Alternative and punk rock teens and 20-somethings lined up outside The Foundry Nov. 27 to see a full lineup of artists opening for The Wrecks. The crowd ranged from devoted fangirls to those just waiting for some good music from familiar names in the punk music genre.

The first opening band was The Stolen, a little-known alternative band made up of four young men from New Jersey. The group formed in 2013 and has been slowly emerging into the limelight ever since, releasing an EP and several singles. The Stolen started off the concert with a softer rock tone compared to the bands that would follow, which was a surprising introduction due to the difference in styles.

The second opener was Deal Casino, a much more well-known band among rock fans. The band entered the dark stage to the repetition of a synthesizer whine. This synthesizer noise led directly into their first song “My Gun.” They continued to belt out lyrics to their psychedelic ballads, even including a small television playing clips of sitcoms to introduce one song.

The entire performance was a complete sensory overload, bright lights overhead shining into the audience’s eyes while the band played onstage, and ear-deafening music blasting through the large speakers on each side of the stage, especially during their soulful song “Chocolate Cake.” This performance was the physical manifestation of Deal Casino’s psychedelic sound. At the end of their set, Joe Parella, the vocalist, climbed upon the scaffolding of the venue’s ceiling to take a polaroid selfie in front of the crowd, ending the set with a bang as he jumped down with his guitar. Their zany lights and crazy antics made their show more of an experience, not just live music.

The final opening band was Badflower, a band made up of four Los Angeles musicians playing songs from their studio album “Ok, I’m Sick.” Badflower is a hard rock group that has been opening for other bands like The Struts and Pop Evil within the past few years. Josh Katz, the lead singer and guitarist for the band, was definitely the biggest personality on stage. His crazed smile set the tone for his group’s brooding and emotionally passionate music. By the end of Badflower’s set, it was obvious that the audience was itching to see The Wrecks after sitting through three other bands, and they didn’t have long to wait.

Finally, it was time for the main act. The Wrecks emerged to the cheers of all. The LA based group immediately opened with their hit “Figure This Out.” After the group energetically played two songs from their EP, “Panic Vertigo,” they performed a newly written song called “This Life I Have.” During this song, the lead singer Nick Anderson led the audience in how the song would pick up in tempo. The song was filled with angst and reflection on life as a star, and the dramatic shift in tempos made the song lively and dance-able. The emergence of newly written and unreleased songs continued as a trend throughout the set, as The Wrecks have only officially released eight songs.

Other new unreleased songs that were introduced during the show included “Rely.” This song explored the difficulty that comes with a change in relationships as a couple grows apart. The song did not employ the usual high volume and elaborate guitar solos usually found The Wreck’s other works, but its deep slow lyrics set it at a sharp contrast from the other music that night in the best way. The other unreleased song performed was “Freaking Out” an authentically punk rock tune that was clearly in The Wreck’s style. The crowd went wild for this sneak peek into the opportunities of music to come, and they danced and attempted to sing along to the lyrics they were not yet familiar with.

The Wrecks continued the show with several more tracks from their album, carrying out humorous conversations with the audience concerning what they should play to fill time. The set concluded with their hit single “Favorite Liar,”, which has gained over 12 million listens on Spotify. During this song, fans scrambled to the front of the audience, crowd surfing and even attempting to jump up onto the stage itself. The band then slowly left the stage, much to the dismay of their screaming audience.

The band then rushed back onstage to play an encore. However, all eight songs from their discography had been played, so the final two songs were “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet, and “Life,” which was written by lead singer Nick Anderson as a teenager, which reflected on his confusion after moving to California. The two songs introduced a combination familiar with The Wrecks’ setlist, a combination of emotional depth and a fun tune that gets fans jumping up off the floor.

The concert as a whole was a diverse conglomeration of artists belonging to the rock genre. I left the concert with my ears ringing and with The Wrecks’ newest catchy songs stuck in my head. As I was leaving the concert I was not disappointed by the amount of music I had been given the experience to watch that night. Although my feet ached after standing through four different bands, I would return to see each of them perform again if given the chance.

“Robin Hood” is a movie directed by Otto Bathurst, who directed the first episode of “Black Mirror,” and stars Taron Egerton in the title role — despite him never being referred to by that name. To put it bluntly, this movie is bad, in every sense of the word.

