We’re All Looking for Something: Characters, Show Trying to Find Their Way
by Breanna Beers
[Editor’s Note: The following contains minor spoilers for “The Right Stuff” Season 1, Episode 3]
The cracks in everybody’s armor are starting to show. Episode three of “The Right Stuff” develops characters in compelling ways, but suffers from uninspired writing and choppy editing.
John Glenn’s (Patrick J. Adams) articulate geniality has always set him apart from the rest of the team, but, seemingly for the first time, it’s not in a good way. First, he ...
Five Movies to Watch this Halloween
by Sam Acosta
The Halloween season is upon us and with cities around the world canceling trick-or-treating, it’s time to find another way to get into the holiday mood. What better way to celebrate the day of spooky, scary skeletons than to sit down on the couch and watch a spine-chilling Halloween movie? Here are five great movies to watch during this socially distanced Halloween.
1. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”
There is no better way to enjoy the holiday than with ...
Playlists, Porches and Trees
Bergthold finds hope amid tornado wreckage
by Abigail Hintz
“For we are fallen like the trees, our peace
Broken, and so we must
Love where we cannot trust,
Trust where we cannot know,
And must await the wayward-coming grace."
“A Gracious Sabbath Stood Here,” by Wendell Berry
Trees are overlooked. They’re taken for granted. They’re mourned when they fall but not thanked while they stand.
On Easter Sunday, Laini Bergthold learned the importance of trees.
Early in the ...
“Star Wars” That Fans Love: Looking Back at “The Mandalorian” Season 1
by Hunter Johnson
“The Mandalorian” is returning for a second season, which means fans are gearing up for an explosive return of the first live-action “Star Wars” television series ever made.
Last year, Disney released “The Mandalorian” as the flagship series for its new streaming service, Disney Plus. Not only did the show succeed but it was also largely responsible for the over ten million subscribers the service received on the day of its launch.
The show abandoned the ...
Fake It Till You Make It: Episode Two Sure Wants to Say Something
by Breanna Beers
“You don’t have a rocket problem. You have a people problem.”
“The papers like these guys. And people read the papers.”
“People will want to know how this story ends. And people vote.”
And what’s gonna make all our problems go away? What do votes mean, Bob?”
“Money.”
The second episode of Disney+ and National Geographic’s “The Right Stuff” begins to deliver on the trailer’s promise of addressing celebrity, but stilted writing combines with ...
The Builders of the Modern Blockbuster
by Ben Hiett
The term “blockbuster” originally referred to WWII aerial bombs capable of taking out entire city blocks. However, by the 1980’s, the word had come to be associated with the larger-than-life adventure, explosive excitement and widespread popularity of movies like “Jaws,” “Star Wars,” and the like. In more recent years, we’ve seen this trend continue, with blockbusters becoming an established pillar of the film industry. I set out to determine which directors have ...
Reasonably Good Stuff: Disney+ Original Space Drama Launches Unremarkably
by Breanna Beers
National Geographic’s eight-episode Disney+ original series “The Right Stuff” launched exactly as a rocket should: successfully, but uneventfully.
The first episode outlines the selection of the ‘Mercury Seven,’ with a focus on three: John Glenn (Patrick J. Adams), Alan Shepard (Jake McDorman), and Gordon Cooper (Colin O'Donoghue). The early part of the episode focuses on the first two, foreshadowing a rivalry that we can expect to develop over the next seven ...
“Enola Holmes” Review: “Stranger Things” Star Shines as Sherlock’s Little Sister
by Hunter Johnson
Over the last century, nearly a hundred actors have portrayed Sherlock Holmes in film and television. Whether it be the classic Basil Rathbone films from the 40s or Vasily Livanov’s well-received series from the 80s, Sherlock has long been an international staple of mystery storytelling.
In recent years, the Sherlock mythos has entered a new phase that I like to call the “superhero phase.” He’s been played by Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Doctor Strange (Benedict ...
“Mulan” Review: Visually Stunning Remake Aims to be a Modern Myth, with Mixed Results
by Ben Hiett
The first thing I did after seeing Disney’s live-action remake of “Mulan” was go to the source of all useful knowledge, Wikipedia, and look up the Chinese folk ballad on which both this movie and its animated counterpart are based.
I did this because the whole time I was watching this movie, I felt as though I was watching an ancient legend unfold before my eyes. With its sweeping scope, picturesque visuals, and archetypal characters, “Mulan” seeks to tell an ...
Tenet Review: Time Goes Backwards in Christopher Nolan’s Latest Epic
by Hunter Johnson
Again and again, Christopher Nolan has proven his singular ability to tell completely original stories, and his latest cinematic endeavor is no exception. “Tenet” is an espionage thriller that redefines the genre by bringing the concept of time to its forefront.
Nolan’s use of time has repeatedly pushed the boundaries of both storytelling and filmmaking. His first big-budget film, “Memento,” shocked audiences by telling its story in reverse. His later films ...
