CULTURAL BUZZ

With the perfect blend of R&B and pop, the Columbian-American singer-songwriter Kali Uchis explores different elements in her new album "Red Moon in Venus," released to all streaming platforms on March 3.

The 15 song album goes through the ups and downs of romance within 43 minutes. Throughout each song, it becomes apparent that there was a bittersweet breakup in a past relationship.

Although “Red Moon in Venus” might seem on the generic side for Uchis, listeners will find her lyrics and experiences relatable and will not disappointed with her smooth and encaptivating voice.

As each song passes, the lyrics get more reflective on how Uchis deserves love that is less painful and how much happier she is as an independent woman, although a contrast occurs when lyrics of blame turn into thoughts of wanting to restart the relationship in the last two songs, “Moonlight” and “Happy Now.”

Although many of the songs in the album resemble the same melody of her previous soudtracks, listeners will undoubtedly be drawn to Uchis’ familiar femininity expressed through lyrics and the whimsical feeling throughout "Red Moon in Venus.”

-- Isabelle Duncan, Social Media Staffer

Zaxby’s new Signature Club Sandwich, launched March 1 to replace the Zaxby’s Club, is a flavorful and excellent addition to their menu.

Like the old Zaxby’s Club, the sandwich is served as a meal with crinkle fries and a small drink at $9.29. It consists of a toasted bun, fried chicken, pickles and Zax sauce, but it adds two slices of bacon and American cheese, giving the sandwich a new flavor profile.

Flavor-wise, the pickles and bacon stand out. The pickles add a nice amount of acidity, in great contrast to the meatiness of the bacon.

Aside from the flavor, the quality of the texture varies. The chicken is cooked perfectly, as it is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. However, the bun and bacon were over-toasted, as the bottom half of the bun was nearly as crunchy as a crouton.

Despite its flaws, the sandwich as a whole makes for a good meal worth its price as it will satisfy customers’ hunger and taste buds.

-- Cooper Jones, Journalism I student

Kimono Cats, available through Apple Arcade, was released on March 3. The game offers a fun and addictive experience, though it is unchallenging to those looking for more puzzle-style games.

The game follows the path of a cat, directed by the player, and their partner as they walk through a Japanese festival. Throughout the journey, players throw darts and play simple minigames to buy their partner gifts.

The game’s cute graphics and premise provide a pleasing experience for players, and its controls are relatively simple, with a tutorial that’s easy to follow. However, the simple carnival-style activities don’t offer a challenge for players and can feel repetitive as one continues progressing through the levels.

Additionally, while the game itself is free, in order to access it, one must have a subscription to Apple Arcade, which costs $4.99 a month.

Though it’s unavailable for Android users and may not be the right option for challenge seekers, Kimono Cats is certainly a choice for players who want a game that offers feline fun in a relaxing and slightly addicting format.

-- Maya Shrivastav, Webmaster

BY LUKE SHANNON Journalism I student

“65,” starring Adam Driver and produced by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, hit theaters on March 10. While it's a fairly good action movie with a science-fiction setting and thriller moments, it also has its flaws.

Set 65 million years ago, the movie follows Mills (Driver) after his spaceship crashes into a prehistoric Earth. Now, he and the only other survivor Koa (Ariana Greenblatt) must work together to survive the prehistoric dangers, such as dinosaurs and bugs, and escape Earth.

Throughout the movie, Mills becomes a father figure to Koa by looking out for her. This creates an interesting character dynamic that is expounded on by complications like a language barrier between them. The actors, especially Driver, showcase this relationship well through their portrayal of how much the characters truly care about each other, especially in their teamwork during the action-packed scenes.

Throughout the movie, a great execution of cinematography and visual effects brought the film to life and gave it a high quality. This was paramount to the viewing experience due to the movie’s heavy reliance on computer-generated imagery (CGI) of dinosaurs and explosions.

However, there are some cliché moments and the movie went on a little too long, especially toward the end where overdone action will leave viewers wondering when it will finally stop. While the movie started with an exciting premise, these cliché moments and pacing issues definitely detracted from the overall experience of the movie.

Despite its flaws, “65” is a fun watch for sci-fi or action enjoyers but nothing groundbreaking, and it likely won’t appeal to those who aren’t already sci-fi fans.