The fight sequences are way too reliant on slo-mo and it feels like choreographers went to the Michael Bay school of fight sequences, where you can’t tell what the hell is going on. The special effects are almost laughably bad, especially one chase scene on horseback. The sets never looked real, they are too clean for a poor medieval mining village; they look like a medieval section of Busch Gardens or Disney World right before the park opens for the day when all the cast members are waiting for the guests to show up.

The costumes are some of the most historically inaccurate that I have ever seen. They look like costumes that you put together the night before Halloween using stuff you found at Goodwill. I’m honestly not sure if everyone in the film is even wearing a costume; Ben Mendelsohn and Eve Hewson wear what look like normal clothes throughout the entire movie. I would in no way be shocked if some of the extras are just wearing the clothes that they showed up in on set.

Speaking of period accuracy, that ended up being another major problem I have with the film. It opens with Friar Tuck telling the audience that this is a story whose date has been lost to time. There are multiple red flags with the technology shown that are too stretched and don’t seem believable. Between the industrial steel mill, the minecarts, the rapid-fire arrow shooter, the gunpowder that they use to make bombs, and other things that were definitely not commonplace in the Middle Ages, they might as well have given them guns.

When it comes to the acting, I have seen all the actors do better before and I’m disappointed in their performances. Jamie Foxx plays this movie’s version of Little John, who is reimagined as a Muslim who wants revenge after the crusaders killed his son and he hates the English so much that he is completely fluent in their language and adopts the English name John (though as with Robin Hood, no one ever actually calls him Little John). Foxx has some unintentional funny moments and it feels like he is either trying too hard or not at all. Mendelsohn seems to simply be seeking a paycheck in this role. As the Sheriff of Nottingham, he basically gives the same performance as Director Krennic in “Rogue One” two years ago, with the addition of the classic villain trope of constantly yelling about how he hates the movie’s hero. I hate these type of villain performances and I hated it in this movie.

The title character, Taron Egerton, as I previously mentioned, is never actually referred to as Robin Hood. They call him Robin of Loxley when he is in civilian mode which is usually shortened to just Rob. They call him The Hood when he is doing vigilante work, but no one ever says the two names together, not even at the end of the film.

Beyond that, he doesn’t even give the money he steals to the needy until he overhears someone say that he should, making his motivations kind of confusing because we barely know anything about him. How old is he? Where is the rest of his family? Are they dead? Why is he so generous with his wealth when none of the other noblemen are? Why does he value human life more than the other soldiers do? Also, how can nobody figure out that Robin and The Hood are the same person? His disguise of a hood and cloth covering his mouth is not the most convincing, with no help from the fact that he never really tries to stay hidden or keep to the shadows.

It didn’t feel like an adaptation of the tale of Robin Hood; it felt more like an adaptation of a non-existent “Assassin’s Creed”-style video game that was based on a non-existent comic book that was based on the actual tale of Robin Hood. There is no King Richard, there is no Prince John, the movie takes place almost entirely in cities so we don’t get to see much of the forest and the Merry Men aren’t even in the movie. They set up a sequel at the end that could possibly have these characters in it, but due to this movie being predicted to be one of the biggest financial bombs of the year, that’s not going to happen even if we wanted it.

If I had to say anything positive about the film I would say that  the graphics during the closing credits look cool. Part of that might have to do with the fact that I knew it meant the movie was over, but I thought the designs were interesting. Don’t see it, there are plenty of better movies that you can see this holiday. Is it the worst Robin Hood movie ever made? Maybe.

The world was first introduced to the iconic Italian-American boxer from Philadelphia when “Rocky” hit theaters in 1976. Bringing in $225 million at the box office, it became the highest grossing film of that year and kicked off a highly successful sports-drama series which has since reached eight films.

The seventh film came in 2015 when director Ryan Coogler (“Black Panther,” “Fruitvale Station”) introduced a spin-off from the original series with the title “Creed.” The story centers on aspiring boxer Adonis “Donnie” Johnson, the illegitimate son of Rocky’s rival-turned-friend Apollo Creed. The spin-off features Michael B. Jordan (“Black Panther,” “Friday Night Lights”) in the title role and Sylvester Stallone returning to his legendary role of Rocky Balboa. With “Creed,” Coogler provided a fresh take on the popular franchise as he brought it into the modern era.

