‘Our Yellow Tape Letters’ Is More than Just a Fluffy Love Story
By Ellie Estrema
As Valentine’s Day approaches, many people on Cedarville’s campus are pulling out their heart-shaped decorations, red roses and cards with cute sayings to celebrate this sweet holiday. However, for readers, finding books appropriate for the season can be a little bit more tricky. Everyone enjoys a fluffy romance now and then, but reading a steady diet of them around Valentine’s Day can be underwhelming at best and nauseating at worst.
This is where Caitlin ...
‘Lockwood & Co.’ is an intriguing blend of familiar genres
By Ella Smith
At first glance, “Lockwood & Co.” is clearly reminiscent of Ghostbusters and other supernatural shows of the eighties and nineties. A premise built around a ghost epidemic and the idea of ghost hunting as a business shows some clear inspiration from past supernatural shows. However, as you get farther into “Lockwood & Co.” familiar tropes from several different genres are incorporated into the young adult show.
The main character Lucy Carlyle is thus far an ...
‘M3GAN’ upgrades horror with unsettling and hilarious twists
By Ben Konuch
"With MEGAN around she can take care of the little things, so you can have time to take care of the things that matter."
Do you like dolls? Do you like really unsettling, creepy dolls? If you’re like me, the answer is most likely a definitive, “NO!” But James Wan, the creative mind behind “Saw” and the “Conjuring” franchise, knows this and decided that the natural response to our unanimous answer would be to write another unsettling, creepy doll movie. This ...
Best of 2022: ‘Amphibia’ is full of laughs, love and loss
By Janie Walenda
Editor’s note: In our “Best of 2022” series, A&E writers revisit their favorite movies and television shows that weren’t reviewed during the year.
I have a soft spot for children’s cartoons, and I watched an inordinate amount of them last year. And out of all the cartoons, and even out of all of the television shows I watched, “Amphibia” has the biggest impact on me.
Running for three seasons and ending in May of 2022, “Amphibia” fits in well ...
Best of 2022: ‘Prey’ is an exhilarating fight for survival
By Ben Konuch
Editor’s note: In our “Best of 2022” series, A&E writers revisit their favorite movies and television shows that weren’t reviewed during the year.
“It knows how to hunt. But I know how to survive.”
The Predator franchise has been a rocky one. The original 1987 “Predator” is a masterclass in crafting an action thriller, with scenes of big, loud action mixed with moments of quiet horror as characters slowly get picked off brutally by an invisible ...
Best of 2022: ‘Redeeming Love’ is a heartfelt film filled with renewal and redemption
By Laci Strouse
Editor’s note: In our “Best of 2022” series, A&E writers revisit their favorite movies and television shows that weren’t reviewed during the year.
This review may contain some spoilers for “Redeeming Love.” This review also contains a discussion of sexual trauma which might be triggering to some viewers.
“Redeeming Love” went to theatres on January 21, 2022. Throughout the year many films were produced, but “Redeeming Love” remained my favorit...
Best of 2022: ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is a sequel that surpasses the original
By Chloe Largent
Editor’s note: In our “Best of 2022” series, A&E writers revisit their favorite movies and television shows that weren’t reviewed during the year.
What makes a great film? The actors? The cinematography? The script? Well, “Top Gun: Maverick” checked off all the boxes. This “Top Gun” sequel brought together a fantastic group of actors and an enjoyable story all tied up in a nostalgic bundle.
In “Top Gun: Maverick”, we see the return of the ...
‘The Bad Batch’ season two evolves its formula
By Janie Walenda
It’s hard to be an episodic television show nowadays. As binge watching is the norm and audiences are obsessed with connected storytelling, shows with weekly, formulaic episodes get lost in the crowd.
“The Bad Batch” is a prime example of this phenomenon. It’s a good show with strong reviews, but it rarely dominates social media the same way shows like “The Mandalorian” have. Fans want stronger central storylines, and when an episode doesn’t contribute to a ...
‘The Son’ is a conversation starter about the nature of family and the crisis surrounding teenage mental health
by Kathryn McDonald
When I reviewed “The Father” in 2021, I had nothing but admiration for the screenwriters, directors, actors and the myriad of other professionals that put their heart into the art they created. Now, after watching its prequel, “The Son,” I must admit that I am once again blown away by the poignant storyline and presentation.
In this artistic film, audiences step back in the timeline to explore a new facet of the human experience: family. What is a ...
‘The Pale Blue Eye’ is a slow but meticulously crafted mystery
By Ben Konuch
"At times I believe the dead haunt us because we love them too little. We forget them, you see. We don't intend to, but we do. I believe they feel most cruelly deserted, and so they clamor for us."
“The Pale Blue Eye” is a dark, gothic murder mystery from Scott Cooper, the director behind “Antlers,” and stars Christian Bale as Augustus, a quiet and haunted detective who is called to investigate a grizzly crime at West Point in the 1800s. Through this dark and ...
