Candid Campus The Literary and Fine Arts Festival filled the campus with music, dance and discussion of the arts during the week of April 20. Arts in Action featuring Jazz Under the Stars attracted 200 people, launched the Arts Collective, an umbrella for Eastfield’s visual and performing arts,...

Summer is here and another semester at Eastfield comes to an end. At The Et Cetera, we racked our brains thinking of the best ways to spend our summer vacation. Instead of burning in the Texas heat, why not relax, enjoy the cool A/C indoors and get hooked on some great TV shows? With services such as Netflix,...

By James Hartley Two years ago Mesquite native Craig Wayne Boyd hadn’t quite made a name for himself. That meant that his initials, “CWB,” on his guitar strap didn’t mean much to most people. On April 25, however, Boyd stood on a stage in Mesquite with that guitar strap, proudly showing...

“Dead Wake,” written by non-fiction narrative author Erik Larson, is a climatic delineation of the events that happened leading up to, during and after the Lusitania’s fate.   Larson was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1954 but grew up primarily in Freeport in Long Island, New York,...

Scenes from Eastfield's Cinco de Mayo celebration. Photos by Darnisha Cornelius  

MOVIE REVIEW By James Hartley “Avengers: Age of Ultron” has everyone’s attention, and for good reason. The film is exciting, fast-paced, well-developed and layered. Unlike “The Avengers,” the sequel delivers a fascinating story, better action and top-of-the-line effects. Most importantly,...

By James Hartley Writer and director Alex Garland (“28 Days Later”), known for his mind-stretching psychological thriller dramas, has come out with his latest project, “Ex Machina.” The film focuses on two programmers: Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson, “Harry Potter” and upcoming “Star Wars...

By James Hartley “While We’re Young” is a dramedy that isn’t funny. The film had a lot of potential but was handled poorly. It provides a different take on the worn-out story about a mid-life crisis. Josh (Ben Stiller) and Cornelia (Naomi Watts) are a couple that is growing older when...

Since its release in October 2014, “Prince Lestat” has made waves in the literary world. “Prince Lestat” is the 11th installment in Anne Rice’s the “Vampire Chronicles,” the first new volume in the series in nearly a decade. “Prince Lestat” found its way onto The New York...

Facial hair is making its way back into fashion By J. Gomez Beards are back! Grizzled jaw lines are more and more the cultural norm as men young and old abandon their razors and ride the wave of the latest trend. Over the past few years the trend of beard wearing has resurged. Some say the hipster...

By James Hartley Rapper and songwriter Richard Preston Butler Jr., better known under his stage name Rico Love, released his first studio album “I Sin” last year after writing and producing songs for the likes of Beyonce, Usher, and many other celebrity artists. Love talked to Eastfield students...

Brunch is the sacred time of the week when you can enjoy classic leisure cocktails like mimosas and bloody marys from a carafe at 9 a.m. It’s also the only time of the week when your mom can’t scold you for consuming obnoxious pastries for breakfast. Finding the best brunch spot can be very...

By Andy Carrizales Directly beyond Ed Healy’s office door is a table piled high with books on music theory and famous composers. A full-body mirror rests against a wall and, apart from two chairs, the only other furniture in the room is a stand for music sheets. Although the room seems uninhabited,...

By Courtney Schwing “The Hunting Ground” begins with an array of young people anxiously looking at their computers and raiding their mailboxes. They celebrate with their families as they realize they have been accepted into their college of choice. A montage of freshman orientations follows,...

By James Hartley Alfred Hitchcock’s special brand of cinematography and storytelling is regarded with envy and admiration in the film world. Many have tried to imitate Hitchcock’s unique style with varying success. The classic suspense director’s personal favorite work, “Rear Window,”...

Sylvia Plath’s haunting work “The Bell Jar” was published 52 years ago. It is her only novel, yet it is considered to be an American classic and her most famous work in addition to her poetry collections “The Colossus” and “Ariel.” Plath was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1932. She won a scholarship...

By Chandler Claxton The Harvester Theatre Company is gearing up to do something a little different from their usual post-modern plays – they’re preforming two classical shows in one night. The department will be performing “The Medea” by Greek playwright, Euripides. The show is centered...

By Andy Carrizales In a technology-driven world, it is easy to go online and get inspiration for your daily outfits from the latest Pins and newsletters. With so many global publications and advertisements promoting a contemporary western style, many cultures have abandoned their traditional attires. The...

By James Hartley An estimated 100,000-plus art pieces stolen by the Nazis during World War II have not been returned to their rightful owners. Based on a true story, “Woman in Gold” is an outstanding film that beautifully captures the struggle of one of these victims. The film follows elderly...

By Parker Ward Even when 40 voices rise together in song, Melinda Imthurn can hear a single bad note. “Melinda has an amazing ear,” said Radha Daswani, who previously sang with the Dallas Women’s Chorus. Imthurn, Eastfield’s director of vocal studies, also teaches private vocal lessons...

By James Hartley   Sean Penn’s latest movie “The Gunman” promises action, adventure and intrigue through the trailers, but disappoints in the theater. Although the film delivers action and edge-of-your-seat suspense, the story is cliché and overdone, lacks any original elements...

By Caitlin Piper   I can’t help but cringe when I hear a developer refer to their game as “cinematic.” Don’t get me wrong — I love that more big-name developers are realizing that games can have rich, complex stories and three-dimensional characters in addition to enjoyable...

Since its Jan. 13 release, “The Girl on the Train” has made the New York Times Best Seller list for nine consecutive weeks, climbing into the No. 1 spot within two weeks. The novel by Paula Hawkins is frequently praised as the best new thriller since Gillian Flynn’s sensational “Gone Girl.” “The...

By Braulio Tellez Artists Linda Lopez and Mathew McConnell’s show “Let’s Just Say What We Mean” displays the couple’s honesty through their artwork. Lopez and McConnell are based out of Fayetteville, Arkansas. They are married but have never had their work showcased together until now. Although...

The Wednesday Recital Series featured the Cindy Horstman Jazz Trio on March 18.  Next week's recital series will feature a Women Composer Concert led by Prof. Melinda Imthurn in room F117. 

By Courtney Schwing I was 8 years old when I first read “To Kill a Mockingbird” and 15 when I re-read Harper Lee’s classic work for a high school advanced English class. Sassy and quizzical, narrator Scout Finch was my hero, aside from Hermione Granger. Her character is immortally effervescent....

A BOOK TO CONSIDER Since its release, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, has been praised as an important piece of American literature. The book was originally published on July 11, 1960, and has since sold more than 30 million copies and been translated...

By James Hartley “Do You Believe?” is a powerful story that focuses on 12 characters whose lives meet at a crossroads. Although different in many ways, they have one thing in common: faith. The film is from the producers of the hit Christian movie “God’s Not Dead,” which disappointed...

  Don’t have cash for a trip to the beach or the slopes? Make this spring break a relaxing one without spending much cash. Whether you want to veg on the couch or stay active all week, we have the perfect suggestions to fill your days and nights. → Read a book Spring break is the perfect...