“Creed II” caused concern early in production when it was announced that Ryan Coogler would not return to direct the film. Since Coogler had co-written the original with Aaron Covington, I admittedly was skeptical about how the sequel would turn out without his presence. In Coogler’s absence the film features a story written by Cheo Hodari Coker (“Luke Cage,” “Notorious”) and Sascha Penn, with the screenplay handled by Juel Taylor and Stallone returning to a writing role for the franchise. Stallone was supposedly intended to direct the film but ultimately the role was given to Steven Caple Jr. (“The Land”).

The film picks up three years after the fight against light heavyweight champion “Pretty” Ricky Conlan and we see the success Adonis has obtained in these years. Dolph Lundgren returns to the role of Ivan Drago, the Russian boxer who killed Apollo Creed in the ring years prior. During Adonis’ rise to stardom Drago has been training his son Viktor, seeking the perfect opportunity to take on Adonis in the ring. Following Drago’s loss to Balboa in “Rocky IV” he was seen as a disgrace to his country. Intending to bring honor back to the family name, Drago hopes to seize the opportunity for a fight 33 years in the making: Creed vs. Drago.

While “Creed II” certainly serves its purpose as a sequel to “Creed”, it also doubles as a continuation of “Rocky IV.” There is significant development of characters introduced in “Creed” but it is particularly interesting to see the position Rocky has been put in. We find him struggling with his decision 33 years prior to not end the fight between Apollo Creed and Ivan Drago, which ultimately ended in Apollo’s death. The re-emergence of Drago brings the pain back into his life as he is forced to relive the moment, putting a strain on his relationship with Adonis.

A highlight of the film comes as Tessa Thompson reprises her role of Bianca, Adonis’ love interest. Jordan and Thompson have undeniable chemistry on screen, forcing viewers to become emotionally invested in their story. The duo perfectly portrays the difficulties of the relationship as Adonis’ pride and ego cross over from the world of boxing.

The “Rocky” franchise has often utilized real-life boxers as opponents. In “Creed,” boxers Andre Ward and Anthony Bellow stood opposite Jordan, portraying Danny “Stuntman” Wheeler and “Pretty” Ricky Conlan, respectively. The franchise continued the tradition by casting Romanian boxer Florian Munteanu in the role of Viktor Drago. Munteanu presents a true display of athleticism in the sport of boxing. Watching the large and intimidating frame of Viktor Drago train and take on opponents brings a pure sense of the danger at hand should Adonis enter the ring with the fighter.

Following the life and experiences of Adonis, allows for important themes to be explored, leaving viewers with much more than a simple fight film. A standout element is the exploration of family through a number of relationships displayed. In particular, Ivan and Viktor display the true strain on a father-son relationship as Ivan attempts to use his son to bring glory back to his name.

The spin-off series has been able to differentiate itself. A key factor has been the music which brings an urban influence. “Creed II” features a soundtrack curated by prominent hip-hop producer Mike Will Made-It, and Ludwig Goransson (“Black Panther”) returns as the composer. During training montages the urban influence is prevalent in the scoring while Goransson simultaneously implements elements of “Gonna Fly Now,” the original “Rocky” theme, creating a nostalgic feel.

“Creed II” develops the story and character of Adonis while opening a number of possibilities for where the franchise could take him next. It rarely stumbled with Steven Caple Jr. at the helm which simply leaves me wondering how spectacular it could have been if Coogler had returned for the sequel. While I hope to see at least one more film in the series, “Creed II” provides a satisfactory conclusion which could wrap up the boxing saga.

“You’re the one waiting for yourself at the end of the tunnel,” Jessie Reyez, a 27-year-old Toronto-born singer and songwriter, said to a sold-out crowd during a quiet reflective moment in her set at Union Transfer Nov. 20. Reyez’s set ranged from doling out encouraging advice for “people following their dreams,” who she dubs as “dream chasers” to wild energetic songs like “Dear Yessie.”

Reyez’s music is confessional, raw and relevant. Her new EP “Being Human in Public” tackles many different topics such as female sexuality, working hard, fighting off negative energy, politics and honesty from her lovers and herself. Reyez performed all of the songs off “Being Human in Public,” such as “Body Count” and “Apple Juice,” as well as some from her last EP such as “Kiddo.”

Reyez catapulted to fame through her songwriting on “Promises” with Calvin Harris and Sam Smith and through her track “Figures” off her first EP “Kiddo.” She was also recently featured on two songs from Eminem’s album “Kamikaze” — “Nice Guy” and “Good Guy.”

