Top 5 Movies of 2019
By Hunter Johnson
5. 'Ad Astra'
“Ad Astra” is not like most space travel epics. It’s not about big stories or loud action set pieces or overly-relatable protagonists. It’s about holding onto hope in the midst of deep and despairing abandonment.
“Ad Astra” is about an introverted astronaut named Roy (played by Brad Pitt), who’s sent on a mission to retrieve his longlost father from space.
This film is brought to life by three bigname stars. In this film, Brad Pitt ...
Album Reviews
By Joshua Stevens
‘Behold the Lamb of God’ by Andrew Peterson
From the history of Moses and the Israelites to the birth of Christ, Andrew Peterson’s “Behold the Lamb of God” isn’t an album. It’s a Biblical history lesson.
Eight months after the Christian singer/songwriter spoke and performed at Cedarville University, Peterson has released his newest album. It showcases his unique songwriting ability, while also putting a spin on a Christmas classic and other old favorites.
...
‘Judy’ Review
by Hunter Johnson
Biographical films are not a new concept. Films like “Walk the Line” and “Chaplin” tell life stories from start to finish of their true-life protagonists. Other biopics focus just on the biggest event of someone’s life. “The Social Network” did this for Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg and “The Disaster Artist” for film director Tommy Wiseau.
In “Judy,” rather than looking at what audiences are already aware of, director Rupert Goold focuses solely on ...
“Ad Astra” Review
By Hunter Johnson
Brad Pitt is one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors. . He’s played a cowboy, an ancient Greek hero, a secret spy, a psychopath, a guy who ages backwards, the list goes on. It only makes sense that he would eventually play a futuristic astronaut.
“Ad Astra,” starring Pitt and directed by James Gray, tells the story of Roy, an extremely reserved man who feels disconnected from the world, including his family.
Tommy Lee Jones plays Roy’s father, Clifford, who ...
“The Peanut Butter Falcon” Review
By Hunter Johnson
In “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” writers and directors Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz turn what could’ve been a standard retelling of the Huckleberry Finn story into a modern tale of discovery between a redneck fisherman and a runaway person with Down Syndrome.
Zak (played by Zack Gottsagen) is in his early twenties and has been treated differently his whole life because he has Down Syndrome. Having no family to look after him, he lives in a retirement home, ...
Movie Review: ‘Shazam!’
by Hunter Johnson
DC has always had a rough time in their cinematic side of things. Nearly all of the thirty films released by the company over the last four decades — with the exception of less than 10 Superman and Batman films — has been critically panned as unsuccessful attempts at filmmaking.
This all changed in 2017 when “Wonder Woman” was released, becoming the first non-Superman, non-Batman DC film to receive worldwide acclaim. The next year, “Aquaman” released, and while ...
Play Review: ‘The Spitfire Grill’
by Katie Milligan
Cedarville University’s spring musical, “The Spitfire Grill,” is an engrossing tale of tragedy and brokenness, but ultimately a thrilling story of hope, healing and reconciliation.
The production begins with Perchance “Percy” Talbot (played by Emily Hunnemeyer) arriving at midnight to the middle-of-nowhere town of Gilead, Wisconsin. She has just completed a five-year stint in prison, and her parole officer Sheriff Joe Sutter (Byron Mrowiec) lands her a job as a ...
Movie Review: ‘How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World’
by Hunter Johnson
After two feature films, four short films, and 118 episodes of a tv show, the “How To Train Your Dragon” franchise has finally reached its end with “How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.”
“The Hidden World” follows Hiccup and his dragon Toothless as their village of Berk acts as a massive refugee camp for all dragons who need it.
To put it in a single word, this film is epic. And that’s not a reference to how enjoyable it is — although it certainly ...
Movie Review: ‘Captain Marvel’
by Ian Sarmiento
From Spider-Man to Captain America, Marvel Studios has had a lot of fun recreating beloved characters while crafting memorable action scenes and big moments of comedy. “Captain Marvel” joins in the fun as audiences are introduced to the MCU’s newest hero.
“Captain Marvel” is co-directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, known for their films “Mississippi Grind” and “Sugar.” The directors took Marvel’s newest movie and made it unique to their style, making it ...
Book Review: ‘Sunny Side Up’
by Sarah Pennington
If you were to have breakfast with Jesus, what might He say to you? That is the question that Cedarville professor Dan DeWitt answers in his latest book, “Sunny Side Up: The Breakfast Conversation That Could Change Your Life.” Taking his cues from Jesus’ conversation with Peter in John 21, DeWitt explores some of the issues that hinder Christians in doing what they’re called to do. He also provides practical applications and questions for readers to ponder as they ...
