Arts and Entertainment 670 results

‘Dune’ Could Be the Next Great Epic

By Sam Acosta Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the classic sci-fi epic “Dune” has been one of the most anticipated movies of the last decade. After the failure of the 1984 adaptation, many wondered whether Villeneuve would be able to redeem the story and create a movie adaptation with the same level of success as the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. While he does create a beautiful piece of cinema and world-building, it is yet to be seen if this film will find the same level of success...

‘Halloween Kills’ Delivers on Its Gruesome Title

By Sam Acosta The relatively solid second installment in the “Halloween” reboot series acts as a bridge between the first film and the planned finale slated to come out next year. With an intriguing plot and a rather heartbreaking scene about the reality of human nature, I found this film to be an entertaining addition to the franchise. That said, the gore is unnecessarily gratuitous and over-the-top, especially when compared to the film’s predecessor. Obviously, this is a slasher ...

Movies that Matter — ‘Steve Jobs’ and ‘Inside’

Have you ever watched a movie or series that ended up being much more meaningful and moving than you were expecting? In this episode, hosts Hunter Sweet and Ben Hiett talk about some of the movies that impacted them more than they were expecting. Be on the lookout for Part 2 of this episode coming soon.

‘The Guilty’ is a Gripping Thriller about the Importance of Truth

By Ben Hiett This heart-pounding psychological thriller opens with the text of John 8:32 written in journalistic print across a black screen: “And the truth shall make you free.”  “The Guilty,” a remake of a Danish film of the same name, shows us the importance of having the whole truth, as far too often, we can treat our assumptions as fact until they come crashing down around us when we come to see the bigger picture. The film opens on a city on the brink; raging wildfires have ...

‘Diana: The Musical’ Is a Royal Mess

By Janie Walenda There is no shortage of dramatizations of Princess Diana's life.  “The Crown” introduced her in its most recent season to great success, and “Spencer” was lauded by critics when it premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in early September.  Diana’s story remains one of the most intriguing and complex of the 20th century, and sadly, “Diana: The Musical” waters it down to nearly nothing. To start, the music is just bad.  There’s no rhythm to ...

‘The Cedarville Review’ Gives a Voice to Student Creativity – Cedarville Creatives

In the first episode of the “Cedarville Creatives” series, hosts Sam Acosta and Ben Hiett get a look into the inner-workings of the student-run creative arts journal, “The Cedarville Review.” Join them in their conversation with editor-in-chief Rachel Rathbun and editor Grace Koehler as they talk about promoting creative expression within a Christian context.

Like Its Anti-Hero, ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ is Chaotic, Violent and Better Than You’d Expect

By Chris Karenbauer [Editor’s Note: This review contains mild spoilers] “Eddie, you feel like home to me. Like family,” said Cletus Kasidy, the main antagonist in “Venom: Let There Be Carnage.” It embodies the relationship between Kasidy and Eddie Brock as well as between Brock and Venom. Venom is one of Spider-Man’s most well-known adversaries. The creature Venom is an alien who finds a symbiotic host in Eddie Brock. It’s been a while since the first movie’s release ...

‘What If…?’ Sticks the Landing to Deliver An Epic Finale

By Janie Walenda In true MCU fashion, “What If… The Watcher Broke His Oath?” is not only a continuation of last week’s episode, but it also brings in characters from each of the previous episodes for an epic team-up. Similar to the zombie episode, the best part of this episode is the team.  The Guardians of the Multiverse have great comedic and dramatic chemistry, and I would love to see them team up again in the future.  The initial team that the Watcher and Strange Supreme put ...

A Phenomenal Anime Project: Ranking the ‘Star Wars: Visions’ Episodes

By Nick Ratliff “Star Wars: Visions” is a new anime anthology series consisting of nine episodes, each made by a different animation studio. I recommend watching these episodes in Japanese with English subtitles, as the English voice acting gets a little choppy and awkward at times. Some episodes have better animation than others but overall, most of them were well-realized and aesthetically pleasing. It’s important to note these stories are not canon in the “Star Wars” universe. ...

‘Anne of Green Gables’ Is Full of Humor and Heart

By Janie Walenda L.M. Montgomery’s “Anne of Green Gables” is an iconic children’s story that has been adapted for stage and film countless times.  Cedarville University’s production, using a script adapted by Peter Delaurier, expertly weaves this classic tale of friendship, family, and forgiveness. The plot of “Anne of Green Gables” is fairly straightforward.  An orphan girl named Anne, brought by mistake to Prince Edward Island in Canada, is adopted by siblings Matthew and ...