The new Battlestar Galactica has been widely-recognized as one of the best shows on television. Cylon Caitlin Boersma provides all the Olympic-caliber training necessary for tackling the entire first season in a single viewing.

The Golden Compass is not a great movie, but that doesn’t speak to the quality of the book off of which it was based. Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy is a subtle and nuanced series, especially for young adult fiction. eighth grade graduate Drew Gemmer explores the surprisingly mature books, and offers a comprehensive guide on how to kill God.

Psychedelia is the genre of music that evokes the experience of taking psychedelic drugs. But with so many varieties of drugs, you’d think there would be more accompanying musical genres. Teetotaler Jeff Merrion begins to bridge this gap by describing a genre of droney, down-tempo rock: narcotica.

Does the consistent decline in sales of recorded music mean the end of music? Probably not, but clearly the game is changing. Nick Martens contrasts the abstract value of digital music with its more direct incarnations–concerts, music videogames, and ringtones.

The Bureau Staff picks the top movies of the year, proving, once again, that they are better than the Academy Awards.

After much heated deliberation, writers of the Bureau Staff select their favorite albums of the past year.

Attempting to escape the gloomy weather of Washington state’s finest city, Jeff Merrion finds comfort in one of our fondest childhood memories–Mario Kart. The game also proves to be a fertile breeding ground for useful neologisms.

Are you the only person in Canada who owns a guitar and hasn’t appeared on a Broken Social Scene album? Jeff “Mogwai�? Merrion reveals his step by step guide to becoming a successful post-rock star.

Animated sci-fi sitcom Futurama made its triumphant return last week in the form of a direct-to-DVD movie. Kevin Nguyen discusses the show’s brilliance and its critiques of our modern world.

Often called indie rock’s Tim “The Toolman” Taylor, Nick Martens provides an in-depth guide on finding, experiencing, and surviving live underground music.