‘Muppets: Haunted Mansion’ Is A Fun Halloween Watch
By Janie Walenda
The Muppets are back, or at least they are trying to be. There have been several attempts to relaunch the Muppet franchise, with varying degrees of success. So far, the movies “Muppets” and “Muppets: Most Wanted” have been the most successful, with the recent Disney Plus series “Muppets Now” receiving a lukewarm reception. On paper, “Muppets: Haunted Mansion” is a perfect fusion of Disney properties. For the most part, the newest Muppet holiday special ...
‘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 ...
‘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 ...
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 ...
‘What If…?’ Retrospective: Episode Three Tells a Dark but Hopeful Tale
by Noah Tang
The third episode of “What If…?” pivots from the relatively light and cheerful tone of the first two episodes. It tells the story of how five of the six original Avengers are brutally murdered during the events of Fury’s Big Week, the seven-day period in which the films “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” and “The Incredible Hulk” all take place. In the original timeline, this week was crucial in that it encompassed the formation of the Avengers.
However, this alternate ...
