‘Ticket To Paradise’ is a blissful getaway
By Samuel M Acosta
When I originally saw the trailer for “Ticket to Paradise”, it just seemed to be like every other low-quality rom-com that has come out in recent years. I went into the theater with few expectations, really only seeing it because I was going with friends. Over the next couple of hours, however, I ended up having so much fun that I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. This movie does not beat the audience over the head with overused tropes, but rather brings a fresh ...
Is ‘Wendell and Wild’ a spooky Halloween treat or a messy trick?
By Janie Walenda
In many ways, “Wendell and Wild” is my ideal movie. That’s what I thought when I first watched the trailer. Stop-motion animation, strong visual flair and Key and Peele are about everything I could ask for. The one aspect that made me hesitate about the film was its iffy mythology. Having now seen the film, all my original reactions were correct.
It’s plain to see how much stop-motion animation has evolved since director and writer Henry Selick’s other ...
Movie review: ‘Paul’s Promise’
Faith-based film to be shown on Cedarville campus
By Paul Miller with Prof. Sean O’Connor
Over the past few years, movies that examine social justice issues are on the rise. Most are centered around race.
In 2022, notable releases included “Nope,” “The Woman King, and “Till.” Less often, however, do these films tackle these issues with a Christian worldview, unfortunately. But, on October 21, a lesser-known faith-based film was released in theaters nationwide with the ...
‘The School for Good and Evil’ is dangerously shallow
By Katlynn Rossignol
Sofia and Agatha of Galvador are whisked away from their small medieval town and enrolled in the School for Good and Evil, where the descendants of fairy tale characters are trained in magic. But upon arrival, the girls believe they are put in the wrong schools and must find a way to switch before it’s too late.
Positives:
“The School for Good and Evil” is a visual spectacle, filled with plenty of fun visual effects. The ‘blood-magic’ is especially ...
‘Rings of Power’ Finale Attempts Ties to Tolkien’s Lore
By Janie Walenda
This review contains spoilers for the whole of “Rings of Power” season one
I’m not sure how I feel about the season finale of “Rings of Power.” That’s not a great first sentence for a review, but that has been the overwhelming feeling that has stuck with me. On one hand, the finale delivers its twists with its usual style and a surprising amount of complexity. However, the developments in this episode do nothing to lessen my concerns about how “Rings ...
‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Finale Falls Flat
By Samuel M Acosta
This past week we finally saw the ending of “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” and it is definitely something different than we have ever seen before from Marvel. Not only does it lean into the fourth-wall-breaking nature of the character, but it does away with the typical big fight sequence at the end. Yet, I can’t help but feel unsatisfied with the show's ending, especially in light of how amazing the episode before this was. It all just feels rushed and underdev...
‘Werewolf By Night’ is a Fresh and Violent New Chapter of the MCU
By Ben Konuch
“So many death dealers in one room…”
Phase 4 of the MCU has been full of bizarre hits and misses. It’s been a phase of experimenting, with unconventional and unique entries like “WandaVision” and “Eternals” attempting to break the mold of the Marvel formula. For all of its experimenting, Marvel has failed as many times as it succeeded. Some titles like “Moon Knight” and “Loki” have been received favorably, while entries like “Eternals” and ...
‘Andor’ Episodes 4-6 Raise the Bar for Star Wars Television
By Ben Konuch
“Of course I’m afraid! But there’s a difference between fear and losing your nerve. You want out of this? Make a choice. Don’t use me as an excuse.”
“Andor” has quickly shot up the ranks of my favorite pieces of Star Wars storytelling. Fresh off the high note of episode three's action-packed conclusion of the first story arc, “Andor's” next two episodes are again slow-burn world-building that culminate into a visually stunning and narratively satisfying ...
‘Halloween Ends” By Crashing To The Ground
By Samuel M Acosta
This review contains spoilers for “Halloween Ends.”
I was absolutely hyped to see this movie. Along with most people, I really enjoyed the first installment of the “Halloween” franchise reboot and despite popular opinion, I love the second installment. So when it came to the final part of the trilogy, I was ready to dive in and love whatever was there, despite its flaws. Well, dive in I did… and I hit my head on the concrete because this movie had less depth ...
‘Ada and the Engine’ Blows The Audience Away
By Samuel M Acosta
On October 15, Teghan Reed and Farrah Rawlings, senior theater majors here at Cedarville, held their capstone project, producing a performance of “Ada and the Engine” by Lauren Gunderson in Alford Auditorium.
With Rawlings playing the leading role of Ada and Reed directing and designing the show, this ended up being one of the best shows that I had ever seen. It not only made me respond emotionally, but the true artistic nature of the show was astounding. It left ...