The show opened with Savannah Re who sung about her relationships with her current husband, past exes and herself. Re sang soulful R&B with bass-heavy, danceable rhythms in the background. Her songs were honest and touching. The crowd favorite was probably “Count ‘Em Up,” a song about having lots of guys chasing after her. Re’s vocal range was showcased in “Best Is Yet To Come,” a song about knowing that something better is coming after a bad relationship.

Reyez got deeply personal as she talked about struggling with getting work in the industry and battling depression. She talked about how she first grew her thick skin around age 20 or 21. At that time, she was begging for people to listen to her mixtapes and she finally met a producer who gave her a chance. She sang for him and he told her she could sing, but she would need to suck d— in order to succeed. This inspired the song “Gatekeeper” which resonates with many women speaking out in the #MeToo movement.

Sprinkled in between sets, Reyez’s gave advice to the audience about chasing their dreams and also told little stories about herself. She encouraged all these “dream chasers” to get into their chosen industry through any means possible. She started as a songwriter and worked her way up to being on the stage. She also told a story of her first tour in Philadelphia when she sung “Shutter Island” from “Kiddo.” Although she finished the song and put the mic down, people kept singing.

Reyez has a way of being succinct through the tone of her voice and word choice. She is one of those artists who are better live than on recordings because of her energy. She feels everything and one can see it all over her face. She runs and jumps all over the stage. It is like her energy expands to fill the room and the audience can’t help but be mesmerized by it. They seem to feel her passion for songwriting and her career at every point throughout the concert.

Reyez’s set was dictated by a series of moments she created during each song. At one point, she came down stage to play guitar and sing “Figures.” The lights were shut off and everyone in the audience waved their flashlights to the beat. She has this distinct way of going back into the emotions of the song, no matter how long ago the events in the song happened. Another moment was the mosh pit she created in the center of the crowd during “Nice Guy,” a collaboration between Reyez and Eminem about a guy trying to be decent, even though his girlfriend thinks he is cheating. One of the most beautiful moments of the set was when Reyez sang “Sola,” her first song entirely in Spanish. Everyone sang along with just as much feeling as Reyez who sat on a stool towards the front of the stage.

Even though Reyez’s set relied on lights to create effect, such as bright white spotlights when she performed “Apple Juice,” the mood was all dictated by Reyez. Her connection to the audience through songs like “Figures” and “Sola” was definitely among the top highlights.

Some people thought the concert ended when Reyez left the stage after singing “Figures,” which was supposedly the last song of the night. Fortunately, she came back after a few minutes to continue with “Blue Ribbon” and got the crowd excited again.

Reyez ended her set by thanking her band and asking them to demonstrate their talent on their instruments through solos. Seeing Reyez’s humbleness and gratitude throughout the show for her fans, her band and how she got started made the lyrics resonate with her audience even more. Jessie Reyez knows how to create an honest, positive space in a world where that does not seem possible sometimes.

“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” the sequel to “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” created a lot of excitement for Harry Potter fans in the months leading to the its premiere. Even though the events takes place separately from the main series, most people still refer to it as the newest Harry Potter movie. I am a huge fan of the franchise myself, but the Fantastic Beasts sequel threw a lot at the screen for two and a half hours. The author of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling wrote the screenplay for this film, as well as the first “Fantastic Beasts;” Either her writing is getting a little bit predictable or the production company is paying her a lot of money to put in plenty of action scenes.

Do not get me wrong, there is a clear storyline that advances from the first movie and this movie was extremely entertaining and enjoyable. Blockbuster movies these days just follow such a predictable plot in that they typically just build up to a climactic fight scene at the end. The movie follows Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), a “magizoologist,” who rescues and aids different magical creatures. The sequel picks up at the endpoint of the first film which takes place in the mid 1920s in New York City. Rowling’s version of the 1920s has amazing set design that is insanely detailed. “Crimes of Grindelwald” is a lot darker in comparison to the first movie. Jude Law plays a young Albus Dumbledore, a well known character in the Harry Potter books and films, and all he did in the film was walk around and teach a class. The film follows a big, bad villain before Voldemort’s time during the Harry Potter series. Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) is trying to build up his power and has big plans to create a world “more equal” among muggles and wizards.

