“Rings of Power” Debuts with Pure Fantasy
By Janie Walenda
In an era of fandom outrage and over-analysis, “Rings of Power” has been analyzed and criticized before its debut more than any show. Tolkien fans are known for their knowledge and protectiveness of the lore. Therefore, the community was discouraged by the news that Amazon was producing and writing a Tolkien-inspired show with a new story instead of using his works.
But now that the first two episodes have debuted, is it as disrespectful to Tolkien’s writing as ...
Summer Retrospective: Elvis Keeps the King Alive
By Anna Harman
With every scene in “Elvis”, Austin Butler brought the King back to life for a new audience.
The biopic “Elvis”, directed by Baz Luhrmann, was released on June 24 of this year. This phenomenal biographical film about rock and roll star Elvis Presley is told from the perspective of his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. It follows the life of Elvis from a young age to when he was eventually discovered as a musician and into his resulting stardom. The film seeks to ...
‘Death on the Nile’ is a Mesmerizing Tale of Tragedy and Deceit
By Ben Konuch
"When you have money, no one is ever really your friend."
I’ve grown up on mysteries. For as far back as I can remember, I’ve loved the thrill of trying to piece together the clues of a good whodunnit, even as far back as the “A to Z Mystery” books I used to read as a kid. The ones that always stood out to me the most, though, were the works of Agatha Christie, who is considered the greatest crime author of all time.
Christie’s works about the Belgian detective ...
Summer Retrospective: ‘Nope’ Is Entertaining But Confusing
By Sam Acosta
This review contains spoilers for “Nope”
Jordan Peele strikes again with his third film, “Nope,” which brings a new take on the alien genre. While Peele’s brilliance is undoubted and shines frequently throughout the film, this is not as strong as his past two blockbusters. There were just a few times when an odd or unresolved plot choice pulled me out of the action and made me question whether I was missing something or not. Yet, while “Nope” may not be ...
Summer Retrospective: ‘Bullet Train’ is an Exciting and Stylish Ride
By Ben Konuch
"You are getting the new, improved me. Because if you put peace out in the world, you get peace back.”
There are two different types of films that I would consider great. There are the kinds of films that are intricately composed, with such attention to detail and layers of hidden meanings and themes that you can almost feel the artistry, such as with “The Dark Knight" or “Schindler’s List.” On the other end of the spectrum you have the kind of films that aim to ...
Video Games’ Stake in the Entertainment Industry
By Sam Acosta
As we venture deeper into 2022, it seems that we may finally be past the final throes of the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants and stores are opening back up, people are beginning to gather together again and movies are starting to steadily release again. When it came to the entertainment industry, the pandemic hit hard, as movie studios and theaters struggled to make enough profit to survive.
In 2021, the global box office amounted to an estimated $21.4 billion in revenue, ...
The Economics of Streaming
By Janie Walenda
It’s impossible to understate how dramatically television has changed in the last decade. Streaming services have completely overhauled how we watch TV as well as how we pay for it.
While initially services like Netflix seemed like a steal compared to cable, as streaming services have multiplied and continued to raise their prices, opting for streaming over cable seems like less of a bargain. Does the original content on streaming services make them worth it, despite the ...
The ‘God’s Not Dead’ Syndrome
By Ben Hiett
I’ve always been a sucker for Christian motifs in movies. I remember my mind being absolutely blown by Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel” because of the overt parallels between Clark Kent and Jesus, minus the excessive punching. More recently, a friend of mine introduced me to M. Night Shyamalan’s “Signs,” now one of my all-time favorite films because of its themes of faith lost and faith regained. All that to say, I’m a big fan of stories that speak to my beliefs and ...
‘Uncharted’ Brings a Beloved Video Game to the Big Screen
By Ben Konuch
"Greatness From Small Beginnings. That's You And Me."
The Uncharted video game franchise started back in 2007 with the release of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, a fun, Tomb Raider-esque adventure game that sold well despite not achieving any great awards. That would change with 2009’s Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, which became one of the best games of its era and won countless awards. It spawned two more sequels, a spinoff game, and worldwide love for its iconic lead characters ...
‘The Batman’ Shows Off the World’s Greatest Detective
By Samuel Acosta
[Editor’s Note: This review contains spoilers for “The Batman.”]
As someone who grew up watching “The Dark Knight” trilogy and experienced the chaotic fiasco that was the Snyder-verse, I had low expectations when I first heard about a new Batman movie. To my pleasant surprise, I was also absolutely enamored with the dark and gritty Gotham that director Matt Reeves has given to us. While it doesn’t quite overshadow the Nolan trilogy, “The Batman” places ...
