‘Red One’ is the right choice for a refreshing Christmas story
By Danielle Cherry
“It is the choices you make that define you”
A technological Christmas wonderland awaits viewers of “The Red One,” filled with witty one-liners and seamless integration of Christmas culture from around the world. “The Red One” is a great film for older viewers, especially those seeking a thicker plot than an average Christmas movie and a thrill from suspenseful action sequences.
Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans) is a level-four naughty lister. ...
‘Arcane’ Season 2 gets downright Shakespearean (and I’m here for it)
By Ben Konuch
“No beast is as savage as man.”
“Arcane” is great. That’s a known fact by now, and I don’t think I’m going to win any originality points in this review by saying that. Over two-thirds of the way through its second and final season, “Arcane” has found a way to somehow keep doing more of what makes it such a phenomenal series. Unfortunately for us viewers, that includes the emotional stakes.
The series has always balanced great action, good humor and ...
‘The Penguin’ ends with perfected tragedy
By Ben Konuch
“I got the devil in my house, Rex. What am I supposed to do?”
If you ask any longtime DC fan who they think the most monstrous Batman villain is, you’d probably get the same answer: the Joker. Of course, plenty of Batman’s longtime enemies are nasty, but how do you make mobsters like Black Mask or the Penguin appear as sadistic or hateable as the iconic Clown Prince of Crime?
After finishing its final four episodes, I can now say that HBO’s “The Penguin” ...
‘An Almost Christmas Story’ was almost heartwarming
By Ashleigh Clark
I rarely enjoy modern Christmas movies. They usually have too much to say or are far too similar to the ones before them.
“An Almost Christmas Story” almost felt the same way.
Co-produced by Alfonso Cuaron, the short film tells the tale of a lost baby owl (Moon) and a little girl (Luna) trying to find their way home in unforgiving New York City.
Moon’s journey begins when he hides from a hawk in a giant pine tree. Unfortunately, this tree ...
‘Arcane’ season two returns with a vengeance
By Janie Walenda
“Why would you let this voice set in your head? It is meant to destroy you.”
At its core, “Arcane” seems most interested in asking questions about change. How does change come about? Is it through the progress of science and innovation or through rebellion and revolution? Will innovation ever be able to remain pure-hearted, or will it always be corrupted by those searching for power? Is there a way to fight for the oppressed without violence, or as Silco said in ...
‘The Worlds Divide’ is a triumph in independent animation
By Isaac Steward
When I first saw the trailer for “The Worlds Divide”, I’ll admit I didn’t have very high expectations. As impressive as it is for a two hour movie to be completely written, directed and animated by one person, I couldn’t see how one person could tell a story of this scale with so little help. Even working with sound designers, composers, actors and a few other people, it still just didn’t make sense to me. So when I went to watch “The Worlds Divide”&n...
‘Agatha All Along’ is effortlessly entertaining and compelling
By Janie Walenda
This article contains spoilers for “Agatha All Along”
I’ve been burned by Marvel shows before.
Most MCU shows have followed an unfortunate pattern of starting off strong and crashing at the finale. You see, the superhero formula requires that the climax of the story be a high-stakes action scene. This formula has been mastered in the film format but proven difficult to execute in television.
“Agatha All Along” joins the short list of MCU shows ...
“Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” returns to silly spells and heartfelt lessons
By Danielle Cherry
A powerful wizard, an unsuspecting mentor and magical hilarity await viewers of “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.” Aimed at children, this magical world deals with very adult topics of perseverance and forgiveness. This show in all its silliness and wand twirling would have been the perfect watch for my younger self.
“Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” is a spin-off sitcom of the 2007 show “Wizards of Waverly Place” following the life of the magical and ...
‘September 5’ is a deliciously intense historical drama
By Isaac Steward
One of the best weeks of my year happened over fall break when I attended the Heartland International Film Festival. I spent that whole week in Indianapolis, Indiana, where I watched all sorts of films created by passionate and talented filmmakers. It was at the end of this festival that I was roped into watching the early showing of “September 5,” a German-produced historical drama about the American sports broadcasting crew that covered the 1972 Munich Olympics ...
‘The Wild Robot’ is a gorgeous and heartfelt film
By Janie Walenda
I’m excited for a lot of films every year. It comes with my job, and more importantly my lifelong love of cinema. But ever since I saw the first trailer of “The Wild Robot,” I was hooked. The animation, the music and the emotion packed into the short trailer quickly made “The Wild Robot” my most anticipated movie of 2024.
While sometimes trailers can be deceptive, I’m thrilled to say this one wasn’t. “The Wild Robot” is not just stunningly animated, but ...