Depp, being the huge movie star he is, does not bring anything new to the antagonist he is playing. In the first film, Colin Farrell played Grindelwald who was a lot more intriguing to watch and is known for his dark comedic roles. The biggest problem with these movies has been the casting; they are trying to deliver what the Harry Potter movies did. Redmayne is interesting to watch but something is clearly lacking. That might just be due to the writing and odd potholes that appear in the film. “Crimes of Grindelwald” seems to hint at some ideas of fascism and totalitarianism since it is set right before World War II. While it would be nice to explore these ideas more in the third film, it should be more for depth rather than just visual stimulation.

This being the second installment of a five part series, there is time for plenty of improvement. The movies could continue to lack emotional depth if no improvement is made. What made the Harry Potter films more emotionally stimulating amongst the audience was how the characters had depth to them. The actors in those films had seemingly better acting skills and more connection to the story. Also, they had overall themes of love with friends and family.

“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” tried to put in some of that but it fell flat. Production teams have so much potential story material to use in this world Rowling created. It is a shame that this sequel lacks emotional depth.

We live our lives online now, it’s just a fact of the times. In some ways, our online lives are more important than our actual ones; how often have you balked at giving out your email while entering your home address without a second thought? Despite this, there’s still a tendency for older people to think of online life as unimportant and silly; harassment victims are still told to log off, despite many of them requiring the internet to make a living and interact with friends. But what if someone attempted to steal your online identity? Where does that leave you now? “Cam,” a new technothriller debuting on Netflix, examines that question and all the unsettling implications it brings in one of the smartest, most impressive horror movies in recent memory.

Madeline Brewer stars as Alice, a camgirl performing under the name “Lola.” Her dream is to be one of the top 10 most popular cammers, and her method is staging violent fantasies among the usual coy, playful sex shows. She seems to be earning a pretty hefty takeaway from the job, as shown by the house she’s moving into, and she genuinely enjoys her job. All this starts to crumble when she’s locked out of her account and discovers that someone who looks exactly like her is streaming live. What follows turns tense and fascinating, as Alice attempts to regain control of her online life against an otherworldly presence that seems to know everything about her.

The easiest thing would be to compare “Cam” to an episode of “Black Mirror,” seeing as it’s a horror story about technology, and Madeline Brewer even starred in season three’s “Men Against Fire.” But “Cam” is far less cynical about the effects of technology in Alice’s life. In fact, Isa Mazzei’s script makes Alice unusually smart, and never cheapens itself by resorting to cheap horror cliches or inexplicable character behavior. One scene in particular echoes common sentiments told to online harassment victims and how law enforcement is entirely unequipped to deal with it. Mazzei’s history as a camgirl herself is the strongest asset to the film. She paints camming as a performance in and of itself. Alice forms parasocial relationships with the various men who like to watch her play a ditzy sex doll character. From a Q&A that director Daniel Goldhaber gave at the Philadelphia Film Festival premiere, it sounds like Mazzei was pivotal in many of the nude scenes as well, which never feel exploitative. Though her script does fumble a bit at the end, it’s remarkably self-assured for a first-time writer.

Brewer has been a welcome presence on shows like “Orange is The New Black” and “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and she dives into this role with an intensity that should make her a breakout star. She imbues the doppelganger Lola with an uncanny sense of humanity, that feels off because you know it shouldn’t exist. In another scene, she simmers in anger that grows more and more intense as she takes it out on the doppleganger. You get the sense that Alice is more angry that her status is being usurped rather than terrified at this strange new thing, and it makes her obsession all the more unsettling. Director Daniel Goldhaber ramps up the surreal nature of the whole endeavor as the film goes on, drawing horror out of the sense of the unknown until and heightening every interaction Alice has with her “fans.” He’s a skilled director, making tension out of staring at a screen, not to mention a lurid visual palette.

“Cam” is a special type of horror film. It depicts the horror lurking under technology that could apply to anyone: Twitch streamers, YouTubers, even Instagram Live users. It does this without demeaning sex work or turning it into a lewd spectacle, instead using the loss of identity as the starting point for its horror. Moreover, it seems to actually get how important technology is to people’s livelihoods and social lives and respects the amount of work it takes to get to a certain level. All in all, it makes for a strange, unnerving watch, perhaps one best suited for a computer screen.

