‘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 ...
‘The Last of Us’ episode two shows both beauty and terror
By Ben Konuch
“Now you know where they are, now they come. You're not immune from being ripped apart, do you understand?”
The following review will contain spoilers for the first two episodes of “The Last of Us”
Episode two of “The Last of Us” opens with a surprising flashback scene, but one that sets the stage of the entire episode with dread and foreboding. A woman in Jakarta is apprehended at a restaurant and is quickly revealed to be a local expert in mycology who is ...
‘A Man Called Otto’ has me wishing someone would ban remaking wonderful classics
By Kathryn McDonald
In 2012, Forum published Fredrik Backman’s novel “A Man Called Ove.” Originally written in Swedish, the book was translated into English in 2013 and eventually gained widespread popularity. When the 2015 Swedish movie adaptation of the book was released it was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Foreign Language Film of the Year and Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling.
Now, in 2023, American audiences have their own film adaptation in English ...
‘White Noise’ depicts how we are drowning in the noise we make
By Caroline Stanton
I had a lot of really high hopes for “White Noise” after reading the book that it was based on. I can happily report that the film kept me on my toes, gave me new insights into human existence, and truly captured what I believe “White Noise” by Don DeLillo is all about. The movie came out on Netflix on December 30, 2022, and starred Adam Driver as Jack Gladney and Greta Gerwig as Babette Gladney.
The movie is set in small-town America in the 1980s, and ...
Change in comedy
by Ella Smith
From the beginning of creation, laughter has been a gift from God. Likewise, the comedy genre is not a new idea. It has been around since as early as the fifth century in Ancient Greek plays. Many things about comedy haven't changed. Comedy still has the main goal of making people laugh, entertaining people, often showing the absurdities in life and offering a helpful takeaway for the audience.
However, with the growing popularity of streaming and the shift in how society ...
How interactivity is a game changer
By Ben Konuch
Interactivity in media is an interesting enigma. It isn’t anything new, with the popular “Choose Your Own Adventure” book series pioneering the concepts as early as 1979, but the last 10 years have shown a resurgence in the concept of interactive stories. Now reaching past its origin in books to encompass video games and even movies, the concept of interactivity is slowly shaping media with fascinating implications.
Interactivity has been shaping media in two main ...
The era of fan-atical power
By Samuel M Acosta
As long as entertainment has existed, fans have existed. Nowadays, with more entertainment content than ever before, there are seemingly infinite fan bases, all of which are extremely passionate. Yet, in recent years, this passion has become a weapon that fans have wielded countless times. Through frequent successes, this has turned the fanbase into a looming mob. While there are some benefits to this newfound power, there is also a significant danger that has the ...
The power of animation
By Janie Walenda
It’s a tale as old as time. Another animated kids’ film is released, with enough adult humor to make it tolerable for the parents. Animated musicals like “Frozen” or “Encanto” are infamous for being watched by kids to the point of annoyance for parents. Is animation just inherently childish? Or do children’s stories just have more fantastical elements, therefore making animation the ideal medium? Is animation defined as being a child-friendly genre, or is it ...
‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ is a fascinating, albeit plain, slow-burn
By Samuel M Acosta
When I originally saw the trailer for this film, it looked right up my alley. A low-budget, small cast, indie movie that just breathes raw humanity. Upon watching the film, those criteria were met, and while I enjoy many of the concepts presented by the film, I don’t feel like the slow burn pays off in a satisfying way. I am left wanting something just a little bit more.
“The Banshees of Inisherin” follows Padraic, played by Colin Ferrel, a man living on the ...
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ is a sequel worth the wait
By Samuel M Acosta
This review may contain spoilers for “Avatar: The Way of Water”
After thirteen years of waiting, the sequel to James Cameron’s blockbuster “Avatar” has finally been released. After rewatching the original film in IMAX and being blown away by its beauty and world, I rushed to the theaters on opening day to see what the newest installment has to offer. What I discovered is a film that is almost more engaging than the original, and somehow presents an even more ...
