Feminism in Film
Why Hollywood’s empowerment narrative falls flat
by Breanna Beers
The mere inclusion of a female protagonist was once considered box office suicide, especially for major franchises with predominantly male fanbases. Movies like “The Hunger Games,” “Divergent,” and “Captain Marvel” have repeatedly disproven that theory, driven in part by the rise of modern mainstream feminism in the early 2010s. Accordingly, we’ve seen more and more movies with women in the center of the ...
Taking Christian Music Out of Context: The Movie: The Musical
by Sam Acosta
In this incorrigible ode to Steve Curtis Chapman, “A Week Away” manages to not only ruin my memories of church camp but somehow remove God from the experience as well. Over the course of an hour and thirty-four minutes, I was forced to endure painfully written dialogue, Christian stereotypes on steroids, and theology that feels like it came as a prize in my Chick-Fil-A kid’s meal. Luckily, the production value of the film is very good, so at least that was nice.
The ...
Episode Five Gives Us Our New Captain America
by Sam Acosta
This episode gives us a deeper look into the mind of Sam as he wrestles with whether he should take up the mantle of Captain America. Boasting one of the greatest fight scenes to ever grace the MCU and some truly moving moments, episode five continues the upward trajectory of amazing quality and high expectations started in episode four. I loved this episode so much, and there is a lot that I want to unpack here.
First, let’s talk about the intro scene. After Walker ...
Former CU Art Professor Tells Stories, Helps Veterans Heal with Military Dog Sculptures
By Sarah Bean
James Mellick pulls life out of maple, walnut and cedar, telling stories of dogs with bright eyes and attentive tails — and battle scars.
In 2015, Mellick created the Wounded Warrior Dogs collection. Eight sculptures tell the stories of military dogs with various injuries, each one representing an injury their veteran counterparts have suffered from. The eighth is a plain box with a flag draped over it. Mellick’s initial aspiration was to raise awareness about vetera...
Is Disney Getting Too Powerful?
by Hunter Johnson
When Disney bought Pixar, fans had nothing but excitement. When they bought Marvel, fans were cautiously optimistic. When they bought Lucasfilm, that optimism turned to concern. Then they bought 20th Century Fox, one of their biggest competitors in the movie-making industry, fans came to an agreement that Disney’s growth had become downright terrifying.
Now, Disney seems to own everything. They sneakily bought the majority shares of ABC and ESPN back in the ‘90s and ...
‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Brings A Legendary Rivalry to the Big Screen
by Nick Ratliff
“Godzilla vs. Kong'' is one of the biggest blockbusters to come out since the pandemic started last March. Because new releases have become so rare, the hype and expectation for this movie were very high. After the success of the first three films in the MonsterVerse, this climatic crossover needed to be nothing short of greatness.
“Godzilla vs. Kong'' takes place five years after Godzilla killed Ghidorah, his primary rival titan. Titans are enormous beings who ruled ...
Episode Four is the Redemption Fans Have Been Waiting For
by Sam Acosta
This episode is the best of the series by far. The story, the acting, and the action all come together in a perfect cinematic symphony that will thrill you and make you feel like a superhero. What I was very worried would end up being a failed endeavor on Marvel’s part is now a show that I can’t get enough of.
The first scene provides one of the series’ most emotional scenes thus far. We see Ayo and Bucky back in Wakanda before the events of “Infinity War.” Ayo ...
Cedarville’s “Silent Sky” Shines Bright
by Hunter Johnson
Cedarville’s newest stage production, Lauren Gunderson’s “Silent Sky,” starts out as a show about simple characters with seemingly straightforward personalities. Those characters, however, quickly reveal their many layers of underlying complexity. A Midwestern sister secretly possesses remarkable talent as a composer. An adept astronomer hides untapped rebellious potential underneath her stoic demeanor. A privileged man has a deep sense of kindness and compassion ...
Episode Three Stumbles in The Right Direction
by Sam Acosta
Episode three of “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” throws a lot of exciting new elements and characters into the mix. The plot is becoming more interesting, but the execution is still somewhat sloppy. While I like the direction the show is headed, I wish it was moving that direction in a straight line instead of swerving its way forward.
The intro sequence has Bucky talking with Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl), who claims to know where to find information about the new ...
Beautiful ‘Minari’ Breathes New Multicultural Life into the American Dream
by Seth Tew
In this harsh world, the struggle for independence can be life-encompassing. You must leave behind comfort and stability, trusting that you have the determination and skills to carve out a life of your own. Stories of people overcoming adversity and fighting for their independence encapsulate one of the core themes of the American experience. Such are the stories of our founding fathers, the abolition of slavery, the pioneers, and even that weird trucking obsession in the 80s. ...