“Castlevania” is about as basic as you get. Based on the popular video game franchise of the same name, the vampire lord Dracula, mourning the murder of his human wife by the church in the opening minutes of the first season, sets out to eradicate all of humanity. It is up to his half-breed son Alucard, the last vampire hunter Trevor Belmont and the magician Sypha Belnades to stop him. It seems like a straightforward premise and in the first season, that is what it turned out to be: a good, straightforward action series. Not much in the way of commentary, surprisingly plentiful badass and jovial dialogue, and spectacularly animated fight scenes.

Season two of the Netflix original anime, while doubling down on this blend of comic and serious moments and giving us even better fight scenes, somehow also manages to take the show’s simple premise and expand upon it with deep, nuanced and multi-dimensional characters. Through what seem like comedic moments, we learn about the motivations of and see a kinship develop between the protagonists. The wit and banter among these characters blends comedy and sincerity seamlessly to great effect. The moments with the antagonists, though far more serious,  still make welcome use of the show’s excellent sense of humor.

It is here that we see both the biggest improvement and biggest gamble that the show takes in this new season. In the first season Dracula isn’t heard from  aside from setting up his motivations at the beginning. Instead, his demonic hordes and corrupt, one-dimensional and disposable Church officials serve as the first season’s antagonists. The second season, however puts us right in the heart of Dracula’s court, where we learn that two human necromancers with a penchant for genocide have come into his service, alongside a scheming vampress named Carmilla.

While all three of these supporting characters are enjoyable and given varying degrees of depth, it is this attempt to widen the villain roster where the show gambles with mixed results. The humans, Hector and Isaac, show great depth and promise, each embodying a grave warning that not all monsters have fangs. Some just hate people, and think they are doing the world a favor by wiping out as many humans as they can. Then there is Carmilla. On the one hand, she is a personification of opposition to the traditional femme fatale or fangs with breasts roles that female vampires are often forced into. She is cold and calculating, but rarely, if ever, uses her body as a means of achieving her aims. Instead she uses cunning and psychological manipulation. However, her constant insulting of people on the basis of them being male can become tiresome after a point. Ironically, the show’s great ability to create compelling villains is why these characters are not as good as they could be. When you put this much power in one room, with what is in effect a massive movie, it’s the same as having too many cooks in the kitchen. Where there are three sweet protagonists, the villains have anywhere from three to four or even five characters all vying for the limelight, and stepping on toes in the process.

However, even with all these blood soaked villains in the room, it is Dracula himself who stands out most. Despite having been set up as a vengeful killer, not all is as it seems. I cannot go much deeper without spoiling the series, but suffice it to say, the battle between our heroes and the “Lord of Night” is truly something to be behold, both in terms of action and emotion. I nearly cried.

Overall, the second season of “Castlevania” is an entertaining, funny, action-packed and emotionally charged ride. I would recommend it, and hope that as the roster narrows going into season three, the issues of limelight sharing become mute. The season gets four and a half stars out of five.

Events to keep you jazzed through week 11

Philadelphia has a lot to offer as 2018 winds, both on Drexel University’s campus and beyond. Here are some upcoming events that might add some fun to your end-of-term study breaks.

Nov. 16-18 — Tartuffe at Drexel’s Mandell Theater

Premiering Nov. 9, the cast of “Tartuffe” continues to grace the stage of Mandell Theater with their rendition of the French play. This production is a collaboration of Mauckingbird (Philadelphia’s professional LGBTQ theater company) and the Mandell Professionals in Residence Project, and puts a new spin on the French classic. “Tartuffe” was written by Moliere in 1664 as a commentary on the hypocrisy of those considered righteous. The play was censored by King Louis XIV who was influenced by the archbishop of Paris. Today the show serves as a reminder of human fallibility and the double-sided nature of man. The play is $10 for Drexel students, with upcoming performances Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.

Nov. 18 — Napoleon Dynamite: A Conversation with Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez & Tina Majorino at the Merriam Theater

Fans of the cult-classic film “Napoleon Dynamite” may recognize the names of these stars who will be attending the viewing and following discussion session. The 2004 indie film follows the life of unfortunate protagonist Napoleon as he struggles through the social scene of his Idaho high school. Accompanied by his friends Pedro and Deb, the trio attempts to elect Pedro as class president. The film is definitely worth a watch (or re-watch), especially paired with the chance to reflect and discuss the filming process with the cast afterwards. The event begins at 8 p.m. in Merriam Theater, with discussion beginning immediately after the screening of the film. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.kimmelcenter.org.

