisure

Halftime Leisure’s 2025 songs of the summer

1. “The Subway” – Chappell Roan After months of asking, begging, and pleading for Chappell Roan to release “The Subway,” she finally dropped the studio recording, and thank God she... Read more

By , , , , , , , , and September 13, 2025