‘Smile’ Feels Like a Fever Dream
By Ben Konuch
“It’s… it’s like it wears people’s faces as masks.”
(“Smile” contains themes and depictions of trauma and suicide. Viewer and reader discretion is advised.)
At a first glance, it would be very easy to pass by “Smile” without much thought. From all of its marketing, the film comes off as one of those “gimmick horror” movies. Movies like ‘Wish Upon’ or ‘Truth or Dare’ capitalize off a concept or object that typically isn't scary, like a ...
“Abbott Elementary” Teaches a Class on Comedy
By Katlynn Rossignol
When you walk through the halls of Abbott Elementary School, expect to find flickering lights, terrible school food, low budgets, and most importantly, quirky and hardworking teachers. “Abbott Elementary” offers a hilarious view of the public school system from the eyes of its teachers, as they fight to provide the best education for their students. With the show’s second season starting to release, it’s a good time to look back and review what we learned from ...
‘She-Hulk: Attorney At Law’ Episode 7 Develops Jen But Nothing Else
By Samuel M Acosta
There are some positives and some negatives to this episode for me. While we get to see some fun new characters and development for Jen’s self-confidence and character, there is still barely any substance in terms of the overarching plot. Some jokes are overused and feel a little forced, but this is still a better episode than the past few.
Episode 7 follows Jen as she assists Blonsky’s probation officer to check out why the inhibitor has turned off. ...
An Explosive Episode Rockets “Rings of Power” to New Heights
By Janie Walenda
(This review contains spoilers for episode six of “Rings of Power”)
As the pieces fell into place, “Rings of Power” proved why slow-burn shows could be so effective. While the previous five episodes still had their problems, not all of which were fixed in episode six, “Udûn,” they successfully built up to one of the most nail-biting and jaw-dropping hours of television I have ever seen.
We spend most of our time with the Southlanders as they prepared for ...
The Mighty Ducks are Quack in Action
By Chloe Largent
The first season of “Mighty Ducks: Game Changers” left the Don’t Bothers brandishing their newly won title as the Mighty Ducks. Sadly, the joy of the season finale has worn off. As summer break approaches, and the second season begins, The Ducks are left without a coach and ice rink. The beloved Ice Palace Arena that was falling apart in season one is now being torn down and Gordon Bombay is nowhere to be seen. Bombay is not the only missing character this season, as ...
‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode 6 is Spinning Its Wheels
By Samuel M Acosta
This episode really cements that this show doesn’t quite know what it is doing with its material. While the side-plot was more entertaining this time than in the past episodes, the main storyline just feels like it's just going in circles. Plus, they completely acknowledge the fact that they are delaying Daredevil’s entrance by throwing in a wedding episode. Altogether, there is nothing special happening, even if it’s not necessarily the worst thing I’ve seen.&n...
‘Avatar’ Changed Cinema Forever
By Samuel M Acosta
James Cameron’s blockbuster hit “Avatar” is finally getting a sequel after almost thirteen years. In honor of this, they remastered and re-released the original film in theaters. I ended up going to see it twice and I was reminded of how much “Avatar” offered audiences in 2009 and how it changed the way that films would be made.
First of all, “Avatar” is an incredible film overall. It blows my mind how Cameron created such an amazing world from his ...
Cedarville’s ‘The Giver’ Brings a Colorless, Choiceless World to the Stage
By Sophia Monastra
At first glance, the middle school utopian novel “The Giver” doesn’t look like a typical Cedarville theater production. It’s simply written, yet focuses on dark, horrifying implications. “For our fall production, the opening night almost always falls on homecoming weekend,” Professor Stacey Stratton, director of The Giver, said. “We wanted [this theater production] to be something with name recognition…We also wanted it to be something that, if ...
‘Don’t Worry Darling’ is Brilliantly Mediocre
By Samuel M Acosta
This review contains spoilers for “Don’t Worry Darling.”
I went into this film with low expectations following the weeks of drama leading up to its release. Low critic scores, actor drama, and just an overall chaotic premiere caused me to temper the excitement that I had experienced when I first saw the trailer. After seeing the movie for myself, I decided that the critics were both right and wrong. While “Don’t Worry Darling” is a mediocre film, it is only ...
‘Andor’s’ Three-Episode Premiere is a Breath of Fresh Air
By Ben Konuch
“There comes a time when the risk of doing nothing becomes the greatest risk of all."
I’m a massive “Star Wars” fan and have been for as long as I can remember. I would play with my brother’s “Star Wars” Legos when I was little, grew up on “The Clone Wars,” and sunk into the extended lore of books and video games as I became a teenager. As a diehard fan, however, the last few years of “Star Wars” content have been hit or miss. We’ve had the controv...