Nov. 18 — Dieter Rams: Principled Design at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Those who are interested in professional product design or functional art will be drawn to this temporary exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. German artist Dieter Rams is known as an innovator regarding the simplistic design of daily tools. Inspiration from his work can be seen in the minimalist styles of your iphone or ikea chair. This November, Rams will receive the Collab Design Excellence Award, recognizing him for his influential contribution to the field of professional design. This exhibit will be open from Nov. 18 until April 14, 2019, so there will be many opportunities to drop in and view the work of the designer whose work impacted the world.

Dec. 1 —  Travis Scott at The Wells Fargo Center

Travis Scott is a rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer from Texas. He is currently on tour performing songs from his newest album, “Astroworld.” The album has been categorized as hip-hop, but it also has elements of trap and psychedelic music as well. “Astroworld” is Scott’s third studio album and his second album to peak at the number one spot on U.S. Billboard 200. One of the most popular songs on “Astroworld” is “Sicko Mode,” which has over 300 million plays on Spotify. Philadelphia is the 14th stop on the “Astroworld: Wish You Were Here” Tour, which has received positive reviews overall. Scott is critically acclaimed for his intense live performances, so this show will definitely be worth your attendance.

Dec. 5 —  Q102’s Jingle Ball at the Wells Fargo Center

The radio station Q102 has announced their lineup for the annual Jingle Ball event. Each year IHeartRadio , a subsection of IHeartMedia, organizes a touring lineup that features top names in the pop industry. This year’s lineup includes Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Calvin Harris, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Marshmello, Dua Lipa, G-Eazy and Bazzi. Tickets are available at https://www.wellsfargocenterphilly.com/events/detail/q102s-jingle-ball-2018.

Dec. 9 — Drexel Concert Band presents Beyond Earth at Mandell Theater

Those interested in a more classical music style should look forward to the Drexel Concert Band’s performance of works inspired by the cosmos. Notable composers Eric Sessler and Drew McWeeney will be in attendance as the band plays their respective works: “Beyond the Earth” and “Reflections for Wind Ensemble.” This event will be free and open to the public in Mandell Theater beginning at 7 p.m.

“My turn,” were the final words of Season 5, spoken by Claire Underwood — as she now spoke to the audience directly, to tell her story.

Nov. 2 was the release date for the anticipated final season of the powerhouse series that is “House of Cards.” Claire Underwood is “Madam President,” two words that in reality the United States has not yet embraced. “House of Cards” however decided to challenge this, by presenting a powerful female president through the character of Claire Underwood, played by Robin Wright. This paired with an all-female cabinet, shows the barriers “House of Cards” decided to break down in the final season of the hit political show.

There are numerous dramas that have challenged the misconception that men are only good in political leadership positions; “Madam Secretary” being one of them, with its portrayal of a female Secretary of State played by Tea Leoni.

Debuted in 2013, the series was a streaming revolution as the first show made for Netflix. With the demise of Frank Underwood, Claire Underwood takes over the reigns as Commander-in-Chief. Showing the greed and corruption in American politics, the show does not disappoint in its final showdown.

The final season presents a complete gender flip. However, with Kevin Spacey’s character Frank Underwood dead, President Claire Underwood still struggles to escape his shadow in the first few episodes. What the show misses in this regard is its reluctance to let go of Spacey’s character. By not focussing on Frank Underwood a lot, the show could have placed more of a spotlight on Claire Underwood and the ups and downs of her presidency, as they did with Frank’s in the previous seasons. However, one cannot argue that the show’s portrayal of Claire and her fight to destroy the strain of Franks past, is a thrilling storyline.

The show indeed presents America’s unfound greatest fears of having a woman in the Oval Office. The storyline itself is exciting, tense and shocking, “House of Cards” breaks new ground in portraying the enigma that is Claire Underwood. The show’s presentation of diplomacy, bureaucracy, manipulation and, of course, politics is eye opening.

The actors of “House of Cards” are phenomenal, led by Wright as POTUS, they do an excellent job. They are some of the best actors in the industry: Robin Wright, Jayne Atkinson, Patricia Clarkson, Michael Kelly and Boris McGiver, who play Claire, Secretary Catherine Durant, Jane Davis, Doug Stamper and Tom Hammerschmidt, respectively. They provide the audience with extremely tense and strong acting. Yet, these are only a few members of the stellar cast.

