‘The King’s Man’ is Refined but Brutal, Civilized but Merciless
By Ben Konuch
“Our enemies think we are gentlemen, but reputation is what people think of you. Character is what you are.”
"The King's Man" is a history-based spy thriller written and directed by Mathew Vaughn and serves as a prequel to "Kingsman: The Secret Service." Set amidst the backdrop of World War I, the film follows the Duke of Oxford and his family (both blood relations and found family) as they begin the world's first independent intelligence organization in order to expose a ...
‘Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous’ Is a Masterpiece Made Before Its Time
By Sam Acosta
In a world oversaturated with sitcoms, it is hard to find any with much to offer beyond a few crude jokes. It seems as if there are no more original ideas for the genre, with most modern shows being simple copy-and-paste replicas of more successful predecessors like the seemingly endless “Office” and “Friends” clones. There are, however, a few hidden gems out there, shows with both originality and quality. “Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous” is one of those gems.
The ...
‘Scream’ Has More to Offer Than Your Average Slasher
By Sam Acosta
[Editor’s Note: This review contains spoilers.]
When I first found out about this “requel” (reboot sequel) to the iconic slasher series, I figured it was just another cash grab aimed at classic horror fans. With the number of reboots made in the last several years, most with middling results, I have come to approach such films with preemptively low expectations.
However, I must admit I was thoroughly impressed with this new installment in the series. Not only did it ...
Heading into its Third Season, ‘Servant’ Refuses to be Categorized
By Ben Hiett
I’m not a fan of films that try to cheaply surprise their viewers with grandiose twists or originality for originality’s sake. That said, I’m also less of a fan of sitting through various retellings of the same story over and over again. If I’m going to watch something, I’d rather it be something I haven’t seen before, with that originality having a purpose beyond simply trying to surprise the audience.
All that to say, “Servant” surprised me. Indeed, I was ...
‘Silent Night’ Has Good Ideas that are Wasted on Mediocrity
By Ben Konuch
“The outcome is always the same, and in no particular order. We will all die, one by one, and you will be left crying with no one to comfort you. And I can’t do that.”
When I first learned the concept for black comedy/drama "Silent Night", I was really hoping for it to be an unexpected sleeper hit of the year. The concept is a gold mine of potential, following a group of old college friends and their families gathering for one last Christmas party the day before the world ...
‘Hawkeye’ Concludes with Action and Holiday Cheer
By Janie Walenda
The Hawkeye finale marks the last MCU release of 2021. In my opinion, “Hawkeye” was one of the best MCU Disney+ shows of the year. By going back to the incredible Matt Fraction Hawkeye comic run, the show breathed new life into one of the least popular Avengers. It balanced character development with amazing action scenes and had the most satisfying conclusions to each of its plot points.
Here’s hoping for a season two so we get more of Clint and Kate’s ...
‘Arcane’ Is Inexplicably Amazing
By Janie Walenda
There are many reasons why “Arcane” should have failed, such as its source material. the numerous characters and complex subject matter. Yet, in an interesting turn of events, not only is “Arcane” good, but I would go so far as to call it a masterpiece.
I went into this show completely blind, to the point that I didn’t even know it was based on a video game. It wasn’t until halfway through the show that I learned “Arcane” was a prequel series for the ...
‘Being the Ricardos’ Isn’t All It’s Cracked Up to Be
By Ben Hiett
Amazon’s most recent attempt at striking Oscar gold, “Being the Ricardos” bears all the trademarks of its director, for better and for worse. Plagued by its own excess, the film proves that an overabundance of talents is not always reflected in the final product.
I’m not saying that this film is not a well-put-together product; too many seasoned professionals are involved here for such an outcome. In fact, the performances, the writing, the direction and the overall ...
‘National Champions’ Calls for Change in College Sports, to Little Avail
By Nick Ratliff
“National Champions” is a sports drama about two college football athletes fighting for something bigger than themselves. LeMarcus James (Stephan James) is a star quarterback projected to be the number one pick in the upcoming NFL draft, while Emmett Sunday (Alexander Ludwig) is a starter who is not projected to make it past the college level.
Three days before the national championship game, these two athletes protest the game on the basis that student-athletes should be ...
‘Encounter’ is More (and Less) than It Appears
By Benjamin Konuch
"Keeping a level head when all hell's breaking loose, that's a special kind of tough."
Released by Amazon Studios earlier last month, "Encounter" is a slow-burn thriller/drama starring Riz Ahmed, Octavia Spencer and Lucian River-Chauhan. Ahmed plays Malik, an ex-marine who discovers a conspiracy about alien parasites taking control of humans. Once he finds out, he embarks with his two young sons on a journey across a country where anyone could be an enemy.
While many ...