The directing and shooting of the show are also sophisticated. The writers and creators including Beau Willimon, do not disappoint. Specifically, the brief wrenching flashbacks between Claire Underwood’s childhood and present are seamlessly shot and bring tension and development to the central character.

“I enjoyed it! It still had elements from previous seasons. The ending was a bit abrupt and left too many questions unanswered, but they did a good job considering the circumstances,” Arjun Gupta, Drexel University student and fan of the series, said.

However, when asked about the show’s portrayal of women in power, Gupta highlights how other shows like “Madam Secretary” have done better.

Critic reviews have been for the most part positive. Both critics and fans alike hailing Wright’s performance as the president. All reviews aside, “House of Cards” is a must watch. The series paints a somewhat depressing picture of the actual current political climate, especially against the backdrop of the controversies in the White House. The show is highly recommended; if you enjoy thrills, politics and manipulation, Netflix’s “House of Cards” is the destination for you.

Fans of Tenacious D were unsure if the band would ever dive back into visual media after their 2006 film “Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny” failed commercially and critically. Over the last 10-plus years, Jack Black and Kyle Gass have waited patiently for their time to finally jump back into that medium of storytelling. It seems that the current political climate was just the inspiration they needed to jump back into movies, and not just jump in, but dive completely headfirst into wacky and just plain insane stories once again.

After their return in 2012 with “Rize of The Fenix,” comedy rock duo Tenacious D took another long break from the road and the studio. Jack Black has become a bonafide superstar and had movies to make, and Kyle Gass had plenty of side projects and personal things to attend to. However, early in 2018 it became clear the band was becoming active again, and little did fans know it would be another movie. However, what ended up coming out was much different than many had in mind. “Tenacious D in Post-Apocalypto” was released as a series of animated short films on Youtube, rather than as a fully realized film. The shorts featured crude hand drawn animation done by Black himself, and an even cruder and crazier storyline involving the apocalypse, a cave full of warrior women, a robot, space travel with Yo-Yo Ma and an evil Donald Trump Jr. They decided to take this movie on the road, and brought the music from the film and some of their greatest hits to The Fillmore Nov. 8.

The show began with an opening set from satirical country band Wynchester, featuring the talents of Tenacious D’s backing guitarist John Konesky. The group was extremely talented, working as both a great live country experience and a satirical view at typical country tropes. When they were finished, an opaque curtain was drawn in front of the stage.

In a kind of foreshadowing, the preshow PA music included selections from “The Wall” by Pink Floyd. While the general seriousness of both albums is extremely different, the live experience was very similar. Pink Floyd built a wall between them and the audience which they then projected visuals onto to tell the story. In Tenacious D’s case, there was no wall to build so they rather used this opaque curtain to project the visuals from their animated film. While they only projected snippets of the entire animated film, the storyline and songs were kept entirely intact. In between snippets from the film, the curtain became see through in order to allow the audience to see all of Jack Black and Kyle Gass’s manic acting and playing. Generally, the visuals and storytelling were very enjoyable, especially the various characters and personalities portrayed by Black and Gass.

During the final track of the album, roadies came out and took away the screen and allowed the band to connect with the audience. The second set featured the band going through their back catalogue and playing a few songs from each album. One of the highlights was “Beelzeboss” from their 2006 film, in which the guitarist Konesky was possessed by Satan and the duo had to beat him in a “rock off challenge” to not be dragged down to Hell. Another highlight was “Double Team” from the duo’s debut album. This track featured band introductions and solos, in which every member got to show off their skills. Once again, Jack Black stole the show, delivering a hilarious vocal solo and singalong featuring a fun snippet of “You Make My Dreams Come True” by Philadelphia legends Hall and Oates.

Over 20 years into their comedy career, it’s refreshing to see that Tenacious D is still willing to take risks for comedy and put on a wonderful live show as they have consistently throughout their career. I would highly recommend seeking out “Post-Apocalypto” on Youtube just to see the absolutely insane storyline in action, and especially if you are a fan of the band or Jack Black. If you do enjoy the band and want to get the chance to see them live before their retirement, I would highly suggest seeking a show out, as it was a once in a lifetime experience.